Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Spokane PM10 Nonattainment Area Limited Maintenance Plan and Redesignation Request, 38029-38038 [05-12946]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 126 / Friday, July 1, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
12866. Because the agency has made a
‘‘good cause’’ finding that this action is
not subject to notice-and-comment
requirements under the Administrative
Procedure Act or any other statute as
indicated in the Supplementary
Information section above, it is not
subject to the regulatory flexibility
provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility
Act (5 U.S.C 601 et seq.), or to sections
202 and 205 of the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) (Pub. L.
104–4, 109 Stat. 48 (1995)). In addition,
this action does not significantly or
uniquely affect small governments or
impose a significant intergovernmental
mandate, as described in sections 203
and 204 of UMRA. This rule also does
not have a substantial direct effect on
one or more Indian tribes, on the
relationship between the Federal
government and Indian tribes, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities between the Federal
government and Indian tribes, as
specified by Executive Order 13175 (65
FR 67249, November 9, 2000), nor will
it 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 (64 FR 43255,
August 10, 1999). This rule also is not
subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR
19885, April 23, 1997), because it is not
economically significant.
This technical correction action does
not involve technical standards; thus
the requirements of section 12(d) of the
National Technology Transfer and
Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C.
272 note) do not apply. The rule also
does not involve special consideration
of environmental justice related issues
as required by Executive Order 12898
(59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994). In
issuing this rule, EPA has taken the
necessary steps to eliminate drafting
errors and ambiguity, minimize
potential litigation, and provide a clear
legal standard for affected conduct, as
required by section 3 of Executive Order
12988 (61 FR 4729, February 7, 1996).
EPA has complied with Executive Order
12630 (53 FR 8859, March 15, 1998) by
examining the takings implications of
the rule in accordance with the
‘‘Attorney General’s Supplemental
Guidelines for the Evaluation of Risk
and Avoidance of Unanticipated
Takings’’ issued under the Executive
Order. This rule does not impose an
information collection burden under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). EPA’s compliance
with these statutes and Executive
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Orders for the underlying rules are
discussed in the July 22, 2003 rule
approving Colorado’s Carbon Monoxide
Redesignation Request and Related
Revisions for Fort Collins.
The Congressional Review Act (CRA)
(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. Section 808 allows
the issuing agency to make a rule
effective sooner than otherwise
provided by the CRA if the agency
makes a good cause finding that notice
and public procedure is impracticable,
unnecessary or contrary to the public
interest. This determination must be
supported by a brief statement. 5 U.S.C.
808(2). As stated previously, EPA has
made such a good cause finding,
including the reasons therefore, and
established an effective date of August
1, 2005. 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. These corrections
to the identification of plan for Utah is
not a ‘‘major rule’’ as defined by 5
U.S.C. 804(2).
38029
Section II.C.1.c.v., ‘‘This Section
II.C.1.c.v. is repealed effective February
1, 2019 and is replaced by the
requirements in Section II.C.1.c.vi.
below beginning November 1, 2019.,’’
and Section II.C.1.c.vi., as adopted on
July 18, 2002, effective September 30,
2002, which supersedes and replaces all
prior versions of Regulation No. 13.
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[FR Doc. 05–13061 Filed 6–30–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 52 and 81
[Docket #: R10–OAR–2004–WA–0003; FRL–
7927–2]
Approval and Promulgation of Air
Quality Implementation Plans;
Spokane PM10 Nonattainment Area
Limited Maintenance Plan and
Redesignation Request
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Direct final rule.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: EPA is taking direct final
action to approve the Limited
Maintenance Plan for the Spokane
nonattainment area (NAA) in
Washington and grant the request by the
State to redesignate the area from
nonattainment to attainment for PM10.
On November 30, 2004, the State of
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Washington submitted a Limited
Environmental protection, Air
Maintenance Plan (LMP) for the
pollution control, Carbon monoxide,
Spokane nonattainment area (NAA) for
Incorporation by reference,
approval and concurrently requested
Intergovernmental relations, Reporting
that EPA redesignate the Spokane NAA
and recordkeeping requirements.
to attainment for the National Ambient
Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for
Dated: June 17, 2005.
particulate matter with an aerodynamic
Kerrigan G. Clough,
diameter less than or equal to a nominal
Acting Regional Administrator, Region VIII.
10 micrometers (PM10). In 1997, EPA
I 40 CFR Part 52 is amended as follows:
approved Washington’s moderate area
plan for the Spokane NAA for all PM10
PART 52—[CORRECTED]
sources except windblown dust. In this
I 1. The authority citation for part 52
direct final action, EPA is also
continues to read as follows:
approving the remaining elements of the
Spokane NAA moderate area plan for
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
windblown dust sources.
Subpart G—Colorado
DATES: This direct final rule will be
effective August 30, 2005, without
I 2. Section 52.320 is amended by
further notice, unless EPA receives
revising paragraph (c)(99)(i)(B) to read as adverse comments by August 1, 2005. If
follows:
adverse comments are received, EPA
will publish a timely withdrawal of the
§ 52.320 Identification of plan.
direct final rule in the Federal Register
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informing the public that the rule will
(c) * * *
not take effect.
(99) * * *
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
(i) * * *
(B) Regulation No. 13 ‘‘Oxygenated
identified by Docket ID No. R10–OAR–
Fuels Program’’, 5 CCR 1001–16, except 2004–WA–0003, by one of the following
for section III, the last sentence in
methods:
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 126 / Friday, July 1, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
• Agency Web site: 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.
• Mail: Gina Bonifacino, Office of Air,
Waste and Toxics, OAWT–107 EPA,
Region 10, 1200 Sixth Ave., Seattle,
Washington 98101.
• Hand Delivery: EPA, Region 10
Mail Room, 9th Floor, 1200 Sixth Ave.,
Seattle, Washington 98101. Attention:
Gina Bonifacino, Office of Air, Waste
and Toxics, OAWT–107. Such
deliveries are only accepted during
normal hours of operation, and special
arrangements should be made for
deliveries of boxed information.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
Docket ID No. R10–OAR–2004–WA–
0003. 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
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protected through EDOCKET,
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EDOCKET and the Federal
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If you send an e-mail comment directly
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EDOCKET or regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically
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comment that is placed in the public
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comment, EPA recommends that you
include your name and other contact
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Docket: All documents in the docket
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not publicly available, such as CBI or
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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 electronically in
EDOCKET, in hard copy at EPA, Region
10, Office of Air, Waste and Toxics,
1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle,
Washington, or in hard copy at the EPA
Washington Operations Office, 300
Desmond Dr. SE., Suite 102, Lacey, WA
98503 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday, excluding legal
holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gina
Bonifacino at telephone number: (206)
553–2970, e-mail address:
bonifacino.gina@epa.gov, fax number:
(206) 553–0110, or the above EPA,
Region 10 address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Throughout this document wherever
‘‘we,’’ ‘‘us’’ or ‘‘our’’ are used, we mean
EPA.
Table of Contents
I. This Action
II. Background of the Spokane Nonattainment
Area (Spokane NAA)
A. Description of the Spokane
Nonattainment Area
B. PM10 Emissions in the Spokane
Nonattainment Area
C. Planning Background
III. Requirements for Redesignation
A. Clean Air Act Requirements for
Redesignation of Nonattainment Areas
B. The Limited Maintenance Plan (LMP)
Option for PM10 Nonattainment Areas
C. Conformity Under the Limited
Maintenance Plan Option
IV. Review of the Washington State Submittal
Addressing the Requirements for
Redesignation and Limited Maintenance
Plans
A. Has the Spokane NAA Attained the
Applicable NAAQS?
B. Does the Spokane NAA Have a Fully
Approved SIP Under Section 110(k) of
the Clean Air Act (the Act)?
C. Has the State Met all Applicable
Requirements Under Section 110 and
Part D of the Act?
D. Has the State Demonstrated That the Air
Quality Improvement Is Due to
Permanent and Enforceable Reductions?
E. Does the Area Have a Fully Approved
Maintenance Plan Pursuant to Section
175A of the Act?
F. Has the State Demonstrated that the
Spokane NAA Qualifies for the LMP
Option?
G. Does the State Have an Approved
Attainment Emissions Inventory Which
Can Be Used To Demonstrate Attainment
of the NAAQS?
H. Does the LMP Include an Assurance of
Continued Operation of an Appropriate
EPA-Approved Air Quality Monitoring
Network, in Accordance With 40 CFR
Part 58?
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J. Does the Plan Meet the Clean Air Act
Requirements for Contingency
Provisions?
K. Has the State Met Conformity
Requirements?
V. Incorporation by Reference (IBR) Material
VI. Direct Final Action
VII. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. This Action
EPA is taking direct final action to
approve the Limited Maintenance Plan
(LMP) for the Spokane nonattainment
area (Spokane NAA) and concurrently
redesignate the Spokane NAA to
attainment for the National Ambient Air
Quality Standards (NAAQS) for
particulate matter with an aerodynamic
diameter less than or equal to a nominal
10 micrometers (PM10). Also in this
action, EPA is approving the remaining
portions of the moderate area State
Implementation Plan (SIP) for
windblown dust sources that were
deferred in EPA’s approval of the
Spokane PM10 NAA moderate area plan
in 1997. See 62 FR 3800. (January 27,
1997). See also 66 FR 27055. (May 16,
2001). Spokane attained the PM10
NAAQS in 1994 and there have been no
violations of the PM10 NAAQS in
Spokane since 1993. Also in this action,
EPA is approving revisions to the
Spokane County Air Pollution Control
Authority (SCAPCA) Regulatory Orders
#96–03, #96–05, and #96–06 for PM10
at the Kaiser-Trentwood facility.
II. Background of the Spokane
Nonattainment Area (Spokane NAA)
A. Description of the Spokane
Nonattainment Area
The Spokane PM10 nonattainment
area (Spokane NAA) is a roughly
rectangular area covering approximately
599 square kilometers in eastern
Washington. The Spokane NAA
encompasses the metropolitan area of
Spokane and some surrounding sections
of Spokane County. For a legal
description of the boundaries see 40
CFR 81.348. The Spokane NAA lies in
a broad, flat valley transversed by the
Spokane and Little Spokane rivers. All
major point sources (i.e. industrial
sources) of PM10 in Spokane County as
well as 81 percent of the county’s
residences lie within the NAA. In
general, Spokane has a mild, arid
climate in summer and a cold, moist
climate in winter. The nonattainment
area is characterized by significant
terrain elevation changes which may
affect dispersion.
