Do you want to learn more about environmental requirements, resources, and other opportunities for your Pennsylvania small business? Are you looking to more effectively manage your business to comply with state, federal, and local environmental requirements? Look no further as a series of webinars are being offered this year in 2021 to help better prepare your small business on all things environmental.
In partnership with the Clarion University Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the Environmental Management Assistance Program (EMAP) and the Small Business Ombudsman’s Office at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is proud to offer a series of webinars for small businesses to learn more about environmental issues and the free resources available to them in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
These webinars are being offered at no cost but registration is required. The following are the dates and topics of the webinars with links to registration:
Update on Control of VOC Emissions from Gasoline Dispensing Facilities (Stage I & Stage II)
UPDATE: Effective on August 20, 2022, Pennsylvania DEP is suspending the enforcement of a specific monitoring requirement – the inspection of the gasoline storage tank automatic tank gauge (ATG) cap. The reason for the suspension is that after a review of the rule’s requirements it was determined that the likelihood of the ATG being compromised is very low and the verification of the ATG status after every gasoline truck delivery can be problematic and difficult to access. Please note that the suspension of this specific monitoring requirement does not affect owners or operators of gasoline dispensing facilities relief from other Stage I & Stage II requirements. Additional information can found in the August 20, 2022 issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin which can be found here.
About the Stage I & Stage II Rulemaking
The Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board finalized a final-form rulemaking that amends air quality regulations related to the control of VOC emissions at gasoline dispensing facilities. The rulemaking went into effect on March 26th, 2022 and targets Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions during the following situations:
- Loading of underground gasoline storage tanks (or Stage I vapor recovery)
- Filling of motor vehicles at the pump (or Stage II vapor recovery)
- During and after decommissioning of Stage II vapor recovery equipment from gasoline dispensing pumps.
What is Stage I Vapor Recovery Systems?
“Stage I” refers to a vapor recovery system that controls the emission of gasoline vapors into the atmosphere during the transfer of gas from a gasoline tank truck to a gasoline storage tank at a Gasoline Dispensing Facility (GDF). A properly operating Stage I vapor recovery system returns vapors to the gasoline tank truck. The equipment and controls of a Stage I system also control the emission of gasoline vapors during the storage of gasoline vapors at a GDF.What is Stage II Vapor Recovery Systems?
“Stage II” refers to the vapor recovery system that controls the emission of vapors during the transfer of gasoline from a gasoline storage tank at a GDF to a motor vehicle fuel tank. A Stage II vapor recovery system also controls emissions into the the atmosphere of vapors during the storage of gasoline at a GDF. Stage II vapor recovery technology uses special refueling nozzles, dispensing hoses and a system that draws refueling vapors in the Underground Storage Tank (UST). A properly operating Stage II system moves the gasoline vapors from the motor vehicle fuel tank druing the refueling of the vehicle into the UST at the GDF.Who is Affected by This Rulemaking?
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has finalized regulatory requirements for GDF owners and operators to decommission their Stage II vapor recovery system in 12 counties in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh areas. The compliance date for the decommissioning of Stage II systems is December 31, 2022.- The 12 Pennsylvania counties include: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bucks, Butler, Chester, Delaware, Fayette, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Washington, and Westmoreland.
- Owners and operators are those with gasoline throughputs that exceed at anytime >10,000 gallons per month (or 120,000 gallons per year) and independent small business marketers of gasoline that have a monthly throughput >50,000 gallons per month (or 600,000 gallons per year) in the above mentioned 12 Pennsylvania counties.
- Persons performing decommissioning procedures, leak testing, and repairs at gasoline dispensing facilities.
