EPAthetic: Tier 3 gas standards to raise prices and GHG emissions

EPA’s planned “Tier 3″ rulemaking to reduce sulfur levels in and volatility of gasoline will not only raise the price of gasoline, but will also increase greenhouse gas emissions.

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According to the Clean Energy Report,

If EPA decides to tighten the sulfur limit in gasoline, one industry source says, refiners would have to make a substantial investment to reach a stricter level, which would likely increase the price of gasoline. Requirements to further reduce sulfur would also require a higher energy input for the refining process, the source says, which in turn would likely increase GHG emissions from the plants — which could clash with EPA’s planned new source performance standard (NSPS) to set first-time GHG emissions limits for the refining industry.

Needless to say, these standards will provide NO benefits to the environment or public health. EPA’s is expected to propose the Tier 3 standards in January 2012.

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