B. PM10 Emissions in the Spokane
Nonattainment Area
Dust storms originating in the
Columbia Plateau have contributed to
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exceedences of the PM10 NAAQS and
elevated PM10 levels in the Spokane
NAA. The Spokane NAA lies at the
northeastern edge of the Columbia
Plateau and is impacted by seasonal
high winds from the south and
southwest, which move dust from the
approximate 12.1 million acres of
agricultural lands and grasslands on the
semi-arid plateau to downwind areas. A
1992 report entitled ‘‘An Analysis of the
Impact of Biogenic PM10 Sources on the
Spokane PM10 Nonattainment Area,
February 1992’’, estimated gross annual
emissions from anthropogenic and
nonanthropogenic sources of PM10 in
eastern Washington as 40% and 60%
respectively.
Washington submitted a complete
emissions inventory for the calendar
year 2002 with the Limited Maintenance
Plan, and summarized current
significant contributors to daily
emissions as fugitive dust from unpaved
roads (49%), residential wood
combustion (24%), fugitive dust from
construction (6%), paved roads (3%)
and emissions from land clearing debris
burning (3%). In 2002, all other source
categories contributed 2% or less to
daily emissions of PM10.
C. Planning Background
The Spokane, Washington area was
designated nonattainment for PM10 and
classified as moderate under sections
107(d)(4)(B) and 188(a) of the Clean Air
Act upon enactment of the Clean Air
Act Amendments of 1990. See 56 FR
56694 (November 6, 1991). States
containing initial moderate PM10
nonattainment areas were required to
submit, by November 15, 1991, a
moderate nonattainment area SIP that,
among other requirements,
implemented reasonably available
control measures (RACM) by December
10, 1993, and demonstrated whether it
was practicable to attain the PM10
NAAQS by December 31, 1994. See
generally 57 FR 13498 (April 16, 1992);
see also 57 FR 18070 (April 28, 1992).
Washington submitted a SIP for the
Spokane area on November 15, 1991,
followed by addendums on January 31,
1992, December 9, 1994, and May 18,
1995. The December 1994 addendum
included a detailed technical analysis
indicating that nonanthropogenic
sources may be significant in the
Spokane PM10 nonattainment area
during windblown dust events. In 1997,
based on our review of the State’s
submissions, we approved the PM10
emissions inventory, control measures
in the SIP as meeting RACM/RACT,
quantitative milestone and reasonable
further progress requirements, and
contingency measures for all sources of
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PM10 other than windblown dust. See
62 FR 3800 (January 27, 1997). Under
section 188(f) of the Act, EPA deferred
action on the attainment demonstration,
emissions inventory, control measures
and contingency measures for
windblown dust sources in the Spokane
NAA to provide the State with more
time to further evaluate windblown dust
events in the Spokane NAA. In this
action, we are approving these
remaining requirements for windblown
dust.
In the same action, EPA approved
regulatory orders for the KaiserTrentwood aluminum facility to provide
consistency between the 1994 emissions
inventory and allowable emissions for
the facility. See 62 FR 3800 (January 27,
1997). SCAPCA Order #91–01 provided
for the use of an alternate opacity limit
for the Kaiser-Trentwood aluminum
facility. SCAPCA Order #96–03, Order
#96–04, Order #96–05 and Order #96–
06 significantly lowered the allowable
emissions from the facility. These new
allowable emissions limits are
equivalent to Kaiser facility emissions
in the 1994 emissions inventory used in
the attainment demonstration.
On September 24, 2001, EPA
published a Federal Register notice
with its determination, based on air
quality data for the years 1995–1997,
that the Spokane NAA had attained the
NAAQS for PM10 by the extended
attainment date of December 31, 1997.
See 66 FR 48808.
On November 30, 2004, Washington
submitted a Limited Maintenance Plan
for the Spokane NAA for approval and
requested that EPA redesignate the
Spokane NAA to attainment for the
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS) for PM10. In this action, EPA
is approving the Limited Maintenance
Plan (LMP) for the Spokane NAA in
Washington and granting the request by
the State to redesignate the area from
nonattainment to attainment for PM10.
As stated above, we are also approving
the remaining moderate area plan
requirements for windblown dust.
III. Requirements for Redesignation
A. Clean Air Act Requirements for
Redesignation of Nonattainment Areas
Nonattainment areas can be
redesignated to attainment after the area
has measured air quality data showing
it has attained the NAAQS and when
certain planning requirements are met.
Section 107(d)(3)(E) of the Clean Air Act
(the Act), and the General Preamble to
Title I provide the criteria for
redesignation. See 57 FR 13498 (April
16, 1992). These criteria are further
clarified in a policy and guidance
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memorandum from John Calcagni,
Director, Air Quality Management
Division, EPA Office of Air Quality
Planning and Standards dated
September 4, 1992, ‘‘Procedures for
Processing Requests to Redesignate
Areas to Attainment’’. The criteria for
redesignation are:
(1) The Administrator has determined
that the area has attained the applicable
NAAQS;
(2) The Administrator has fully
approved the applicable SIP for the area
under section 110(k) of the Act;
(3) The state containing the area has
met all requirements applicable to the
area under section 110 and part D of the
Act;
(4) The Administrator has determined
that the improvement in air quality is
due to permanent and enforceable
reductions in emissions; and
(5) The Administrator has fully
approved a maintenance plan for the
area as meeting the requirements of
section 175A of the Act.
B. The Limited Maintenance Plan (LMP)
Option for PM10 Nonattainment Areas
On August 9, 2001, EPA issued
guidance on streamlined maintenance
plan provisions for certain moderate
PM10 nonattainment areas seeking
redesignation to attainment (Memo from
Lydia Wegman, Director, Air Quality
Standards and Strategies Division,
entitled ‘‘Limited Maintenance Plan
Option for Moderate PM10
Nonattainment Areas’’, (hereafter the
LMP Option memo)). The LMP Option
memo contains a statistical
demonstration that areas meeting
certain air quality criteria will, with a
high degree of probability, maintain the
standard 10 years into the future. Thus,
EPA has already provided the
maintenance demonstration for areas
meeting the criteria outlined in the LMP
Option memo. It follows that future year
emission inventories for these areas, and
some of the standard analyses to
determine transportation conformity
with the SIP are no longer necessary.
To qualify for the LMP Option, the
area should have attained the PM10
NAAQS, the average annual PM10
design value for the area, based upon
the most recent 5 years of air quality
data at all monitors in the area, should
be at or below 40 µg/m3, and the 24 hour
design value should be at or below
98 µg/m3. If an area cannot meet this
test, it may still be able to qualify for the
LMP Option if the average design value
(ADV) for the site is less than the sitespecific critical design values (CDV). In
addition, the area should expect only
limited growth in on-road motor vehicle
PM10 emissions (including fugitive
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dust) and should have passed a motor
vehicle regional emissions analysis test.
The LMP Option memo also identifies
core provisions that must be included in
the LMP. These provisions include an
attainment year emissions inventory,
assurance of continued operation of an
EPA-approved air quality monitoring
network, and contingency provisions.
C. Conformity Under the Limited
Maintenance Plan Option
The transportation conformity rule
(40 CFR parts 51 and 93) and the general
conformity rule (40 CFR parts 51 and
93) apply to nonattainment areas and
maintenance areas covered by an
approved maintenance plan. Under
either conformity rule, an acceptable
method of demonstrating that a Federal
action conforms to the applicable SIP is
to demonstrate that expected emissions
from the planned action are consistent
with the emissions budget for the area.
While EPA’s Limited Maintenance
Plan Option does not exempt an area
from the need to affirm conformity, it
explains that the area may demonstrate
conformity without submitting an
emissions budget. Under the Limited
Maintenance Plan Option, emissions
budgets are treated as essentially not
constraining for the length of the
maintenance period because it is
unreasonable to expect that the
qualifying areas would experience so
much growth in that period that a
violation of the PM10 NAAQS would
result. For transportation conformity
purposes, EPA would conclude that
emissions in these areas need not be
capped for the maintenance period and
therefore a regional emissions analysis
would not be required. Similarly,
Federal actions subject to the general
conformity rule could be considered to
satisfy the ‘‘budget test’’ specified in 40
CFR 93.158(a)(5)(i)(A) for the same
reasons that the budgets are essentially
considered to be unlimited.
IV. Review of the Washington State
Submittal Addressing the Requirements
for Redesignation and Limited
Maintenance Plans.
A. Has the Spokane NAA Attained the
Applicable NAAQS?
There are two separate NAAQS for
PM10, an annual standard of 50 µg/m3
and a 24-hour standard of 150 µg/m3.
States must demonstrate that an area has
attained the PM10 NAAQS through
analysis of ambient air quality data from
an ambient air monitoring network
representing peak PM10 concentrations.
The data should be stored in the EPA
Air Quality System (AQS) database. As
stated in section II.C. of this document,
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EPA determined that the Spokane NAA
attained the PM10 NAAQS based on
monitoring data from the calendar years
1995–1997. See 66 FR 48808 (September
24, 2001). Currently, the area is in
compliance with both of the PM10
NAAQS.
Since 1997, exceedences of the 24hour standard occurred on September
25, 1999 and September 25, 2001. Both
of these exceedences were flagged by
the State as due to high wind events
under EPA’s Natural Events Policy.
Based on the information provided by
Washington about these events, other
information provided by Washington
regarding control measures being
implemented at the time of the events,
and the area’s soil and climate
characteristics, we conclude that the
exceedences that occurred on
September 25, 1999 and September 25,
2001 were due to high wind natural
events and that, on those dates,
anthropogenic sources contributing to
the exceedences were controlled with
Best Available Control Measures
(BACM). See memorandum entitled
‘‘Assessment of Natural Even Claims for
Exceedences on September 25, 1999,
and September 25, 2001 in Spokane,
Washington’’ in the Technical Support
Document for this action. Therefore,
EPA is excluding the exceedences from
September 25, 1999 and September 25,
2001 from consideration in determining
whether the area is currently attaining
the PM10 NAAQS and in calculating
design values for the Limited
Maintenance Plan. The area continues
to attain the 24-hour and annual PM10
NAAQS.
B. Does the Spokane NAA Have a Fully
Approved SIP Under Section 110(k) of
the Clean Air Act (the Act)?
In order to qualify for redesignation,
the SIP for the area must be fully
approved under section 110(k) of the
Act, and must satisfy all requirements
that apply to the area. Section
107(d)(4)(B) of the Clean Air Act
contains requirements and milestones
for all initial moderate nonattainment
area SIPs including:
(1) Provisions to assure that
reasonably available control measures
(RACM) (including such reductions in
emissions from existing sources in the
area as may be obtained through the
adoption, at a minimum, of reasonably
available control technology—RACT)
shall be implemented no later than
December 10, 1993;
(2) A demonstration (including air
quality modeling) that the plan will
provide for attainment as expeditiously
as practicable by no later than December
31, 1994 or, where the state is seeking
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an extension of the attainment date
under section 188(e), a demonstration
that attainment by December 31, 1994 is
impracticable and that the plan provides
for attainment by the most expeditious
alternative date practicable (CAA
sections 189(a)(1)(A));
(3) Quantitative milestones which are
to be achieved every three years and
which demonstrate reasonable further
progress (RFP) toward attainment by
December 31, 1994 (CAA sections
172(c)(2) and 189(c)); and
(4) Contingency measures to be
implemented if the area fails to make
RFP or attain by its attainment deadline.
