Inclusion of Delaware and New Jersey in the Clean Air Interstate Rule, 25408-25423 [05-5520]
Download as PDF
25408
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 51 and 96
[OAR–2003–0053; FRL–7885–8]
RIN 2060–AM95
Inclusion of Delaware and New Jersey
in the Clean Air Interstate Rule
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In this action, we are
proposing to include Delaware and New
Jersey in the Clean Air Interstate Rule
(CAIR) for fine particles (PM 2.5 ), based
on a preliminary assessment that they
contribute significantly to a downwind
State’s nonattainment. In the CAIR, we
determined that upwind States that
contribute 0.2 µg/m3 or more to a
downwind fine particles (PM 2.5 )
nonattainment area are potentially
deemed to be contributing significantly
to nonattainment. We are proposing
here to combine Delaware and New
Jersey for purposes of this test. We have
tentatively determined that Delaware
and New Jersey should be covered by
the CAIR for annual sulfur dioxide
(SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NOX)
requirements.
In this proposal, we are not reopening
any of the technical aspects of the CAIR
final analyses. Rather, we are proposing
to augment the analytical approach used
in the CAIR by supplementing the air
quality step of the contribution analysis.
For a more detailed discussion of the
purpose, background, and analytical
approach of the CAIR, and for the
detailed provisions of the CAIR, see the
CAIR final rule which is published in
today’s Federal Register.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before June 27, 2005. A public
hearing, if requested, will be held in
Washington, DC on May 26, 2005,
beginning at 9 a.m.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. OAR–2003–
0053, by one of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
• Agency Website: https://
www.epa.gov/edocket. EDOCKET, EPA’s
electronic public docket and comment
system, is EPA’s preferred method for
receiving comments. Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
• E-mail: A-and-R-Docket@epa.gov.
• Fax: (202) 566–1741.
• Mail: Air Docket, Environmental
Protection Agency, Mailcode: 6102T,
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.,
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
Washington, DC 20460. Please include a
total of two copies.
• Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center
(Air Docket), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 1301 Constitution
Avenue, NW., Room B102, Washington,
DC 20004. Such deliveries are only
accepted during the Docket’s normal
hours of operation, and special
arrangements should be made for
deliveries of boxed information.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
Docket ID No. OAR–2003–0053. The
EPA’s policy is that all comments
received will be included in the public
docket without change and may be
made available online at https://
www.epa.gov/edocket, including any
personal information provided, unless
the comment includes information
claimed to be Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise
protected through EDOCKET,
regulations.gov, or e-mail. The EPA
EDOCKET and the Federal
regulations.gov Web sites are
‘‘anonymous access’’ systems, which
means EPA will not know your identity
or contact information unless you
provide it in the body of your comment.
If you send an e-mail comment directly
to EPA without going through
EDOCKET or regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically
captured and included as part of the
comment that is placed in the public
docket and made available on the
Internet. If you submit an electronic
comment, EPA recommends that you
include your name and other contact
information in the body of your
comment and with any disk or CD–ROM
you submit. If EPA cannot read your
comment due to technical difficulties
and cannot contact you for clarification,
EPA may not be able to consider your
comment. Electronic files should avoid
the use of special characters, any form
of encryption, and be free of any defects
or viruses.
Docket: All documents in the docket
are listed in the EDOCKET index at
https://www.epa.gov/edocket. Although
listed in the index, some information is
not publicly available, i.e., CBI or other
information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Certain other
material, such as copyrighted material,
is not placed on the Internet and will be
publicly available only in hard copy
form. Publicly available docket
materials are available either
electronically in EDOCKET or in hard
copy at the Air Docket, EPA/DC, EPA
West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The Public
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays. The telephone
number for the Public Reading Room is
(202) 566–1744, and the telephone
number for the Air Docket is (202) 566–
1742. This Docket Facility is open from
8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The
Docket telephone number is (929) 566–
1742, fax (202) 566–1741.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
General questions concerning today’s
action should be addressed to Jan King,
U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning
and Standards, Air Quality Strategies
and Standards Division, Mail Code
C539–02, Research Triangle Park, NC
27711, telephone (919) 541–5665, e-mail
king.jan@epa.gov. For legal questions,
please contact Steven Silverman, U.S.
EPA, Office of General Counsel, Mail
Code 2344A, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460,
telephone (202) 564–5523, e-mail at
silverman.steven@epa.gov. For
questions regarding air quality analyses,
please contact Norm Possiel, U.S. EPA,
Office of Air Quality Planning and
Standards, Emissions, Monitoring, and
Analysis Division, Mail Code D243–01,
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711,
telephone (919) 541–5692, e-mail at
possiel.norm@epa.gov. For questions
regarding the EGU cost analyses,
emissions inventories, and budgets,
please contact John Robbins, U.S. EPA,
Office of Atmospheric Programs, Clean
Air Markets Division, Mail Code 6204J,
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202)
343–9390, e-mail at
robbins.john@epa.gov. For questions
regarding statewide emissions
inventories, please contact Marc
Houyoux, U.S. EPA, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards,
Emissions, Monitoring, and Analysis
Division, Mail Code D205–01, Research
Triangle Park, NC 27711, telephone
(919) 541–3649, e-mail at
houyoux.marc@epa.gov. For questions
regarding emissions reporting
requirements, please contact Bill
Kuykendal, U.S. EPA, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards,
Emissions, Monitoring, and Analysis
Division, Mail Code D205–01, Research
Triangle Park, NC, 27711, telephone
(919) 541–5372, e-mail at
kuykendal.bill@epa.gov. For questions
regarding the model cap and trade
programs, please contact Sam Waltzer,
U.S. EPA, Office of Atmospheric
Programs, Clean Air Markets Division,
Mail Code 6204J, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460,
telephone (202) 343–9175, e-mail at
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
waltzer.sam@epa.gov. For questions
regarding analyses required by statutes
and executive orders, please contact
Linda Chappell, U.S. EPA, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards, Air
Quality Strategies and Standards
Division, Mail Code C339–01, Research
Triangle Park, NC 27711, telephone
(919) 541–2864, e-mail at
chappell.linda@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Hearing
A public hearing, if requested, will be
held in Washington, DC on May 26,
2005 beginning at 9 a.m. If you wish to
request a hearing and present testimony
or attend the hearing, you should notify,
on or before May 19, 2005, Jan King,
U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning
and Standards, Air Quality Strategies
and Standards Division, Mail Code
C539–02, Research Triangle Park, NC
27711, telephone (919) 541–5665, e-mail
king.jan@epa.gov. Oral testimony will
be limited to 5 minutes each. The
hearing will be strictly limited to the
subject matter of the proposal, the scope
of which is discussed below. Any
member of the public may file a written
statement by the close of the comment
period. Written statements (duplicate
copies preferred) should be submitted to
Docket OAR–2003–0053, at the address
listed above for submitted comments.
The hearing location and schedule,
including lists of speakers, will be
posted on EPA’s webpage at https://
www.epa.gov/cleanairinterstaterule. A
verbatim transcript of the hearing and
written statements will be made
available for copying during normal
working hours at the Office of Air and
Radiation Docket and Information
Center at the address listed for
inspection for documents.
If no requests for a public hearing are
received by close of business on May 19,
2005, the hearing will be cancelled. The
cancellation will be announced on the
webpage at the address shown above.
Outline
I. Background
A. Summary of the Clean Air Interstate
Rule
B. What Are the Central Requirements of
Today’s Proposal?
II. Summary of EPA’s Analytical Approach,
Findings, and Final Actions in the
Interstate Air Quality Rule
A. How Did EPA Interpret the CAA’s
Pollution Transport Provisions?
B. Which Air Pollutants Did EPA Address
In the CAIR and Why?
C. Air Quality Analysis of Ozone and PM2.5
Contributions Among States
D. Analysis of Highly Cost-Effective
Controls and Timeframe For Emissions
Reductions
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
III. Proposed Inclusion of Delaware and New
Jersey in the Clean Air Interstate Rule
A. Why is EPA Reconsidering the Status of
Delaware and New Jersey in the CAIR?
B. Air Quality Modeling Results
IV. Proposed Findings and Action
A. Proposed Findings of Significant
Contribution for Delaware and New
Jersey
B. SIP Approval Criteria
C. SIP Submittal Deadline
D. Emissions Reporting Requirements
V. Expected Effects of the Proposed Action
A. Emissions
B. Air Quality
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory
Planning and Review
B. Paperwork Reduction Act
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation
and Coordination With Indian Tribal
Governments
G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of
Children From Environmental Health
and Safety Risks
H. Executive Order 13211: Actions That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution or Use
I. National Technology Transfer
Advancement Act
J. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions
To Address Environmental Justice in
Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations
I. Background
A. Summary of the Clean Air Interstate
Rule
In a final rule published in today’s
Federal Register, titled the Clean Air
Interstate Rule (‘‘CAIR’’), EPA found
that certain States must reduce
emissions of SO2 and/or NOX by certain
amounts because those emissions
contribute significantly to
nonattainment in downwind areas in
other States that are not meeting the
annual PM2.5 national ambient air
quality standard (NAAQS), or the 8hour ozone NAAQS.1 The CAIR
establishes State implementation plan
(SIP) requirements for the affected
upwind States under Clean Air Act
(CAA) section 110(a)(2). The CAA
section 110(a)(2)(D) requires SIPs to
contain adequate provisions prohibiting
air pollutant emissions from sources or
activities in those States that contribute
1 ‘‘Rule to Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine
Particulate Matter and Ozone (Interstate Air Quality
Rule); Proposed Rule,’’ (69 FR 4566, January 30,
2004) (NPR or January Proposal); ‘‘Supplemental
Proposal for the Rule to Reduce Interstate Transport
of Fine Particulate Matter and Ozone (Clean Air
Interstate Rule); Proposed Rule’’ (69 FR 32684, June
10, 2004) (SNPR or Supplemental Proposal). We
summarize major features of that rule here as an aid
to the reader. The EPA is not reconsidering any
aspect of the CAIR rule and not accepting comment
in this proceeding on the promulgated CAIR rule.
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
25409
significantly to nonattainment in, or
interfere with maintenance by, any
other State with respect to a NAAQS.
Based on air quality modeling analyses
and cost analyses, EPA has concluded
in the CAIR that SO2 and NOX
emissions in certain States in the
eastern half of the nation, through the
phenomenon of air pollution transport,2
contribute significantly to
nonattainment or interfere with
maintenance of the PM2.5 and 8-hour
ozone NAAQS in another State.3 This is
because NOX and SO2 are important
precursors of PM2.5, and NOX is an
important precursor of ozone. As a
result of the CAIR, EPA is requiring SIP
revisions in 28 States and the District of
Columbia to reduce SO2 and/or NOX
emissions.
The 23 States along with the District
of Columbia that must reduce annual
SO2 and NOX emissions for the
purposes of the PM2.5 NAAQS are:
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North
Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia,
West Virginia, and Wisconsin. While we
had originally proposed including
Delaware and New Jersey in this group
based on our initial air quality
contribution assessment, subsequent
refinement of the emissions estimates
and air quality modeling system
resulted in their estimated contributions
to PM2.5 nonattainment being below the
final CAIR threshold for inclusion in the
PM2.5-related requirements.
The 25 States along with the District
of Columbia that must reduce NOX
emissions for the purposes of the 8-hour
ozone NAAQS are: Alabama, Arkansas,
Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New
York, North Carolina, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and
Wisconsin.
Under CAA section 110 and thus
under the CAIR, each State may
determine independently which sources
to subject to controls, and which control
measures to adopt. Our analysis
indicated that emissions reductions
from electric generating units (EGUs) are
2 In today’s final rule, when we use the term
‘‘transport’’ we mean to include the transport of
both fine particles (PM2.5) and their precursor
emissions and/or transport of both ozone and its
precursor emissions.
3 We also found that emissions of SO and NO
2
X
from upwind States in the PM2.5 and ozone CAIR
regions can interfere with these same downwind
receptors’ maintenance of each NAAQS.
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
25410
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
highly cost effective, and, in the CAIR
rule, we encouraged States to adopt
these controls. States that do so must
place an enforceable limit, or cap, on
EGU emissions (see section VII of the
CAIR for further discussion). We
calculated the amount of each State’s
EGU emissions cap, or budget, based on
reductions that we have determined are
highly cost-effective. States may allow
their EGUs to participate in an EPAadministered cap and trade program as
a way to reduce the cost of compliance,
and to provide compliance flexibility.
The cap and trade programs are
described in more detail in section VIII
of the CAIR.
the CAIR rule for NOX and SO2. See also
section IV.D below.
As an option for Delaware and New
Jersey, should EPA finalize this
proposal, we also propose to provide
model cap and trade programs for EGUs.
We would also administer these
programs, which would be governed by
rules provided by EPA that Delaware
and New Jersey may adopt or
incorporate by reference.
II. Summary of EPA’s Analytical
Approach, Findings, and Final Actions
in the Interstate Air Quality Rule 4
A. How Did EPA Interpret the CAA’s
Pollution Transport Provisions?
The CAIR is based on the ‘‘good
B. What Are the Central Requirements of
neighbor’’ provision of CAA section
Today’s Proposal?
110(a)(2)(D), which requires States to
In today’s action, we propose to
develop SIP provisions assuring that
combine Delaware and New Jersey for
emissions from their sources do not
purposes of assessing whether that
contribute significantly to downwind
combination is contributing
nonattainment or interfere with
significantly to nonattainment of the
maintenance of the NAAQS. We first
PM2.5 NAAQS by downwind receptors
interpreted this provision and
under section 110(a)(2)(D), and to apply developed a detailed methodology for
the finding from that combined
applying it in the NOX SIP Call
assessment to each State. Based on
rulemaking (October 27, 1998), which
presently available air quality modeling concerned interstate transport of ozone
results, our tentative assessment is that
precursors.
the combination of the two states does
As summarized above, the CAIR
contribute significantly to PM2.5
requires upwind States to submit SIP
nonattainment in New York County,
revisions requiring their sources to
NY, and possibly to one or more
eliminate emissions of certain
counties in eastern Pennsylvania.
precursors for PM2.5 and ozone, to
Accordingly, we are proposing that
protect downwind nonattainment areas.
Delaware and New Jersey be required
We developed the CAIR and this
under CAA section 110(a)(2)(D) to adopt proposal relying heavily on the NOX SIP
SIP requirements for addressing annual
Call approach. In the NOX SIP Call, we
emissions of the PM2.5 precursors NOX
interpreted section 110(a)(2)(D) to
and SO2. We intend to conduct
authorize us to determine the amount of
confirmatory air quality modeling and
emissions in upwind States that
make the results available through a
‘‘contribute significantly’’ to downwind
Notice of Data Availability prior to
nonattainment or ‘‘interfere with’’
finalization of this proposal.
downwind maintenance, and to require
Delaware and New Jersey are already
those States to eliminate that amount of
subject to the CAIR for purposes of
emissions. We recognized that States
ozone, and must reduce ozone season
must retain full authority to choose the
emissions of NOX starting in 2009. This
sources to control, and the control
proposal would add requirements for
mechanisms, to achieve those
control of annual emissions of SO2 and
reductions.
of NOX.
In the NOX SIP Call, we set out
several criteria or factors for the
We propose to require that SIPs to
‘‘contribute significantly’’ test, and
achieve the required PM2.5 emissions
further indicated that the same criteria
reductions be submitted as soon as
practicable, but no later than 18 months should apply to the ‘‘interfere with
maintenance’’ provision.5 The EPA
after the date of signature of the CAIR,
i.e., September 11, 2006, the same
4 We note again that this section is provided for
deadline as in the CAIR rule. We are
purposes of information, and not to reopen or
doing so because we anticipate being
reconsider any issues discussed in the section.
able to act quickly on this proposal, and
5 In the NO SIP Call, because the same criteria
X
because we believe this is a reasonable
applied, the discussion of the ‘‘contribute
significantly to nonattainment’’ test generally also
amount of time for submission of these
applied to the ‘‘interfere with maintenance’’ test.
States’ SIPs. We also believe that there
However, in the NOX SIP Call, EPA stated that the
are evident efficiencies in having these
‘‘interfere with maintenance’’ test applied with
reductions occur at the same time as the respect to only the 8-hour ozone NAAQS (63 FR
57379–80).
reductions from other states covered by
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
determined the amount of emissions
that significantly contribute to
downwind nonattainment from sources
in a particular upwind State primarily
by (i) evaluating, with respect to each
upwind State, several air quality related
factors, including determining that all
emissions from the State have a
sufficiently great impact downwind (in
the context of the collective
contribution nature of the ozone
problem); and
(ii) Determining the amount of that
State’s emissions that can be eliminated
through the application of highly costeffective controls. Before reaching a
conclusion, EPA evaluated several
secondary, and more general,
considerations. These include:
• The consistency of the regional
reductions with the attainment needs of
the downwind areas with
nonattainment problems;
• The overall fairness of the control
regimes required of the downwind and
upwind areas, including the extent of
the controls required or implemented by
the downwind and upwind areas;
• General cost considerations,
including the relative cost effectiveness
of additional downwind controls
compared to upwind controls (63 FR
57403).
