ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL
    BOARD
    January
    5,
    1989
    IN THE MATTER
    OF:
    )
    LIMITS TO VOLATILITY OF
    )
    R88-30
    GASOLINE
    Request
    for Written
    Public Comment.
    ORDER
    OF THE BOARD
    (by J.D. Dumelle):
    The hot
    summer
    of
    1988 resulted
    in high levels
    of ozone
    in the Chicago
    and Metro East non-attainment areas.
    Readings as high as 0.22 ppm by volume
    were recorded
    which
    is
    some 83
    above the Federal
    and
    Illinois air quality
    standard of 0.12 ppm by volume.
    Ozone
    is created
    in the photochemical
    process involving sunlight,
    reactive volatile organic compounds,
    and oxides of nitrogen and carbon
    monoxide.
    The control
    strategy
    in the United
    States and in
    Illinois
    has been
    to attempt
    to
    reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds.
    It
    is obvious that further large
    reductions
    in volatile organic compounds
    must be achieved if the ozone
    standard
    is to be
    reached and
    public health
    protected.
    One strategy to reduce
    volatile organic compound emissions
    is
    to
    reduce
    the vapor pressure of gasoline used in
    Illinois from its present
    11.5 pounds
    per square inch
    (psi)
    Reid vapor pressure
    (RVP)
    to
    9.0 psi.
    Some eight states
    have
    set limits such as this
    or are
    in the process of doing
    so.
    These
    states
    are California
    (which
    has had
    such limits
    since
    1971), Connecticut,
    Massachusetts, Maine,
    New York, Rhode
    Island, and Vermont (which have
    promulgated
    rules that go
    into effect during the 1989 summer)
    and New Jersey
    (which
    is preparing responses to comments
    on
    its rule).
    The Board has enacted
    all
    of the Reasonably Available Control Technology
    (~RACT”)rules
    for industry requested of
    it by
    IEPA which has followed USEPA
    direction.
    It has been estimated that reducing gasoline
    RVP to 9.0 psi
    could
    result
    in summertime weekday emission
    reductions
    of 103,000 kg/day or 41,000
    tons/yr.
    Such a reduction would
    probably reduce ozone levels
    1O-15.
    While
    this alone would not solve the ozone problem
    it would
    be
    a
    significant step
    forward.
    The cost of reduction
    in gasoline RVP to 9.0 psi
    appears to
    be
    on the
    order of
    1.0 cent
    per gallon based upon estimates
    in other states.
    A Federal
    rule reducing vapor pressures nationally
    is pending but the
    pace of
    its adoption
    is uncertain.
    The
    Federal
    rule would require
    the
    following schedule of compliance
    (with
    RVP standards expressed
    in psi):
    95—249
    -2-
    1989
    -
    1991
    (May 16 to September
    15)
    Illinois
    May
    June
    July
    Aug.
    Sept.
    North
    of 40°latitude
    10.5
    10.5
    10.5
    10.5
    10.5
    South
    of 400 latitude
    10.5
    10.5
    9.1
    9.1
    10.5
    1992 and Subsequent
    Years
    (May
    16 to September 15)
    Illinois
    May
    June
    July
    Aug.
    Sept.
    North of 400 latitude
    9.0
    9.0
    9.0
    9.0
    9.0
    South of
    400 latitude
    9.0
    9.0
    7.8
    7.8
    9.0
    The Board will
    accept written public comment
    on
    this subject, and
    particularly asks for comment
    on the following:
    1.
    Whether
    it
    is feasible to achieve 9.0 psi
    Reid vapor
    pressure
    in
    gasoline sold in
    Illinois by the summer of
    1989.
    If not, then what
    is
    a
    feasible date?
    2.
    What
    is
    the anticipated
    cost increase
    per
    gallon of
    gasoline to achieve 9.0 psi
    in
    Illinois?
    3.
    What
    is the up-to-date
    status
    of the USEPA pending rule on
    gasoline volatility?
    4.
    In the event that
    it
    is
    not technically feasible
    to
    achieve 9.0 psi vapor pressure by the summer
    of 1989
    is
    there
    an
    intermediate
    level
    ,
    such as
    10.0 psi
    that could
    be achieved by that date?
    What
    is
    the cost
    for that
    level?
    5.
    Should alcohol additives
    (ethanol
    and methanol)
    be
    exempted from the 9.0 psi
    limit?
    6.
    Are there
    any significant public
    health hazards created by
    additives likely to
    be
    used to
    reduce gasoline vapor
    pressure?
    7.
    Are there marketing problems
    in producing gasoline
    for
    Illinois at
    a vapor pressure lower than nearby states?
    Written public
    comments will
    be
    received thru March
    1,
    1989.
    Specific
    proposals, including regulatory language and supporting technical
    and economic
    information are particularly solicited from potential
    proponents.
    After
    analysis of any comments received, the Board
    will determine what further
    actions may be appropriate, such as holding inquiry hearings
    or publication
    of
    a
    First
    Notice proposal
    subject to fiscal
    constraints.
    95—250
    -3—
    IT
    IS SO ORDERED.
    Board Member
    B.
    Forcade concurred.
    I,
    Dorothy
    M.
    Gunn,
    Clerk
    of the Illinois Pollution Control
    Board, hereby
    certify that the above Order was adopted
    on the
    _______________
    day
    of~9~_Ii.~tA..~7
    ,
    1989 by
    a vote of
    7
    —
    C
    Dorothy
    M.
    Gun
    ,
    Clerk
    Illinois Pollution Control
    Board
    95—251

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