These contingency measures are to take
effect without further action by the State
or EPA. (CAA section 172(c)(9)).
As stated above, on January 27, 1997,
EPA approved Spokane’s moderate area
plan including RACT/RACM for all
PM10 sources except for windblown
dust and under section 188(f) of the Act,
deferred action on the attainment
demonstration, emissions inventory,
quantitative milestones, control
measures and contingency measures for
windblown dust sources. See 62 FR
3800. In this action, EPA is approving
the area as meeting RACM for
windblown dust sources based on the
implementation of BACM to control
windblown dust originating from the
Columbia Plateau. EPA generally
interprets the BACM requirement as
subsuming the RACM requirement. In
other words, if we determine that the
measures are indeed the ‘‘best
available,’’ we have necessarily
concluded that they are ‘‘reasonably
available’’. As stated above in section
IV.A., EPA concludes that BACM is
implemented for windblown dust from
agriculture on the Columbia Plateau.
The remaining attainment
demonstration, emissions inventory,
quantitative milestone, and control and
contingency measure requirements must
be met for all PM10 sources for an
approvable moderate area plan. EPA
believes that quantitative milestones
and contingency measures are no longer
required in the Spokane NAA since both
of these requirements relate to the
applicable attainment date, and EPA
determined that the area attained the
PM10 NAAQS by December 31, 1997.
We believe that Spokane meets all of the
remaining requirements for moderate
area plans including control measures
for windblown dust sources, the
attainment demonstration, and
emissions inventory by meeting the
requirements for the Limited
Maintenance Plan.
The Limited Maintenance Plan
contains a detailed emissions inventory
for all sources of PM10 for the calendar
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year 2002 including an inventory of
windblown dust. The Limited
Maintenance Plan also contains control
measures that address windblown dust
among other sources of PM10. We refer
the reader to sections IV.C., and IV.D.,
respectively for further discussion on
the emissions inventory, and control
measures requirements for all sources of
PM10 in the Spokane NAA.
As previously stated, the fully
approved SIP must contain an
attainment demonstration (including air
quality modeling) that the plan will
provide for attainment by the applicable
attainment date. As noted above,
Spokane attained the PM10 NAAQS by
the applicable attainment date
(December 31, 1997) based on
monitoring data from the calendar years
1995–1997. See 66 FR 48808 (September
24, 2001). However, EPA has not
previously fully approved the State’s
attainment demonstration for Spokane.
In this action, EPA concludes that the
statistical demonstration of maintenance
submitted with the Limited
Maintenance Plan fulfills the attainment
demonstration requirement. Generally,
EPA recommends that attainment be
demonstrated according to the PM–10
SIP Development Guideline (June 1987),
which presents three methods based on
Federal regulations. Federal regulations
require demonstration of attainment ‘‘by
means of a proportional model or
dispersion model or other procedure
which is shown to be adequate and
appropriate for such purposes.’’ See 40
CFR 51.112. See also 62 FR 18051 (April
14, 1997). EPA believes that it is
reasonable to accept the Limited
Maintenance Plan demonstration as an
adequate attainment demonstration
since this maintenance demonstration
ensures maintenance of the PM10
NAAQS for ten years from the effective
date of this action. Section IV.F. of this
notice contains a description of the
maintenance demonstration included
with the Limited Maintenance Plan. In
this action, EPA is finding the
maintenance demonstration criteria
outlined in the Limited LMP Option are
satisfied. Accordingly, EPA is approving
the remaining moderate area plan
requirements for the Spokane NAA; the
attainment demonstration, emissions
inventory and control methods for all
sources, including windblown dust.
Thus, upon the effective date of this
action, the Spokane NAA will have a
fully approved moderate area plan.
C. Has the State Met All Applicable
Requirements Under Section 110 and
Part D of the Act?
Section 107(d)(3)(E) of the Act
requires that a state containing a
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nonattainment area must meet all
applicable requirements under section
110 and Part D of the Act for an area to
be redesignated to attainment. EPA
interprets this to mean that the state
must meet all requirements that applied
to the area prior to, and at the time of,
the submission of a complete
redesignation request. The following is
a summary of how Washington meets
these requirements.
(1) Clean Air Act Section 110
Requirements
Section 110(a)(2) of the Act contains
general requirements for nonattainment
plans. These requirements include, but
are not limited to, submittal of a SIP that
has been adopted by the state after
reasonable notice and public hearing;
provisions for establishment and
operation of appropriate apparatus,
methods, systems and procedures
necessary to monitor ambient air
quality; implementation of a permit
program; provisions for Part C—
Prevention of Significant Deterioration
(PSD) and Part D—New Source Review
(NSR) permit programs; criteria for
stationary source emission control
measures, monitoring and reporting,
provisions for modeling; and provisions
for public and local agency
participation. See the General Preamble
for further explanation of these
requirements. 57 FR 13498 (April 16,
1992).
For purposes of redesignation, EPA
review of the Washington SIP shows
that the State has satisfied all
requirements under section 110(a)(2) of
the Act. Further, in 40 CFR 52.2473,
EPA has approved Washington’s plan
for the attainment and maintenance of
the national standards under Section
110.
(2) Part D Requirements
Part D contains general requirements
applicable to all areas designated
nonattainment. The general
requirements are followed by a series of
subparts specific to each pollutant. All
PM10 nonattainment areas must meet
the general provisions of Subpart 1 and
the specific PM10 provisions in Subpart
4, ‘‘Additional Provisions for Particulate
Matter Nonattainment Areas.’’ The
following paragraphs discuss these
requirements as they apply to the
Spokane NAA.
(3) Subpart 1, Section 172(c)
Subpart 1, section 172(c) contains
general requirements for nonattainment
area plans. A thorough discussion of
these requirements may be found in the
General Preamble. See 57 FR 13538
(April 16, 1992). Clean Air Act (CAA)
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38033
section 172(c)(2) requires nonattainment
plans to provide for reasonable further
progress (RFP). Section 171(1) of the
CAA defines RFP as ‘‘such annual
incremental reductions in emissions of
the relevant air pollutant as are required
by this part (part D of title I) or may
reasonably be required by the
Administrator for the purpose of
ensuring attainment of the applicable
national ambient air quality standard by
the applicable date.’’ Since EPA
determined that the Spokane NAA was
in attainment of the PM10 NAAQS by
1997, we believe that no further
showing of RFP or quantitative
milestones is necessary. See 66 FR
48808 (September 24, 2001).
(4) Section 172(c)(3)—Emissions
Inventory
Section 172(c)(3) of the Act requires a
comprehensive, accurate, current
inventory of actual emissions from all
sources in the Spokane PM10
nonattainment area. Washington
included an emissions inventory for the
calendar year 2002 with its submittal of
the LMP for the Spokane NAA. Based
on the inventory preparation plan for
the PM10 2002 base year emissions
inventory, which includes windblown
dust sources, EPA believes that the 2002
base year emissions inventory is
current, accurate and comprehensive
and therefore meets the requirements of
Section 172(c)(3) of the Act.
(5) Section 172(c)(5)—New Source
Review (NSR)
The Clean Air Act Amendments of
1990 contained revisions to the New
Source Review (NSR) program
requirements for the construction and
operation of new and modified major
stationary sources located in
nonattainment areas. The Act requires
states to amend their SIPS to reflect
these revisions, but does not require
submittal of this element along with the
other SIP elements. The Act established
June 30, 1992 as the submittal date for
the revised NSR programs (Section 189
of the Act). The Part D NSR rules for
PM10 nonattainment areas in
Washington were approved by EPA on
June 2, 1995. See 60 FR 28726. In the
Spokane NAA, the requirements of the
Part D NSR program will be replaced by
the Prevention of Significant
Deterioration (PSD) program and the
maintenance area NSR program upon
effective date of redesignation. The
Federal PSD regulations found at 40
CFR 52.21 are the PSD rules in effect for
Washington. See 40 CFR 52.2497.
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(6) Section 172(c)(7) Compliance With
CAA Section 110(a)(2): Air Quality
Monitoring Requirements
Once an area is redesignated, the state
must continue to operate an appropriate
air monitoring network in accord with
40 CFR part 58 to verify attainment
status of the area. The State of
Washington and Spokane County Air
Pollution Authority (SCAPCA) operate
two PM10 and PM2.5 State and Local
Air Monitoring Stations (SLAMS) in the
Spokane NAA. Both monitoring sites
meet EPA SLAMS network design and
siting requirements set forth at 40 CFR
part 58, appendices D and E, and have
been monitoring for PM10 since 1995.
In section D of the Limited Maintenance
Plan that we are approving today, the
State commits to continued operation of
the monitoring network.
(7) Section 172 (c)(9) Contingency
Measures
The Clean Air Act requires that
contingency measures take effect if the
area fails to meet reasonable further
progress requirements or fails to attain
the NAAQS by the applicable
attainment date. Since the Spokane
NAA attained the NAAQS for PM10 by
the applicable attainment date of
December 31, 1997, contingency
measures are no longer required under
Section 172(c)(9) of the Act. However,
contingency provisions are required for
maintenance plans under Section
175(a)(d). We describe the contingency
provisions Washington provided in the
Spokane LMP below.
(8) Part D Subpart 4
Part D Subpart 4, Section 189(a), (c)
and (e) requirements apply to any
moderate nonattainment area before the
area can be redesignated to attainment.
The requirements which were
applicable prior to the submission of the
request to redesignate the area must be
fully approved into the SIP before
redesignating the area to attainment.
These requirements include:
(a) Provisions to assure that RACM
was implemented by December 10,
1993;
(b) Either a demonstration that the
plan provided for attainment as
expeditiously as practicable but not
later than December 31, 1994, or a
demonstration that attainment by that
date was impracticable;
(c) Quantitative milestones which
were achieved every 3 years and which
demonstrate reasonable further progress
(RFP) toward attainment by December
31, 1994; and
(d) Provisions to assure that the
control requirements applicable to
major stationary sources of PM10 also
apply to major stationary sources of
PM10 precursors except where the
Administrator determined that such
sources do not contribute significantly
to PM10 levels which exceed the
NAAQS in the area.
These provisions, with the exception
of the attainment demonstration and
quantitative milestones were fully
approved into the SIP upon EPA
approval of the PM10 moderate area
plan for the Spokane NAA on January
27, 1997. See 62 FR 3800. As discussed
above, the requirements for reasonable
further progress were satisfied with the
September 24, 2001 finding of
attainment (66 FR 48808), and EPA is
approving the attainment
demonstration, based on the
maintenance demonstration submitted
with the Limited Maintenance Plan, in
this action.