In the CAIR rulemaking, we utilized
much the same interpretation and
application of section 110(a)(2)(D) for
regulating downwind transport of
precursors of ozone and PM2.5 as we
adopted for the NOX SIP Call. We
adjusted some aspects of the CAIR
analytic approaches for various reasons,
including the need to account for
regulation of a different pollutant
(PM2.5) with an additional precursor
(SO2). The CAIR’s approach to the ozone
issue is essentially the same as in the
NOX SIP Call, but applied to more
recent data on the relevant air quality
and cost factors.
For a more detailed discussion of how
we interpreted the CAA pollution
transport provisions, see section II of the
CAIR in today’s Federal Register.
B. Which Air Pollutants Did EPA
Address in the CAIR and Why?
In section III of the CAIR (add cite),
EPA provided the following
characterization of the origin and
distribution of 8-hour ozone air quality
problems: The ozone present at ground
level as a principal component of
photochemical smog is formed in sunlit
conditions through atmospheric
reactions of two main classes of
precursor compound: Volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) and NOX [mainly
nitrogen oxide (NO) and nitrogen
dioxide (NO2)]; and the formation of
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
ozone increases with temperature and
sunlight, which is one reason ozone
levels are higher during the summer.
In the CAIR, EPA noted that we
continue to rely on the assessment of
ozone transport made in great depth by
the Ozone Transport Assessment Group
(OTAG) in the mid-1990s.6 As indicated
in the NOX SIP Call proposal, the OTAG
Regional and Urban Scale Modeling and
Air Quality Analysis Work Groups
reached the following conclusions:
• Regional NOX emissions reductions
are effective in producing ozone
benefits; the more NOX reduced, the
greater the benefit.
• Controls for VOC are effective in
reducing ozone locally and are most
advantageous to urban nonattainment
areas (62 FR 60320, November 7, 1997).
In section III of the CAIR, we
summarized key scientific and technical
aspects of the occurrence, formation,
and origins of PM2.5, as well as findings
and observations relevant to formulating
control approaches for reducing the
contribution of transport to fine particle
problems. For a detailed discussion of
the key concepts and provisional
conclusions drawn from the CAIR, see
section III of the CAIR published in
today’s Federal Register.
PM2.5 in ambient air is a complex
mixture of component of different
chemical compositions and origins.
Based on the understanding of current
scientific and technical information, as
well as our air quality modeling, as
summarized in the CAIR in today’s
Federal Register, we concluded that it
was both appropriate and necessary to
focus on control of SO2 and NOX
emissions as the most effective
approach to reducing the contribution of
interstate transport to PM2.5. Current
information relating to sources and
controls for other components identified
in transported PM2.5 (carbonaceous
particles, ammonium, and crustal
materials) does not, at this time, provide
an adequate basis for regulating the
regional transport of emissions
responsible for these PM2.5 components
(69 FR 4582). For all of these
components, the lack of knowledge of
and ability to quantify accurately the
interstate transport of these components
limited our ability to include these
components in this rule.
For a more detailed discussion of how
we chose which pollutants to regulate,
see section III.B.1.a of the final CAIR in
the rules section of today’s Federal
Register.
6 Ozone Transport Assessment Group, OTAG
Final Report, 1997.
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
C. Air Quality Analysis of Ozone and
PM2.5 Contributions Among States
For the CAIR, we performed State-byState zero-out modeling to quantify the
contribution from emissions in each
State to future ozone and PM2.5
nonattainment in other States and to
determine whether that contribution
meets requirements of the ‘‘contribute
significantly’’ test. This zero-out
modeling technique provides an
estimate of downwind impacts by
comparing the model predictions from
the 2010 base case to the predictions
from a run in which all anthropogenic
NOX emissions (in the case of ozone) or
all anthropogenic SO2 and NOX
emissions (in the case of PM2.5) are
removed from specific States, one State
at a time. Counties presently exceeding
the ozone or PM2.5 NAAQS and forecast
to be nonattainment for ozone or PM2.5
in the 2010 Base Case were used as
receptors for quantifying interstate
contributions of ozone and/or PM2.5. For
each State-by-State zero-out run, we
projected the ozone design value or the
annual average PM2.5 concentration at
each receptor. The contribution from an
upwind State to nonattainment at a
given downwind receptor was
determined by calculating difference in
ozone or PM2.5 concentration between
the 2010 Base Case and the zero-out run
at that receptor. We followed this
process for each State-by-State zero-out
run and each receptor, for both ozone
and PM2.5. For each upwind State, we
identified the largest PM2.5 contribution
from that State to a downwind
nonattainment receptor in order to
determine the magnitude of the
maximum downwind contribution to
PM2.5 nonattainment from each State.
The maximum downwind contribution
was our chosen metric for determining
whether or not the PM2.5 contribution
was significant. After considering an
updated analysis and public comments,
we applied a threshold of 0.2 µg/m3 for
this determination. For ozone, we
applied a multi-metric test of significant
contribution. For ozone, we also used a
second method of quantifying State-toState contributions, known as source
receptor modeling, in addition to the
emissions zero-out approach just
described. This contribution analysis is
more fully described in section VI of the
preamble for the CAIR.
D. Analysis of Highly Cost-Effective
Controls and Timeframe for Emissions
Reductions
1. Overall Criteria
In section IV.A of the CAIR
rulemaking published in today’s
Federal Register, we considered a
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
25411
variety of factors in evaluating the
source categories from which highly
cost-effective reductions may be
available and the level of reduction
assumed from that sector. These
include:
• The availability of information,
• The identification of source
categories emitting relatively large
amounts of the relevant emissions,
• The performance and applicability
of control measures,
• The cost effectiveness of control
measures, and
• Engineering and financial factors
that affect the availability of control
measures.
We further stated that overall, ‘‘We
are striving * * * to set up a reasonable
balance of regional and local controls to
provide a cost-effective and equitable
governmental approach to attainment
with the NAAQS for fine particles and
ozone.’’ These criteria are unaffected by
this proposal.
2. Evaluation of Cost Effectiveness and
Feasibility
Section IV in the CAIR Notice of Final
Rulemaking (NFR) preamble describes
EPA’s determination of regionwide SO2
and NOX control levels. As described in
section IV in the CAIR NFR preamble,
EPA determined that highly costeffective emissions reductions may be
obtained by controlling EGUs. The EPA
determined the amounts of emissions
reductions that must be eliminated in
upwind States to help downwind States
achieve attainment of the PM2.5 and
ozone NOX NAAQS, by assuming the
application of highly cost-effective
control measures to EGUs and
determining the emissions reductions
that would result.
For CAIR, EPA determined highly
cost-effective regionwide amounts of
emissions reductions based on, as in the
NOX SIP Call, comparison to reference
lists of the cost effectiveness of other
regulatory controls. We developed
reference lists for both average and
marginal cost effectiveness of those
other controls. By comparison to the
reference lists, EPA determined that the
CAIR final (2015) SO2 and NOX
regionwide control levels are highly cost
effective. The EPA also developed
marginal cost-effectiveness curves for
SO2 and NOX abatement at varying
levels of stringency, to corroborate its
cost-effectiveness determinations.
The EPA determined the interim
control levels (commencing in 2009 for
NOX and in 2010 for SO2) based on
evaluating the feasibility of installing
the necessary emission control retrofits.
Although the interim regionwide
control levels were determined based on
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
25412
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
feasibility considerations, EPA also
evaluated the cost effectiveness of the
interim control levels to ensure that
they were also highly cost effective.
Section IV.C in the CAIR NFR
preamble describes EPA’s feasibility
analysis, and section IV.A describes our
evaluation of highly cost-effective
controls. Section V in the CAIR NFR
preamble describes the method EPA
used to apportion regionwide control
levels to the affected States. A technical
support document in the CAIR docket
entitled ‘‘Modeling of Control Costs,
Emissions, and Control Retrofits for Cost
Effectiveness and Feasibility Analyses’’
describes EPA’s use of the Integrated
Planning Model (IPM) for its costeffectiveness and feasibility analyses. In
addition, a technical support document
entitled ‘‘Boilermaker Labor Analysis
for the Final Clean Air Interstate Rule’’
provides further explanation of EPA’s
feasibility analyses. Documentation for
IPM, as well as IPM output files, are
available in the CAIR docket.
3. CAIR Regionwide SO2 and NOX
Emission Reduction Requirements
The CAIR requires annual SO2 and
NOX reductions in the District of
Columbia and the following 23 States:
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North
Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia,
West Virginia, and Wisconsin. If all
affected States choose to implement the
CAIR annual SO2 emission reduction
requirements by controlling EGUs, the
regionwide annual SO2 emissions caps
that will apply for EGUs in these 23
States and the District of Columbia are
3.6 million tons in 2010 and 2.5 million
tons in 2015. If all affected States choose
to implement the CAIR annual NOX
emission reduction requirements by
controlling EGUs, the regionwide
annual NOX emissions caps that will
apply for EGUs in these 23 States and
the District of Columbia are 1.5 million
tons in 2009 and 1.3 million tons in
2015.
The CAIR does not require annual
SO2 or NOX emissions reductions in
Delaware or New Jersey. However, today
EPA is proposing to require annual SO2
and NOX reductions in these two States.
Proposed annual SO2 and NOX budgets
for Delaware and New Jersey are
presented later in this preamble. If EPA
finalizes these proposed annual SO2 and
NOX budgets for Delaware and New
Jersey—and if those States choose to
implement their annual emission
reduction requirements by controlling
EGUs—then the CAIR regionwide EGU
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
caps would be revised to include
reduction requirements for these two
States. The revised annual SO2 caps,
including Delaware and New Jersey,
would be 3.7 million tons in 2010 and
2.6 million tons in 2015. The revised
annual NOX caps, including Delaware
and New Jersey, would be 1.5 million
tons in 2009 and 1.3 million tons in
2015.
In addition to its annual SO2 and NOX
emission reduction requirements, the
CAIR requires ozone season NOX
emissions reductions in the District of
Columbia and the following 25 States:
Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut,
Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi,
Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North
Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West
Virginia, and Wisconsin. If all affected
States choose to implement the CAIR
ozone season NOX emission reduction
requirements by controlling EGUs, the
regionwide ozone season NOX
emissions caps that will apply for EGUs
in these 25 States and the District of
Columbia are 0.6 million tons in 2009
and 0.5 million tons in 2015.
III. Proposed Inclusion of Delaware and
New Jersey in the Clean Air Interstate
Rule
A. Why Is EPA Reconsidering the Status
of Delaware and New Jersey in the
CAIR?
As explained earlier, section
110(a)(2)(D) of the CAA requires States
to include in their SIPs adequate
provisions prohibiting emissions that
will contribute significantly to
nonattainment in, or interfere with
maintenance by, any other State. The
term ‘‘contribute significantly’’ is not
further defined, so in implementing this
section we have had to develop an
analytical approach to give specific
meaning to that term. The underlying
logic of the analytical approach used in
both the NOX SIP Call and the CAIR is
that the emission reduction efforts
needed to reach attainment should be
reasonably balanced between the State
containing a nonattainment area and
upwind States significantly contributing
to the nonattainment. In this way,
control efforts on one side of a border
are not undermined (and even rendered
futile) by out-of-State emissions, and
highly cost-effective emissions
reductions by out-of-State sources
which contribute significantly to
downwind receptors’ nonattainment are
achieved. We believe this approach is
both efficient and equitable, so that
overall costs are less and costs are more
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
fairly distributed than if the burden of
reaching attainment were entirely on the
State with the nonattainment area.
We are proposing to retain this
underlying analytical approach, but to
treat Delaware and New Jersey as
special cases and as a single geographic
area, because of their relatively small
size (and correspondingly lower total
emissions), because of the relatively
high emissions density of these States,
because we believe doing so will
achieve a result that is more in keeping
with the intention of section
110(a)(2)(D), and because doing so will
ensure that a State located between an
upwind State that significantly
contributes to nonattainment in a
downwind State, and that downwind
State, carries its appropriate emission
reduction obligation mandated by
section 110(a)(2)(D). Specifically, we
propose to combine Delaware and New
Jersey for purposes of assessing whether
that combination is contributing
significantly to nonattainment of the
PM2.5 NAAQS by downwind receptors
under section 110(a)(2)(D), and to apply
the finding from that combined
assessment to each State.
As stated earlier, the analytical
approach used for the CAIR has two
parts, the first of which is a test of
whether the air quality contribution
from one entire State to nonattainment
in any part of another State is strong
enough to be considered significant,
pending consideration of control costs.
For ozone, we used a test for this first
part which is based on several metrics
of air quality contribution, involving
absolute magnitude, relative magnitude,
and frequency. For PM2.5, we used a test
with the single criterion of whether the
PM2.5 air quality contribution from an
upwind State to nonattainment in a
downwind State, due to total
anthropogenic SO2 and NOX emissions
in the upwind State, was 0.2 µg/m3 or
more. We believe that this specific form
of the analytical approach used in the
final CAIR rule has very appropriately
identified a set of 23 States and the
District of Columbia that should make
certain reductions in annual emissions
by 2009 for NOX and by 2010 for SO2,
and larger reductions by 2015 for NOX
and SO2, in order to avoid contributing
significantly to PM2.5 nonattainment or
interfere with maintenance in other
States. Similarly, we believe that the
original analytical approach has very
appropriately identified a set of 25
States and the District of Columbia that
should make certain reductions in
ozone season NOX emissions by 2009,
and larger reductions by 2015, in order
to avoid contributing significantly to
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
ozone nonattainment or interfere with
maintenance in other States.
In the course of applying that
analytical approach, we realized that an
upwind State may have relatively low
total emissions and thus have a
maximum contribution on other States
that is below the air quality contribution
threshold used in the CAIR, simply
because the State is small in geographic
area, and yet clearly contributes to a
degree to PM2.5 nonattainment in
downwind States, because the upwind
State is located between an even further
upwind State that significantly
contributes to nonattainment in a
downwind State, and the downwind
receptor State. Also, Delaware and New
Jersey each has substantial emissions for
its size. Therefore, excluding Delaware
or New Jersey from emission reduction
requirements related to PM2.5 might
prevent the desired balancing of local
and upwind controls. Excluding either
State could forgo opportunities for
highly cost-effective control that would
improve air quality in nearby States’
nonattainment areas. Ignoring the
contributions of Delaware and New
Jersey could result in both air quality
detriments and cost inefficiencies and
inequities.
The EPA considered alternative
approaches to addressing this issue. We
do not believe it would be appropriate
to consider amending or revising the
significance critria set forth in the final
CAIR notice. Nevertheless, we believe
that these two States, which combined
represent a significant source of
emissions, should not be allowed to fail
to meet these tests, in the unique
circumstances presented here, solely
because of their comparatively small
geographic size. We have faced a similar
issue with respect to small geographic
entities in the NOX SIP Call, and more
recently in CAIR. In the NOX SIP Call
we combined both Delaware and the
District of Columbia with Maryland in
the contribution analyses,
foreshadowing the issues addressed by
this proposal. Furthermore, the final
CAIR similarly addressed the special
case of one small political jurisdiction,
the District of Columbia and combined
that with Maryland. In all the analysis
of air quality contributions for the CAIR,
we combined the District of Columbia
and Maryland into one unit for purposes
of analyzing contributions to
nonattainment in other States, because
of the small size of the District of
Columbia and, hence, its emissions, and
its close proximity to Maryland. We
applied the finding from this combined
analysis to each jurisdiction separately.
We did not receive any adverse
comment on this approach. Nor did we
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
receive adverse comment in the SIP Call
rule regarding combining Delaware,
Maryland, and the District of Columbia
in the contribution analysis.
The final CAIR’s exclusion of
Delaware and New Jersey for purposes
of PM2.5 drew our attention because of
features unique to Delaware and New
Jersey. Table III–1 presents relevant
facts regarding Delaware and New
Jersey, and Table III–2 presents similar
information for Maryland, New York,
and Pennsylvania for comparison. On
balance, we believe the most
appropriate way to address the factual
situation of the issue here is to consider
Delaware’s and New Jersey’s
contributions together, as one unit of
analysis. Since Delaware and New
Jersey are already subject to CAIR for
purposes of ozone, the remainder of this
discussion focuses on PM2.5
considerations.
Delaware and New Jersey are both
relatively small in land area; both are
smaller than any of the 23 states already
subject to CAIR for purposes of PM2.5.
