By Joe Hoch, chief, Regional Pollutants & Mobile Sources Section, Bureau of Air Management
Stage 2 vapor recovery systems on gasoline dispensers have been required in southeastern Wisconsin for decades. That will be changing due to a May 16, 2012 finding by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that onboard refueling vapor recovery (ORVR) technology is in widespread use throughout the motor vehicle fleet. This finding by EPA allows states, including Wisconsin, to no longer require Stage 2 vapor recovery.
Stage
2 vapor recovery is a control technology located at individual gas
stations. The system involves capturing and controlling gasoline vapors
when a vehicle is being fueled at the pump. The system uses special
dispensing nozzles that collect the vapors and pump them back into the
storage tank below ground, instead of releasing them into the air.Newer vehicles are equipped with ORVR control technology. This essentially serves the same purpose as Stage 2 vapor recovery. Fuel vapors from the vehicle gas taking are captured during refueling and travel to an activated carbon pack canister within the vehicle, which absorbs the vapor.
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been working collaboratively with the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) throughout the Stage 2 vapor recovery decommissioning process and has developed the following forms (PDF) to assist gasoline stations considering decommissioning:
In addition, DNR has developed a draft State Implementation Plan (SIP) to address the change in the Stage 2 Vapor Recovery requirements. The purpose of the SIP is to get formal approval from EPA for the proposed discontinuation of the program. A copy of the draft SIP can be found at http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/AirQuality/. DNR will hold a public hearing on this document on October 8, 2012 in Waukesha and will be accepting public comment on it until October 12, 2012.
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