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Diesel Fuel
Some chemical characteristics and natural impurities in diesel fuel can affect exhaust emissions from diesel engines, can damage or impede the operation of emission control devices, and can increase secondary pollutant formation in the atmosphere. EPA, which has a mandate to assure healthy air quality, has regulated highway diesel fuel quality since 1993 and most recently established low sulfur requirements in diesel fuel starting in 2006.
- Diesel Fuel Programs and Regulations
- Regulations Related to Highway Diesel Fuel in Alaska & U.S. Territories
- Links to Related EPA Sites
- Links to Related Non-EPA Sites
NOTE: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader, available as a free download, to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more about PDF, and for a link to the free Acrobat Reader.
Diesel Fuel Programs and Regulations
Direct Final Rule and Parallel Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Technical Amendments to the Highway and Nonroad Diesel Rules
- Fact Sheet: Direct Final Rule and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Amendments to the Nonroad and Highway Diesel Fuel Regulations (also available as a PDF file, 4 pp, 1MB, EPA420-F-06-033, April 2006)
- Direct Final Rule (also available as a PDF file, 22 pp, 405K)
- Notice of Proposed Rule (also available as a PDF file, 5 pp, 104K)
The comment period closed May 31, 2006. We did not receive any adverse comments on the amendments contained in this action. Consequently (as stated in the "Dates" section of the Federal Register notice) these amendments became effective June 30, 2006.
Contact: Tia Sutton, phone: (734) 214-4018, e-mail: Tia Sutton (sutton.tia@epa.gov)
Direct Final Rule and Concurrent Notice of Proposed Rule: Revisions to Motor Vehicle Diesel Fuel Sulfur Transition Provisions, and Technical Amendments to the Highway Diesel, Nonroad Diesel, and Tier 2 Gasoline Programs (signed November 8, 2005)
- Press Release (November 9, 2005)
- Fact Sheet: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Direct Final Rule and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Revisions to Motor Vehicle Diesel Fuel Sulfur Transition Provisions, and Technical Amendments to the Highway Diesel, Nonroad Diesel, and Tier 2 Gasoline Programs (also available as a PDF file, 3 pp, 262K, EPA420-F-05-051, November 2005)
- Direct Final Rule (also available as a PDF file, 16 pp, 126K)
- Notice
of Proposed Rule (also available as a PDF file, 5 pp, 15K)
The comment period closed December 22, 2005. We received no negative comments on the proposed amendments contained in this action. Consequently, these amendments became effective January 6, 2006.
Contact:
Tad Wysor, phone: (734) 214-4332, e-mail: Tad Wysor (wysor.tad@epa.gov)
Direct Final Rule - Amendments to the Nonroad and Highway Diesel Fuel Regulations (signed July 7, 2005)
- Fact Sheet: Direct Final Rule and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Amendments to the Nonroad and Highway Diesel Fuel Regulations (also available as a PDF file, 2 pp, 42K, EPA420-F-05-029, July 2005)
- Direct Final Rule (PDF) (11 pp, 116K)
- Proposed Rule (PDF) (3 pp, 60K)
Heavy-Duty Diesel Rule (the "2007 Highway Rule") Final Rule: published January 18, 2001
This rule established a single comprehensive national control program that will regulate the heavy-duty vehicle and its fuel as a single system. The new sulfur standards for highway diesel fuel begin to take effect in 2006. The new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles begin to take effect in 2007.
Final Rule: Fuel Quality Regulations for Highway Diesel Fuel Sold in 1993 and Later Calendar Years. Rule that established initial highway diesel fuel requirements. An electronic version of this Federal Register (FR) Notice is not available at this time. Hard copy version is located at Volume 55, page 34120 of FR, published August 21, 1990. Also see revised rule published January 18, 2001 (above).
Regulations Related to Highway Diesel Fuel in Alaska & U.S. Territories
- Final Rulemaking - Control of Air Pollution From Motor Vehicles and Nonroad Diesel Engines: Alternative Low-Sulfur Diesel Fuel Transition Program for Alaska (published June 6, 2006)
- Fact Sheet (also available as a PDF file, 4 pp, 204K, EPA420-F-06-040, May 2006)
- Final Rule | PDF Version (15 pp, 260K)
Contacts: Jeff Herzog, phone: (734) 214-4227, email: herzog.jeff@epa.gov. Tia Sutton, phone: (734) 214-4018, email:sutton.tia@epa.gov
- Proposed Rule - To Establish a Transition Program for Low-Sulfur Diesel in Alaska (published October 13, 2005)
- Fact Sheet: Regulatory Announcement: EPA Proposes Effective Date for Diesel Fuel Sulfur Control Requirements in Rural Alaska (also available as a PDF file, 5 pp, 146K, EPA420-F-05-028, October 2005)
- Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (also available as a PDF file, 120K)
- Final decision made in January 18, 2001 final rule Heavy Duty Engines and Vehicle Standards and Highway Diesel Sulfur Control Requirements (above).
- Final Rule to extend temporary exemption to January 1, 2004. Published June 25, 1999.
