Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives; Fuel Quality Regulations for Highway Diesel Fuel Sold in 1993 and Later Calendar Years; Interim Final Rule

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EPA regulations currently require that diesel fuel for use in motor vehicles (``on-highway'') meet a sulfur content standard, as well as standards for cetane index or in the alternative for aromatic content, and be free of visible evidence of the blue dye, 1,4- dialkylamino-anthraquinone. This rule implements provisions to change the blue dye specified in EPA's regulations to the red dye solvent red 164. The use of dye solvent red 164 for high sulfur diesel would mitigate aviation safety concerns raised because of the use of blue dye in certain aviation gasoline. Based on the time needed for refiners and importers to obtain adequate supplies of dye solvent red 164 for diesel fuel and deplete current inventories of blue dye held by the oil industry, this rule provides that after October 1, 1994 no refiner or importer shall add blue dye to off-highway diesel fuel. Until that date either blue or dye solvent red 164 could be used to dye high sulfur off-highway diesel fuel. Under this rule, downstream parties can continue to use existing supplies of blue dyed diesel fuel. This timing represents a balance between the need to address the safety issue as quickly as possible and provide a r