D. Has the State Demonstrated That the
Air Quality Improvement Is Due to
Permanent and Enforceable Reductions?
The state must be able to reasonably
attribute the improvement in air quality
to permanent and enforceable emission
reductions. In making this showing, the
state must demonstrate that air quality
improvements are the result of actual
enforceable emission reductions. This
showing should consider emission rates,
production capacities, and other related
information. The analysis should
assume that sources are operating at
permitted levels (or historic peak levels)
unless evidence is presented that such
an assumption is unrealistic.
Permanent and enforceable control
measures in the Spokane NAA SIP
include RACM and BACM. Emission
sources in the Spokane NAA have been
implementing RACM for at least 10
years. Table 1 contains a list of RACM
implemented in Spokane. These control
measures were approved into the SIP,
and they are both permanent and
federally enforceable. See 62 FR 3800
(January 27, 1997).
TABLE 1.—SPOKANE NONATTAINMENT AREA REASONABLY AVAILABLE CONTROL MEASURES
Control Measure
Jurisdiction
Reduce particulate matter by paving unpaved streets
Reduce particulate matter by paving unpaved streets
Reduce fugitive dust from paved roads through sweeping/
sanding mitigation program
Reduce particulate matter from paved roads through requirement that government entities submit sweeping and
sanding plans
Reduce residential wood smoke through curtailment program
Reduce residential wood smoke through implementation of
wood smoke control zone
Reduce fugitive dust from unpaved roads through requirement that governmental entities submit emission reduction
and control plans
City of Spokane ....
Spokane County ...
City of Spokane ....
Res. #90–93.
Res. #90–1219.
Res. #93–43.
SCAPCA ...............
Reg. 1, Sec 6.14.
Washington State
RCW 70.94 and WAC 173–433.
SCAPCA ...............
Res.’s #88–03, #90–08, #94–02 and #94–18.
SCAPCA ...............
Res. #94–17.
As discussed in section IV.A., Best
Available Control Measures (BACM) are
in place to control wind blown dust
from the Columbia Plateau. Based on
the 2003 NEAP and the 2004 status
report submitted to EPA by the
Washington Department of Ecology,
EPA has determined that Spokane meets
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Authority
the BACM requirement for agricultural
sources within the Columbia Plateau.
See the technical support document for
this action for a discussion on BACM for
agricultural sources within the
Columbia Plateau.
There are two major stationary
sources within the Spokane NAA, the
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Kaiser Aluminum facilities at
Trentwood and Mead. These have not
been evaluated specifically for RACT by
either Washington or the Spokane
County Air Pollution Control Authority
(SCAPCA) since analysis of the 24-hour
PM10 problem indicates that industrial
sources are not a major contributor. See
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61 FR 36001 (July 9, 1996). Although
analysis indicates that neither of the
Kaiser Aluminum facilities are major
contributors to 24-hour PM10 past or
future exceedences, SCAPCA issued
regulatory orders for the KaiserTrentwood facility under WAC 173–
400–091 ‘‘Voluntary Limits on
Emissions.’’ SCAPCA orders #96–03,
#96–04, #96–05, and #96–06 lower the
potential to emit and #91–01 establishes
an alternate opacity limit. These orders
were adopted into the SIP on January
27, 1997 (62 FR 3800), and EPA is
approving revisions to regulatory orders
#96–03, #96–05, and #96–06 with this
action.
Finally, EPA believes that areas that
qualify for the LMP will meet the
NAAQS, even under worst case
meteorological conditions. Under the
Limited Maintenance Plan policy, the
maintenance demonstration is
presumed to be satisfied if an area meets
the qualifying criteria. Thus, by
qualifying for the Limited Maintenance
Plan, Washington has demonstrated that
the air quality improvements in the
Spokane area are the result of
permanent emission reductions and not
a result of either economic trends or
meteorology. A description of the LMP
qualifying criteria and how the Spokane
area meets these criteria is provided in
the following section.
E. Does the Area Have a Fully Approved
Maintenance Plan Pursuant to Section
175A of the Act?
In this action, we are approving the
Limited Maintenance Plan in
accordance with the principles outlined
in the LMP Option. Upon the effective
date of this action, the area will have a
fully approved maintenance plan.
F. Has the State Demonstrated That the
Spokane NAA Qualifies for the LMP
Option?
The LMP Option memo outlines the
requirements for an area to qualify for
the LMP Option. First, the area should
be attaining the NAAQS. As stated
above in Section IV.A., EPA has
determined that the Spokane NAA has
been in attainment of the PM10 NAAQS
since 1997 and continues to meet the
PM10 NAAQS for the period 1998–
2002.
Second, the average design value
(ADV) for the past 5 years of monitoring
data must be at or below the critical
design value (CDV). The CDV is a
margin of safety value and is the value
at which an area has been determined
to have a 1 in 10 probability of
exceeding the NAAQS. The LMP Option
memo provides two methods for review
of monitoring data for the purpose of
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qualifying for the LMP option. The first
method is a comparison of a site’s ADV
with the CDV of 98 µg/m3 for the 24hour PM10 NAAQS and 40 µg/m3 for
the annual PM10 NAAQS. A second
method that applies to the 24-hour
PM10 NAAQS is the calculation of a
site-specific CDV and a comparison of
the site-specific CDV with the ADV for
the past 5 years of monitoring data.
The ADV for the 24-hour PM10
NAAQS for Spokane, based on data
from the Crown Zellerbach monitor for
the years 1998–2002, is 110.7. This
value falls below the site-specific 24hour CDV of 116.6 µg/m3. The annual
ADV from the Crown Zellerbach
monitor for the same period is 28.2 µg/
m3. This falls below the annual CDV
provided in the LMP Option memo of
40 µg/m3. Therefore, Spokane meets the
design value criteria outlined in the
LMP Option memo. For the 1998–2002
ADV and 1993–2003 site-specific CDV
calculations for PM10 in Spokane,
please see the technical support
document, Attachment H.
Third, the area must meet the motor
vehicle regional emissions analysis test
in attachment B of the LMP Option
memo. Using the methodology outlined
in the memo, based on monitoring data
for the period 1998–2002, EPA has
determined that the Spokane NAA
passes the motor vehicle regional
emissions analysis test. For the
calculations used to determine that
Spokane has passed the motor vehicle
regional analysis test, see the technical
support document, Attachment H.
The monitoring data for the period
1998–2002 shows that Spokane has
attained the NAAQS for PM10, the 24hour ADV and the annual ADV in
Spokane are less than the site specific
24-hour PM10 CDV and the national
annual CDV respectively. Finally, the
area has met the regional vehicle
emissions analysis test. Thus, the
Spokane NAA area qualifies for the
Limited Maintenance Plan option
described in the LMP Option memo.
The LMP Option memo also indicates
that once a state selects the LMP Option
and it is in effect, the state will be
expected to determine, on an annual
basis, that the LMP criteria are still
being met. If the state determines that
the LMP criteria are not being met, it
should take action to reduce PM10
concentrations enough to requalify for
the LMP. One possible approach the
State could take is to implement
contingency measures. In section E of
the Limited Maintenance Plan,
Washington commits to evaluate, on an
annual basis, the LMP criteria for the
Spokane NAA.
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38035
For these reasons and reasons
explained below, we are approving the
LMP for the Spokane NAA and the
State’s request to redesignate the
Spokane NAA from nonattainment to
attainment for PM10.
G. Does the State Have an Approved
Attainment Emissions Inventory Which
Can Be Used To Demonstrate
Attainment of the NAAQS?
The state’s approved attainment plan
should include an emissions inventory
(attainment inventory) which can be
used to demonstrate attainment of the
NAAQS. The inventory should
represent emissions during the same
five year period associated with air
quality data used to determine whether
the area meets the applicability
requirements of the LMP Option. The
state should review its inventory every
three years to ensure emissions growth
is incorporated in the attainment
inventory if necessary. In this instance,
Washington completed an attainment
year inventory for the attainment year
1997. However, this inventory was not
fully approved as it did not include
emissions from windblown dust.
Washington is now using the emissions
inventory for the calendar year 2002 as
the attainment year inventory.
EPA has reviewed the 2002 emissions
inventory and determined that it is
current, accurate and complete. EPA has
also reviewed monitoring data for the
years 1997–2002, and determined that
the 2002 emissions inventory is
representative of the attainment year
inventory since the NAAQS was not
violated during 2002. In addition, the
emissions inventory submitted with the
Limited Maintenance Plan for the
calendar year 2002 is representative of
the level of emissions during the time
period used to calculate the average
design value since 2002 is included in
the five year period used to calculate the
design value (1998–2002). As stated
above in Section IV.C.4., the 2002
emissions inventory meets the
requirements of Section 172(c)(3) of the
Act, and the requirements for emissions
inventory in Table 3.1 of the EPA
document entitled PM–10 Emission
Inventory Requirements, Final Report.
H. Does the LMP Include an Assurance
of Continued Operation of an
Appropriate EPA-Approved Air Quality
Monitoring Network, in Accordance
With 40 CFR Part 58?
A PM10 monitoring network was
established in the Spokane area in
October, 1985. Monitoring sites have
been located in nine different locations
throughout the area since that time. The
monitoring network was developed and
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has been maintained in accordance with
federal siting and design criteria in 40
CFR Part 58, Appendices D and E and
in consultation with Region 10.
Currently, there are two PM10/PM2.5
SLAMS/NAMS monitors in the Spokane
NAA. In section IV.E. of the Spokane
LMP, Washington states that it will
continue to operate its monitoring
network to meet EPA requirements.
I. Does the Plan Meet the Clean Air Act
Requirements for Contingency
Provisions?
Section 175A of the Act states that a
maintenance plan must include
contingency provisions, as necessary, to
promptly correct any violation of the
NAAQS which may occur after
redesignation of the area to attainment.
As explained in the LMP Option memo,
these contingency measures do not have
to be fully adopted at the time of
redesignation.
Section IV.F. of the Spokane Limited
Maintenance Plan describes a process
and timeline to identify and evaluate
appropriate contingency measures in
the event of a quality assured violation
of the PM10 NAAQS. Within 30 days
following a violation of the PM10
NAAQS, the Spokane County Air
Pollution Control Authority (SCAPCA),
the Spokane Regional Transportation
Council (SRTC) and the Washington
Department of Ecology will convene an
assessment team to identify appropriate
measures to be implemented and
prepare and deliver a report to the
Spokane County Air Pollution Control
Authority (SCAPCA) board of directors
and appropriate staff at Washington
Department of Ecology within 120 days
based on:
(1) Monitoring data before and during
the event;
(2) Weather conditions that may have
caused and/or contributed to the
violation;
(3) Normal and unusual emissions
occurring prior to and during the event;
(4) Effectiveness of existing controls
in reducing the magnitude and/or
duration of events;
(5) Appropriateness of modifying and
or implementing one or more LMP
contingency measures; and
(6) Possible changes to the LMP,
monitoring network, and or public
information strategies.
