WASHINGTON, September 27, 2017 - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt approved a request from Florida Gov. Rick Scott for an emergency fuel waiver to ensure an adequate supply of diesel fuel across the state for ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Irma.
EPA has waived the highway diesel fuel red dye requirements to allow the use of 15 parts per million sulfur non-road diesel fuel for on-highway vehicles in Florida, effective through Oct. 6. Diesel fuel distributed under this waiver may not be introduced into terminal storage tanks from which diesel is dispensed into trucks for distribution to retail outlets after Oct. 6.
The waiver authority was exercised under the Clean Air Act and was granted by Pruitt, in coordination with Energy Secretary Rick Perry.
As required by law, EPA and the Department of Energy (DOE) evaluated the situation and determined that granting a short-term waiver was consistent with the public interest. EPA and DOE say they are continuing to actively monitor the fuel supply situation as a result of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, and will act expeditiously if extreme and unusual supply circumstances exist in other areas.
To mitigate any impacts on air quality, the Clean Air Act provides strict criteria for when fuel waivers may be granted, and requires that waivers be limited as much as possible in terms of their geographic scope and duration.
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