Enforcement
Fuel Waivers
EPA, working with the Department of Energy, responds quickly to address fuel supply disruptions caused by, for example, refinery or pipeline infrastructure damage as the result of a hurricane or other natural disaster, by issuing emergency waivers of certain fuel standards in affected areas. When issued, these temporary waivers are necessary to help ensure that an adequate supply of fuel is available, particularly for emergency vehicle needs. There were no waivers issued in 2009 and 2010.
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On this page are the following fuel waivers:
2012 | 2011 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005
On other pages:
2012 Fuels Waivers
On September 4, 2012, EPA waived requirements for use of low Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) "summertime" gasoline in the following states, through the end of the high ozone period on September 15, 2012: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Multi-State Fuel Waiver Concerning, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee (PDF) (3 pp, 381K)
On August 28, 2012, EPA issued an emergency waiver, through September 6, 2012, of the federal 7.8 psi Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) in the following fourteen Louisiana parishes: Ascension, E. Baton Rouge, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Point Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. Mary and W. Baton Rouge. Fuel Waiver Concerning the Louisiana parishes (PDF) (3 pp, 793K)
2011 Fuels Waivers
On September 10, 2011, EPA issued an emergency waiver of the federal 7.8 psi Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) requirements in Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Area of Pennsylvania through September 15, 2011. Fuel Waiver Concerning the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Area, Pennsylvania (PDF) (2 pp, 1MB).
On August 11, 2011, EPA issued an emergency waiver of the federal 7.8 psi Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) and ethanol requirements in Shelby County, Tenn. (which includes Memphis) through August 31, 2011. Fuel Waiver Concerning Shelby County, Tennessee (PDF) (2 pp, 594K).
EPA and DOE continue to monitor the status of the nation's fuel supply. This page is updated as new emergency fuels waivers are issued. No waivers were issued in 2009 or 2010.
2008 Fuels Waivers issued for the following States:
Arizona
On October 10, EPA issued an emergency waiver from November 1 through November 15, of the federally-enforceable requirement under Arizona's State Implementation Plan for "Type 2" Cleaner Burning Gasoline in Maricopa County and parts of Pinal and Yavapai Counties. Fuel Waiver Concerning Arizona (PDF) (3 pp, 148K)
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas
On September 11, EPA issued an emergency waiver through September 15 of the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) and ethanol requirements for gasoline in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, and of the RVP, ethanol and reformulated gasoline requirements for Texas through September 30. Multi-State Fuel Waiver Concerning Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas (PDF) (5 pp, 448K)
On September 17, a superseding fuel waiver for Texas was issued.
Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and North Carolina
On September 5, EPA issued an emergency waiver of the federal 7.8 psi Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) and ethanol requirements in Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and North Carolina, and of the state RVP requirements in Georgia and Alabama, through September 15. Multi-State Fuel Waiver Concerning Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina (PDF) (3 pp, 284K)
District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia
On September 18, EPA issued an emergency waiver through October 7, of the Reformulated Gasoline requirements in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Fuel Waiver Concerning the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia (PDF) (3 pp, 170K)
Florida
On September 5, EPA issued an emergency waiver through September 15, of the Reid Vapor Pressure requirements for gasoline in Florida. Fuel Waiver Concerning Florida (PDF) (2 pp, 128K)