Portions of both States are urbanized
and industrialized, and overall both
have a high emissions density,
comparable to that of their neighbors.7
Delaware has an emissions density of
76.1 tons/year per square mile, almost
twice that of neighboring Pennsylvania
and also higher than that of Maryland,
States already linked to downwind
nonattainment areas. New Jersey has an
emissions density of 46.6 tons/year per
square mile, above that of Pennsylvania
although somewhat lower than that of
Maryland.
Delaware and New Jersey are near
major cities where current PM2.5
nonattainment affects large populations.
Also, both are relatively near to a county
or counties in other States that are
projected to still be nonattainment for
PM2.5 in 2010 in the base case. Delaware
and New Jersey are also near large
markets for electric power in other
States subject to CAIR for PM2.5, and
both are part of the PJM Interconnection
electricity grid. Another consideration is
the potential for emission increases as a
result of emissions shifting from States
subject to the PM2.5 requirements of
CAIR to States not subject to those
requirements, e.g., New Jersey and
Delaware. The EPA requests comment
7 By emissions density we mean the total SO and
2
NOX emissions from each State in tons per year,
divided by the geographic area of the State in
square miles. For comparing emissions densities for
the purposes of contributions to PM2.5
nonattainment, we have compared the emissions
density expressed in terms of SO2 plus NOX
emissions per square mile. Such a comparison is a
reasonable measure of comparison that is
independent of the disparity in the land area size
of the two States.
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
25413
on whether it is appropriate under
section 110(a)(2)(D) to consider this
factor in this rulemaking.8
Both Delaware and New Jersey lie
between upwind States that are now
subject to the CAIR for both ozone and
PM2.5 and downwind receptor PM2.5
nonattainment areas that are linked to
one or both of those upwind States.
Maryland has already been determined
to contribute significantly to
nonattainment in both Philadelphia and
New York City, Pennsylvania has
already been determined to contribute
significantly to nonattainment in New
York City, and New York has been
determined to contribute to
nonattainment in Lancaster County,
Pennsylvania. New Jersey lies between
Pennsylvania and New York City, and
Delaware lies between Maryland and
both Philadelphia and New York City.
This means that emissions from
Delaware and New Jersey are mixed
with the emissions of these other
upwind States and arrive together at the
downwind nonattainment areas in other
States. Moreover, Delaware and New
Jersey are closer to these receptors.
Given these highly distinctive facts,
considered in conjunction with the data
concerning the downwind emissions
contributions from New Jersey and
Delaware, it is reasonable that Delaware
and New Jersey could be viewed as
contributing significantly to PM2.5
nonattainment in downwind States. We
have therefore considered how to
determine in an objective way whether
they should be formally considered to
contribute to PM2.5 nonattainment in
specific other States and thus whether
they incur a section 110(a)(2)(D)
obligation. We propose to do this by
treating the combination of these two
small states as a unit, subjecting that
combination to the 0.2 µg/m3 threshold
for PM2.5 air quality contribution used
in the original analytical approach for
the CAIR. As noted, this is consistent
with our approach in the NOX SIP Call,
where Maryland, Delaware, and the
District of Columbia were treated as a
combined unit. We note also that
Delaware and New Jersey lie side-byside and together form a compact
geographic area. In addition, Delaware
8 Because electricity generation costs in States
subject to the CAIR will in general rise to some
degree to cover the cost of new emission controls,
there is the possibility that some electrical
generation load and the associated emissions may
shift to States that remain outside the CAIR. Such
shifting may not always occur, because physical
factors in the electrical transmission and
distribution system, economic factors, or other
regulatory requirements may prevent it. The IPM
model predicts that increases will occur in
Delaware and New Jersey if they are not included
under CAIR’s PM2.5-related requirements.
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
25414
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
and New Jersey are both part of the PJM
Interconnection, which means they are
in a coordinated portion of the
electricity grid. We believe this further
supports combining them for purposes
of this analysis. By combining these two
small States we believe the underlying
cost-balancing and control program
efficiency goals of our original
analytical approach can be better met.
Based on the air quality modeling that
was done for the CAIR, we propose to
find that when treated as a combined
unit, Delaware and New Jersey do in
fact contribute 0.2 µg/m3 or more to
PM2.5 nonattainment in New York
County, NY and may do so in one or
more counties in eastern Pennsylvania.
The next section of this preamble
presents these modeling results.
TABLE III–1.—CONTRIBUTION FACTORS FOR STATES UNDER REVIEW
State
Contribution factors
Delaware ...................
Land Area of State
2050 square miles.
Most Affected Downwind Nonattainment Counties
Philadelphia Co., PA.
Delaware Co., PA.
Lancaster Co., PA.
Berks Co., PA.
New York Co., NY.
Geography
The Wilmington area, which is the most densely industrialized and populated part of Delaware, lies on or very close to
the lines of transport between the Maryland suburbs of the District of Columbia and Philadelphia Co. and Delaware
Co. PA, and also on or very close to the lines of transport between Baltimore and the Philadelphia Co. and Delaware
Co., PA.
The Wilmington area also lies on or very close to the line of transport between these areas of Maryland and New York
Co., NY.
2010 Base Emissions of SO2 plus NOX
156,000 tons/year.
SO2 plus NOX Emissions Density
76.1 tons/year per square mile.
Emission Changes
IPM predicts that implementing the CAIR without subjecting Delaware to limits on annual emissions will result in increases in EGU SO2 emissions of 5,000 tons and 2,000 tons in 2010 and 2015, respectively, and an increase in NOX
emissions of 2,000 tons in 2010 with no increase in 2015.
New Jersey ................
Land Area of State
7510 square miles.
Most Affected Downwind Nonattainment Counties
New York Co., NY.
Berks Co., PA.
Lancaster Co., PA.
Geography:
Some part of New Jersey lies in the path of transport connecting any source in Pennsylvania to New York Co., NY.
2010 Base Emissions of SO2 plus NOX
350,000 tons/year.
SO2 Plus NOX Emissions Density
46.58 tons/year per square mile.
SO2 plus NOX Emission Changes
IPM predicts that implementing the CAIR without subjecting New Jersey to limits on annual emissions will result in increases in EGU SO2 emissions of 1,000 and 2,000 tons in 2010 and 2015, respectively, and an increase in EGU NOX
emissions of 1,000 tons in 2010 and 2015.
TABLE III–2.—CONTRIBUTION FACTORS FOR NEIGHBORING STATES ALREADY SUBJECT TO THE CAIR, FOR PURPOSES OF
COMPARISON TO DELAWARE AND NEW JERSEY
State
Contribution factors
Maryland & DC ..........
VerDate jul<14>2003
Size of State
Land Area
9,740 square miles.
2010 Base Emissions of SO2 plus NOX
631,000 tons/year.
Nearby Downwind Nonattainment Counties with Significant Contribution From This State
Lancaster Co., PA.
Berks Co., PA.
Philadelphia Co., PA.
Delaware Co., PA.
New York Co., NY.
Union Co., NJ.
SO2 plus NOX Emissions Density
64.8 tons/year per square mile.
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
25415
TABLE III–2.—CONTRIBUTION FACTORS FOR NEIGHBORING STATES ALREADY SUBJECT TO THE CAIR, FOR PURPOSES OF
COMPARISON TO DELAWARE AND NEW JERSEY—Continued
State
Contribution factors
New York ...................
Size of State
Land Area
48,560 square miles.
2010 Base Emissions of SO2 plus NOX
902,400 tons/year.
Nearby Downwind Nonattainment Counties with Significant Contribution From This State
New Haven, CT.
Berks Co., PA.
Lancaster Co., PA.
Philadelphia Co., PA.
Delaware Co., PA.
Union Co., NJ.
SO2 plus NOX Emissions Density
18.6 tons/year per square mile.
Pennsylvania .............
Size of State
Land Area
45,360 square miles.
2010 Base Emissions of SO2 plus NOX
1,818,000 tons/year.
Nearby Downwind Nonattainment Counties with Significant Contribution From This State
New York Co., NY.
Union Co., NJ.
SO2 plus NOX Emissions Density
40.1 tons/year per square mile.
B. Air Quality Modeling Results
As explained in section II above, the
air quality modeling used to assess
contributions to PM2.5 nonattainment
estimated the contribution by individual
States by selectively removing
anthropogenic emissions of SO2 and
NOX from one State at a time, and
observing how that change in emissions
affected PM2.5 concentrations in other
States. This included separate
assessments for New Jersey and
Delaware, and did not include any run
in which emissions in both states were
removed together. Consequently, we do
not presently have exactly the same type
of air quality modeling analysis for the
combination of Delaware and New
Jersey as we do for the 23 States already
subject to CAIR for purposes of PM2.5.
We intend to perform such modeling as
soon as possible and to make the results
available for public comment through a
Notice of Data Availability.
However, a tentative assessment is
currently possible. Since results are
available from the separate air quality
model runs that were done for Delaware
and New Jersey, we can add (or
superimpose) the contributions from the
two States on each individual receptor
monitor in order to estimate the
contribution that would be calculated if
the two states were taken as one unit of
analysis. While there are non-linear
chemical and other atmospheric
processes which could make the
outcomes of these two approaches
somewhat different, we believe the
superimposition approach is sufficiently
persuasive to support proposing
inclusion of both States as significantly
contributing to downwind PM2.5
nonattainment problems.
Table III–3 presents the
superimposition analysis, using detailed
contribution results from the air quality
analysis for the final CAIR.9 The table
shows that the sum of Delaware’s and
New Jersey’s contributions to PM2.5
nonattainment in New York County,
New York is 0.21 µg/m3 for one of the
monitors in that county. We note that
this is the result that obtained from
using the base case emissions from the
two States. In actuality, as previously
stated, we estimate, based on the IPM
model, that under the final CAIR, which
does not require reductions from
Delaware and New Jersey for purposes
of PM2.5, emissions in Delaware and
New Jersey will be higher than in this
base case. Thus, the actual contribution
of Delaware and New Jersey combined
and considered as a unit may be higher
than the 0.21 µg/m3 result shown in the
table. As mentioned above, nonlinearities in the atmospheric process
may also affect the result, in either
direction. Based on this analysis, we
propose that New Jersey and Delaware
taken together as one unit contribute
significantly to PM2.5 nonattainment in
New York County.
Of the several PM2.5 nonattainment
counties in eastern Pennsylvania that
are shown in Table III–3, none have a
superimposed contribution from
Delaware and New Jersey that is as large
as 0.2 µg/m3. However, the planned air
quality modeling that treats Delaware
and New Jersey as a combined unit and
that reflects the above mentioned
emissions increases as a result of their
current exclusion from CAIR may yield
a different result.
9 The Air Quality Technical Support Document
provides full details of how the air quality modeling
was done and all of the results.
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
25416
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
TABLE III–3.—ASSESSMENT OF COMBINED CONTRIBUTION BY DELAWARE AND NEW JERSEY TO PM2.5 NONATTAINMENT
BASED ON SUPERIMPOSITION OF RESULTS FROM AIR QUALITY MODELING FOR CAIR
PM2.5 Contribution
from Delaware
(µg/m3)
Receptor state
Receptor county
New York ............................................
Pennsylvania .......................................
Pennsylvania .......................................
Pennsylvania .......................................
Pennsylvania .......................................
Pennsylvania .......................................
Pennsylvania .......................................
New York ............................................
Berks ..................................................
Dauphin ..............................................
Delaware ............................................
Lancaster ............................................
Philadelphia ........................................
York ....................................................
IV. Proposed Findings and Action
We are proposing to find that
emissions of the PM2.5 precursors SO2
and NOX emitted by Delaware and New
Jersey contribute significantly to
nonattainment of the PM2.5 NAAQS in
downwind States. Accordingly, we are
proposing SIP requirements for these
States under section 110(a)(1) to meet
the requirements of section 110(a)(2)(D),
namely, to contain adequate provisions
to prohibit SO2 and NOX emissions from
sources or activities within the States
from ‘‘contribut[ing] significantly to
nonattainment’’ of the PM2.5 NAAQS in
downwind States.
B. SIP Approval Criteria
The CAIR added two new sections to
Title 40 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, §§ 51.123 and 51.124
containing requirements related to NOX
and SO2 respectively, which establish
the requirement for submission of SIP
revisions to comply with the CAIR and
the criteria which EPA will use to
review these revisions for approval or
disapproval. The content of these
sections is presented in section VII of
the preamble to the CAIR, which
appears in the rules section of today’s
Federal Register. Delaware and New
Jersey are already subject to the ozonerelated provisions of these sections but
not to the provisions that relate to PM2.5.
We propose to amend these two sections
to extend the PM2.5-related provisions to
both States. The practical effect of the
proposed amendments will be to subject
the States to budgets (if they choose to
control large EGUs) for annual emission
reduction requirements of NOX and SO2.
The proposed NOX and SO2 annual
and ozone season budgets for New
Jersey and Delaware are shown below in
Tables IV–1 and IV–2.
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
0.08
0.10
0.07
0.14
0.12
0.14
0.09
0.13
0.06
0.04
0.04
0.06
0.04
0.04
Sum
(µg/m3)
0.21
0.16
0.11
0.18
0.18
0.18
0.13
the inherently higher emissions rate of
coal-fired plants, and consequently the
greater burden on coal plants to control
[Tons]
emissions. The regional budget is then
Year
Delaware
New Jersey apportioned to States on a pro-rata
basis, based on each State’s share of
2009 ..................
4,166
12,670 total adjusted average heat input.
2015 ..................
3,472
10,558
The final CAIR annual NOX cap and
trade rule will provide additional
incentives for early annual NOX
TABLE IV–2.—PROPOSED ANNUAL
reductions by creating a Compliance
SO2 BUDGETS
Supplement Pool (CSP) for CAIR States
[Tons]
from which they can distribute
allowances for early, annual NOX
Year
Delaware
New Jersey emissions reductions in the years 2007
2010 ..................
22,411
32,392 and 2008. The CSP functions much like
2015 ..................
15,687
22,674 the NOX SIP Call’s CSP. The CSP would
be comprised of CAIR annual NOX
State annual SO2 budgets for the years allowances of vintage year 2009.
In the final CAIR, EPA apportions a
2010–2014 (Phase I) are based on a 50
200,000 ton CSP to all States. The CSP
percent reduction from title IV
was apportioned based on a State’s
allocations for all units in the affected
State. The State annual budgets for 2015 share of the required emissions
reductions (i.e., the difference between
and beyond (Phase II) are based on a 65
their State baseline emissions and their
percent reduction from title IV
projected emissions under the CAIR).
allowances allocated to units in the
States may distribute these CAIR NOX
affected State for SO2 control.
allowances to sources based upon
To calculate annual State NOX
either: (1) A demonstration to the State
budgets, EPA calculated a total
of NOX emissions reductions in surplus
‘‘regional’’ budget for Delaware and
New Jersey using the same methodology of any existing NOX emission control
requirements; or (2) a demonstration to
as in the CAIR. The EPA calculates the
the State that the facility has a ‘‘need’’
regional NOX budget using the highest
that would affect electricity grid
heat input for each State for the years
reliability. Sources that wish to receive
1999–2002, multiplied by 0.15 lb/
CAIR CSP allowances based upon a
mmBtu (for 2009) and 0.125 lb/mmBtu
demonstration of surplus emission
(for 2015).
The EPA is proposing to calculate
reductions will be awarded one CAIR
State NOX budgets through a fuelannual NOX allowance for every ton of
adjusted heat-input basis, as is being
NOX emissions reductions. (Should a
finalized in the CAIR. State budgets
State receive more requests for
would be determined by multiplying
allowances than their share of the CAIR
historic heat input data (summed by
CSP, the State would pro-rate the
fuel) by different adjustment factors for
allowance distribution.) Determination
the different fuels. These factors reflect
of surplus emissions must use emissions
for each fuel (coal, gas and oil), the
data measured using Part 75 monitoring.
1999–2002 average emissions by State,
The CSP for CAIR States affected by
summed for the CAIR region, divided by the CAIR NFR has a total of 198,494
average heat input by fuel by State,
CAIR NOX allowances in addition to the
summed for the CAIR region. The
annual CAIR NOX budgets. If Delaware
resulting adjustment factors from this
and New Jersey are part of the final
calculation are 1.0 for coal, 0.4 for gas
CAIR program, as we propose, they
and 0.6 for oil. The factors would reflect would be allotted an additional 1,503
TABLE IV–1.—PROPOSED ANNUAL
NOX BUDGETS
A. Proposed Findings of Significant
Contribution for Delaware and New
Jersey
VerDate jul<14>2003
PM2.5 Contribution
from New Jersey
(µg/m3)
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
25417
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
allowances. Table IV–3 shows the NOX
CSP for New Jersey and Delaware.
TABLE IV–3.—PROPOSED NOX
COMPLIANCE SUPPLEMENT POOL
[Tons]
Delaware
New Jersey
843
660
C. SIP Submittal Deadline
We are also proposing today to
require that PM2.5 transport SIPs be
submitted, under CAA section 110(a)(1),
as soon as practicable, but not later than
18 months from the date of signature of
the CAIR, i.e., September 11, 2006. Our
expectation is that this will be no less
than 12 months from the date of
promulgation of the present proposal.