- Fact Sheet (PDF) (3 pp, 70K, EPA420-F-99-029 June 1999)
- Final Rule to extend temporary exemption to July 1, 1999. Published September 16, 1998.
- Notice of extension of Public Comment Period for April 28, 1998 Proposed Rule. Published June 4, 1998.
- Proposed Rule to Grant Alaska Permanent Exemption. Published April 28, 1998.
- Direct Final Decision to extend temporary exemption to October 1, 1998. Published August 19, 1996.
- Proposed Decision. Published August 19, 1996.
Old Federal Register Notices Related to Diesel Fuel in Alaska and US Territories
Unfortunately, the following Federal Register notices are not yet available on our Web site, but are listed for your convenience with citations to the Federal Register volume, page and date.
Contact: Paul Machiele, phone: (734) 214-4264, email: machiele.paul@epa.gov.
- Direct Final Decision to Exempt Mariana Islands from Diesel Fuel Sulfur Requirements - 59 FR 26129 (May 19, 1994)
- Final Decision to Exempt Alaska for Rural Areas and to October 1, 1996 for Highway Areas - 59 FR 13610 (March 22, 1994)
- Direct Final Decision to Exempt Guam from Diesel Fuel Sulfur Requirements - 58 FR 48968 (September 21, 1993)
- Proposed Decision to Exempt Alaska for Rural Areas and to October 1, 1996 for Highway Areas - 58 FR 45307 (August 27, 1993)
- Final Decision to Exempt American Samoa from the Diesel Fuel Sulfur Content Requirements - 57 FR 32010 (July 20, 1992)
- Proposed Decision to Exempt American Samoa from the Diesel Fuel Sulfur Content Requirements - 56 FR 58243 (November 18, 1991)
Links to Related EPA Sites
- Heavy-Duty Highway Diesel Program Compliance Help page. Information to assist the regulated community in complying with the Highway Diesel and Nonroad Diesel Rules.
- Voluntary Diesel Retrofit Program. Addresses pollution from diesel construction equipment and heavy-duty vehicles that are currently on the road. This site is designed for fleet operators, air quality planners in state/local government and retrofit manufacturers.
- Health Assessment Document for Diesel Exhaust EPA/600/8-90/057, May 2002. This assessment examined possible health hazards associated with exposure to diesel engine exhaust. (The document download, which is very large, appears half way down this page.)
- Clean Diesel Independent Review Panel. Provides independent advice to the Agency on industries' progress in developing and demonstrating technologies that will be used to reduce engine exhaust emissions and to lower the sulfur level of highway diesel fuel.
- Diesel Fuel Analysis Program EPA program that quantifies air pollution emission effects of diesel fuel parameters on various nonroad and heavy-duty (large) diesel engines.
- Diesel Additives List of diesel additives registered by companies / manufacturers in accordance with the regulations at Title 40 of Code of Federal Register, Part 79. Fuel additives are chemicals added to gasoline or diesel fuel for various reasons, including octane or cetane enhancement, and inhibiting corrosion.
- Truck and Bus Engines Emission Standards Guidance, regulations, and general information on emission standards for heavy-duty highway diesel engines and vehicles.
- Nonroad Engine Emission Standards General information, reports, and proposals for nonroad engine emission standards (e.g., marine diesel engines).
- Tier 2/Gasoline Sulfur Home Page Information on more protective tailpipe emissions standards for all passenger vehicles. Also information on standards for lower sulfur in gasoline.
- Fuels Home Page Information on EPA's fuels programs and standards including reformulated gasoline, fuel additives, gasoline detergents, oxygenated gasoline, alternative / clean fuels, etc.
- Fuels Reporting Forms (including company and facility registration forms) The registration forms are for reformulated gasoline and conventional gasoline (anti-dumping), but are also used for diesel refiner registration under the diesel sulfur rule (40 CFR 80 Subpart I)
- Vehicle Emission Standards Provides links to emission and certification standards for automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, and buses.
Links to Related Non-EPA Sites 
- Code of Federal Regulations - Title 40 CFR Part 80 Compilation of federal regulations of fuel and fuel additives, including diesel fuel.
This link is to the Government Printing Office's site. - IRS Tax Code with Diesel Fuel Dye Requirement (26 CFR Chapter I, 48.4082-1). Tax exemption for dyed diesel fuel. (Diesel fuel that is dyed red is assumed to not be highway fuel and may not be used in highway vehicles since it does not meet federal, diesel quality standards (e.g., sulfur content) unless it is used in a manner that is tax-exempt as defined by the IRS.)
This link is to the Government Printing Office's site. - Alaska Department of Conservation, Division of Air and Water Quality, "Ultra Low Sulfur" page.
This page is on Alaska's efforts to develop an alternate plan for the state to transition to low-sulfur diesel fuel.
Alaska Department of Conservation. - California Air Resources Board: California's Diesel Risk Reduction Program CA program to further reduce diesel particulate matter (PM) emissions from diesel-fueled engines and vehicles.
California Environmental Protection Agency - California Air Resources Board: Diesel Fuel Program CA's overall diesel fuel programs including sulfur content standards.
California Environmental Protection Agency