On August 22, EPA issued an emergency waiver through August 27, of the Reid Vapor Pressure requirements for gasoline in Duval County, Florida. Fuel Waiver Concerning Duval County, Florida (PDF) (2 pp, 170K)
Georgia
On September 23, EPA issued an emergency waiver through October 12, of the Georgia low-sulfur gasoline requirements for the Atlanta area. Fuel Waiver Concerning Georgia (PDF) (3 pp, 149K)
Kentucky
On September 17, EPA issued an emergency waiver through September 30, of the Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) requirements in the counties of Boone, Campbell, Jefferson, Kenton, and those parts of Bullitt and Oldham where RFG is required. Fuel Waiver Concerning Kentucky (PDF) (2 pp, 125K)
Louisiana
On August 29, EPA issued an emergency waiver through September 8, of the Reid Vapor Pressure and ethanol requirements for gasoline in certain parishes in Louisiana. Fuel Waiver Concerning Louisiana (PDF) (3 pp, 150K)
Ohio
On September 12, EPA issued an emergency waiver of the 7.8 psi Reid Vapor Pressure requirements in Ohio. Fuel Waiver Concerning Ohio (PDF) (2 pp, 215K)
Texas
On September 17, EPA issued an emergency waiver through October 1, of the Reid Vapor Pressure and Reformulated Gasoline requirements for parts of eastern and coastal Texas. This waiver supersedes the September 11 multi-state waiver as it applies to Texas. Fuel Waiver Concerning Texas (PDF) (3 pp, 150K)
On September 15, EPA issued an emergency waiver to allow federal Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel to be used in the 110-county area of eastern Texas where Texas Low-Emission Diesel (TxLED) fuel is required, through September 30. Fuel Waiver Concerning a 110-county area of eastern Texas (PDF) (3 pp, 169K)
On August 31, EPA issued an emergency waiver through September 10, of the Reid Vapor Pressure, ethanol and Reformulated Gasoline requirements for parts of eastern and coastal Texas. Fuel Waiver Concerning Texas (PDF) (3 pp, 1.4MB)
Tennessee
On September 11, EPA issued an emergency waiver through September 15, of the Reid Vapor Pressure and ethanol requirements for gasoline in certain counties in Tennessee. Fuel Waiver Concerning Tennessee (PDF) (2 pp, 99K)
Virginia
On September 12, EPA issued an emergency waiver through September 26, of the Reformulated Gasoline requirements in Virginia. Fuel Waiver Concerning Virginia (PDF) (2 pp, 236K)
2007 Fuels Waivers
On August 29, EPA issued a waiver through September 15, concerning North Dakota's gasoline volatility requirements. Fuel Waiver Concerning North Dakota (PDF) (2 pp, 109K)
On June 1, EPA issued an emergency waiver through June 11, of the requirements for low Reid Vapor Pressure in gasoline sold in North Carolina. Fuel Waiver Concerning North Carolina Gasoline Requirements (PDF) (2 pp, 77K)
2006 Fuel Waiver
On July 25, EPA issued a waiver through September 3, concerning Meto-East St. Louis area RVP requirements. Fuel Waiver concerning Meto-East St. Louis (PDF) (2 pp, 355K)
2005 Fuels Waivers Have Been Issued for the Following States and Areas
Remarks by EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson on August 31, 2005 regarding the issuance of fuel waivers (You will need to use your "back" button to return to this page.)
Nationwide fuel waiver issued to bolster fuel supplies
On Aug. 31, EPA waived the requirement to sell "summer gasoline" which contains a lower volatility limit. This action has the effect of allowing early use of wintertime gasoline. EPA is also allowing the use of diesel fuel that exceeds 500 ppm sulfur content. Both waivers were effective through Sept. 15 and were applicable throughout all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. Emergency Nationwide Fuel Waiver in Response to Hurricane Katrina (PDF) (2 pp, 322K)
Phoenix, Arizona
On Sept.13, EPA issued an emergency waiver until Sept. 30, of the requirements for low Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) in gasoline sold in the Phoenix, Ariz., area. Fuel Waiver for Phoenix, Arizona's RVP Season (PDF) (2 pp, 305K)
California
On Oct. 20, EPA issued a third emergency waiver through Oct. 31, of the requirements for low RVP in gasoline sold in California. Fuel Waiver Concerning the California Gasoline Volatility Requirements (PDF) (2 pp, 365K)
