EPA enforces the motor vehicle fuels provisions of Title II of the Clean Air Act ("the Act"), section 211, and regulations at 40 C.F.R. Parts 79 and 80. These provisions include certain requirements and prohibitions regarding the quality of motor vehicle fuels, and are designed to greatly reduce harmful emissions from all motor vehicles, including passenger cars, light trucks and heavy duty trucks.

The gasoline and diesel fuel requirements and prohibitions apply to all parties in the distribution system, including refiners, renewable fuel producers, importers, distributors, carriers, oxygenate blenders, retailers and wholesale purchaser-consumers (fleet operators having their own fueling facilities). EPA enforces these provisions with environmental audits and inspections (including testing of fuels), and through various recordkeeping and reporting requirements. EPA may seek civil penalties or injunctive relief (including remediation of the violations and projects to offset illegal emissions) for violations of the Act or regulations, and may bring cases in federal district court or through an administrative process. Enforcement actions include cases against all the types of regulated parties as listed above. Violators are subject to a potential civil penalty of up to $37,500 per day of violation, and the economic benefit or savings resulting from the violation.

The provisions relating to fuels include the Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS 1 and RFS 2), gasoline sulfur, benzene, mobile source air toxics, ultra low sulfur diesel, reformulated gasoline and anti-dumping requirements.

Settlements related to the Renewable Fuels Standards can be found on a separate page. See Civil Enforcement of the Renewable Fuel Standard Program.