Gasoline Vapor Regulation

1. Gasoline Vapor Regulation Proposed Scope and Objectives Zane Potter, JLARC Staff

2. 2013-2015 Transportation Budget Directed JLARC to Study Gasoline Vapor Regulation Study Focus: Registration and inspection fee programs regulating businesses that may emit gasoline vapors such as gasoline stations Budget Proviso: • Assessing the consistency and transparency of registration fees and regulations across the state and local agencies that regulate these businesses • Directed JLARC to meet with stakeholders; meetings held this month Gasoline Vapor Regulation

3. Federal Clean Air Act Regulates Air Emissions in the United States Requires state, local and tribal governments to implement the Act in partnership to reduce air pollution Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for establishing air quality standards States are required to develop state implementation plans to meet these standards Gasoline Vapor Regulation

4. Department of Ecology and Seven Local Clean Air Agencies Regulate Gas Vapor Emissions Ecology: Northwest Regional Office Whatcom Pend Oreille Northwest Clean Air Agency Ferry San Juan Okanogan Stevens Skagit Island Clallam Snohomish Olympic Region Clean Air Agency Spokane Ecology: Central Regional Office Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency Jefferson Lincoln Chelan Kitsap Douglas Mason King Ecology: Eastern Regional Office Grays Harbor Grant Kittitas Pierce Adams Thurston Whitman Yakima Lewis Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency Pacific Garfield Franklin Southwest Clean Air Agency Benton Columbia Walla Walla Asotin Benton Clean Air Agency Wahkiakum Cowlitz Skamania Klickitat Greyed areas = Tribal lands Note: EPA has authority over air quality issues on reservation lands Clark Ecology: Central Regional Office Gasoline Vapor Regulation

5. Sources of Air Contamination Can Be Classified by Ecology and Local Agencies Businesses that emit air contaminants such as gasoline vapors may be required to: • Register with and report to the agencies • Pay a fee to the agencies • Employ techniques to limit gas vapor emissions For example: gasoline vapor recovery systems at gas stations Gasoline Vapor Regulation

6. Study Will Address Five Objectives Related to Gasoline Vapor Regulation 1 How do registration and inspection processes and criteria compare and contrast among Ecology and the local agencies? 2 How do the registration and inspection fees and the methodologies used in calculating fees compare and contrast among Ecology and the local agencies? 3 Are fees limited to the costs of administering each agency’s registration/reporting program? Gasoline Vapor Regulation

7. Study Will Address Five Objectives Related to Gasoline Vapor Regulation 4 How do registration and inspection processes and criteria used in Washington compare and contrast with the criteria established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency? 5 How does Washington’s approach to regulating gasoline vapors compare to approaches taken by other states? Gasoline Vapor Regulation

8. Next Steps and Contacts Preliminary Report December 2014 Proposed Final Report January 2015 Zane Potter, Project Lead zane.potter@leg.wa.gov 360-786-5194 Eric Thomas, Research Analyst eric.thomas@leg.wa.gov 360-786-5182 Valerie Whitener, Project Supervisor valerie.whitener@leg.wa.gov 360-786-5191 www.jlarc.leg.wa.gov