We note that this would leave the two
States affected by this proposal less time
to submit transport SIPs than allowed
for States covered by the CAIR rule.
There are a number of reasons this
result appears to be justifiable. First,
Delaware and New Jersey were covered
by the initial CAIR proposal for PM2.5
precursors, so the States already have
been on notice that they might have to
submit transport SIPs for PM2.5.
Moreover, we are proposing here to
adopt all of the key features of the initial
CAIR proposal, including the same
annual SO2 and NOX reductions and
budgets and the same implementation
mechanisms. Again, since these States
have been on notice regarding these
issues, we believe that less time would
be needed to submit transport SIPs.
Moreover, as noted, we expect to
finalize this proposal within 6 months.
If we do so, and if we adopt the
proposed SIP submittal deadline,
transport SIPs would be required within
12 months of the final action, the same
period as provided in the NOX SIP Call
(69 FR 4585).
According to EPA modeling,
including New Jersey and Delaware in
the annual CAIR program results in only
one additional flue gas desulfurization
(FGD) unit installation in the two States,
i.e., one additional FGD in New Jersey.10
The EPA modeling shows no additional
selective catalytic reduction (SCR) units
would be required in the two States.11
Assuming EPA finalizes this proposal in
6 months (by September 15, 2005) and
allows the two States 18 months from
signature of the CAIR to submit their
SIPs (i.e., due by September 11, 2006),
there would be about 40 months
remaining for the installation of the one
additional FGD required. The EPA
estimates 27 months are required to
install an FGD. Also, EPA believes
sufficient boiler maker labor and other
resources exist to support one
additional FGD installation by January
1, 2010. Therefore, EPA proposes the
above schedule for finalizing and
implementing this rule.
For all these reasons, we think it
reasonable to propose that Delaware and
New Jersey submit PM2.5 transport SIPs
by September 11, 2006.
D. Emissions Reporting Requirements
In order to provide emissions
inventory information that will allow
EPA to better monitor the
implementation and effects of the
CAIR’s emissions reductions, EPA
incorporated into the CAIR revisions to
the pre-existing emission inventory
reporting requirements applicable to
States affected by the CAIR. Those
requirements were specific to whether a
State was affected by the annual
emission reduction requirements for
SO2 and NOX or only the ozone-season
reduction requirements for NOX.
Because we are proposing to apply the
annual emissions reduction
requirements to Delaware and New
Jersey, we are also proposing to place
these two States under the
corresponding provisions of the
emissions reporting requirements. The
only practical effect of this change
relative to existing requirements is that
if either State chooses to obtain some of
the required annual emissions
reductions from a source which emits
less than 2500 tons/year of both SO2 and
NOX and that source is not also made
subject to the EPA-operated emissions
trading programs, the State must report
the annual emissions of that source to
EPA annually in contrast to the triennial
requirement that presently applies to
such sources.
V. Expected Effects of the Proposed
Action
A. Emissions
EPA has conducted power sector
analysis of The CAIR using the IPM. The
IPM is a dynamic linear programming
model that can be used to examine air
pollution control policies for SO2 and
NOX throughout the contiguous United
States for the entire power system.
Documentation for IPM can be found at
www.epa.gov/airmarkets/epa-ipm.
Emissions of SO2 and NOX in the
CAIR region would be higher under the
final CAIR where Delaware and New
Jersey are only included in a summer
season ozone cap, similar to
Connecticut and Massachusetts. If these
two States are included as part of the
annual SO2 and NOX caps for the CAIR
as proposed in this proposal, emissions
in the region would be reduced by
another 48,000 tons of SO2 and 11,000
tons of NOX from the final CAIR
scenario.
The inclusion of Delaware and New
Jersey in the annual CAIR requirements
would result in additional reductions of
SO2 and NOX that would help in
achieving attainment for downwind
States.
TABLE V–1.—ANNUAL EMISSIONS FROM AFFECTED SOURCES FOR THE CAIR REGION 12
[Thousand tons]
2015
2010
SO2
Base Case .......................................................................................................................
Final CAIR (DE and NJ Included for Ozone Season NOX Only) ...................................
CAIR Modified By This Proposal (DE and NJ Included for Annual SO2 and NOX) .......
Difference between CAIR Scenarios ...............................................................................
8,868
5,336
5,305
32
2,826
1,592
1,582
10
NOX
8,056
4,216
4,168
48
SO2
2,853
1,342
1,331
11
Note: Numbers may not add due to rounding.
10 The EPA compared IPM runs with and without
New Jersey and Delaware to make this
determination. See IPM runs in the docket for
further details.
11 The EPA compared IPM runs with and without
New Jersey and Delaware to make this
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
determination. See IPM runs in the docket for
further details.
12 The CAIR region for purposes of this table
includes the following States: Alabama, Arkansas,
Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia,
Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky,
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New
York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia,
Wisconsin.
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
25418
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
B. Air Quality
Section VI of the preamble to the
CAIR, which appears in the rules
section of today’s Federal Register,
describes the air quality modeling
performed to determine the projected
impacts of the CAIR on PM2.5 and 8hour ozone of the SO2 and NOX
emissions reductions in the control
region modeled. The modeling used to
estimate the air quality impact of these
reductions assumed annual SO2 and
NOX controls for Arkansas, Delaware,
and New Jersey (as had been proposed
before completion of the final
contribution analysis) in addition to the
23-States plus the District of Columbia.
Since Arkansas, Delaware, and New
Jersey are not included in the final CAIR
PM2.5 region, the modeled estimated
impacts are overstated for today’s final
CAIR which excludes all three States
from the CAIR region for PM. Because
we are now proposing that Delaware
and New Jersey become subject to the
PM2.5-related emissions limits for SO2
and NOX, the air quality modeling for
the final CAIR better approximates the
net effects of the CAIR plus today’s
proposal, but still overestimates the air
quality changes somewhat due to the
continued discrepancy regarding
Arkansas. The Regulatory Impact
Analysis for the CAIR discusses these
differences in scenarios in more detail.
The EPA analyzed the impacts of the
regional emissions reductions in both
2010 and 2015. These impacts are
quantified by comparing air quality
modeling results for the regional control
scenario to the modeling results for the
corresponding 2010 and 2015 Base Case
scenarios. The 2010 and 2015 emissions
reductions and air quality
improvements from the regional control
strategy modeled are presented in
summary form in section VI of the
preamble to the CAIR and in detail in
the Emission Inventory Technical
Support Document and the Air Quality
Modeling Technical Support Document
for the CAIR.
The EPA estimates, based on the air
quality analysis for the CAIR, that the
required SO2 and NOX emissions
reductions would, by themselves, bring
into attainment 52 of the 80 counties
that are otherwise expected to be in
nonattainment for PM2.5 in 2010, and 57
of the 75 counties that are otherwise
expected to be in nonattainment for
PM2.5 in 2015. The EPA further
estimates that the required NOX
emissions reductions would, by
themselves, bring into attainment 3 of
the 40 counties that are otherwise
expected to be in nonattainment for 8hour ozone in 2010, and 6 of the 22
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
counties that are expected to be in
nonattainment for 8-hour ozone in 2015.
In addition, today’s rule will improve
PM2.5 and 8-hour ozone air quality in
the areas that will remain
nonattainment for those two NAAQS
after implementation of today’s rule.
Because of today’s rule, the States with
those remaining nonattainment areas
will find it less burdensome and less
expensive to reach attainment by
adopting additional local controls. The
CAIR will also reduce PM2.5 and 8-hour
ozone levels in attainment areas.
We have not conducted an
incremental analysis of the air quality
effects from the proposed extension of
the annual emissions reductions
requirements to New Jersey and
Delaware. However, IPM modeling of
EGU emissions indicates that assuming
that all States join the EPA trading
programs, highly cost-effective
emissions reductions will be distributed
across the region in addition to New
Jersey and Delaware themselves, and
contribute to the attainment of these two
States’ downwind neighbors as well as
other States with nonattainment areas.
VI. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory
Planning and Review
Under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR
51735, October 4, 1993), the Agency
must determine whether a regulatory
action is ‘‘significant’’ and therefore
subject to Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) review and the
requirements of the Executive Order.
The Order defines ‘‘significant
regulatory action’’ as one that is likely
to result in a rule that may:
1. Have an annual effect on the
economy of $100 million or more or
adversely affect in a material way the
economy, a sector of the economy,
productivity, competition, jobs, the
environment, public health or safety, or
State, local, or Tribal governments or
communities;
2. Create a serious inconsistency or
otherwise interfere with an action taken
or planned by another agency;
3. Materially alter the budgetary
impact of entitlements, grants, user fees,
or loan programs or the rights and
obligations of recipients thereof; or
4. Raise novel legal or policy issues
arising out of legal mandates, the
President’s priorities, or the principles
set forth in the Executive Order.
In view of its important policy
implications and potential effect on the
economy of over $100 million, the CAIR
program inclusive of this proposal has
been judged to be an economically
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
‘‘significant regulatory action’’ within
the meaning of the Executive Order. As
a result, today’s proposal was submitted
to OMB for review, and EPA has
prepared an economic analysis of the
CAIR program including this proposal
entitled ‘‘Regulatory Impact Analysis of
the Final Clean Air Interstate Rule’’
(March 2005).
1. What Economic Analyses Were
Conducted for the Rulemaking?
The analyses conducted for the CAIR
program (CAIR final rule plus this New
Jersey and Delaware proposal) provide
several important analyses of impacts
on public welfare. These include an
analysis of the social benefits, social
costs, and net benefits of the regulatory
scenario. The economic analyses also
address issues involving small business
impacts, unfunded mandates (including
impacts for Tribal governments),
environmental justice, children’s health,
energy impacts, and requirements of the
Paperwork Reduction Act.
2. What Are the Benefits and Costs of
the CAIR Program?
The benefit-cost analysis shows that
substantial net economic benefits to
society are likely to be achieved due to
reduction in emissions resulting from
the CAIR program that includes annual
SO2 and NOX controls for New Jersey
and Delaware. The results show that the
CAIR program would be highly
beneficial to society, with annual net
benefits (benefits less costs) of
approximately $71.4 or $60.4 billion in
2010 and $98.5 or $83.2 billion in 2015.
These alternative net benefits estimates
occur due to differing assumptions
concerning the social discount rate used
to estimate the annual value of the
benefits of the rule with the lower
estimates relating to a discount rate of
7 percent and the higher estimates a
discount rate of 3 percent. All amounts
are reflected in 1999 dollars. For more
information, see the NFR for the CAIR
published in today’s Federal Register
and the Regulatory Impact Analysis for
the Final Clean Air Interstate Rule
(March 2005).
3. What Are the Incremental Costs to the
Electricity-Generating Industry
Associated With This New Jersey and
Delaware Proposal?
The costs presented here represent the
total incremental cost to the electricitygenerating industry of reducing NOX
and SO2 emissions to meet the
reduction requirements set forth in the
rule, assuming all States participate in
a regionwide cap-and-trade program.
These costs estimates are referred to as
private costs, and these estimates differ
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
from the cost of the program to society
or social cost estimates presented for the
CAIR program discussed previously. As
shown in Table VI–1, EPA estimates the
annual private costs of this proposal are
approximately $30 million in 2010 and
$40 million in 2015. All estimates
reflect 1999 dollars. Overall, the impacts
of the CAIR program are modest,
particularly in light of the large benefits
we expect. This industry generates over
$250 billion in annual revenues.13 The
industry has the ability to largely pass
along the costs of the rule to consumers,
and this will result in the costs largely
falling upon the consumers of
electricity. Retail electricity prices are
projected to increase roughly 2.0—2.7
percent with the CAIR program
(inclusive of this proposal) in the 2010
and 2015 timeframe, and then drop
below 2.0 percent thereafter. The effects
of the CAIR program on natural gas
prices and the power sector generation
mix is also small, with a 1.6 percent or
less increase in natural gas prices
projected from 2010 to 2020. There will
be continued reliance on coal-fired
generation, which is projected to remain
at roughly 50 percent of total electricity
generated. A relatively small amount of
coal-fired capacity, about 5.3 GW (1.7
percent of all coal-fired capacity and 0.5
percent of all generating capacity), is
projected to be uneconomic to maintain.
For the most part, these units are small
and infrequently used generating units
that are dispersed throughout the CAIR
region. Units projected to be
uneconomic to maintain may be
‘mothballed,’ retired, or kept in service
to ensure transmission reliability in
certain parts of the grid.
As demand grows in the future,
additional coal-fired generation is
projected to be built under the CAIR
program. As a result, both coal-fired
generation and coal production for
electricity generation are projected to
increase from 2003 levels by about 15
percent in 2010 and 25 percent by 2020,
and we expect a small shift towards
greater coal production in Appalachia
and the Interior coal regions of the
country with the CAIR.
For today’s proposal, EPA analyzed
the costs using the IPM. The IPM is a
dynamic linear programming model that
can be used to examine the economic
impacts of air pollution control policies
for SO2 and NOX throughout the
contiguous U.S. for the entire power
system. Documentation for IPM can be
found in the docket for this rulemaking
or at www.epa.gov/airmarkets/epa-ipm.
13 In 2003, the electric power industry had retail
sales of 259 billion dollars (https://www.eia.doe.gov/
cneaf/electricty/epm/table5–2.html).
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
The additional annualized incremental
cost of including Delaware and New
Jersey in the CAIR program occur
because of the additional installation
and operation of a modest amount of
pollution control equipment and other
relatively minor compliance costs.
TABLE
VI–1.—ANNUALIZED INCREPRIVATE COSTS FOR THE
CAIR REGION
MENTAL
[Billions of 1999 dollars]
Program
Final CAIR (DE and
NJ: Ozone Season
NOX Only) .............
Final CAIR plus NJ
and DE proposal
(DE and NJ: Annual SO2 and NOX)
Difference between
CAIR scenarios .....
Costs in
2010
Costs in
2015
$2.33
$3.59
2.36
3.63
0.03
0.04
4. What Potential Benefits May Be
Associated With This Proposal?
Air quality modeling was not
conducted for the New Jersey and
Delaware proposal. For this reason, an
analysis of the potential benefits for the
New Jersey and Delaware proposal
could not be completed with any degree
of specificity. However based on the air
quality modeling results for the CAIR,
we make ball park estimates of the
benefits and net benefits that might
occur with this proposal. Including New
Jersey and Delaware in the CAIR
program would result in additional
reductions of SO2 and NOX emissions.
We estimate that approximately $630
million of the total annual CAIR
program benefits previously discussed
are attributable to annual SO2 and NOX
controls for New Jersey and Delaware in
2010. This estimate increases to over
$1.1 billion in 2015. The full CAIR
analysis including New Jersey and
Delaware showed a benefit-cost ratio of
around 39:1 in 2015. Based on the
relatively low estimated private costs of
including New Jersey and Delaware of
$30 million in 2010 and $40 million in
2015, it is highly unlikely that costs of
including New Jersey and Delaware
would exceed benefits even if benefits
of controlling SO2 and NOX for New
Jersey and Delaware were substantially
lower than the average benefit we used
to estimate the benefits. It is highly
unlikely that benefits are much lower
than average given the urban nature of
much of New Jersey, and the proximity
of New Jersey and Delaware to many
heavily populated urban areas.
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
25419
B. Paperwork Reduction Act
The information collection
requirements in this proposed rule have
been submitted for approval to the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction
Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. The
Information Collection Request (ICR)
document prepared by EPA has been
assigned EPA ICR number 2184.01.
The purpose of the ICR is to estimate
the anticipated monitoring, reporting,
and recordkeeping burden estimates and
associated costs for States, local
governments, and sources that are
expected to result from this proposal.
This ICR describes the nature of the
information collection and the
estimated burden for this proposal. In
cases where information is already
collected by a related program, the ICR
takes into account only the additional
burden. This situation arises in States
that are also subject to requirements of
the Consolidated Emissions Reporting
Rule (EPA ICR number 0916.10; OMB
control number 2060–0088) or for
sources that are subject to the Acid Rain
Program (EPA ICR 2152.01; EPA ICR
number 1633.13; OMB control number
2060–0258) or NOX SIP Call (EPA ICR
number 1857.03; OMB number 2060–
0445) requirements.
The total monitoring, recordkeeping,
and reporting burden to sources
resulting from New Jersey and Delaware
choosing to participate in a regional cap
and trade program are expected to be
approximately $270,000 at the time the
monitors are implemented. This
estimate includes the annualized cost of
installing and operating appropriate SO2
and NOX emissions monitoring
equipment to measure and report the
total emissions of these pollutants from
affected EGUs (serving generators
greater than 25 megawatt capacity) for
this proposed rule. The burden to State
and local air agencies includes any
necessary SIP revisions, performing
monitoring certification, and fulfilling
audit responsibilities.