The plan describes contingency
measures that are already in effect or
may automatically become effective in
the event of a violation of the NAAQS,
subject to the assessment described
above. These contingency measures
include:
(1) Unpaved Road Control Regulation:
This measure, adopted by SCAPCA in
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(1) Transportation Conformity
(TCMs) in accordance with 40 CFR
93.113;
(b) Transportation plans and projects
comply with the fiscal constraint
element per 40 CFR 93.108;
(c) The MPO’s interagency
consultation procedures meet applicable
requirements of 40 CFR 93.105;
(d) Conformity of transportation plans
is determined no less frequently than
every three years, and conformity of
plan amendments and transportation
projects is demonstrated in accordance
with the timing requirements specified
in 40 CFR 93.104;
(e) The latest planning assumptions
and emissions model are used as set
forth in 40 CFR 93.110 and 40 CFR
93.111;
(f) Projects do not cause or contribute
to any new localized carbon monoxide
or particulate matter violations, in
accordance with procedures specified in
40 CFR 93.123; and
(g) Project sponsors and/or operators
provide written commitments as
specified in 40 CFR 93.125.
On February 10, 2005, EPA posted a
proposal to find the Spokane LMP
Motor Vehicle Emissions Budget
adequate for transportation conformity
purposes on EPA’s conformity Web site:
https://www.epa.gov/oms/traq. As stated
above, Limited Maintenance Plan
budgets are unconstrained and
consequently, the adequacy review
period for these maintenance plans
serves to allow the public to comment
on whether limited maintenance is
appropriate for these areas. Interested
parties may comment on the adequacy
and approval of the Limited
Maintenance Plans by submitting their
comments on the proposed rule
published concurrently with this direct
final rule. The comment period for the
adequacy posting for the Spokane LMP
ended on March 15, 2005. EPA did not
receive any comments on this posting.
Under the LMP Option, emissions
budgets are treated as essentially not
constraining for the maintenance period
because it is unreasonable to expect that
qualifying areas would experience so
much growth in that period that a
NAAQS violation would result.
While areas with maintenance plans
approved under the LMP Option are not
subject to the budget test, the areas
remain subject to other transportation
conformity requirements of 40 CFR part
93, subpart A. Thus, the metropolitan
planning organization (MPO) in the area
or the State must document and ensure
that:
(a) Transportation plans and projects
provide for timely implementation of
SIP transportation control measures
(2) General Conformity
For Federal actions which are
required to address the specific
requirements of the general conformity
rule, one set of requirements applies
particularly to ensuring that emissions
from the action will not cause or
contribute to new violations of the
NAAQS, exacerbate current violations,
or delay timely attainment. One way
that this requirement can be met is to
demonstrate that ‘‘the total of direct and
indirect emissions from the action (or
portion thereof) is determined and
documented by the State agency
primarily responsible for the applicable
SIP to result in a level of emissions
which, together with all other emissions
in the nonattainment area, would not
1994 as section 6.15 of Regulation I,
controls particulate matter emissions
from unpaved surfaces. The measure
requires, among other things, that the
city of Spokane, Spokane County, and
the Town of Millwood submit emission
reduction contingency plans for the
control of dust emissions from unpaved
roads and parking lot emissions to
SCAPCA for approval. These
contingency plans, if determined
appropriate, will be reviewed and
updated in the event of a NAAQS
violation;
(2) Ban on Uncertified Stoves: Article
VIII of SCAPCA’s Regulation I contains
provisions for Solid Fuel Burning
Device Standards. As amended on
January 6, 1994, it enables SCAPCA to
take further residential wood-smoke
control actions if the area is not in
attainment of the PM10 standard
because of wood-smoke emissions.
The regulation prohibits the use of
any solid fuel burning device not
meeting state certification standards.
Implementation of this regulation as a
contingency measure will provide a
further reduction of wood-smoke
emissions, should the assessment, as
described above, find it necessary.
The assessment team will also
consider recommending other
contingency measures that may more
appropriately address the most probable
source contributing to the violation. The
board may adopt and implement
contingency measures other than those
listed above, as needed. EPA believes
that current and proposed contingency
measures in Spokane’s Limited
Maintenance Plan meet the
requirements for contingency measures
as outlined in the Limited Maintenance
Plan Option memo.
J. Has the State Met Conformity
Requirements?
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exceed the emissions budgets specified
in the applicable SIP.’’ 40 CFR
93.158(a)(5)(i)(A).
The decision about whether to
include specific allocations of allowable
emissions increases to sources is one
made by the State and local air quality
agencies. These emissions budgets are
different than those used in
transportation conformity. Emissions
budgets in transportation conformity are
required to limit and restrain emissions.
Emissions budgets in general conformity
allow increases in emissions up to
specified levels. Washington has not
chosen to include specific emissions
allocations for Federal projects that
would be subject to the provisions of
general conformity.
V. Incorporation by Reference (IBR)
Material
EPA is incorporating by reference
revisions to the following Spokane
County Air Pollution Control Authority
(SCAPCA) Regulatory Orders: #96–03,
effective date October 4, 2000; #96–05,
effective date October 4, 2000; and #96–
06, effective date October 19, 2000.
VI. Direct Final Action
EPA is approving the Limited
Maintenance Plan (LMP) for the
Spokane nonattainment area (Spokane
NAA) and redesignating the Spokane
NAA to attainment for the National
Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS) for particulate matter with an
aerodynamic diameter less than or equal
to a nominal 10 micrometers (PM10).
EPA is also approving the remaining
portions of the moderate area plan
(‘‘attainment plan’’) for the Spokane
NAA for all PM10 sources including
windblown dust.
Also in this action, EPA is approving
revisions to the Spokane County Air
Pollution Control Authority (SCAPCA)
Regulatory Orders #96–03, effective date
October 4, 2000; #96–05, effective date
October 4, 2000; and #96–06, effective
date October 19, 2000.
EPA is publishing this action without
a prior proposal because EPA views this
as a noncontroversial amendment and
anticipates no adverse comments. In the
proposed rules section of this Federal
Register publication, however, EPA is
publishing a separate document that
will serve as the proposal to approve the
SIP revision should adverse comments
be filed. This direct final rule is
effective on August 30, 2005, without
further notice, unless EPA receives
adverse comment by August 1, 2005. If
an adverse comment is received, EPA
will publish a timely withdrawal of the
direct final rule in the Federal Register
and inform the public that the rule did
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not take effect. All adverse public
comments received will then be
addressed in a subsequent final rule
based on the proposed rule. EPA will
not institute a second comment period
on this action. Any parties interested in
commenting must do so at this time.
Please note that if EPA receives adverse
comment on an amendment, paragraph,
or section of this rule, EPA may adopt
as final those provisions of the rule that
are not the subject of an adverse
comment.
VII. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
Under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR
51735, October 4, 1993), this action is
not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ and
therefore is not subject to review by the
Office of Management and Budget. For
this reason, this action is also not
subject to Executive Order 13211,
‘‘Actions Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution, or Use’’ (66 FR 28355, May
22, 2001). This action merely approves
state law as meeting Federal
requirements and imposes no additional
requirements beyond those imposed by
state law. Accordingly, the
Administrator certifies that this rule
will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small
entities under the Regulatory Flexibility
Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). Because this
rule approves pre-existing requirements
under state law and does not impose
any additional enforceable duty beyond
that required by state law, it does not
contain any unfunded mandate or
significantly or uniquely affect small
governments, as described in the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(Pub. L. 104–4).
This rule also does not have tribal
implications because it will not have a
substantial direct effect on one or more
Indian tribes, on the relationship
between the Federal Government and
Indian tribes, or on the distribution of
power and responsibilities between the
Federal Government and Indian tribes,
as specified by Executive Order 13175
(65 FR 67249, November 6, 2000). This
action also does not have federalism
implications because it does 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 (64 FR 43255,
August 10, 1999). This action merely
approves a state rule implementing a
Federal standard, and does not alter the
relationship or the distribution of power
and responsibilities established in the
PO 00000
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Sfmt 4700
38037
Clean Air Act. This rule also is not
subject to Executive Order 13045
‘‘Protection of Children from
Environmental Health Risks and Safety
Risks’’ (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997),
because it is not economically
significant.
In reviewing SIP submissions, EPA’s
role is to approve state choices,
provided that they meet the criteria of
the Clean Air Act. In this context, in the
absence of a prior existing requirement
for the State to use voluntary consensus
standards (VCS), EPA has no authority
to disapprove a SIP submission for
failure to use VCS. It would thus be
inconsistent with applicable law for
EPA, when it reviews a SIP submission,
to use VCS in place of a SIP submission
that otherwise satisfies the provisions of
the Clean Air Act. Thus, the
requirements of section 12(d) of the
National Technology Transfer and
Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C.
272 note) do not apply. This rule does
not impose an information collection
burden under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
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. 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 not a ‘‘major rule’’ as
defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
Under section 307(b)(1) of the Clean
Air Act, petitions for judicial review of
this action must be filed in the United
States Court of Appeals for the
appropriate circuit by August 30, 2005.
Filing a petition for reconsideration by
the Administrator of this final rule does
not affect the finality of this rule for the
purposes of judicial review nor does it
extend the time within which a petition
for judicial review may be filed, and
shall not postpone the effectiveness of
such rule or action. This action may not
be challenged later in proceedings to
enforce its requirements. See section
307(b)(2).
E:\FR\FM\01JYR1.SGM
01JYR1
38038
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 126 / Friday, July 1, 2005 / Rules and Regulations
List of Subjects
§ 52.2470
40 CFR Part 52
*
Identification of plan.
Environmental protection, Air
pollution control, Incorporation by
reference, Intergovernmental relations,
Particulate matter, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
40 CFR Part 81
Environmental protection, Air
pollution control, National parks,
Wilderness areas.
Dated: June 17, 2005.
Daniel D. Opalski,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 10.
Chapter I, title 40 of the Code of
Federal Regulations is amended as
follows:
I
PART 52—[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for part 52
continues to read as follows:
I
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
Subpart WW—Washington
2. Section 52.2470 is amended by
adding paragraph (c)(85) to read as
follows:
I
3. Section 52.2475 is amended by
adding paragraph (e) (3) (i) to read as
follows:
I
*
*
*
*
(c) * * *
(85) On November 15, 2004, the
Washington State Department of
Ecology submitted a PM10 Limited
Maintenance Plan and requested the
redesignation of the Spokane County
PM10 Nonattainment area to attainment
for PM10. The State’s Limited
Maintenance Plan, attainment year
emissions inventory, and the
redesignation request meet the
requirements of the Clean Air Act. EPA
approves the State’s Limited
Maintenance Plan and Moderate Area
Plan requirements for the Spokane
PM10 nonattainment area and request
for redesignation to attainment.
