The Office of the Comptroller is proposing a technical change to a section of Motor Fuel Inspection to adjust Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) to align with newly implemented American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) specifications for gasoline, for the months of October through March.

The proposed change will not impact emissions or vehicle performance and will enable the industry to ship gasoline to a larger geographic area more efficiently.

“The proposed technical change will bring Maryland in line with motor fuels regulations across the country and make it easier for industry player to ship gasoline to more customers,” Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman said. “For its part, our Field Enforcement Bureau will continue its work to ensure the quality of gasoline drivers put in their vehicles year-round.” 

 

The Office of the Comptroller’s Field Enforcement Bureau is responsible for sampling and testing motor fuel. Compliance Inspectors collect samples of motor fuel from 5,500 terminals and retail locations throughout the state. Between 2% and 3% of samples collected and tested in the agency’s petroleum testing laboratory fail quality inspections each year. When this happens, retailers are ordered to stop motor vehicle fuel sales and sub-standard product is removed until retailers take the appropriate steps to bring their products back into compliance.

The State of Maryland COMAR has traditionally aligned with ASTM standard specifications for gasoline. Whenever ASTM adopts new standards, the state pursues regulatory changes to ensure consistency with ASTM. 

A Notice of Proposed Action was published in the December 13, 2024, issue of the Maryland Register, and the proposal is open for public comment for 30 days. The comment period will end January 12, 2025.?