Burden means the total time, effort, or
financial resources expended by persons
to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose
or provide information to or for a
Federal agency. This includes the time
needed to review instructions; develop,
acquire, install, and utilize technology
and systems for the purposes of
collecting, validating, and verifying
information, processing and
maintaining information, and disclosing
and providing information; adjust the
existing ways to comply with any
previously applicable instructions and
requirements; train personnel to be able
to respond to a collection of
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
25420
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
information; search data sources;
complete and review the collection of
information; and transmit or otherwise
disclose the information.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number. The OMB control
numbers for EPA’s regulations in 40
CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9.
To comment on the Agency’s need for
this information, the accuracy of the
provided burden estimates, and any
suggested methods for minimizing
respondent burden, including the use of
automated collection techniques, EPA
has established a public docket for this
rule, which includes this ICR, under
Docket ID number OAR–2003–0053.
Submit any comments related to the ICR
for this proposed rule to EPA and OMB.
See ADDRESSES section at the beginning
of this notice for where to submit
comments to EPA. Send comments to
OMB at the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Office of
Management and Budget, 725 17th
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503,
Attention: Desk Office for EPA. Since
OMB is required to make a decision
concerning the ICR between 30 and 60
days after May 12, 2005, a comment to
OMB is best assured of having its full
effect if OMB receives it by June 13,
2005. The final rule will respond to any
OMB or public comments on the
information collection requirements
contained in this proposal.
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.)(RFA), as amended by
the Small Business Regulatory
Enforcement Fairness Act (Pub. L. 104–
121)(SBREFA), provides that whenever
an agency is required to publish a
general notice of rulemaking, it must
prepare and make available an initial
regulatory flexibility analysis, unless it
certifies that the rule, if promulgated,
will not have ‘‘a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small
entities.’’ 5 U.S.C. 605(b). Small entities
include small businesses, small
organizations, and small governmental
jurisdictions.
For purposes of assessing the impacts
of today’s rule on small entities, small
entity is defined as: (1) A small business
that is identified by the North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS)
Code, as defined by the Small Business
Administration (SBA); (2) a small
governmental jurisdiction that is a
government of a city, county, town,
school district or special district with a
population of less that 50,000; and (3)
a small organization that is any not-forprofit enterprise which is independently
owned and operated and is not
dominant in its field. Table VI–2 lists
entities potentially impacted by this
rule with applicable NAICS code.
VI–2.—POTENTIALLY REGULATED CATEGORIES AND ENTITIES
Category
NAICS code 1
Industry ....................................
Federal government .................
State/local/Tribal government ..
Examples of potentially regulated entities
221112
2 221122
2 221122
921150
Fossil
Fossil
Fossil
Fossil
fuel-fired
fuel-fired
fuel-fired
fuel-fired
electric
electric
electric
electric
utility
utility
utility
utility
steam
steam
steam
steam
generating
generating
generating
generating
units.
units owned by the Federal government.
units owned by municipalities.
units in Indian Country.
1 North
American Industry Classification System.
2 Federal, State, or local government-owned and operated establishments are classified according to the activity in which they are engaged.
According to the SBA size standards
for NAICS code 221112 Utilities-Fossil
Fuel Electric Power Generation, a firm
is small if, including its affiliates, it is
primarily engaged in the generation,
transmission, and or distribution of
electric energy for sale and its total
electric output for the preceding fiscal
year did not exceed 4 million megawatt
hours.
Courts have interpreted the RFA to
require a regulatory flexibility analysis
only when small entities will be subject
to the requirements of the rule. See
Michigan v. EPA, 213 F.3d 663, 668–69
(D.C. Cir., 2000), cert. den. 121 S.Ct.
225, 149 L.Ed.2d 135 (2001).
The CAIR final rule and this proposed
rule would not establish requirements
applicable to small entities. Instead, it
would require States to develop, adopt,
and submit SIP revisions that would
achieve the necessary SO2 and NOX
emissions reductions, and would leave
to the States the task of determining
how to obtain those reductions,
including which entities to regulate.
Moreover, because affected States would
have discretion to choose the sources to
regulate and how much emissions
reductions each selected source would
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
have to achieve, EPA could not predict
the effect of the rule on small entities.
Although not required by the RFA, the
Agency has conducted a small business
analysis for the CAIR program inclusive
of the New Jersey and Delaware
proposal.
Overall, about 445 MW of total small
entity capacity, or 1.0 percent of total
small entity capacity in the CAIR region,
is projected to be uneconomic to
maintain under the CAIR relative to the
base case. In practice, units projected to
be uneconomic to maintain may be
‘‘mothballed,’’ retired, or kept in service
to ensure transmission reliability in
certain parts of the grid. Our IPM
modeling is unable to distinguish
between these potential outcomes.
The EPA modeling identified 264
small power-generating entities within
the entire CAIR region based upon the
definition of small entity outlined
above. The EPA excluded from this
analysis 189 small entities that were not
projected to have at least one unit with
a generating capacity of 25 MW or great
operating in the base case. Thus, we
found that 75 small entities may
potentially be affected by the CAIR
program. Of these 75 small entities, 28
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
may experience compliance costs in
excess of 1 percent of revenues in 2010,
and 46 may in 2015, based on the
Agency’s assumptions of how the
affected States implement control
measures to meet their emissions
budgets as set forth in this rulemaking.
Potentially affected small entities
experiencing compliance costs in excess
of 1 percent of revenues have some
potential for significant impact resulting
from implementation of the CAIR.
However, it is the Agency’s position that
because none of the affected entities
currently operate in a competitive
market environment, they should be
able to pass the costs of complying with
the CAIR on to rate-payers. Moreover,
the decision to include only units
greater than 25 MW in size exempts 185
small entities that would otherwise be
potentially affected by the CAIR.
Two other points should be
considered when evaluating the impact
of the CAIR program (inclusive of the
New Jersey and Delaware proposal),
specifically, and cap and trade programs
more generally, on small entities. First,
under the CAIR program, the cap-andtrade program is designed such that
States determine how NOX allowances
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
are to be allocated across units. A State
that wishes to mitigate the impact of the
rule on small entities might choose to
allocate NOX allowances in a manner
that is favorable to small entities.
Finally, the use of cap and trade in
general will limit impacts on small
entities relative to a less flexible
command-and-control program.
D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
Title II of the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–
4)(UMRA), establishes requirements for
Federal agencies to assess the effects of
their regulatory actions on State, local,
and Tribal governments and the private
sector. Under section 202 of the UMRA,
2 U.S.C. 1532, EPA generally must
prepare a written statement, including a
cost-benefit analysis, for any proposed
or final rule that ‘‘includes any Federal
mandate that may result in the
expenditure by State, local, and Tribal
governments, in the aggregate, or by the
private sector, of $100,000,000 or more
* * * in any one year.’’ A ‘‘Federal
mandate’’ is defined under section
421(6), 2 U.S.C. 658(6), to include a
‘‘Federal intergovernmental mandate’’
and a ‘‘Federal private sector mandate.’’
A ‘‘Federal intergovernmental
mandate,’’ in turn, is defined to include
a regulation that ‘‘would impose an
enforceable duty upon State, Local, or
Tribal governments,’’ section
421(5)(A)(i), 2 U.S.C. 658(5)(A)(i),
except for, among other things, a duty
that is ‘‘a condition of Federal
assistance,’’ section 421(5)(A)(i)(I). A
‘‘Federal private sector mandate’’
includes a regulation that ‘‘would
impose an enforceable duty upon the
private sector,’’ with certain exceptions,
section 421(7)(A), 2 U.S.C. 658(7)(A).
Before promulgating an EPA rule for
which a written statement is needed
under section 202 of the UMRA, section
205, 2 U.S.C. 1535, of the UMRA
generally requires EPA to identify and
consider a reasonable number of
regulatory alternatives and adopt the
least costly, most cost-effective, or least
burdensome alternative that achieves
the objectives of the rule.
The EPA prepared a written statement
for the CAIR final inclusive of this
proposal consistent with the
requirements of section 202 of the
UMRA. Furthermore, as EPA stated in
the rule, EPA is not directly establishing
any regulatory requirements that may
significantly or uniquely affect small
governments, including Tribal
governments. Thus, EPA is not obligated
to develop under section 203 of the
UMRA a small government agency plan.
Furthermore, in a manner consistent
with the intergovernmental consultation
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
provisions of section 204 of the UMRA,
EPA carried out consultations with the
governmental entities affected by this
rule.
For several reasons, however, EPA is
not reaching a final conclusion as to the
applicability of the requirements of
UMRA to this rulemaking action. First,
it is questionable whether a requirement
to submit a SIP revision would
constitute a Federal mandate in any
case. The obligation for a State to revise
its SIP that arises out of section 110(a)
of the CAA is not legally enforceable by
a court of law, and at most is a
condition for continued receipt of
highway funds. Therefore, it is possible
to view an action requiring such a
submittal as not creating any
enforceable duty within the meaning of
section 421(5)(9a)(I) of UMRA (2 U.S.C.
658 (a)(I)). Even if it did, the duty could
be viewed as falling within the
exception for a condition of Federal
assistance under section 421(5)(a)(i)(I) of
UMRA (2 U.S.C. 658(5)(a)(i)(I)).
As noted earlier, however,
notwithstanding these issues, EPA
prepared the statement that would be
required by UMRA if its statutory
provisions applied for the CAIR final
rule and this proposal. The EPA also
consulted with governmental entities as
would be required by UMRA.
Consequently, it is not necessary for
EPA to reach a conclusion as to the
applicability of the UMRA
requirements.
The EPA conducted an analysis of the
economic impacts anticipated from the
CAIR program inclusive of the New
Jersey and Delaware proposal for
government-owned entities. The
modeling conducted using the IPM
projects that about 340 MW of
municipality-owned capacity (about 0.4
percent of all subdivision, State and
municipality capacity in the CAIR
region) would be uneconomic to
maintain under the CAIR program,
beyond what is projected in the base
case. In practice, however, the units
projected to be uneconomic to maintain
may be ‘‘mothballed,’’ retired, or kept in
service to ensure transmission reliability
in certain parts of the grid. For the most
part, these units are small and
infrequently used generating units that
are dispersed throughout the CAIR
region.
The EPA modeling identified 265
State or municipally-owned entities, as
well as subdivisions, within the entire
CAIR region. The EPA excluded from
the analysis government-owned entities
that were not projected to have at least
one unit with generating capacity of 25
MW or greater in the base case. Thus,
we excluded 184 entities from the
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
25421
analysis. We found that 81 government
entities will be potentially affected by
the CAIR. Of the 81 government entities,
20 may experience compliance costs in
excess of 1 percent of revenues in 2010,
and 39 may in 2015, based on our
assumptions of how the affected States
implement control measures to meet
their emissions budgets as set forth in
this rulemaking.
Government entities projected to
experience compliance costs in excess
of 1 percent of revenues have some
potential for significant impact resulting
from implementation of the CAIR.
However, as noted above, it is EPA’s
position that because these government
entities can pass on their costs of
compliance to rate-payers, they will not
be significantly impacted. Furthermore,
the decision to include only units
greater than 25 MW in size exempts 179
government entities that would
otherwise be potentially affected by the
CAIR program.
The above points aside, potentially
adverse impacts of the CAIR program on
State and municipality-owned entities
could be limited by the fact that the cap
and trade program is designed such that
States determine how NOX allowances
are to be allocated across units. A State
that wishes to mitigate the impact of the
rule on State or municipality-owned
entities might choose to allocate NOX
allowances in a manner that is favorable
to these entities. Finally, the use of cap
and trade in general will limit impacts
on entities owned by small governments
relative to a less flexible command-andcontrol program.
E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
Executive Order 13132, entitled
‘‘Federalism’’ (64 FR 43255, August 10,
1999), requires EPA to develop an
accountable process to ensure
‘‘meaningful and timely input by State
and local officials in the development of
regulatory policies that have federalism
implications.’’ ‘‘Policies that have
federalism implications’’ is defined in
the Executive Order to include
regulations that have ‘‘substantial direct
effects on the States, on the relationship
between the national government and
the States, or on the distribution of
power and responsibilities among the
various levels of government.’’
This proposal does not have
federalism implications. It will not have
substantial direct effects on the States,
on the relationship between the national
government and the States, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
levels of government, as specified in
Executive Order 13132. The CAA
establishes the relationship between the
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
25422
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
Federal government and the States, and
this proposed rule does not impact that
relationship. Thus, Executive Order
13132 does not apply to this proposal.
In the spirit of Executive Order 13132,
and consistent with EPA policy to
promote communications between EPA
and State and local governments, EPA
specifically solicited comment on the
CAIR from State and local officials.
F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation
and Coordination With Indian Tribal
Governments
Executive Order 13175, entitled
‘‘Consultation and Coordination with
Indian Tribal Governments’’ (65 FR
67249, November 9, 2000), requires EPA
to develop an accountable process to
ensure ‘‘meaningful and timely input by
Tribal officials in the development of
regulatory policies that have Tribal
implications.’’ The CAIR program (CAIR
final and New Jersey and Delaware
proposed rule) does not have ‘‘Tribal
implications’’ as specified in Executive
Order 13175.
The CAIR program addresses
transport of pollution that are
precursors for ozone and PM2.5. The
CAA provides for States and Tribes to
develop plans to regulate emissions of
air pollutants within their jurisdictions.
The regulations clarify the statutory
obligations of States and Tribes that
develop plans to implement this rule.
The Tribal Authority Rule (TAR) give
Tribes the opportunity to develop and
implement CAA programs, but it leaves
to the discretion of the Tribe whether to
develop these programs and which
programs, or appropriate elements of a
program, the Tribe will adopt.
The CAIR program does not have
Tribal implications as defined by
Executive Order 13175. It does not have
a substantial direct effect on one or
more Indian Tribes, because no Tribe
has implemented a federally enforceable
air quality management program under
the CAA at this time. Furthermore, the
CAIR program does not affect the
relationship or distribution of power
and responsibilities between the Federal
government and Indian Tribes. The
CAA and the TAR establish the
relationship of the Federal government
and Tribes in developing plans to attain
the NAAQS, and this rule does nothing
to modify that relationship. Because the
CAIR program does not have Tribal
implications, Executive Order 13175
does not apply.
If one assumes a Tribe is
implementing a Tribal Implementation
Plan, today’s proposal could have
implications for that Tribe, but it would
not impose substantial direct costs upon
the Tribe, nor preempt Tribal law. As
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
provided above, EPA has estimated that
the total annual private costs for the
CAIR program inclusive of the New
Jersey and Delaware proposal for the
CAIR region as implemented by State,
Local, and Tribal governments is
approximately $2.4 billion in 2010 and
$3.6 billion in 2015 (1999 dollars).
There are currently very few emissions
sources in Indian country that could be
affected by the CAIR program and the
percentage of Tribal land that will be
impacted is very small. For Tribes that
choose to regulate sources in Indian
country, the costs would be attributed to
inspecting regulated facilities and
enforcing adopted regulations.
Although Executive Order 13175 does
not apply to this proposal, EPA
consulted with Tribal officials in
developing the CAIR program. The EPA
has encouraged Tribal input at an early
stage. Also, EPA held periodic meetings
with the States and the Tribes during
the technical development of the CAIR
program. Three meetings were held with
the Crow Tribe, where the Tribe
expressed concerns about potential
impacts of the CAIR on their coal mine
operations. The addition of Delaware
and New Jersey to the CAIR program
does not have any bearing upon the
concerns expressed by the Tribes. In
addition, EPA held three calls with
Tribal environmental professionals to
address concerns specific to the Tribes.
These discussions have given EPA
valuable information about Tribal
concerns regarding the development of
the CAIR program. The EPA has
provided briefings for Tribal
representatives and the newly formed
National Tribal Air Association (NTAA),
and other national Tribal forums. Input
from Tribal representatives has been
taken into consideration in development
of the CAIR program.
G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of
Children From Environmental Health
and Safety Risks
Executive Order 13045, ‘‘Protection of
Children from Environmental Health
and Safety Risks’’ (62 FR 19885, April
23, 1997) applies to any rule that (1) is
determined to be ‘‘economically
significant’’ as defined under Executive
Order 12866, and (2) concerns an
environmental health or safety risk that
EPA has reason to believe may have a
disproportionate effect on children. If
the regulatory action meets both criteria,
Section 5–501 of the Order directs the
Agency to evaluate the environmental
health or safety effects of the planned
rule on children, and explain why the
planned regulation is preferable to other
potentially effective and reasonably
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
feasible alternatives considered by the
Agency.
The CAIR program inclusive of the
New Jersey and Delaware proposal is
not subject to the Executive Order,
because it does not involve decisions on
environmental health or safety risks that
may disproportionately affect children.
The EPA believes that the emissions
reductions from the strategies in this
rule will further improve air quality and
will further improve children’s health.