(i) Incorporation by reference.
(A) Spokane County Air Pollution
Control Authority (SCAPCA) orders
#96–03 (modified October 4, 2000),
#96–05 (modified October 4, 2000) and
#96–06 (modified October 19, 2000) to
regulate particulate matter emissions
from the specific emission units of the
Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical
Corporation, Trentwood aluminum
facility.
§ 52.2475
Approval of plans.
(e) * * *
(3) Spokane.
(i) EPA approves as a revision to the
Washington State Implementation Plan,
the Spokane County PM10
Nonattainment Area Limited
Maintenance Plan adopted by the
Spokane Regional Clean Air Authority
on November 17, 2004, and adopted and
submitted by the Washington
Department of Ecology on November 30,
2004.
*
*
*
*
*
PART 81—[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for part 81
continues to read as follows:
I
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
2. In § 81.348, the table entitled
‘‘Washington PM–10’’ is amended by
revising the entry for ‘‘Spokane County’’
to read as follows:
I
§ 81.348
*
Washington.
*
*
*
*
WASHINGTON—PM10
Designation
Classification area
Designated area
Date
*
*
*
*
*
Type
8/30/05
Date
Type
Attainment.
*
*
Spokane County: The area bounded on the south by a line
from
Universal
Transmercator
(UTM)
coordinate
489000mE, 5271000mN west to 458000mE, 5271000mN,
thence north along a line to coordinate 458000mE,
5288000mN, thence east to 463000mE, 5288000mN,
thence north to 463000mE, 5292000mN, thence east to
481000mE, 5292000mN, thence south to 481000mE,
5288000mN, thence east to 489000mE, 5288000mN,
thence south to the beginning coordinate, 489000mE,
5271000mN..
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
[FR Doc. 05–12946 Filed 6–30–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Federal Emergency Management
Agency
44 CFR Part 64
[Docket No. FEMA–7883]
Suspension of Community Eligibility
Federal Emergency
Management Agency, Emergency
AGENCY:
VerDate jul<14>2003
16:59 Jun 30, 2005
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Preparedness and Response Directorate,
Department of Homeland Security.
ACTION:
Final rule.
SUMMARY: This rule identifies
communities, where the sale of flood
insurance has been authorized under
the National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP), that are scheduled for
suspension on the effective dates listed
within this rule because of
noncompliance with the floodplain
management requirements of the
program. If the Federal Emergency
E:\FR\FM\01JYR1.SGM
01JYR1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 126 (Friday, July 1, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 38029-38038]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12946]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 52 and 81
[Docket : R10-OAR-2004-WA-0003; FRL-7927-2]
Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans;
Spokane PM10 Nonattainment Area Limited Maintenance Plan and
Redesignation Request
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Direct final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: EPA is taking direct final action to approve the Limited
Maintenance Plan for the Spokane nonattainment area (NAA) in Washington
and grant the request by the State to redesignate the area from
nonattainment to attainment for PM10. On November 30, 2004, the State
of Washington submitted a Limited Maintenance Plan (LMP) for the
Spokane nonattainment area (NAA) for approval and concurrently
requested that EPA redesignate the Spokane NAA to attainment for the
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter
with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 10
micrometers (PM10). In 1997, EPA approved Washington's moderate area
plan for the Spokane NAA for all PM10 sources except windblown dust. In
this direct final action, EPA is also approving the remaining elements
of the Spokane NAA moderate area plan for windblown dust sources.
DATES: This direct final rule will be effective August 30, 2005,
without further notice, unless EPA receives adverse comments by August
1, 2005. If adverse comments are received, EPA will publish a timely
withdrawal of the direct final rule in the Federal Register informing
the public that the rule will not take effect.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. R10-OAR-
2004-WA-0003, by one of the following methods:
[[Page 38030]]
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
Agency Web site: 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.
Mail: Gina Bonifacino, Office of Air, Waste and Toxics,
OAWT-107 EPA, Region 10, 1200 Sixth Ave., Seattle, Washington 98101.
Hand Delivery: EPA, Region 10 Mail Room, 9th Floor, 1200
Sixth Ave., Seattle, Washington 98101. Attention: Gina Bonifacino,
Office of Air, Waste and Toxics, OAWT-107. Such deliveries are only
accepted during normal hours of operation, and special arrangements
should be made for deliveries of boxed information.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. R10-OAR-2004-
WA-0003. 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 site 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, such as 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 electronically in EDOCKET, in hard copy at EPA,
Region 10, Office of Air, Waste and Toxics, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle,
Washington, or in hard copy at the EPA Washington Operations Office,
300 Desmond Dr. SE., Suite 102, Lacey, WA 98503 from 8 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gina Bonifacino at telephone number:
(206) 553-2970, e-mail address: bonifacino.gina@epa.gov, fax number:
(206) 553-0110, or the above EPA, Region 10 address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document wherever ``we,''
``us'' or ``our'' are used, we mean EPA.
Table of Contents
I. This Action
II. Background of the Spokane Nonattainment Area (Spokane NAA)
A. Description of the Spokane Nonattainment Area
B. PM10 Emissions in the Spokane Nonattainment Area
C. Planning Background
III. Requirements for Redesignation
A. Clean Air Act Requirements for Redesignation of Nonattainment
Areas
B. The Limited Maintenance Plan (LMP) Option for PM10
Nonattainment Areas
C. Conformity Under the Limited Maintenance Plan Option
IV. Review of the Washington State Submittal Addressing the
Requirements for Redesignation and Limited Maintenance Plans
A. Has the Spokane NAA Attained the Applicable NAAQS?
B. Does the Spokane NAA Have a Fully Approved SIP Under Section
110(k) of the Clean Air Act (the Act)?
C. Has the State Met all Applicable Requirements Under Section
110 and Part D of the Act?
D. Has the State Demonstrated That the Air Quality Improvement
Is Due to Permanent and Enforceable Reductions?
E. Does the Area Have a Fully Approved Maintenance Plan Pursuant
to Section 175A of the Act?
F. Has the State Demonstrated that the Spokane NAA Qualifies for
the LMP Option?
G. Does the State Have an Approved Attainment Emissions
Inventory Which Can Be Used To Demonstrate Attainment of the NAAQS?
H. Does the LMP Include an Assurance of Continued Operation of
an Appropriate EPA-Approved Air Quality Monitoring Network, in
Accordance With 40 CFR Part 58?
J. Does the Plan Meet the Clean Air Act Requirements for
Contingency Provisions?
K. Has the State Met Conformity Requirements?
V. Incorporation by Reference (IBR) Material
VI. Direct Final Action
VII. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. This Action
EPA is taking direct final action to approve the Limited
Maintenance Plan (LMP) for the Spokane nonattainment area (Spokane NAA)
and concurrently redesignate the Spokane NAA to attainment for the
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter
with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 10
micrometers (PM10). Also in this action, EPA is approving the remaining
portions of the moderate area State Implementation Plan (SIP) for
windblown dust sources that were deferred in EPA's approval of the
Spokane PM10 NAA moderate area plan in 1997. See 62 FR 3800. (January
27, 1997). See also 66 FR 27055. (May 16, 2001). Spokane attained the
PM10 NAAQS in 1994 and there have been no violations of the PM10 NAAQS
in Spokane since 1993. Also in this action, EPA is approving revisions
to the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority (SCAPCA)
Regulatory Orders 96-03, 96-05, and 96-06
for PM10 at the Kaiser-Trentwood facility.
II. Background of the Spokane Nonattainment Area (Spokane NAA)
A. Description of the Spokane Nonattainment Area
The Spokane PM10 nonattainment area (Spokane NAA) is a roughly
rectangular area covering approximately 599 square kilometers in
eastern Washington. The Spokane NAA encompasses the metropolitan area
of Spokane and some surrounding sections of Spokane County. For a legal
description of the boundaries see 40 CFR 81.348. The Spokane NAA lies
in a broad, flat valley transversed by the Spokane and Little Spokane
rivers. All major point sources (i.e. industrial sources) of PM10 in
Spokane County as well as 81 percent of the county's residences lie
within the NAA. In general, Spokane has a mild, arid climate in summer
and a cold, moist climate in winter. The nonattainment area is
characterized by significant terrain elevation changes which may affect
dispersion.
B. PM10 Emissions in the Spokane Nonattainment Area
Dust storms originating in the Columbia Plateau have contributed to
[[Page 38031]]
exceedences of the PM10 NAAQS and elevated PM10 levels in the Spokane
NAA. The Spokane NAA lies at the northeastern edge of the Columbia
Plateau and is impacted by seasonal high winds from the south and
southwest, which move dust from the approximate 12.1 million acres of
agricultural lands and grasslands on the semi-arid plateau to downwind
areas. A 1992 report entitled ``An Analysis of the Impact of Biogenic
PM10 Sources on the Spokane PM10 Nonattainment Area, February 1992'',
estimated gross annual emissions from anthropogenic and
nonanthropogenic sources of PM10 in eastern Washington as 40% and 60%
respectively.
Washington submitted a complete emissions inventory for the
calendar year 2002 with the Limited Maintenance Plan, and summarized
current significant contributors to daily emissions as fugitive dust
from unpaved roads (49%), residential wood combustion (24%), fugitive
dust from construction (6%), paved roads (3%) and emissions from land
clearing debris burning (3%). In 2002, all other source categories
contributed 2% or less to daily emissions of PM10.
C. Planning Background
The Spokane, Washington area was designated nonattainment for PM10
and classified as moderate under sections 107(d)(4)(B) and 188(a) of
the Clean Air Act upon enactment of the Clean Air Act Amendments of
1990. See 56 FR 56694 (November 6, 1991). States containing initial
moderate PM10 nonattainment areas were required to submit, by November
15, 1991, a moderate nonattainment area SIP that, among other
requirements, implemented reasonably available control measures (RACM)
by December 10, 1993, and demonstrated whether it was practicable to
attain the PM10 NAAQS by December 31, 1994. See generally 57 FR 13498
(April 16, 1992); see also 57 FR 18070 (April 28, 1992).
Washington submitted a SIP for the Spokane area on November 15,
1991, followed by addendums on January 31, 1992, December 9, 1994, and
May 18, 1995. The December 1994 addendum included a detailed technical
analysis indicating that nonanthropogenic sources may be significant in
the Spokane PM10 nonattainment area during windblown dust events. In
1997, based on our review of the State's submissions, we approved the
PM10 emissions inventory, control measures in the SIP as meeting RACM/
RACT, quantitative milestone and reasonable further progress
requirements, and contingency measures for all sources of PM10 other
than windblown dust. See 62 FR 3800 (January 27, 1997). Under section
188(f) of the Act, EPA deferred action on the attainment demonstration,
emissions inventory, control measures and contingency measures for
windblown dust sources in the Spokane NAA to provide the State with
more time to further evaluate windblown dust events in the Spokane NAA.
