           UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
                                          WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460

                                            January 17, 2012

                                                              	OFFICE OF
                                                              	SOLID WASTE AND EMERGENCY
                                                              	RESPONSE


Mr. Tim Pohle
Managing Director U.S. Environmental Affairs & Assistant General Counsel 
Airlines for America
1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20004-1707

Dear Mr. Pohle:

	Thank you for your letter of January 5, 2012, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requesting a 60-day extension to the public comment period for the proposed changes to the Underground Storage Tank (UST) regulations published November 18, 2011 in the Federal Register.  

	At this time, EPA has decided not to extend the comment period for several reasons. EPA started this rulemaking in 2008 by reaching out to stakeholders to ask for their suggestions on changes to make to the existing UST regulations.  We met with many stakeholder groups from 2008 through 2011, including your organization in February 2011.  We feel that the public was well aware that this rulemaking was coming and, through the stakeholder process, had input into what those changes would be.  In addition, we intentionally made the comment period 90 days rather than the standard 60 days, in order to provide the public with additional time to review the proposal and submit their comments. 

	Thank you for your interest in the proposed changes to the UST regulations.  Please note the deadline for submitting comments is February 16, 2012.  If you have additional questions or would like to meet before the end of the comment period, please contact Elizabeth McDermott of my staff at mcdermott.elizabeth@epa.gov or at 703-603-7175.


                              Sincerely,
                              
                              Carolyn Hoskinson, Director
                              Office of Underground Storage Tanks

