Virginia Law

Manufacturers of portable fuel containers or spouts may seek an innovative products exemption in accordance with the following criteria:

1. The board will exempt a portable fuel container or spout from one or more of the requirements specified in 9VAC5-45-190 if a manufacturer demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence that, due to some characteristic of the product formulation, design, delivery systems, or other factors, the use of the product will result in cumulative VOC emissions below the highest emitting representative spill-proof system or representative spill-proof spout in its product category as determined from applicable testing.

2. A manufacturer (applicant) shall apply in writing to the board for an innovative product exemption. The application shall include the supporting documentation that quantifies the emissions from the innovative product, including the actual physical test methods used to generate the data. In addition, the applicant must provide the information necessary to enable the board to establish enforceable conditions for granting the exemption. The application shall also include the certification statement required by 9VAC5-20-230 signed by a responsible official. Information submitted by a manufacturer pursuant to this section shall be available to the public except where the owner makes a showing satisfactory to the board under 9VAC5-170-60 B that the information meets the criteria in 9VAC5-170-60 C, in which case the information shall be handled in accordance with the procedures specified in §§ 10.1-1314 and 10.1-1314.1 of the Air Pollution Control Law of Virginia.

3. Within 30 days of receipt of the exemption application, the board will determine whether an application is complete.

4. Within 90 days after an application has been deemed complete, the board will determine whether, under what conditions, and to what extent an exemption from the requirements of 9VAC5-45-190 will be permitted. The board may extend this time period if additional time is needed to reach a decision. An applicant may submit additional supporting documentation before a decision has been reached. The board will notify the applicant of the decision in writing and specify such terms and conditions as are necessary to insure that emissions from the product will meet the emissions reductions specified in subdivision 1 of this section, and that such emissions reductions can be enforced.

5. In granting an innovative product exemption for a portable fuel container or spout, the board will specify the test methods for determining conformance to the conditions established pursuant to subdivision 4 of this section. The test methods may include criteria for reproducibility, accuracy, and sampling and laboratory procedures.

6. For any portable fuel container or spout for which an innovative product exemption has been granted pursuant to this section, the manufacturer shall notify the board in writing at least 30 days before the manufacturer changes a product's design, delivery system, or other factors that may effect the VOC emissions during recommended usage. The manufacturer shall also notify the board within 30 days after the manufacturer learns of any information that would alter the emissions estimates submitted to the board in support of the exemption application.

7. If the standards specified in 9VAC5-45-190 are amended for a product category, all innovative product exemptions granted for products in the product category, except as provided in subdivision 8 of this subsection, have no force and effect as of the effective date of the amended standards.

8. If the board believes that a portable fuel container or spout for which an exemption has been granted no longer meets the criteria for an innovative product specified in subdivision 1 of this section, the board may modify or revoke the exemption as necessary to assure that the product will meet these criteria.