In this action, we are approving these remaining requirements for
windblown dust.
In the same action, EPA approved regulatory orders for the Kaiser-
Trentwood aluminum facility to provide consistency between the 1994
emissions inventory and allowable emissions for the facility. See 62 FR
3800 (January 27, 1997). SCAPCA Order 91-01 provided for the
use of an alternate opacity limit for the Kaiser-Trentwood aluminum
facility. SCAPCA Order 96-03, Order 96-04, Order
96-05 and Order 96-06 significantly lowered the
allowable emissions from the facility. These new allowable emissions
limits are equivalent to Kaiser facility emissions in the 1994
emissions inventory used in the attainment demonstration.
On September 24, 2001, EPA published a Federal Register notice with
its determination, based on air quality data for the years 1995-1997,
that the Spokane NAA had attained the NAAQS for PM10 by the extended
attainment date of December 31, 1997. See 66 FR 48808.
On November 30, 2004, Washington submitted a Limited Maintenance
Plan for the Spokane NAA for approval and requested that EPA
redesignate the Spokane NAA to attainment for the National Ambient Air
Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM10. In this action, EPA is approving
the Limited Maintenance Plan (LMP) for the Spokane NAA in Washington
and granting the request by the State to redesignate the area from
nonattainment to attainment for PM10. As stated above, we are also
approving the remaining moderate area plan requirements for windblown
dust.
III. Requirements for Redesignation
A. Clean Air Act Requirements for Redesignation of Nonattainment Areas
Nonattainment areas can be redesignated to attainment after the
area has measured air quality data showing it has attained the NAAQS
and when certain planning requirements are met. Section 107(d)(3)(E) of
the Clean Air Act (the Act), and the General Preamble to Title I
provide the criteria for redesignation. See 57 FR 13498 (April 16,
1992). These criteria are further clarified in a policy and guidance
memorandum from John Calcagni, Director, Air Quality Management
Division, EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards dated
September 4, 1992, ``Procedures for Processing Requests to Redesignate
Areas to Attainment''. The criteria for redesignation are:
(1) The Administrator has determined that the area has attained the
applicable NAAQS;
(2) The Administrator has fully approved the applicable SIP for the
area under section 110(k) of the Act;
(3) The state containing the area has met all requirements
applicable to the area under section 110 and part D of the Act;
(4) The Administrator has determined that the improvement in air
quality is due to permanent and enforceable reductions in emissions;
and
(5) The Administrator has fully approved a maintenance plan for the
area as meeting the requirements of section 175A of the Act.
B. The Limited Maintenance Plan (LMP) Option for PM10 Nonattainment
Areas
On August 9, 2001, EPA issued guidance on streamlined maintenance
plan provisions for certain moderate PM10 nonattainment areas seeking
redesignation to attainment (Memo from Lydia Wegman, Director, Air
Quality Standards and Strategies Division, entitled ``Limited
Maintenance Plan Option for Moderate PM10 Nonattainment Areas'',
(hereafter the LMP Option memo)). The LMP Option memo contains a
statistical demonstration that areas meeting certain air quality
criteria will, with a high degree of probability, maintain the standard
10 years into the future. Thus, EPA has already provided the
maintenance demonstration for areas meeting the criteria outlined in
the LMP Option memo. It follows that future year emission inventories
for these areas, and some of the standard analyses to determine
transportation conformity with the SIP are no longer necessary.
To qualify for the LMP Option, the area should have attained the
PM10 NAAQS, the average annual PM10 design value for the area, based
upon the most recent 5 years of air quality data at all monitors in the
area, should be at or below 40 [mu]g/m\3\, and the 24 hour design value
should be at or below 98 [mu]g/m\3\. If an area cannot meet this test,
it may still be able to qualify for the LMP Option if the average
design value (ADV) for the site is less than the site-specific critical
design values (CDV). In addition, the area should expect only limited
growth in on-road motor vehicle PM10 emissions (including fugitive
[[Page 38032]]
dust) and should have passed a motor vehicle regional emissions
analysis test. The LMP Option memo also identifies core provisions that
must be included in the LMP. These provisions include an attainment
year emissions inventory, assurance of continued operation of an EPA-
approved air quality monitoring network, and contingency provisions.
C. Conformity Under the Limited Maintenance Plan Option
The transportation conformity rule (40 CFR parts 51 and 93) and the
general conformity rule (40 CFR parts 51 and 93) apply to nonattainment
areas and maintenance areas covered by an approved maintenance plan.
Under either conformity rule, an acceptable method of demonstrating
that a Federal action conforms to the applicable SIP is to demonstrate
that expected emissions from the planned action are consistent with the
emissions budget for the area.
While EPA's Limited Maintenance Plan Option does not exempt an area
from the need to affirm conformity, it explains that the area may
demonstrate conformity without submitting an emissions budget. Under
the Limited Maintenance Plan Option, emissions budgets are treated as
essentially not constraining for the length of the maintenance period
because it is unreasonable to expect that the qualifying areas would
experience so much growth in that period that a violation of the PM10
NAAQS would result. For transportation conformity purposes, EPA would
conclude that emissions in these areas need not be capped for the
maintenance period and therefore a regional emissions analysis would
not be required. Similarly, Federal actions subject to the general
conformity rule could be considered to satisfy the ``budget test''
specified in 40 CFR 93.158(a)(5)(i)(A) for the same reasons that the
budgets are essentially considered to be unlimited.
IV. Review of the Washington State Submittal Addressing the
Requirements for Redesignation and Limited Maintenance Plans.
A. Has the Spokane NAA Attained the Applicable NAAQS?
There are two separate NAAQS for PM10, an annual standard of 50
[mu]g/m3 and a 24-hour standard of 150 [mu]g/m3. States must
demonstrate that an area has attained the PM10 NAAQS through analysis
of ambient air quality data from an ambient air monitoring network
representing peak PM10 concentrations. The data should be stored in the
EPA Air Quality System (AQS) database. As stated in section II.C. of
this document, EPA determined that the Spokane NAA attained the PM10
NAAQS based on monitoring data from the calendar years 1995-1997. See
66 FR 48808 (September 24, 2001). Currently, the area is in compliance
with both of the PM10 NAAQS.
Since 1997, exceedences of the 24-hour standard occurred on
September 25, 1999 and September 25, 2001. Both of these exceedences
were flagged by the State as due to high wind events under EPA's
Natural Events Policy. Based on the information provided by Washington
about these events, other information provided by Washington regarding
control measures being implemented at the time of the events, and the
area's soil and climate characteristics, we conclude that the
exceedences that occurred on September 25, 1999 and September 25, 2001
were due to high wind natural events and that, on those dates,
anthropogenic sources contributing to the exceedences were controlled
with Best Available Control Measures (BACM). See memorandum entitled
``Assessment of Natural Even Claims for Exceedences on September 25,
1999, and September 25, 2001 in Spokane, Washington'' in the Technical
Support Document for this action. Therefore, EPA is excluding the
exceedences from September 25, 1999 and September 25, 2001 from
consideration in determining whether the area is currently attaining
the PM10 NAAQS and in calculating design values for the Limited
Maintenance Plan. The area continues to attain the 24-hour and annual
PM10 NAAQS.
B. Does the Spokane NAA Have a Fully Approved SIP Under Section 110(k)
of the Clean Air Act (the Act)?
In order to qualify for redesignation, the SIP for the area must be
fully approved under section 110(k) of the Act, and must satisfy all
requirements that apply to the area. Section 107(d)(4)(B) of the Clean
Air Act contains requirements and milestones for all initial moderate
nonattainment area SIPs including:
(1) Provisions to assure that reasonably available control measures
(RACM) (including such reductions in emissions from existing sources in
the area as may be obtained through the adoption, at a minimum, of
reasonably available control technology--RACT) shall be implemented no
later than December 10, 1993;
(2) A demonstration (including air quality modeling) that the plan
will provide for attainment as expeditiously as practicable by no later
than December 31, 1994 or, where the state is seeking an extension of
the attainment date under section 188(e), a demonstration that
attainment by December 31, 1994 is impracticable and that the plan
provides for attainment by the most expeditious alternative date
practicable (CAA sections 189(a)(1)(A));
(3) Quantitative milestones which are to be achieved every three
years and which demonstrate reasonable further progress (RFP) toward
attainment by December 31, 1994 (CAA sections 172(c)(2) and 189(c));
and
(4) Contingency measures to be implemented if the area fails to
make RFP or attain by its attainment deadline. These contingency
measures are to take effect without further action by the State or EPA.
(CAA section 172(c)(9)).
As stated above, on January 27, 1997, EPA approved Spokane's
moderate area plan including RACT/RACM for all PM10 sources except for
windblown dust and under section 188(f) of the Act, deferred action on
the attainment demonstration, emissions inventory, quantitative
milestones, control measures and contingency measures for windblown
dust sources. See 62 FR 3800. In this action, EPA is approving the area
as meeting RACM for windblown dust sources based on the implementation
of BACM to control windblown dust originating from the Columbia
Plateau. EPA generally interprets the BACM requirement as subsuming the
RACM requirement. In other words, if we determine that the measures are
indeed the ``best available,'' we have necessarily concluded that they
are ``reasonably available''. As stated above in section IV.A., EPA
concludes that BACM is implemented for windblown dust from agriculture
on the Columbia Plateau.
The remaining attainment demonstration, emissions inventory,
quantitative milestone, and control and contingency measure
requirements must be met for all PM10 sources for an approvable
moderate area plan. EPA believes that quantitative milestones and
contingency measures are no longer required in the Spokane NAA since
both of these requirements relate to the applicable attainment date,
and EPA determined that the area attained the PM10 NAAQS by December
31, 1997. We believe that Spokane meets all of the remaining
requirements for moderate area plans including control measures for
windblown dust sources, the attainment demonstration, and emissions
inventory by meeting the requirements for the Limited Maintenance Plan.
The Limited Maintenance Plan contains a detailed emissions
inventory for all sources of PM10 for the calendar
[[Page 38033]]
year 2002 including an inventory of windblown dust. The Limited
Maintenance Plan also contains control measures that address windblown
dust among other sources of PM10. We refer the reader to sections
IV.C., and IV.D., respectively for further discussion on the emissions
inventory, and control measures requirements for all sources of PM10 in
the Spokane NAA.
