EPA Encourages Vented Gas Can Designs to Ease Fuel Flow

The Trump administration, through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Administrator Lee Zeldin, is urging gas can manufacturers to redesign portable fuel containers to improve fuel flow by reintroducing vents into their designs. This initiative addresses long-standing consumer complaints about slow and frustrating refueling caused by the removal of vents after a 2007 EPA rule aimed at reducing evaporative emissions took effect in 2009. The EPA clarified that self-closing vents are allowed under current regulations, countering confusion that led many manufacturers to eliminate vents, resulting in poor performance. Additional safety regulations require gas cans to be child-resistant and include flame mitigation devices, which complicate nozzle designs but cannot be altered by the EPA. The effort aligns with broader deregulation goals and seeks to balance environmental safety with consumer usability, responding to both regulatory history and popular frustration. Lawmakers like Rep. Chip Roy support this move, advocating for the removal of excessive regulations that have made gas cans difficult to use.