A new rule is expected to lower toxic fumes from fuel containers, gasoline and vehicles by 80 percent below 1999 levels by 2030.

The Mobile Source Air Toxic (MSAT) rule toughens benzene standards for gasoline, sets hydrocarbon emissions standards for cars at cold temperatures and tightens fuel containers to prevent the evaporation of harmful fumes. The new MSAT standards will take effect in 2011 for gasoline, 2010 for cars and 2009 for fuel containers.

Once the new standards are fully implemented in 2030, they are expected to reduce emissions of mobile source air toxics annually by 330,000 tons, including 61,000 tons of benzene. The EPA estimated annual health benefits from the particulate matter reductions of the vehicle standards would total $6 billion in 2030. The estimated annual cost for the entire rule is about $400 million in 2030.

Read more about MSAT at www.epa.gov/otaq/toxics.htm#regdocs.