Facilities with a monthly throughput less than 10,000 gallons must comply with Stage I vapor recovery.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only if more than one dispenser
• D. Only if local ordinance requires

Answer: (A)

Stage I vapor recovery focuses on capturing vapors that are displaced from storage tanks during fuel loading and withdrawal at a dispensing facility. The idea is to prevent these vapors from escaping to the atmosphere right at the source, before they can vent out during routine operations.

Even facilities with monthly throughput below 10,000 gallons are required to implement Stage I: the regulation targets vapor losses from storage and transfer, not just large-volume operations. This keeps emissions down across the board and protects air quality, regardless of how much fuel a facility handles in a given month. Local rules can add further requirements, but the baseline rule is that Stage I applies at that throughput level.