Reformulated Gasoline
Reformulated gasoline (RFG) is gasoline blended to burn more cleanly than conventional gasoline and to reduce smog-forming and toxic pollutants in the air we breathe. The RFG program was mandated by Congress in the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments. The first phase of the RFG program began in 1995 and the second (current) phase began in 2000.
RFG is required in cities with high smog levels and is optional elsewhere. RFG is currently used in 17 states and the District of Columbia. About 30 percent of gasoline sold in the U.S. is reformulated.
The air quality benefits RFG has achieved represent a significant part of the country's smog reduction strategy. The RFG program, combined with other industrial and transportation controls aimed at smog reduction, is contributing to the long-term downward trend in U.S. smog levels. About 75 million people breathe cleaner air because of RFG.
Phase II Reformulated Gasoline: The Next Major Step Toward Cleaner Air (PDF) (2 pp, 152 K, EPA-420-F-99-042, November 1999, About PDF)
Learn more about RFG federal standards.
The table below provides the RFG areas with county listings by state.
Clean Air Act Required Areas: | |
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California All counties implement a version of the California Reformulated Gasoline Program, not just those listed here as Clean Air Act-required areas. Standards differ from federal RFG requirements, and compliance periods vary by air basin. Please refer to the California Air Resources Board website for additional details: https://www.arb.ca.gov/fuels/fuels.htm Exit |
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El Dorado County (partial) 1 |
Sacramento County 1 San Bernardino County (partial) San Diego County San Joaquin 2 Solano County (partial) 1 Stanislaus County Sutter County (partial) 1 Tulare County Ventura County Yolo County 1 |
1 Sacramento, CA area was reclassified from Serious to Severe ozone nonattainment effective June 1, 1995. RFG was required as of June 1, 1996. 2 San Joaquin Valley, CA area (excluding East Kern County) was reclassified as Severe ozone nonattainment effective December 10, 2001. RFG was required as of December 10, 2002. |
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Connecticut | |
Fairfield County Hartford County (partial) Litchfield County (partial) Middlesex County (partial) |
New Haven County (partial) New London County (partial) Tolland County (partial) |
Delaware | |
New Castle County Kent County |
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District of Columbia | |
Entire District of Columbia | |
Illinois | |
Cook County Du Page County Grundy County (partial) Kane County |
Kendall County (partial) Lake County McHenry County Will County |
Indiana | |
Lake County Porter County |
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Maryland | |
Anne Arundel County Baltimore County Calvert County Carroll County Charles County Cecil County |
Frederick County Harford County Howard County Montgomery County Prince George's County The City of Baltimore |
New Jersey | |
Bergen County |
Middlesex County Monmouth County Morris County Ocean County Passaic County Salem County Somerset County Sussex County Union County |
New York | |
Bronx County Kings County Nassau County New York County Orange County Putnam County |
Queens County Richmond County Rockland County Suffolk County Westchester County |
Pennsylvania | |
Bucks County Chester County Delaware County |
Montgomery County Philadelphia County |
Texas | |
Brazoria County Chambers County Fort Bend County Galveston County |
Harris County Liberty County Montgomery County Waller County |
Virginia | |
Alexandria Arlington County Fairfax Fairfax County Falls Church |
Loudoun County Manassas Manassas Park Prince William County Stafford County |
Wisconsin | |
Kenosha County Milwaukee County Ozaukee County |
Racine County Washington County Waukesha County |
"Opt-In" Areas: | |
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Connecticut (Entire State) | |
Litchfield County (partial) Hartford County (partial) Middlesex County (partial) |
New London County (partial) Tolland County (partial) Windham County New Haven (partial) |
Delaware (Entire State) | |
Sussex nonattainment area Sussex County |
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Illinois (effective opt-in date is July 1, 2007) | |
Jersey County Madison County |
Monroe County St. Clair County |
Kentucky | |
Bullitt County (partial) | Jefferson County Oldham County (partial) |
Maryland | |
Kent County | Queen Anne's County |
Maine | |
Androscoggin County Cumberland County Kennebec County Knox County Lincoln County Sagadahoc County York County |
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Massachusetts | |
Barnstable County Berkshire County Bristol County Dukes County Essex County Franklin County Hampden County |
Hampshire County Middlesex County Nantucket County Norfolk County Plymouth County Suffolk County Worcester County |
Missouri (Effective Opt-In Date is June 1, 1999) | |
St. Louis County St Louis (city) Franklin County |
Jefferson County St. Charles County |
New Hampshire | |
Hillsborough County Rockingham County |
Merrimack County Strafford County |
New Jersey | |
Atlantic County Cape May County Warren County |
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New York | |
Dutchess County Essex County (partial) |
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Rhode Island | |
Bristol County Kent County Newport County |
Providence County Washington County |
Texas | |
Collin County Dallas County |
Denton County Tarrant County |
Virginia | |
Charles City County Chesapeake Chesterfield County Colonial Heights Hampton Hanover County Henrico County Hopewell James City County |
Newport News Norfolk Poquoson Portsmouth Richmond Suffolk Virginia Beach Williamsburg York County |
"Opt-Out" Areas: | |
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Arizona | |
Phoenix, AZ nonattainment area Maricopa County (partial)
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Kentucky | |
Kentucky portion of the Cincinnati-Hamilton, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana maintenance area for the 2008 ozone NAAQS (Northern Kentucky Area)
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Maine5 | |
Androscoggin County |
Lincoln County Sagadahoc County Waldo County York County |
5 These "Opt-Out" areas withdrew from the federal RFG program before it went into effect on January 1, 1995. However, on January 23, 2015, the Administrator signed a final rule approving Maine’s request that seven of these counties (Androscoggin, Cumberland, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, and York counties) opt into the RFG program beginning on May 1, 2015. | |
New York | |
Albany County Erie County Greene County Jefferson County Montgomery County Niagara County Rensselear County Saratoga County Schenectady County
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Pennsylvania | |
Adams County |
Lackawanna County Lancaster County Lebanon County Lehigh County Luzerne County Mercer, PA Monroe County Northampton County Perry County Somerset County Washington County Westmoreland County Wyoming County York County |