On Sept. 27, EPA issued a second emergency waiver through Oct. 24, of the requirements for low RVP in gasoline sold in California. Fuel Waiver Concerning the California Gasoline Volatility Requirements (PDF) (2 pp, 427K)
On Sept.13, EPA issued an emergency waiver through Oct. 3, of the requirements for low RVP in gasoline sold in California. Fuel Waiver concerning the California Gasoline Volatility Requirements (PDF) (2 pp, 400K)
Atlanta, Georgia Area
On Sept. 27, EPA issued a third emergency waiver through Oct. 25, of the Georgia low-sulfur gasoline requirements for the Atlanta area. Fuel Waiver Concerning Atlanta, GA, Gasoline Requirements (PDF) (2 pp, 370K)
On Sept. 9, EPA granted a second waiver through Oct. 5, of gasoline that does not meet Georgia's low-sulfur requirements for the Atlanta area. Second Emergency Fuel Waiver Concerning Atlanta, Georgia Gasoline Requirements (PDF) (2 pp, 370K)
On Sept. 1, EPA waived through Sept. 15, the low sulfur gasoline requirements for the Atlanta area. Emergency Fuel Waiver Concerning Georgia Gasoline Sulfur Requirements, September 2005 (PDF) (2 pp, 300K)
Tennessee, Kentucky and PADD I (East Coast) and III (Gulf Coast)
On Oct. 25, EPA issued an emergency waiver of the low-sulfur highway diesel fuel requirement, through Nov. 14, for Kentucky. The waiver takes effect on Oct. 26, when the previous highway diesel waiver expires in Kentucky. Fuel Waiver Concerning Diesel Fuel in the State of Kentucky (PDF) (2 pp, 81K)
On Oct. 4, EPA issued an emergency waiver of the low-sulfur highway diesel fuel requirement, through Oct. 25, for Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky, and states located in Petroleum Administration for Defense District (PADD) III. The waiver takes effect upon expiration of the Sept. 13 diesel fuel waiver for Kentucky and all states located in PADDs I (East Coast) and III (Gulf Coast), and the Sept. 27 diesel fuel waiver for Kentucky. Fuel Waiver Concerning Diesel Fuel (PDF) (2 pp, 745K)
On Sept. 30, EPA issued an emergency waiver to add the Commonwealth of Kentucky to the Sept. 13 waiver of the low-sulfur highway diesel fuel requirements in Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts PADDs I and III and the State of Tennessee. Fuel Waiver Concerning Diesel Fuel in Kentucky (PDF) (2 pp, 468K)
On Sept. 13, EPA issued an emergency waiver until Oct. 5, of the low-sulfur highway diesel fuel requirements in Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts PADDs I and III and the State of Tennessee. Fuel Waiver concerning Diesel Fuel (PDF) (400K, 2 pp)
Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi
On Oct. 25, EPA issued an emergency waiver of the low-sulfur highway diesel fuel requirement, through Nov. 14, for Mississippi. The waiver takes effect on Oct. 26, when the previous highway diesel waiver expires in Mississippi. Fuel Waiver Concerning Diesel Fuel in the State of Mississippi (PDF) (2 pp, 569K)
On Oct. 24, EPA issued an emergency waiver of the low-sulfur diesel fuel requirement for Florida. This waiver takes effect on Oct. 26, upon expiration of an Oct. 4 diesel fuel waiver that applies in a number of East and Gulf Coast states, including the State of Florida. Fuel Waiver Concerning Diesel Fuel in the State of Florida (PDF) (2 pp, 365K)
On Oct. 7, EPA issued an emergency fuel waiver to temporarily raise the per-gallon cap on sulfur in conventional gasoline produced at the Citgo refinery in Lake Charles, La., from Oct. 11 through Oct. 15, and to allow this fuel to be distributed and sold in those portions of Petroleum Administration for Defense District (PADDs) I (East Coast) and III (Gulf Coast), and the States of Kentucky and Tennessee, where conventional gasoline may be used. Fuel Waiver for the Gasoline Sulfur Cap, Lake Charles Refinery (PDF) (3 pp, 485K)
On Aug. 30, EPA issued an emergency fuel waiver of the RVP and diesel sulfur standards for Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. This waiver was superseded by the Aug. 31, nationwide fuels waiver.
Iowa and Nebraska
On Oct. 24, EPA issued an emergency waiver of the low-sulfur highway diesel fuel requirement, through Nov. 13, for Iowa (PDF) (2 pp, 328K) and Nebraska (PDF) (2 pp, 328K).
