EMERGING REGULATORY ISSUES
EPA Scraps Proposed Gas Pollution Rules
The EPA has retracted a proposal it made earlier this week that would relax gasoline pollution rules. However, the proposal to ease rules meet opposition by American refiners who have spent billions of dollars to comply with the strict sulfur rules.

"The EPA said earlier this week it might give U.S. gasoline importers more flexibility to temporarily exceed the limit for sulfur content in gasoline, a move that would allow extra imports from Europe, Venezuela, and Russia."

"However, some large U.S. refiners opposed the idea because they have already invested billions of dollars to meet the stricter rules on the air-polluting substance."

"After a meeting with refiners on Thursday, the EPA stopped considering a scheme pushed by a small group of importers that would have allowed them to miss 2004 sulfur targets if they made up for it with tighter restrictions in 2005 and 2006."