The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a fuel waiver due to a fuel supply emergency following extreme weather conditions in July.
Tornadoes touched down in Joliet, Illinois, on July 15th, causing widescale power outages, which resulted in the emergency shutdown of an ExxonMobil refinery.
This refinery supplies fuel to many Midwest states, including Wisconsin, and following the shutdown, gas prices have continued to rise due to a supply shortage.
The EPA’s fuel waiver applies to Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana and goes until August 20th.
EPA regulations require establishments to sell gasoline with lower Reid vapor pressure (RVP) from June 1st to September 15th in the summer months to reduce evaporative emissions.
This is being waived in the four affected states, allowing for the production, sale, and distribution of fuel with an RVP of no more than 9 psi; the higher RVP normally allowed for winter months.
More information on the EPA’s waiver can be found online at epa.gov/enforcement/fuel-waivers.
