March 29, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document makes several nomenclature changes throughout the Commission's title of the Code of Federal Regulations. This action is necessary in order to update several addresses and office designations.

This document contains corrections to the final regulations, which were published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 (70 FR 46576). The Commission published final rules in the Report and Order, which implemented allocation changes to the frequency range between 5900 kHz and 27.5 GHz in furtherance of decisions that were made at the World Radiocommunication Conference (Geneva 2003). This document contains corrections to 47 CFR 2.106.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for two endangered plants, Astragalus ampullarioides (Shivwits milk-vetch) and Astragalus holmgreniorum (Holmgren milk-vetch), pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act or ESA). In total, approximately 2,620 hectares (ha) (6,475 acres (ac)) fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation for A. holmgreniorum in Mohave County, Arizona, and Washington County, Utah, and approximately 980 ha (2,421 ac) fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation for A. ampullarioides in Washington County, Utah.

Today EPA is proposing controls on gasoline, passenger vehicles, and portable gasoline containers (gas cans) that would significantly reduce emissions of benzene and other hazardous air pollutants (``mobile source air toxics''). Benzene is a known human carcinogen, and mobile sources are responsible for the majority of benzene emissions. The other mobile source air toxics are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects. We are proposing to limit the benzene content of gasoline to an annual average of 0.62% by volume, beginning in 2011. We are also proposing to limit exhaust emissions of hydrocarbons from passenger vehicles when they are operated at cold temperatures. This standard would be phased in from 2010 to 2015. For passenger vehicles we also propose evaporative emissions standards that are equivalent to those in California. Finally, we are proposing a hydrocarbon emissions standard for gas cans beginning in 2009, which would reduce evaporation and spillage of gasoline from these containers. These controls would significantly reduce emissions of benzene and other mobile source air toxics such as 1,3-butadiene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, and naphthalene. This proposal would result in additional substantial benefits to public health and welfare by significantly reducing emissions of particulate matter from passenger vehicles. We project annual nationwide benzene reductions of 35,000 tons in 2015, increasing to 65,000 tons by 2030. Total reductions in mobile source air toxics would be 147,000 tons in 2015 and over 350,000 tons in 2030. Passenger vehicles in 2030 would emit 45% less benzene. Gas cans meeting the new standards would emit almost 80% less benzene. Gasoline would have 37% less benzene overall. We estimate that these reductions would have an average cost of less than 1 cent per gallon of gasoline and less than $1 per vehicle. The average cost for gas cans would be less than $2 per can. The reduced evaporation from gas cans would result in significant fuel savings, which would more than offset the increased cost for the gas can.