Guidance Documents on Reformulated Gasoline
After publication of the final rule Standards for Reformulated and Conventional Gasoline in February 16, 1994, EPA received numerous questions concerning the manner in which EPA would implement the RFG and antidumping regulations. EPA prepared "Questions and Answers" documents as the questions were received. These documents are available below organized by date of release. However, each document may cover numerous topics, and different facets of a topic may be discussed in more than one document. To make it easier to find questions and answers on a specific topic, EPA prepared a consolidated document organized by topic. This document is available below in its entirety, and in six sections plus an index for shorter downloads.
These documents do not establish or change legal rights or obligations. Since their release, however, some of the responses have been incorporated into the regulations.
For assistance with RFG Questions and Answers on a particular topic of interest, contact Marilyn Bennett, phone: (202) 343-9624, email: bennett.marilyn@epa.gov.
- RFG Questions and Answers Consolidated by Topic
- RFG Questions and Answers by Date of Release
- Other Guidance Documents
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.
RFG Questions and Answers Consolidated by Topic (EPA420-R-03-009, July, 2003)
- Complete document (PDF) (261 pp, 6MB)
- Table of contents and index (PDF) (14 pp, 244K)
- Introduction (PDF) (1 pg, 44K)
- Section 1: Standards; models; baselines (PDF) (39 pp, 433K)
- Section 2: Sampling and testing; RFG general requirements (PDF) (30 pp, 306K)
- Section 3: Independent sampling and testing; in-line blending; compliance on average; surveys; downstream oxygenate blending (PDF) (47 pp, 252K)
- Section 4: Covered areas; registration, recordkeeping, and reporting; product transfer documents; California exemptions; attest engagements (PDF) (51 pp, 217K)
- Section 5: Anti-dumping; enforcement (PDF) (39 pp, 187K)
- Section 6: Interaction with state programs; supplemental Qs&As (including Transmix, butane blending and GTAB) (PDF) (33 pp, 456K)
RFG Questions and Answers by Date of Release
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, October 12, 2006 (PDF) (5 pp, 109K, EPA420-B-06-013, October, 2006)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, November 10, 1997
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, November 12, 1996 (ZIP-TXT) (48K)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, July 15, 1996 (PDF) (3 pp, 13K, EPA420-F-96-021)
- Supplemental RFG/Anti-dumping Questions & Answers, May 30, 1996
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, May 2, 1996
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, March 19, 1996
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, March 7, 1996
- Supplemental RFG/anti-dumping Questions and Answers,January 22, 1996
- Supplemental RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, November 29, 1995
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, October 31, 1995 (PDF) (10 pp, 38K, EPA420-F-95-027)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, September 19, 1995 (PDF) (5 pp, 11K, EPA420-F-95-026)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, August 29, 1995 (PDF) (14 pp, 30 KB, EPA420-F-95-025)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, August 15, 1995 (PDF) (11 pp, 24K, EPA420-F-95-024)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, May 23, 1995 (PDF) (5 pp, 11K, EPA420-F-95-023)
- TM&C/KPMG RFG/Anti-Dumping Workshop Questions/Comments, May 16, 1995
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, May 9, 1995 (PDF) (5 pp, 12K, EPA420-F-95-022)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, April 18, 1995 (PDF) (11 pp, 22K, EPA420-F-95-021)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, February 21, 1995 (PDF) (5 pp, 11K, EPA420-F-95-020)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, February 6, 1995 (PDF) (14 pp, 36K, EPA420-F-95-019)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, January 30, 1995 (PDF) (6 pp, 14K, EPA420-F-95-018)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, January 23, 1995 (PDF) (10 pp, 20K, EPA420-F-95-017)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, January 17, 1995 (PDF) (5 pp, 10K, EPA420-F-95-016)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, January 9, 1995 (PDF) (16 pp, 33K, EPA420-F-95-015)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, December 5, 1994 (PDF) (17 pp, 32K, EPA420-F-94-016)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, November 28, 1994 (PDF) (7 pp, 15K, EPA420-F-94-014)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, November 21, 1994 (PDF) (16 pp, 30K, EPA420-F-94-013)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, November 7, 1994 (PDF) (7 pp, 15K, EPA420-F-94-012)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, October 31, 1994 (PDF) (9 pp, 22K, EPA420-F-94-011)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, October 17, 1994 (PDF) (20 pp, 43K, EPA420-F-94-010)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, October 3, 1994 (PDF) (32 pp, 58K, EPA420-F-94-009)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, September 26, 1994 (PDF) (10 pp, 29K, EPA420-F-94-008)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, September 12, 1994 (PDF) (5 pp, 15K, EPA420-F-94-007)
- RFG/Anti-dumping Questions and Answers, August 29, 1994 (PDF) (46 pp, 100K, EPA420-F-94-006)
- RFG Questions and Answers, July 1, 1994
Other Guidance Documents
- Listings of registered companies, facilities, and labs in the reformulated gasoline and anti-dumping program. Updated June, 2007.
- Fuels Programs company and facility ID master list (Excel) (99 pp, 1.7M, October 9, 2008).
- Registered labs (PDF) (3 pp, 72K) (Sortable XLS, 29K)
- Covered Areas Code List needed for RFG and Antidumping Reporting Form 3520-20N. Updated February, 2003.
