EPA Issues Emergency Gasoline Fuel Waiver Raising Reid Vapor Pressure Limits

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in formal consultation with the Department of Energy (DOE), issued an emergency fuel waiver Thursday afternoon pursuant to Section 211(c)(4)(C) of the Clean Air Act, temporarily relaxing Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) volatility limits for standard E10 gasoline nationwide.

Clean Air Act Authority and Supply Stabilization

The emergency regulatory action, effective September 1 through September 15, allows petroleum terminal operators and retail filling stations to distribute fuel with an RVP of up to 9.0 pounds per square inch (psi) in conventional gasoline areas. The EPA determined that unexpected Gulf Coast refinery maintenance combined with mid-continent pipeline congestion created severe regional supply constraints that threatened commercial freight and passenger fuel availability ahead of the Labor Day travel weekend.

The agency affirmed that the waiver is narrowly targeted to prevent regional fuel shortages without causing significant degradation of regional air quality standards.

Industry Response and Environmental Concerns

Petroleum refining associations and agricultural biofuels groups commended the emergency waiver, stating that releasing stored transition fuel into retail distribution channels will immediately increase domestic supply by several hundred thousand barrels per day.

Environmental health advocates cautioned that higher RVP volatility in hot late-summer weather can elevate volatile organic compound (VOC) evaporation, urging regulators to expedite refinery maintenance to restore standard fuel specifications promptly.

Regulatory Enforcement and Expiration

The EPA stated that standard low-volatility fuel compliance requirements will automatically resume at midnight on September 16, 2026.