Hart Energy Publishing's Gasoline Newsletters Get Scoop in Change of EPA Review Process for Air Quality Standards

MCLEAN, Va.--The U.S. EPA announced December 7 that it updated its process for setting national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). But readers of World Refining & Fuels Today, a daily newsletter of Hart Energy Publishing, had the story in their email the night before, and learned that the changes follow recommendations offered by the American Petroleum Institute (API).

What’s more, API explained to Hart editor Carol Cole the source of its concerns. The oil group recommended that “senior EPA management” should have input into mainly scientific documents prepared early in every NAAQS review.

But this has raised concern that political appointees could look over the shoulders of scientists.

The article, titled “API Urges Revised NAAQS Review Process That Mixes Policy with Science,” is available in the Dec. 7 issue of World Refining & Fuels Today. Cole’s follow-up is in Hart’s Octane Week dated Dec. 11 (see http://www.worldfuels.com/TRIAL/MARKETING/Octane_Week/).

To contact Cole about this story, email her at ccole@hartenergy.com.

Cleaner air may be more popular to discuss on Capitol Hill, but Octane Week has had these stories for 21 years. It’s the only newsletter focused on gasoline quality and the government and industry standards dictating what goes in the tank and the resulting emissions and toxics.

Octane Week also has been the most reliable, authoritative source on the 2006 phase-out of MTBE, the nationwide mainstreaming of ethanol and what’s behind record refiner earnings.

Another hot issue for Octane Week this year was the market impact of boutique fuels, the 15 different types of gasoline mandated by states for specific local air quality problems. While a Bush Administration task force found that refiners and distributors can supply what’s needed, the issue won’t go away. Fuel marketers want to limit the number of boutique fuels, and biofuels like ethanol may come under scrutiny.

World Refining & Fuel Today is Hart’s daily news service about refining and downstream motor fuel use. The newsletter covers strategic moves by refineries, global supply and demand and policy developments in the quest for clean fuels. A sample copy can be seen at http://www.worldfuels.com/TRIAL/MARKETING/WorldFuels_News/.

Both newsletters also feature data analysis of significant trends in gasoline and oxygenate pricing and use, as well as refining capacity and other industry metrics.