H. Executive Order 13211: Actions That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution, or Use
Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355,
May 22, 2001) provides that agencies
shall prepare and submit to the
Administrator of the Office of
Regulatory Affairs, OMB, a Statement of
Energy Effects for certain actions
identified as ‘‘significant energy
actions.’’ Section 4(b) of Executive
Order 13211 defines ‘‘significant energy
actions’’ as any action by an agency
(normally published in the Federal
Register) that promulgates or is
expected to lead to the promulgation of
a final rule or regulation, including
notices of inquiry, advance notices of
final rulemaking, and notices of final
rulemaking (1) (i) a significant
regulatory action under Executive Order
12866 or any successor order, and (ii)
likely to have a significant adverse effect
on the supply, distribution, or use of
energy; or (2) designated by the
Administrator of the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs as a
‘‘significant energy action.’’ The CAIR
program (the CAIR final and the New
Jersey and Delaware proposal) is a
significant regulatory action under
Executive Order 12866, and the CAIR
program may have a significant adverse
effect on the supply, distribution, or use
of energy.
If States choose to obtain the
emissions reductions required by the
CAIR final and this proposed rule by
regulating EGUs, EPA projects that
approximately 5.3 GWs of coal-fired
generation may be removed from
operation by 2010. In practice, however,
the units projected to be uneconomic to
maintain may be ‘‘mothballed,’’ retired,
or kept in service to ensure transmission
reliability in certain parts of the grid.
For the most part, these units are small
and infrequently used generating units
that are dispersed throughout the CAIR
region. Less conservative assumptions
regarding natural gas prices or
electricity demand would create a
greater incentive to keep these units
operational. The EPA projects that the
average annual electricity price will
increase by less than 2.7 percent in the
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 / Proposed Rules
CAIR region for the CAIR program. The
EPA does not believe that the CAIR final
and this proposed rule will have any
other impacts that exceed the
significance criteria.
The EPA believes that a number of
features of today’s rulemaking serve to
reduce its impact on energy supply.
First, the optional trading program
provides considerable flexibility to the
power sector and enables industry to
comply with the emission reduction
requirements in the most cost-effective
manner, thus minimizing overall costs
and the ultimate impact on energy
supply. The ability to use banked
allowances from the existing title IV SO2
Trading Program and the NOX SIP Call
Trading Program also provide additional
flexibility. Second, the CAIR program
caps are set in two phases and provide
adequate time for EGUs to install
pollution controls. For more details
concerning energy impacts, see the
Regulatory Impact Analysis for the Final
Clean Air Interstate Rule (March 2005).
I. National Technology Transfer
Advancement Act
Section 12(d) of the National
Technology Transfer Advancement Act
(NTTAA) of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–113; 15
U.S.C. 272 note) directs EPA to use
voluntary consensus standards in its
regulatory and procurement activities
unless to do so would be inconsistent
with applicable law or otherwise
impractical. Voluntary consensus
standards are technical standards (e.g.,
materials specifications, test methods,
sampling procedures, business
practices) developed or adopted by one
or more voluntary consensus bodies.
The NTTAA directs EPA to provide
Congress, through annual reports to
OMB, with explanations when an
agency does not use available and
applicable voluntary consensus
standards.
The CAIR final and this proposed rule
would require all sources that
participate in the trading program under
part 96 to meet the applicable
monitoring requirements of part 75. Part
75 already incorporates a number of
voluntary consensus standards.
Consistent with the Agency’s
VerDate jul<14>2003
18:00 May 11, 2005
Jkt 205001
Performance Based Measurement
System (PBMS), part 75 sets forth
performance criteria that allow the use
of alternative methods to the ones set
forth in Part 75. The PBMS approach is
intended to be more flexible and cost
effective for the regulated community; it
is also intended to encourage innovation
in analytical technology and improved
data quality. At this time, EPA is not
recommending any revisions to part 75;
however, EPA periodically revises the
test procedures set forth in Part 75.
When EPA revises the test procedures
set forth in Part 75 in the future, EPA
will address the use of any new
voluntary consensus standards that are
equivalent. Currently, even if a test
procedure is not set forth in part 75,
EPA is not precluding the use of any
method, whether it constitutes a
voluntary consensus standard or not, as
long as it meets the performance criteria
specified; however, any alternative
methods must be approved through the
petition process under section 75.66
before they are used under part 75.
J. Executive Order 12898: Federal
Actions To Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and
Low-Income Populations
Executive Order 12898, ‘‘Federal
Actions to Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and
Low-Income Populations,’’ requires
Federal agencies to consider the impact
of programs, policies, and activities on
minority populations and low-income
populations. According to EPA
guidance,14 agencies are to assess
whether minority or low-income
populations face risks or a rate of
exposure to hazards that are significant
and that ‘‘appreciably exceed or is likely
to appreciably exceed the risk or rate to
the general population or to the
appropriate comparison group.’’ (EPA,
1998)
In accordance with Executive Order
12898, the Agency has considered
whether the CAIR program inclusive of
Environmental Protection Agency, 1998.
Guidance for Incorporating Environmental Justice
Concerns in EPA’s NEPA Compliance Analyses.
Office of Federal Activities, Washington, DC, April,
1998.
PO 00000
14 U.S.
Frm 00017
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 4702
25423
the New Jersey and Delaware proposed
rule may have disproportionate negative
impacts on minority or low income
populations. The Agency expects the
CAIR program to lead to reductions in
air pollution and exposures generally.
For this reason, negative impacts to
these sub-populations that appreciably
exceed similar impacts to the general
population are not expected.
K. Congressional Review Act
The Congressional Review Act, 5
U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement
Fairness Act of 1996, generally provides
that before a rule may take effect, the
agency promulgating the rule must
submit a rule report, which includes a
copy of the rule, to each House of the
Congress and to the Comptroller General
of the United States. The EPA will
submit a report containing this rule and
other required information to the U.S.
Senate, the U.S. House of
Representatives, and the Comptroller
General of the United States prior to
publication of the rule in the Federal
Register. A Major rule cannot take effect
until 60 days after it is published in the
Federal Register. This action is a ‘‘major
rule’’ as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
List of Subjects
40 CFR Part 51
Environmental protection,
Administrative practice and procedure,
Air pollution control, Intergovernmental
relations, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone,
Particulate matter, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur
oxides, Volatile organic compounds.
40 CFR Part 96
Environmental protection,
Administrative practice and procedure,
Air pollution control, Nitrogen oxides,
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Dated: March 10, 2005.
Stephen L Johnson,
Acting Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05–5520 Filed 5–11–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
E:\FR\FM\12MYP2.SGM
12MYP2
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 91 (Thursday, May 12, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 25408-25423]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5520]
[[Page 25407]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Part III
Environmental Protection Agency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
40 CFR Parts 51 and 96
Inclusion of Delaware and New Jersey in the Clean Air Interstate Rule;
Proposed Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 91 / Thursday, May 12, 2005 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 25408]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 51 and 96
[OAR-2003-0053; FRL-7885-8]
RIN 2060-AM95
Inclusion of Delaware and New Jersey in the Clean Air Interstate
Rule
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In this action, we are proposing to include Delaware and New
Jersey in the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) for fine particles (PM
2.5 ), based on a preliminary assessment that they
contribute significantly to a downwind State's nonattainment. In the
CAIR, we determined that upwind States that contribute 0.2 [mu]g/m\3\
or more to a downwind fine particles (PM 2.5 ) nonattainment
area are potentially deemed to be contributing significantly to
nonattainment. We are proposing here to combine Delaware and New Jersey
for purposes of this test. We have tentatively determined that Delaware
and New Jersey should be covered by the CAIR for annual sulfur dioxide
(SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) requirements.
In this proposal, we are not reopening any of the technical aspects
of the CAIR final analyses. Rather, we are proposing to augment the
analytical approach used in the CAIR by supplementing the air quality
step of the contribution analysis.
For a more detailed discussion of the purpose, background, and
analytical approach of the CAIR, and for the detailed provisions of the
CAIR, see the CAIR final rule which is published in today's Federal
Register.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 27, 2005. A public
hearing, if requested, will be held in Washington, DC on May 26, 2005,
beginning at 9 a.m.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. OAR-2003-
0053, by one of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
Agency Website: https://www.epa.gov/edocket. EDOCKET, EPA's
electronic public docket and comment system, is EPA's preferred method
for receiving comments. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting
comments.
E-mail: A-and-R-Docket@epa.gov.
Fax: (202) 566-1741.
Mail: Air Docket, Environmental Protection Agency,
Mailcode: 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Please include a total of two copies.
Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center (Air Docket), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room
B102, Washington, DC 20004. Such deliveries are only accepted during
the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should
be made for deliveries of boxed information.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. OAR-2003-0053.
The EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the
public docket without change and may be made available online at http:/
/www.epa.gov/edocket, including any personal information provided,
unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to
be CBI or otherwise protected through EDOCKET, regulations.gov, or e-
mail. The EPA EDOCKET and the Federal regulations.gov Web sites are
``anonymous access'' systems, which means EPA will not know your
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of
your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without
going through EDOCKET or regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of
any defects or viruses.
Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the EDOCKET index
at https://www.epa.gov/edocket. Although listed in the index, some
information is not publicly available, i.e., CBI or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such
as copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet and will be
publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket
materials are available either electronically in EDOCKET or in hard
copy at the Air Docket, EPA/DC, EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room is open from 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The
telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the
telephone number for the Air Docket is (202) 566-1742. This Docket
Facility is open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays. The Docket telephone number is (929) 566-
1742, fax (202) 566-1741.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General questions concerning today's
action should be addressed to Jan King, U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality
Planning and Standards, Air Quality Strategies and Standards Division,
Mail Code C539-02, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, telephone (919)
541-5665, e-mail king.jan@epa.gov. For legal questions, please contact
Steven Silverman, U.S. EPA, Office of General Counsel, Mail Code 2344A,
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202)
564-5523, e-mail at silverman.steven@epa.gov. For questions regarding
air quality analyses, please contact Norm Possiel, U.S. EPA, Office of
Air Quality Planning and Standards, Emissions, Monitoring, and Analysis
Division, Mail Code D243-01, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711,
telephone (919) 541-5692, e-mail at possiel.norm@epa.gov. For questions
regarding the EGU cost analyses, emissions inventories, and budgets,
please contact John Robbins, U.S. EPA, Office of Atmospheric Programs,
Clean Air Markets Division, Mail Code 6204J, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW., Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 343-9390, e-mail at
robbins.john@epa.gov. For questions regarding statewide emissions
inventories, please contact Marc Houyoux, U.S. EPA, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards, Emissions, Monitoring, and Analysis
Division, Mail Code D205-01, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711,
telephone (919) 541-3649, e-mail at houyoux.marc@epa.gov. For questions
regarding emissions reporting requirements, please contact Bill
Kuykendal, U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards,
Emissions, Monitoring, and Analysis Division, Mail Code D205-01,
Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, telephone (919) 541-5372, e-mail at
kuykendal.bill@epa.gov. For questions regarding the model cap and trade
programs, please contact Sam Waltzer, U.S. EPA, Office of Atmospheric
Programs, Clean Air Markets Division, Mail Code 6204J, 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, telephone (202) 343-
9175, e-mail at
[[Page 25409]]
waltzer.sam@epa.gov. For questions regarding analyses required by
statutes and executive orders, please contact Linda Chappell, U.S. EPA,
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Air Quality Strategies
and Standards Division, Mail Code C339-01, Research Triangle Park, NC
27711, telephone (919) 541-2864, e-mail at chappell.linda@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Public Hearing
A public hearing, if requested, will be held in Washington, DC on
May 26, 2005 beginning at 9 a.m. If you wish to request a hearing and
present testimony or attend the hearing, you should notify, on or
before May 19, 2005, Jan King, U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning
and Standards, Air Quality Strategies and Standards Division, Mail Code
C539-02, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, telephone (919) 541-5665, e-
mail king.jan@epa.gov. Oral testimony will be limited to 5 minutes
each. The hearing will be strictly limited to the subject matter of the
proposal, the scope of which is discussed below. Any member of the
public may file a written statement by the close of the comment period.
Written statements (duplicate copies preferred) should be submitted to
Docket OAR-2003-0053, at the address listed above for submitted
comments. The hearing location and schedule, including lists of
speakers, will be posted on EPA's webpage at https://www.epa.gov/
cleanairinterstaterule. A verbatim transcript of the hearing and
written statements will be made available for copying during normal
working hours at the Office of Air and Radiation Docket and Information
Center at the address listed for inspection for documents.
If no requests for a public hearing are received by close of
business on May 19, 2005, the hearing will be cancelled. The
cancellation will be announced on the webpage at the address shown
above.
Outline
I. Background
A. Summary of the Clean Air Interstate Rule
B. What Are the Central Requirements of Today's Proposal?
II. Summary of EPA's Analytical Approach, Findings, and Final
Actions in the Interstate Air Quality Rule
A. How Did EPA Interpret the CAA's Pollution Transport
Provisions?
B. Which Air Pollutants Did EPA Address In the CAIR and Why?
C. Air Quality Analysis of Ozone and PM2.5
Contributions Among States
D. Analysis of Highly Cost-Effective Controls and Timeframe For
Emissions Reductions
III. Proposed Inclusion of Delaware and New Jersey in the Clean Air
Interstate Rule
A. Why is EPA Reconsidering the Status of Delaware and New
Jersey in the CAIR?
B. Air Quality Modeling Results
IV. Proposed Findings and Action
A. Proposed Findings of Significant Contribution for Delaware
and New Jersey
B. SIP Approval Criteria
C. SIP Submittal Deadline
D. Emissions Reporting Requirements
V. Expected Effects of the Proposed Action
A. Emissions
B. Air Quality
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review
B. Paperwork Reduction Act
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With
Indian Tribal Governments
G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From
Environmental Health and Safety Risks
H. Executive Order 13211: Actions That Significantly Affect
Energy Supply, Distribution or Use
I. National Technology Transfer Advancement Act
J. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions To Address
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations
I. Background
A. Summary of the Clean Air Interstate Rule
In a final rule published in today's Federal Register, titled the
Clean Air Interstate Rule (``CAIR''), EPA found that certain States
must reduce emissions of SO2 and/or NOX by
certain amounts because those emissions contribute significantly to
nonattainment in downwind areas in other States that are not meeting
the annual PM2.5 national ambient air quality standard
(NAAQS), or the 8-hour ozone NAAQS.\1\ The CAIR establishes State
implementation plan (SIP) requirements for the affected upwind States
under Clean Air Act (CAA) section 110(a)(2). The CAA section
110(a)(2)(D) requires SIPs to contain adequate provisions prohibiting
air pollutant emissions from sources or activities in those States that
contribute significantly to nonattainment in, or interfere with
maintenance by, any other State with respect to a NAAQS. Based on air
quality modeling analyses and cost analyses, EPA has concluded in the
CAIR that SO2 and NOX emissions in certain States
in the eastern half of the nation, through the phenomenon of air
pollution transport,\2\ contribute significantly to nonattainment or
interfere with maintenance of the PM2.5 and 8-hour ozone
NAAQS in another State.\3\ This is because NOX and
SO2 are important precursors of PM2.5, and
NOX is an important precursor of ozone. As a result of the
CAIR, EPA is requiring SIP revisions in 28 States and the District of
Columbia to reduce SO2 and/or NOX emissions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ ``Rule to Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine Particulate
Matter and Ozone (Interstate Air Quality Rule); Proposed Rule,'' (69
FR 4566, January 30, 2004) (NPR or January Proposal); ``Supplemental
Proposal for the Rule to Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine
Particulate Matter and Ozone (Clean Air Interstate Rule); Proposed
Rule'' (69 FR 32684, June 10, 2004) (SNPR or Supplemental Proposal).
We summarize major features of that rule here as an aid to the
reader. The EPA is not reconsidering any aspect of the CAIR rule and
not accepting comment in this proceeding on the promulgated CAIR
rule.
\2\ In today's final rule, when we use the term ``transport'' we
mean to include the transport of both fine particles
(PM2.5) and their precursor emissions and/or transport of
both ozone and its precursor emissions.
\3\ We also found that emissions of SO2 and
NOX from upwind States in the PM2.5 and ozone
CAIR regions can interfere with these same downwind receptors'
maintenance of each NAAQS.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 23 States along with the District of Columbia that must reduce
annual SO2 and NOX emissions for the purposes of
the PM2.5 NAAQS are: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and
Wisconsin. While we had originally proposed including Delaware and New
Jersey in this group based on our initial air quality contribution
assessment, subsequent refinement of the emissions estimates and air
quality modeling system resulted in their estimated contributions to
PM2.5 nonattainment being below the final CAIR threshold for
inclusion in the PM2.5-related requirements.
The 25 States along with the District of Columbia that must reduce
NOX emissions for the purposes of the 8-hour ozone NAAQS
are: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and
Wisconsin.
