2010 -- H 7717

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LC01404

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2010

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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

CALLING ON THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TO

PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

MANAGEMENT

     Introduced By: Representatives Naughton, M Rice, Slater, and Handy

     Date Introduced: February 25, 2010

     Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources

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     WHEREAS, There exists an emerging environmental issue relating to the incompatibility

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of Stage II Gasoline Emission Control Systems (required in all gasoline dispensing stations in the

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state) and the congressionally-mandated On-Board Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) systems

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which have been installed into new automobiles since 1998, and which have been required for all

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light duty cars and essentially all trucks less than 10,000 pounds since 2006; and

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     WHEREAS, Studies conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

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demonstrate that ORVR is significantly more effective and reliable than Stage II; that other

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studies conducted by the California Air Resources Board demonstrate that Stage II and ORVR are

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incompatible and may eventually bring about excess emissions that could be harmful to our air

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quality; that the Clean Air Act amendments of 1990, in recognition of this inherent

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incompatibility, required the EPA to provide guidance to the states on when ORVR had achieved

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sufficient “widespread use” in a state or region in order that the states might determine whether

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they should petition the EPA to discontinue Stage II; and

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     WHEREAS, The EPA has been unable to provide Rhode Island and other states with this

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“widespread use” guidance; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives hereby urges the United States EPA to

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provide Rhode Island and other states with guidance relative to the discontinuance of Stage II

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Gasoline Emission Control when it is beneficial to the environment; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives hereby urges the EPA to finalize and

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provide its guidance (along with the analytical tools needed to determine whether discontinuance

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of Stage II will benefit the environment) to Rhode Island and other states on “widespread use”;

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and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives hereby respectfully requests the Rhode

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Island Congressional delegation to support the EPA’s efforts and to support efforts to provide the

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EPA with the resources necessary for the development of this “widespread use” guidance; and be

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it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Rhode Island Congressional delegation.

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LC01404

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