St. Louis, Missouri
On Oct. 6, EPA issued a second emergency waiver to allow conventional gasoline to be sold and distributed in the St. Louis-covered area, through midnight Oct. 27. Second Emergency Fuel Waiver Concerning St. Louis RFG Covered Area (PDF) (2 pp, 303K)
On Sept. 27, EPA granted an emergency waiver to allow conventional gasoline to be sold and distributed in the St. Louis-covered area until midnight on Oct. 7. Retail outlets and wholesale purchaser-consumers will be allowed to continue selling or dispensing this fuel after Oct. 7 until their supplies are depleted. Fuel Waiver Concerning St. Louis RFG Covered Area (PDF) (2 pp, 324K)
Texas
On Oct. 18, at the request of the State of Texas, EPA issued an emergency waiver that delays the phased-in implementation of the Texas Low-Emission Diesel (TXLED) program. The new compliance dates for the TXLED program are Oct. 31 for refiners, Dec. 15 for terminals, and Jan. 31, 2006, for retail outlets. Second Texas Low-Emission Diesel Fuel Waiver (PDF) (2 pp, 318K)
On Sept. 30, EPA issued an emergency fuel waiver to temporarily raise the per-gallon cap on sulfur in conventional gasoline produced at the ExxonMobil refinery in Baytown, Texas, through Oct. 6th, and to allow this fuel to be distributed and sold in Kentucky, Tennessee and PADDs I and III. Fuel Waiver for the Gasoline Sulfur Cap (PDF) (3 pp, 814K)
On Sept. 27, EPA granted an emergency waiver to allow conventional gasoline to be sold and distributed in both the Houston-Galveston and the Dallas/Fort Worth reformulated-gasoline-covered areas through Oct. 20. Retail outlets and wholesale purchaser-consumers will be allowed to continue selling or dispensing this fuel after Oct. 20, until their supplies are depleted. Emergency Fuel Waiver Concerning Dallas and Houston, Texas, RFG Requirements (PDF) (2 pp, 409K)
On Sept. 27, at the request of the State of Texas, EPA issued an emergency waiver that delays implementation of the Texas Low-Emission Diesel (TXLED) program that was to have been phased-in beginning Oct. 1. Under the waiver, the new compliance dates for the TXLED program are Oct. 20, for refiners, Dec. 4 for terminals, and Jan. 20, 2006, for retail outlets. Texas Low-Emission Diesel Fuel Waiver (PDF) (2 pp, 319K)
On Sept. 22, EPA granted a waiver to allow conventional gasoline to be sold and distributed in both the Houston-Galveston and the Dallas/Fort Worth reformulated-gasoline-covered areas through Sept. 30. Emergency Fuel Waiver Concerning Dallas and Houston, Texas RFG Requirements (PDF) (2 pp, 330K)
On Sept. 21, EPA granted a waiver to allow conventional gasoline to be sold and distributed in both the Houston-Galveston and the Dallas/Fort Worth reformulated-gasoline-covered areas through Sept. 26. This waiver was superseded by the Sept. 22, waiver. Emergency Fuel Waiver Concerning Houston, Texas, RFG Requirements (PDF) (2 pp, 337K)
On Sept. 13, EPA issued an emergency waiver until Oct. 1 of the requirements for low RVP in gasoline sold in Texas. Fuel Waiver for Texas RVP Season (PDF) (2 pp, 400K)
Richmond, Virginia Area
On Sept. 27, EPA granted a fourth waiver to continue to allow regulated parties to distribute and sell conventional gasoline in the Richmond-covered area through Oct. 20. Retail outlets and wholesale purchaser-consumers will be allowed to continue selling or dispensing this fuel until their supplies are depleted. Fourth Emergency Fuel Waiver Concerning Richmond, VA, RFG Requirements (PDF) (2 pp, 374K)
On Sept. 22, EPA granted a third waiver to allow regulated parties to continue distributing and selling conventional gasoline in the Richmond covered area through Sept. 30. Third Emergency Fuel Waiver Concerning Richmond, Virginia RFG Requirements (PDF) (2 pp, 355K)
On Sept. 9, EPA granted a second waiver to extend the Sept. 2 waiver, to allow regulated parties to distribute and sell conventional gasoline (CG) in the Richmond covered area through Sept. 23. Second Emergency Fuel Waiver Concerning Richmond, Virginia RFG Requirements (PDF) (2 pp, 330K)
On Sept. 2, EPA granted a limited waiver through Sept. 9 from the reformulated gasoline requirement for gasoline sold in the Richmond, Va., metropolitan area. Emergency Fuel Waiver Concerning RFG in Richmond, Virginia, September 2005 (PDF) (2 pp, 375K)