Under CAA section 110 and thus under the CAIR, each State may
determine independently which sources to subject to controls, and which
control measures to adopt. Our analysis indicated that emissions
reductions from electric generating units (EGUs) are
[[Page 25410]]
highly cost effective, and, in the CAIR rule, we encouraged States to
adopt these controls. States that do so must place an enforceable
limit, or cap, on EGU emissions (see section VII of the CAIR for
further discussion). We calculated the amount of each State's EGU
emissions cap, or budget, based on reductions that we have determined
are highly cost-effective. States may allow their EGUs to participate
in an EPA-administered cap and trade program as a way to reduce the
cost of compliance, and to provide compliance flexibility. The cap and
trade programs are described in more detail in section VIII of the
CAIR.
B. What Are the Central Requirements of Today's Proposal?
In today's action, we propose to combine Delaware and New Jersey
for purposes of assessing whether that combination is contributing
significantly to nonattainment of the PM2.5 NAAQS by
downwind receptors under section 110(a)(2)(D), and to apply the finding
from that combined assessment to each State. Based on presently
available air quality modeling results, our tentative assessment is
that the combination of the two states does contribute significantly to
PM2.5 nonattainment in New York County, NY, and possibly to
one or more counties in eastern Pennsylvania. Accordingly, we are
proposing that Delaware and New Jersey be required under CAA section
110(a)(2)(D) to adopt SIP requirements for addressing annual emissions
of the PM2.5 precursors NOX and SO2.
We intend to conduct confirmatory air quality modeling and make the
results available through a Notice of Data Availability prior to
finalization of this proposal.
Delaware and New Jersey are already subject to the CAIR for
purposes of ozone, and must reduce ozone season emissions of
NOX starting in 2009. This proposal would add requirements
for control of annual emissions of SO2 and of
NOX.
We propose to require that SIPs to achieve the required
PM2.5 emissions reductions be submitted as soon as
practicable, but no later than 18 months after the date of signature of
the CAIR, i.e., September 11, 2006, the same deadline as in the CAIR
rule. We are doing so because we anticipate being able to act quickly
on this proposal, and because we believe this is a reasonable amount of
time for submission of these States' SIPs. We also believe that there
are evident efficiencies in having these reductions occur at the same
time as the reductions from other states covered by the CAIR rule for
NOX and SO2. See also section IV.D below.
As an option for Delaware and New Jersey, should EPA finalize this
proposal, we also propose to provide model cap and trade programs for
EGUs. We would also administer these programs, which would be governed
by rules provided by EPA that Delaware and New Jersey may adopt or
incorporate by reference.
II. Summary of EPA's Analytical Approach, Findings, and Final Actions
in the Interstate Air Quality Rule \4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ We note again that this section is provided for purposes of
information, and not to reopen or reconsider any issues discussed in
the section.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. How Did EPA Interpret the CAA's Pollution Transport Provisions?
The CAIR is based on the ``good neighbor'' provision of CAA section
110(a)(2)(D), which requires States to develop SIP provisions assuring
that emissions from their sources do not contribute significantly to
downwind nonattainment or interfere with maintenance of the NAAQS. We
first interpreted this provision and developed a detailed methodology
for applying it in the NOX SIP Call rulemaking (October 27,
1998), which concerned interstate transport of ozone precursors.
As summarized above, the CAIR requires upwind States to submit SIP
revisions requiring their sources to eliminate emissions of certain
precursors for PM2.5 and ozone, to protect downwind
nonattainment areas. We developed the CAIR and this proposal relying
heavily on the NOX SIP Call approach. In the NOX
SIP Call, we interpreted section 110(a)(2)(D) to authorize us to
determine the amount of emissions in upwind States that ``contribute
significantly'' to downwind nonattainment or ``interfere with''
downwind maintenance, and to require those States to eliminate that
amount of emissions. We recognized that States must retain full
authority to choose the sources to control, and the control mechanisms,
to achieve those reductions.
In the NOX SIP Call, we set out several criteria or
factors for the ``contribute significantly'' test, and further
indicated that the same criteria should apply to the ``interfere with
maintenance'' provision.\5\ The EPA determined the amount of emissions
that significantly contribute to downwind nonattainment from sources in
a particular upwind State primarily by (i) evaluating, with respect to
each upwind State, several air quality related factors, including
determining that all emissions from the State have a sufficiently great
impact downwind (in the context of the collective contribution nature
of the ozone problem); and
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ In the NOX SIP Call, because the same criteria
applied, the discussion of the ``contribute significantly to
nonattainment'' test generally also applied to the ``interfere with
maintenance'' test. However, in the NOX SIP Call, EPA
stated that the ``interfere with maintenance'' test applied with
respect to only the 8-hour ozone NAAQS (63 FR 57379-80).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(ii) Determining the amount of that State's emissions that can be
eliminated through the application of highly cost-effective controls.
Before reaching a conclusion, EPA evaluated several secondary, and more
general, considerations. These include:
The consistency of the regional reductions with the
attainment needs of the downwind areas with nonattainment problems;
The overall fairness of the control regimes required of
the downwind and upwind areas, including the extent of the controls
required or implemented by the downwind and upwind areas;
General cost considerations, including the relative cost
effectiveness of additional downwind controls compared to upwind
controls (63 FR 57403).
In the CAIR rulemaking, we utilized much the same interpretation
and application of section 110(a)(2)(D) for regulating downwind
transport of precursors of ozone and PM2.5 as we adopted for
the NOX SIP Call. We adjusted some aspects of the CAIR
analytic approaches for various reasons, including the need to account
for regulation of a different pollutant (PM2.5) with an
additional precursor (SO2). The CAIR's approach to the ozone
issue is essentially the same as in the NOX SIP Call, but
applied to more recent data on the relevant air quality and cost
factors.
For a more detailed discussion of how we interpreted the CAA
pollution transport provisions, see section II of the CAIR in today's
Federal Register.
B. Which Air Pollutants Did EPA Address in the CAIR and Why?
In section III of the CAIR (add cite), EPA provided the following
characterization of the origin and distribution of 8-hour ozone air
quality problems: The ozone present at ground level as a principal
component of photochemical smog is formed in sunlit conditions through
atmospheric reactions of two main classes of precursor compound:
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and NOX [mainly nitrogen
oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2)]; and the formation of
[[Page 25411]]
ozone increases with temperature and sunlight, which is one reason
ozone levels are higher during the summer.
In the CAIR, EPA noted that we continue to rely on the assessment
of ozone transport made in great depth by the Ozone Transport
Assessment Group (OTAG) in the mid-1990s.\6\ As indicated in the
NOX SIP Call proposal, the OTAG Regional and Urban Scale
Modeling and Air Quality Analysis Work Groups reached the following
conclusions:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ Ozone Transport Assessment Group, OTAG Final Report, 1997.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regional NOX emissions reductions are effective
in producing ozone benefits; the more NOX reduced, the
greater the benefit.
Controls for VOC are effective in reducing ozone locally
and are most advantageous to urban nonattainment areas (62 FR 60320,
November 7, 1997).
In section III of the CAIR, we summarized key scientific and
technical aspects of the occurrence, formation, and origins of
PM2.5, as well as findings and observations relevant to
formulating control approaches for reducing the contribution of
transport to fine particle problems. For a detailed discussion of the
key concepts and provisional conclusions drawn from the CAIR, see
section III of the CAIR published in today's Federal Register.
PM2.5 in ambient air is a complex mixture of component
of different chemical compositions and origins. Based on the
understanding of current scientific and technical information, as well
as our air quality modeling, as summarized in the CAIR in today's
Federal Register, we concluded that it was both appropriate and
necessary to focus on control of SO2 and NOX
emissions as the most effective approach to reducing the contribution
of interstate transport to PM2.5. Current information
relating to sources and controls for other components identified in
transported PM2.5 (carbonaceous particles, ammonium, and
crustal materials) does not, at this time, provide an adequate basis
for regulating the regional transport of emissions responsible for
these PM2.5 components (69 FR 4582). For all of these
components, the lack of knowledge of and ability to quantify accurately
the interstate transport of these components limited our ability to
include these components in this rule.
For a more detailed discussion of how we chose which pollutants to
regulate, see section III.B.1.a of the final CAIR in the rules section
of today's Federal Register.
C. Air Quality Analysis of Ozone and PM2.5 Contributions
Among States
For the CAIR, we performed State-by-State zero-out modeling to
quantify the contribution from emissions in each State to future ozone
and PM2.5 nonattainment in other States and to determine
whether that contribution meets requirements of the ``contribute
significantly'' test. This zero-out modeling technique provides an
estimate of downwind impacts by comparing the model predictions from
the 2010 base case to the predictions from a run in which all
anthropogenic NOX emissions (in the case of ozone) or all
anthropogenic SO2 and NOX emissions (in the case
of PM2.5) are removed from specific States, one State at a
time. Counties presently exceeding the ozone or PM2.5 NAAQS
and forecast to be nonattainment for ozone or PM2.5 in the
2010 Base Case were used as receptors for quantifying interstate
contributions of ozone and/or PM2.5. For each State-by-State
zero-out run, we projected the ozone design value or the annual average
PM2.5 concentration at each receptor. The contribution from
an upwind State to nonattainment at a given downwind receptor was
determined by calculating difference in ozone or PM2.5
concentration between the 2010 Base Case and the zero-out run at that
receptor. We followed this process for each State-by-State zero-out run
and each receptor, for both ozone and PM2.5. For each upwind
State, we identified the largest PM2.5 contribution from
that State to a downwind nonattainment receptor in order to determine
the magnitude of the maximum downwind contribution to PM2.5
nonattainment from each State. The maximum downwind contribution was
our chosen metric for determining whether or not the PM2.5
contribution was significant. After considering an updated analysis and
public comments, we applied a threshold of 0.2 [mu]g/m3 for
this determination. For ozone, we applied a multi-metric test of
significant contribution. For ozone, we also used a second method of
quantifying State-to-State contributions, known as source receptor
modeling, in addition to the emissions zero-out approach just
described. This contribution analysis is more fully described in
section VI of the preamble for the CAIR.
D. Analysis of Highly Cost-Effective Controls and Timeframe for
Emissions Reductions
1. Overall Criteria
In section IV.A of the CAIR rulemaking published in today's Federal
Register, we considered a variety of factors in evaluating the source
categories from which highly cost-effective reductions may be available
and the level of reduction assumed from that sector. These include:
The availability of information,
The identification of source categories emitting
relatively large amounts of the relevant emissions,
The performance and applicability of control measures,
The cost effectiveness of control measures, and
Engineering and financial factors that affect the
availability of control measures.
We further stated that overall, ``We are striving * * * to set up a
reasonable balance of regional and local controls to provide a cost-
effective and equitable governmental approach to attainment with the
NAAQS for fine particles and ozone.'' These criteria are unaffected by
this proposal.
2. Evaluation of Cost Effectiveness and Feasibility
Section IV in the CAIR Notice of Final Rulemaking (NFR) preamble
describes EPA's determination of regionwide SO2 and
NOX control levels. As described in section IV in the CAIR
NFR preamble, EPA determined that highly cost-effective emissions
reductions may be obtained by controlling EGUs. The EPA determined the
amounts of emissions reductions that must be eliminated in upwind
States to help downwind States achieve attainment of the
PM2.5 and ozone NOX NAAQS, by assuming the
application of highly cost-effective control measures to EGUs and
determining the emissions reductions that would result.
For CAIR, EPA determined highly cost-effective regionwide amounts
of emissions reductions based on, as in the NOX SIP Call,
comparison to reference lists of the cost effectiveness of other
regulatory controls. We developed reference lists for both average and
marginal cost effectiveness of those other controls. By comparison to
the reference lists, EPA determined that the CAIR final (2015)
SO2 and NOX regionwide control levels are highly
cost effective. The EPA also developed marginal cost-effectiveness
curves for SO2 and NOX abatement at varying
levels of stringency, to corroborate its cost-effectiveness
determinations.
The EPA determined the interim control levels (commencing in 2009
for NOX and in 2010 for SO2) based on evaluating
the feasibility of installing the necessary emission control retrofits.
Although the interim regionwide control levels were determined based on
[[Page 25412]]
feasibility considerations, EPA also evaluated the cost effectiveness
of the interim control levels to ensure that they were also highly cost
effective.
Section IV.C in the CAIR NFR preamble describes EPA's feasibility
analysis, and section IV.A describes our evaluation of highly cost-
effective controls. Section V in the CAIR NFR preamble describes the
method EPA used to apportion regionwide control levels to the affected
States. A technical support document in the CAIR docket entitled
``Modeling of Control Costs, Emissions, and Control Retrofits for Cost
Effectiveness and Feasibility Analyses'' describes EPA's use of the
Integrated Planning Model (IPM) for its cost-effectiveness and
feasibility analyses. In addition, a technical support document
entitled ``Boilermaker Labor Analysis for the Final Clean Air
Interstate Rule'' provides further explanation of EPA's feasibility
analyses. Documentation for IPM, as well as IPM output files, are
available in the CAIR docket.
3. CAIR Regionwide SO2 and NOX Emission Reduction
Requirements
The CAIR requires annual SO2 and NOX
reductions in the District of Columbia and the following 23 States:
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New
York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. If all affected States
choose to implement the CAIR annual SO2 emission reduction
requirements by controlling EGUs, the regionwide annual SO2
emissions caps that will apply for EGUs in these 23 States and the
District of Columbia are 3.6 million tons in 2010 and 2.5 million tons
in 2015. If all affected States choose to implement the CAIR annual
NOX emission reduction requirements by controlling EGUs, the
regionwide annual NOX emissions caps that will apply for
EGUs in these 23 States and the District of Columbia are 1.5 million
tons in 2009 and 1.3 million tons in 2015.
The CAIR does not require annual SO2 or NOX
emissions reductions in Delaware or New Jersey. However, today EPA is
proposing to require annual SO2 and NOX
reductions in these two States. Proposed annual SO2 and
NOX budgets for Delaware and New Jersey are presented later
in this preamble. If EPA finalizes these proposed annual SO2
and NOX budgets for Delaware and New Jersey--and if those
States choose to implement their annual emission reduction requirements
by controlling EGUs--then the CAIR regionwide EGU caps would be revised
to include reduction requirements for these two States. The revised
annual SO2 caps, including Delaware and New Jersey, would be
3.7 million tons in 2010 and 2.6 million tons in 2015. The revised
annual NOX caps, including Delaware and New Jersey, would be
1.5 million tons in 2009 and 1.3 million tons in 2015.
In addition to its annual SO2 and NOX
emission reduction requirements, the CAIR requires ozone season
NOX emissions reductions in the District of Columbia and the
following 25 States: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia,
and Wisconsin. If all affected States choose to implement the CAIR
ozone season NOX emission reduction requirements by
controlling EGUs, the regionwide ozone season NOX emissions
caps that will apply for EGUs in these 25 States and the District of
Columbia are 0.6 million tons in 2009 and 0.5 million tons in 2015.
III. Proposed Inclusion of Delaware and New Jersey in the Clean Air
Interstate Rule
A. Why Is EPA Reconsidering the Status of Delaware and New Jersey in
the CAIR?
As explained earlier, section 110(a)(2)(D) of the CAA requires
States to include in their SIPs adequate provisions prohibiting
emissions that will contribute significantly to nonattainment in, or
interfere with maintenance by, any other State. The term ``contribute
significantly'' is not further defined, so in implementing this section
we have had to develop an analytical approach to give specific meaning
to that term. The underlying logic of the analytical approach used in
both the NOX SIP Call and the CAIR is that the emission
reduction efforts needed to reach attainment should be reasonably
balanced between the State containing a nonattainment area and upwind
States significantly contributing to the nonattainment. In this way,
control efforts on one side of a border are not undermined (and even
rendered futile) by out-of-State emissions, and highly cost-effective
emissions reductions by out-of-State sources which contribute
significantly to downwind receptors' nonattainment are achieved. We
believe this approach is both efficient and equitable, so that overall
costs are less and costs are more fairly distributed than if the burden
of reaching attainment were entirely on the State with the
nonattainment area.
We are proposing to retain this underlying analytical approach, but
to treat Delaware and New Jersey as special cases and as a single
geographic area, because of their relatively small size (and
correspondingly lower total emissions), because of the relatively high
emissions density of these States, because we believe doing so will
achieve a result that is more in keeping with the intention of section
110(a)(2)(D), and because doing so will ensure that a State located
between an upwind State that significantly contributes to nonattainment
in a downwind State, and that downwind State, carries its appropriate
emission reduction obligation mandated by section 110(a)(2)(D).
Specifically, we propose to combine Delaware and New Jersey for
purposes of assessing whether that combination is contributing
significantly to nonattainment of the PM2.5 NAAQS by
downwind receptors under section 110(a)(2)(D), and to apply the finding
from that combined assessment to each State.