Contact: Angie Young, phone: (202) 343-9038, email: young.angie@epa.gov. - RFG and Antidumping Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Technical Guideline.
Contact: John Weihrauch, phone: (202) 343-9477, email: weihrauch.john@epa.gov. - Enforcement Discretion Memo on the RFG end-of-year reporting deadline from EPA Assistant Administrator for Office of Enforcement and Compliance to National Petroleum Refiners Association. Signed February 19, 1999.
Contact: George Lawrence, phone: (202) 564-1307, email: lawrence.george@epa.gov.- Mem0 (PDF) (1 pg, 39 KB)
- RFG / Antidumping attest procedures letter to American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Dated March 15, 1996.
Contact: George Lawrence, phone: (202) 564-1307, email: lawrence.george@epa.gov.
- Guidance from U.S. EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Fuels And Energy Division on downstream transition from Phase I to Phase II RFG. This document explains why transition to Phase II Reformulated Gasoline on January 1, 2000 should not present any unusual regulatory problems for downstream gasoline suppliers, such as retail stations. Dated July 1, 1999.
Contact: Marilyn Bennett, phone: (202) 343-9624, email: bennett.marilyn@epa.gov.- Guidance (PDF) (2 pp, 9K)
- Memo regarding no-action assurance for the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) Emissions performance standard under the RFG Program. Memo from EPA Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance to National Petroleum Refiners Association. Signed February 19, 1999.
Contact: George Lawrence, phone: (202) 564-1307, email: lawrence.george@epa.gov.- Memo (PDF) (2 pp, 92K)
- Report on vehicle performance with Phase II RFG (EPA420-R-99-025)
Contact: Larry Haslett, phone: (202) 343-9728, email: haslett.larry@epa.gov.- An EPA fleet testing program conducted in 1998 to ensure that any vehicle performance problems with Phase II RFG would be identified before the fuel was introduced to the public (PDF) (23 pp, 15K)
- Appendix A - Implementation Workgroup Members (PDF) (3 pp, 8K)
- Appendix B - Testing Team (PDF) (2 pp,6K)
- Appendix C - Technical Steering Committee (PDF) (1 pg, 5K)
- Appendix D - Test Plan (PDF) (12 pp,29K)
- Appendix E - Fuels Comparison (PDF) (1 pg,5K)
- Appendix F - Contract Statement of Work (PDF) (3 pp, 14K)
- Appendix G - Certificates of Analysis (PDF) (4 pp, 215K)
- Appendix H - Fuel Analyses Conducted by EPA NVFEL (PDF) (11 pp, 28K)
- Appendix I - Temperatures at Boston/Logan Airport (PDF) (3 pp, 14K)
- Appendix J - Letter from Ford (PDF) (3 pp, 167K)
- Appendix K - Letters from GM (PDF) (4 pp, 322K)
- Appendix L - Letter from Elk Grove Village, IL (PDF) (1 pg, 80K)
- Appendix M - Report: On-Road Study of the Effects of Phase II Reformulated Gasoline on Fuel Economy (PDF) (25 pp, 1.3MB)
- Appendix N - Temperatures at Milwaukee Mitchell airport (PDF) (1 pg, 5K)
- EPA-Sponsored Study to Evaluate the Effects of RFG on Ambient Air Quality, Final Contractor's Report. Dated April, 1998
Contact: Stuart Romanow, phone: (202) 343-9296, email: romanow.stuart@epa.gov.- Study (PDF) (108 pp, 527K)
- Letter regarding sampling and testing requirements for parties who import conventional gasoline by means of transport trucks. To PAL Energy Corporation from Charles Freed, Director, Fuels and Energy Division. Dated April 23, 1998.
Contact: Marilyn Bennett, phone: (202) 343-9624, email: bennett.marilyn@epa.gov.- Letter (PDF) (2 pp, 50K)
- Letter regarding extension of time for using alternative test methods and valid range limits for RFG: To the National Petroleum Refiners Association from Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. Dated April 23, 1998.
Contact: George Lawrence, phone: (202) 564-1307, email: lawrence.george@epa.gov.- Letter (PDF) (4 pp, 49K)
- Letter regarding motor vehicle fuels enforcement tolerances: To the National Petroleum Refiners Association from Assistant Administrator, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. Dated April 23, 1998.
Contact: George Lawrence, phone: (202) 564-1307, email: lawrence.george@epa.gov- Letter (PDF) (4 pp, 50K)
- Oxyfuels Information Needs. An EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD) report: information that would improve scientific understanding of the impacts of oxygenated fuels on the environment and public health. Dated May 1996
- Letters to/from American Petroleum Institute (API) regarding a comparison between the emissions of RFG and low volatility (RVP) gasoline and their use as an air quality control measure.
Contact: David Korotney, phone: (734) 214-4507, email: korotney.david@epa.gov.- Letters dated June 26, 1996 and August 2, 1996 (PDF) (8 pp, 26K)
- Memo dated March 22, 1996 (PDF) (7 pp, 12K)
- SAE Paper 950778, "Effect of Gasoline Reformulation & Sulfur Reduction on Exhaust Emissions from post-1983 but pre-1990 Vehicles." October 18, 2001
Contact: Dave Korotney, phone: (734) 214-4507, email: korotney.david@epa.gov.- SAE Paper (PDF) (7 pp, 92K)