EPA to Report on Ultra-Low-Sulfur Diesel Availability

ASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency’s report on oil refiners’ ability to make ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel widely available by 2006 could be out by the end of the month, an EPA official said last week.

Paul Machiele, fuels center director in EPA’s assessment and standards division in Ann Arbor, Mich., said the agency was doing its final review of reports from refiners. He spoke on a diesel fuel panel at the World Fuels Conference here Sept. 23.

“The report is undergoing final review, and the good news is we’ve won,” Machiele said. “We’re just not sure if we’ve won a crackerjack prize or won the lotto.” He later told Transport Topics, the “problem is [the report] is based on preliminary refinery reports, which could change next year.”