As stated earlier, the analytical approach used for the CAIR has
two parts, the first of which is a test of whether the air quality
contribution from one entire State to nonattainment in any part of
another State is strong enough to be considered significant, pending
consideration of control costs. For ozone, we used a test for this
first part which is based on several metrics of air quality
contribution, involving absolute magnitude, relative magnitude, and
frequency. For PM2.5, we used a test with the single
criterion of whether the PM2.5 air quality contribution from
an upwind State to nonattainment in a downwind State, due to total
anthropogenic SO2 and NOX emissions in the upwind
State, was 0.2 [mu]g/m3 or more. We believe that this
specific form of the analytical approach used in the final CAIR rule
has very appropriately identified a set of 23 States and the District
of Columbia that should make certain reductions in annual emissions by
2009 for NOX and by 2010 for SO2, and larger
reductions by 2015 for NOX and SO2, in order to
avoid contributing significantly to PM2.5 nonattainment or
interfere with maintenance in other States. Similarly, we believe that
the original analytical approach has very appropriately identified a
set of 25 States and the District of Columbia that should make certain
reductions in ozone season NOX emissions by 2009, and larger
reductions by 2015, in order to avoid contributing significantly to
[[Page 25413]]
ozone nonattainment or interfere with maintenance in other States.
In the course of applying that analytical approach, we realized
that an upwind State may have relatively low total emissions and thus
have a maximum contribution on other States that is below the air
quality contribution threshold used in the CAIR, simply because the
State is small in geographic area, and yet clearly contributes to a
degree to PM2.5 nonattainment in downwind States, because
the upwind State is located between an even further upwind State that
significantly contributes to nonattainment in a downwind State, and the
downwind receptor State. Also, Delaware and New Jersey each has
substantial emissions for its size. Therefore, excluding Delaware or
New Jersey from emission reduction requirements related to
PM2.5 might prevent the desired balancing of local and
upwind controls. Excluding either State could forgo opportunities for
highly cost-effective control that would improve air quality in nearby
States' nonattainment areas. Ignoring the contributions of Delaware and
New Jersey could result in both air quality detriments and cost
inefficiencies and inequities.
The EPA considered alternative approaches to addressing this issue.
We do not believe it would be appropriate to consider amending or
revising the significance critria set forth in the final CAIR notice.
Nevertheless, we believe that these two States, which combined
represent a significant source of emissions, should not be allowed to
fail to meet these tests, in the unique circumstances presented here,
solely because of their comparatively small geographic size. We have
faced a similar issue with respect to small geographic entities in the
NOX SIP Call, and more recently in CAIR. In the
NOX SIP Call we combined both Delaware and the District of
Columbia with Maryland in the contribution analyses, foreshadowing the
issues addressed by this proposal. Furthermore, the final CAIR
similarly addressed the special case of one small political
jurisdiction, the District of Columbia and combined that with Maryland.
In all the analysis of air quality contributions for the CAIR, we
combined the District of Columbia and Maryland into one unit for
purposes of analyzing contributions to nonattainment in other States,
because of the small size of the District of Columbia and, hence, its
emissions, and its close proximity to Maryland. We applied the finding
from this combined analysis to each jurisdiction separately. We did not
receive any adverse comment on this approach. Nor did we receive
adverse comment in the SIP Call rule regarding combining Delaware,
Maryland, and the District of Columbia in the contribution analysis.
The final CAIR's exclusion of Delaware and New Jersey for purposes
of PM2.5 drew our attention because of features unique to
Delaware and New Jersey. Table III-1 presents relevant facts regarding
Delaware and New Jersey, and Table III-2 presents similar information
for Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania for comparison. On balance, we
believe the most appropriate way to address the factual situation of
the issue here is to consider Delaware's and New Jersey's contributions
together, as one unit of analysis. Since Delaware and New Jersey are
already subject to CAIR for purposes of ozone, the remainder of this
discussion focuses on PM2.5 considerations.
Delaware and New Jersey are both relatively small in land area;
both are smaller than any of the 23 states already subject to CAIR for
purposes of PM2.5. Portions of both States are urbanized and
industrialized, and overall both have a high emissions density,
comparable to that of their neighbors.\7\ Delaware has an emissions
density of 76.1 tons/year per square mile, almost twice that of
neighboring Pennsylvania and also higher than that of Maryland, States
already linked to downwind nonattainment areas. New Jersey has an
emissions density of 46.6 tons/year per square mile, above that of
Pennsylvania although somewhat lower than that of Maryland.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ By emissions density we mean the total SO2 and
NOX emissions from each State in tons per year, divided
by the geographic area of the State in square miles. For comparing
emissions densities for the purposes of contributions to
PM2.5 nonattainment, we have compared the emissions
density expressed in terms of SO2 plus NOX
emissions per square mile. Such a comparison is a reasonable measure
of comparison that is independent of the disparity in the land area
size of the two States.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Delaware and New Jersey are near major cities where current
PM2.5 nonattainment affects large populations. Also, both
are relatively near to a county or counties in other States that are
projected to still be nonattainment for PM2.5 in 2010 in the
base case. Delaware and New Jersey are also near large markets for
electric power in other States subject to CAIR for PM2.5,
and both are part of the PJM Interconnection electricity grid. Another
consideration is the potential for emission increases as a result of
emissions shifting from States subject to the PM2.5
requirements of CAIR to States not subject to those requirements, e.g.,
New Jersey and Delaware. The EPA requests comment on whether it is
appropriate under section 110(a)(2)(D) to consider this factor in this
rulemaking.\8\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ Because electricity generation costs in States subject to
the CAIR will in general rise to some degree to cover the cost of
new emission controls, there is the possibility that some electrical
generation load and the associated emissions may shift to States
that remain outside the CAIR. Such shifting may not always occur,
because physical factors in the electrical transmission and
distribution system, economic factors, or other regulatory
requirements may prevent it. The IPM model predicts that increases
will occur in Delaware and New Jersey if they are not included under
CAIR's PM2.5-related requirements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Both Delaware and New Jersey lie between upwind States that are now
subject to the CAIR for both ozone and PM2.5 and downwind
receptor PM2.5 nonattainment areas that are linked to one or
both of those upwind States. Maryland has already been determined to
contribute significantly to nonattainment in both Philadelphia and New
York City, Pennsylvania has already been determined to contribute
significantly to nonattainment in New York City, and New York has been
determined to contribute to nonattainment in Lancaster County,
Pennsylvania. New Jersey lies between Pennsylvania and New York City,
and Delaware lies between Maryland and both Philadelphia and New York
City. This means that emissions from Delaware and New Jersey are mixed
with the emissions of these other upwind States and arrive together at
the downwind nonattainment areas in other States. Moreover, Delaware
and New Jersey are closer to these receptors.
Given these highly distinctive facts, considered in conjunction
with the data concerning the downwind emissions contributions from New
Jersey and Delaware, it is reasonable that Delaware and New Jersey
could be viewed as contributing significantly to PM2.5
nonattainment in downwind States. We have therefore considered how to
determine in an objective way whether they should be formally
considered to contribute to PM2.5 nonattainment in specific
other States and thus whether they incur a section 110(a)(2)(D)
obligation. We propose to do this by treating the combination of these
two small states as a unit, subjecting that combination to the 0.2
[mu]g/m3 threshold for PM2.5 air quality
contribution used in the original analytical approach for the CAIR. As
noted, this is consistent with our approach in the NOX SIP
Call, where Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia were
treated as a combined unit. We note also that Delaware and New Jersey
lie side-by-side and together form a compact geographic area. In
addition, Delaware
[[Page 25414]]
and New Jersey are both part of the PJM Interconnection, which means
they are in a coordinated portion of the electricity grid. We believe
this further supports combining them for purposes of this analysis. By
combining these two small States we believe the underlying cost-
balancing and control program efficiency goals of our original
analytical approach can be better met.
Based on the air quality modeling that was done for the CAIR, we
propose to find that when treated as a combined unit, Delaware and New
Jersey do in fact contribute 0.2 [mu]g/m3 or more to
PM2.5 nonattainment in New York County, NY and may do so in
one or more counties in eastern Pennsylvania. The next section of this
preamble presents these modeling results.
Table III-1.--Contribution Factors for States Under Review
------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Contribution factors
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Delaware......................... Land Area of State
2050 square miles.
Most Affected Downwind Nonattainment
Counties
Philadelphia Co., PA.
Delaware Co., PA.
Lancaster Co., PA.
Berks Co., PA.
New York Co., NY.
Geography
The Wilmington area, which is the
most densely industrialized and
populated part of Delaware, lies on
or very close to the lines of
transport between the Maryland
suburbs of the District of Columbia
and Philadelphia Co. and Delaware
Co. PA, and also on or very close to
the lines of transport between
Baltimore and the Philadelphia Co.
and Delaware Co., PA.
The Wilmington area also lies on or
very close to the line of transport
between these areas of Maryland and
New York Co., NY.
2010 Base Emissions of SO2 plus NOX
156,000 tons/year.
SO2 plus NOX Emissions Density
76.1 tons/year per square mile.
Emission Changes
IPM predicts that implementing the
CAIR without subjecting Delaware to
limits on annual emissions will
result in increases in EGU SO2
emissions of 5,000 tons and 2,000
tons in 2010 and 2015, respectively,
and an increase in NOX emissions of
2,000 tons in 2010 with no increase
in 2015.
----------------------------------
New Jersey....................... Land Area of State
7510 square miles.
Most Affected Downwind Nonattainment
Counties
New York Co., NY.
Berks Co., PA.
Lancaster Co., PA.
Geography:
Some part of New Jersey lies in the
path of transport connecting any
source in Pennsylvania to New York
Co., NY.
2010 Base Emissions of SO2 plus NOX
350,000 tons/year.
SO2 Plus NOX Emissions Density
46.58 tons/year per square mile.
SO2 plus NOX Emission Changes
IPM predicts that implementing the
CAIR without subjecting New Jersey
to limits on annual emissions will
result in increases in EGU SO2
emissions of 1,000 and 2,000 tons in
2010 and 2015, respectively, and an
increase in EGU NOX emissions of
1,000 tons in 2010 and 2015.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table III-2.--Contribution Factors for Neighboring States Already
Subject to the CAIR, for Purposes of Comparison to Delaware and New
Jersey
------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Contribution factors
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maryland & DC.................... Size of State
Land Area
9,740 square miles.
2010 Base Emissions of SO2 plus NOX
631,000 tons/year.
Nearby Downwind Nonattainment
Counties with Significant
Contribution From This State
Lancaster Co., PA.
Berks Co., PA.
Philadelphia Co., PA.
Delaware Co., PA.
New York Co., NY.
Union Co., NJ.
SO2 plus NOX Emissions Density
64.8 tons/year per square mile.
----------------------------------
[[Page 25415]]
New York......................... Size of State
Land Area
48,560 square miles.
2010 Base Emissions of SO2 plus NOX
902,400 tons/year.
Nearby Downwind Nonattainment
Counties with Significant
Contribution From This State
New Haven, CT.
Berks Co., PA.
Lancaster Co., PA.
Philadelphia Co., PA.
Delaware Co., PA.
Union Co., NJ.
SO2 plus NOX Emissions Density
18.6 tons/year per square mile.
----------------------------------
Pennsylvania..................... Size of State
Land Area
45,360 square miles.
2010 Base Emissions of SO2 plus NOX
1,818,000 tons/year.
Nearby Downwind Nonattainment
Counties with Significant
Contribution From This State
New York Co., NY.
Union Co., NJ.
SO2 plus NOX Emissions Density
40.1 tons/year per square mile.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Air Quality Modeling Results
As explained in section II above, the air quality modeling used to
assess contributions to PM2.5 nonattainment estimated the
contribution by individual States by selectively removing anthropogenic
emissions of SO2 and NOX from one State at a
time, and observing how that change in emissions affected
PM2.5 concentrations in other States. This included separate
assessments for New Jersey and Delaware, and did not include any run in
which emissions in both states were removed together. Consequently, we
do not presently have exactly the same type of air quality modeling
analysis for the combination of Delaware and New Jersey as we do for
the 23 States already subject to CAIR for purposes of PM2.5.
We intend to perform such modeling as soon as possible and to make the
results available for public comment through a Notice of Data
Availability.
However, a tentative assessment is currently possible. Since
results are available from the separate air quality model runs that
were done for Delaware and New Jersey, we can add (or superimpose) the
contributions from the two States on each individual receptor monitor
in order to estimate the contribution that would be calculated if the
two states were taken as one unit of analysis. While there are non-
linear chemical and other atmospheric processes which could make the
outcomes of these two approaches somewhat different, we believe the
superimposition approach is sufficiently persuasive to support
proposing inclusion of both States as significantly contributing to
downwind PM2.5 nonattainment problems.
Table III-3 presents the superimposition analysis, using detailed
contribution results from the air quality analysis for the final
CAIR.\9\ The table shows that the sum of Delaware's and New Jersey's
contributions to PM2.5 nonattainment in New York County, New
York is 0.21 [mu]g/m3 for one of the monitors in that
county. We note that this is the result that obtained from using the
base case emissions from the two States. In actuality, as previously
stated, we estimate, based on the IPM model, that under the final CAIR,
which does not require reductions from Delaware and New Jersey for
purposes of PM2.5, emissions in Delaware and New Jersey will
be higher than in this base case. Thus, the actual contribution of
Delaware and New Jersey combined and considered as a unit may be higher
than the 0.21 [mu]g/m3 result shown in the table. As
mentioned above, non-linearities in the atmospheric process may also
affect the result, in either direction. Based on this analysis, we
propose that New Jersey and Delaware taken together as one unit
contribute significantly to PM2.5 nonattainment in New York
County.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ The Air Quality Technical Support Document provides full
details of how the air quality modeling was done and all of the
results.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of the several PM2.5 nonattainment counties in eastern
Pennsylvania that are shown in Table III-3, none have a superimposed
contribution from Delaware and New Jersey that is as large as 0.2
[mu]g/m\3\. However, the planned air quality modeling that treats
Delaware and New Jersey as a combined unit and that reflects the above
mentioned emissions increases as a result of their current exclusion
from CAIR may yield a different result.
[[Page 25416]]
Table III-3.--Assessment of Combined Contribution by Delaware and New Jersey to PM2.5 Nonattainment Based on
Superimposition of Results From Air Quality Modeling for CAIR
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PM2.5 Contribution PM2.5 Contribution
Receptor state Receptor county from Delaware from New Jersey Sum ([mu]g/
([mu]g/m\3\) ([mu]g/m\3\) m\3\)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New York........................ New York.......... 0.08 0.13 0.21
Pennsylvania.................... Berks............. 0.10 0.06 0.16
Pennsylvania.................... Dauphin........... 0.07 0.04 0.11
Pennsylvania.................... Delaware.......... 0.14 0.04 0.18
Pennsylvania.................... Lancaster......... 0.12 0.06 0.18
Pennsylvania.................... Philadelphia...... 0.14 0.04 0.18
Pennsylvania.................... York.............. 0.09 0.04 0.13
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IV. Proposed Findings and Action
A. Proposed Findings of Significant Contribution for Delaware and New
Jersey
We are proposing to find that emissions of the PM2.5
precursors SO2 and NOX emitted by Delaware and
New Jersey contribute significantly to nonattainment of the
PM2.5 NAAQS in downwind States. Accordingly, we are
proposing SIP requirements for these States under section 110(a)(1) to
meet the requirements of section 110(a)(2)(D), namely, to contain
adequate provisions to prohibit SO2 and NOX
emissions from sources or activities within the States from
``contribut[ing] significantly to nonattainment'' of the
PM2.5 NAAQS in downwind States.
B. SIP Approval Criteria
The CAIR added two new sections to Title 40 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, Sec. Sec. 51.123 and 51.124 containing requirements
related to NOX and SO2 respectively, which
establish the requirement for submission of SIP revisions to comply
with the CAIR and the criteria which EPA will use to review these
revisions for approval or disapproval. The content of these sections is
presented in section VII of the preamble to the CAIR, which appears in
the rules section of today's Federal Register. Delaware and New Jersey
are already subject to the ozone-related provisions of these sections
but not to the provisions that relate to PM2.5. We propose
to amend these two sections to extend the PM2.5-related
provisions to both States. The practical effect of the proposed
amendments will be to subject the States to budgets (if they choose to
control large EGUs) for annual emission reduction requirements of
NOX and SO2.
The proposed NOX and SO2 annual and ozone
season budgets for New Jersey and Delaware are shown below in Tables
IV-1 and IV-2.
Table IV-1.--Proposed Annual NOX Budgets
[Tons]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Year Delaware New Jersey
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009.......................................... 4,166 12,670
2015.......................................... 3,472 10,558
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table IV-2.--Proposed Annual SO2 Budgets
[Tons]
-----------------------------------------------------