SB 1313 revises Arizona’s motor fuel formulation laws for the state’s ozone-control fuel areas, especially Area A and Area C, by updating the list of approved gasoline formulations and adding new waiver procedures when fuel or ethanol supply shortages are imminent. The bill expands the range of acceptable gasoline formulations to include newer federal and California standards, adds a process for registered suppliers or oxygenate blenders to petition for temporary alternative oxygenate blends, and creates a broader motor fuel waiver request process that can apply to state and federal standards. It also requires the Department of Environmental Quality to post approved formulations and maps of the fuel areas on its website.
The bill further amends confidentiality rules for petroleum-industry information and adds special handling for supply-emergency situations, limiting disclosure to aggregated, unattributed information when a governor-declared emergency exists. It also includes a conditional enactment clause: the revised fuel-formulation provisions do not take effect unless the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approves the proposed state implementation plan modifications by July 1, 2028, and the department must notify legislative leadership whether the conditions were met by October 1, 2028.
Impact
SB 1313 would amend Arizona Revised Statutes sections governing fuel formulations in Area A and Area C, add new sections authorizing temporary motor fuel waiver requests and public posting of approved formulations, and revise the petroleum-industry confidentiality statute. Its practical effect is to give fuel suppliers and state regulators more flexibility to respond to ethanol shortages or other fuel-supply disruptions while preserving statewide application of any granted waiver. It also imposes new administrative duties on the Department of Environmental Quality, including rulemaking, website postings, consultation requirements, and notice obligations to legislative leaders.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the available record. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears designed as a technical and contingency-focused update to fuel regulation, suggesting a generally pragmatic policy approach centered on supply reliability and regulatory clarity. The inclusion of conditional effectiveness tied to EPA approval indicates the bill is structured to align with federal air-quality requirements rather than immediately changing state fuel rules.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the balance between air-quality fuel standards and supply flexibility, and the scope of confidentiality protections for petroleum-industry information. Environmental stakeholders may focus on whether expanded waiver authority could weaken fuel-formulation requirements, while fuel suppliers may support the added ability to seek temporary relief during shortages. Another possible issue is the bill’s requirement that waiver decisions apply equally to all regulated persons, which limits selective relief but may still raise questions about how quickly and under what evidence the department can act. The confidentiality provisions could also draw scrutiny from transparency advocates because they restrict disclosure of industry-submitted information during ordinary and emergency circumstances.