As previously stated, the fully approved SIP must contain an
attainment demonstration (including air quality modeling) that the plan
will provide for attainment by the applicable attainment date. As noted
above, Spokane attained the PM10 NAAQS by the applicable attainment
date (December 31, 1997) based on monitoring data from the calendar
years 1995-1997. See 66 FR 48808 (September 24, 2001). However, EPA has
not previously fully approved the State's attainment demonstration for
Spokane.
In this action, EPA concludes that the statistical demonstration of
maintenance submitted with the Limited Maintenance Plan fulfills the
attainment demonstration requirement. Generally, EPA recommends that
attainment be demonstrated according to the PM-10 SIP Development
Guideline (June 1987), which presents three methods based on Federal
regulations. Federal regulations require demonstration of attainment
``by means of a proportional model or dispersion model or other
procedure which is shown to be adequate and appropriate for such
purposes.'' See 40 CFR 51.112. See also 62 FR 18051 (April 14, 1997).
EPA believes that it is reasonable to accept the Limited Maintenance
Plan demonstration as an adequate attainment demonstration since this
maintenance demonstration ensures maintenance of the PM10 NAAQS for ten
years from the effective date of this action. Section IV.F. of this
notice contains a description of the maintenance demonstration included
with the Limited Maintenance Plan. In this action, EPA is finding the
maintenance demonstration criteria outlined in the Limited LMP Option
are satisfied. Accordingly, EPA is approving the remaining moderate
area plan requirements for the Spokane NAA; the attainment
demonstration, emissions inventory and control methods for all sources,
including windblown dust. Thus, upon the effective date of this action,
the Spokane NAA will have a fully approved moderate area plan.
C. Has the State Met All Applicable Requirements Under Section 110 and
Part D of the Act?
Section 107(d)(3)(E) of the Act requires that a state containing a
nonattainment area must meet all applicable requirements under section
110 and Part D of the Act for an area to be redesignated to attainment.
EPA interprets this to mean that the state must meet all requirements
that applied to the area prior to, and at the time of, the submission
of a complete redesignation request. The following is a summary of how
Washington meets these requirements.
(1) Clean Air Act Section 110 Requirements
Section 110(a)(2) of the Act contains general requirements for
nonattainment plans. These requirements include, but are not limited
to, submittal of a SIP that has been adopted by the state after
reasonable notice and public hearing; provisions for establishment and
operation of appropriate apparatus, methods, systems and procedures
necessary to monitor ambient air quality; implementation of a permit
program; provisions for Part C--Prevention of Significant Deterioration
(PSD) and Part D--New Source Review (NSR) permit programs; criteria for
stationary source emission control measures, monitoring and reporting,
provisions for modeling; and provisions for public and local agency
participation. See the General Preamble for further explanation of
these requirements. 57 FR 13498 (April 16, 1992).
For purposes of redesignation, EPA review of the Washington SIP
shows that the State has satisfied all requirements under section
110(a)(2) of the Act. Further, in 40 CFR 52.2473, EPA has approved
Washington's plan for the attainment and maintenance of the national
standards under Section 110.
(2) Part D Requirements
Part D contains general requirements applicable to all areas
designated nonattainment. The general requirements are followed by a
series of subparts specific to each pollutant. All PM10 nonattainment
areas must meet the general provisions of Subpart 1 and the specific
PM10 provisions in Subpart 4, ``Additional Provisions for Particulate
Matter Nonattainment Areas.'' The following paragraphs discuss these
requirements as they apply to the Spokane NAA.
(3) Subpart 1, Section 172(c)
Subpart 1, section 172(c) contains general requirements for
nonattainment area plans. A thorough discussion of these requirements
may be found in the General Preamble. See 57 FR 13538 (April 16, 1992).
Clean Air Act (CAA) section 172(c)(2) requires nonattainment plans to
provide for reasonable further progress (RFP). Section 171(1) of the
CAA defines RFP as ``such annual incremental reductions in emissions of
the relevant air pollutant as are required by this part (part D of
title I) or may reasonably be required by the Administrator for the
purpose of ensuring attainment of the applicable national ambient air
quality standard by the applicable date.'' Since EPA determined that
the Spokane NAA was in attainment of the PM10 NAAQS by 1997, we believe
that no further showing of RFP or quantitative milestones is necessary.
See 66 FR 48808 (September 24, 2001).
(4) Section 172(c)(3)--Emissions Inventory
Section 172(c)(3) of the Act requires a comprehensive, accurate,
current inventory of actual emissions from all sources in the Spokane
PM10 nonattainment area. Washington included an emissions inventory for
the calendar year 2002 with its submittal of the LMP for the Spokane
NAA. Based on the inventory preparation plan for the PM10 2002 base
year emissions inventory, which includes windblown dust sources, EPA
believes that the 2002 base year emissions inventory is current,
accurate and comprehensive and therefore meets the requirements of
Section 172(c)(3) of the Act.
(5) Section 172(c)(5)--New Source Review (NSR)
The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 contained revisions to the New
Source Review (NSR) program requirements for the construction and
operation of new and modified major stationary sources located in
nonattainment areas. The Act requires states to amend their SIPS to
reflect these revisions, but does not require submittal of this element
along with the other SIP elements. The Act established June 30, 1992 as
the submittal date for the revised NSR programs (Section 189 of the
Act). The Part D NSR rules for PM10 nonattainment areas in Washington
were approved by EPA on June 2, 1995. See 60 FR 28726. In the Spokane
NAA, the requirements of the Part D NSR program will be replaced by the
Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program and the
maintenance area NSR program upon effective date of redesignation. The
Federal PSD regulations found at 40 CFR 52.21 are the PSD rules in
effect for Washington. See 40 CFR 52.2497.
[[Page 38034]]
(6) Section 172(c)(7) Compliance With CAA Section 110(a)(2): Air
Quality Monitoring Requirements
Once an area is redesignated, the state must continue to operate an
appropriate air monitoring network in accord with 40 CFR part 58 to
verify attainment status of the area. The State of Washington and
Spokane County Air Pollution Authority (SCAPCA) operate two PM10 and
PM2.5 State and Local Air Monitoring Stations (SLAMS) in the Spokane
NAA. Both monitoring sites meet EPA SLAMS network design and siting
requirements set forth at 40 CFR part 58, appendices D and E, and have
been monitoring for PM10 since 1995. In section D of the Limited
Maintenance Plan that we are approving today, the State commits to
continued operation of the monitoring network.
(7) Section 172 (c)(9) Contingency Measures
The Clean Air Act requires that contingency measures take effect if
the area fails to meet reasonable further progress requirements or
fails to attain the NAAQS by the applicable attainment date. Since the
Spokane NAA attained the NAAQS for PM10 by the applicable attainment
date of December 31, 1997, contingency measures are no longer required
under Section 172(c)(9) of the Act. However, contingency provisions are
required for maintenance plans under Section 175(a)(d). We describe the
contingency provisions Washington provided in the Spokane LMP below.
(8) Part D Subpart 4
Part D Subpart 4, Section 189(a), (c) and (e) requirements apply to
any moderate nonattainment area before the area can be redesignated to
attainment. The requirements which were applicable prior to the
submission of the request to redesignate the area must be fully
approved into the SIP before redesignating the area to attainment.
These requirements include:
(a) Provisions to assure that RACM was implemented by December 10,
1993;
(b) Either a demonstration that the plan provided for attainment as
expeditiously as practicable but not later than December 31, 1994, or a
demonstration that attainment by that date was impracticable;
(c) Quantitative milestones which were achieved every 3 years and
which demonstrate reasonable further progress (RFP) toward attainment
by December 31, 1994; and
(d) Provisions to assure that the control requirements applicable
to major stationary sources of PM10 also apply to major stationary
sources of PM10 precursors except where the Administrator determined
that such sources do not contribute significantly to PM10 levels which
exceed the NAAQS in the area.
These provisions, with the exception of the attainment
demonstration and quantitative milestones were fully approved into the
SIP upon EPA approval of the PM10 moderate area plan for the Spokane
NAA on January 27, 1997. See 62 FR 3800. As discussed above, the
requirements for reasonable further progress were satisfied with the
September 24, 2001 finding of attainment (66 FR 48808), and EPA is
approving the attainment demonstration, based on the maintenance
demonstration submitted with the Limited Maintenance Plan, in this
action.
D. Has the State Demonstrated That the Air Quality Improvement Is Due
to Permanent and Enforceable Reductions?
The state must be able to reasonably attribute the improvement in
air quality to permanent and enforceable emission reductions. In making
this showing, the state must demonstrate that air quality improvements
are the result of actual enforceable emission reductions. This showing
should consider emission rates, production capacities, and other
related information. The analysis should assume that sources are
operating at permitted levels (or historic peak levels) unless evidence
is presented that such an assumption is unrealistic.
Permanent and enforceable control measures in the Spokane NAA SIP
include RACM and BACM. Emission sources in the Spokane NAA have been
implementing RACM for at least 10 years. Table 1 contains a list of
RACM implemented in Spokane. These control measures were approved into
the SIP, and they are both permanent and federally enforceable. See 62
FR 3800 (January 27, 1997).
Table 1.--Spokane Nonattainment Area Reasonably Available Control Measures
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Control Measure Jurisdiction Authority
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reduce particulate matter by paving City of Spokane.................... Res. 90-93.
unpaved streets
Reduce particulate matter by paving Spokane County..................... Res. 90-1219.
unpaved streets
Reduce fugitive dust from paved roads City of Spokane.................... Res. 93-43.
through sweeping/sanding mitigation
program
Reduce particulate matter from paved SCAPCA............................. Reg. 1, Sec 6.14.
roads through requirement that
government entities submit sweeping and
sanding plans
Reduce residential wood smoke through Washington State................... RCW 70.94 and WAC 173-433.
curtailment program
Reduce residential wood smoke through SCAPCA............................. Res.'s 88-03, 90-08, 94-02 and
zone 94-18.
Reduce fugitive dust from unpaved roads SCAPCA............................. Res. 94-17.
through requirement that governmental
entities submit emission reduction and
control plans
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As discussed in section IV.A., Best Available Control Measures
(BACM) are in place to control wind blown dust from the Columbia
Plateau. Based on the 2003 NEAP and the 2004 status report submitted to
EPA by the Washington Department of Ecology, EPA has determined that
Spokane meets the BACM requirement for agricultural sources within the
Columbia Plateau. See the technical support document for this action
for a discussion on BACM for agricultural sources within the Columbia
Plateau.
There are two major stationary sources within the Spokane NAA, the
Kaiser Aluminum facilities at Trentwood and Mead. These have not been
evaluated specifically for RACT by either Washington or the Spokane
County Air Pollution Control Authority (SCAPCA) since analysis of the
24-hour PM10 problem indicates that industrial sources are not a major
contributor. See
[[Page 38035]]
61 FR 36001 (July 9, 1996). Although analysis indicates that neither of
the Kaiser Aluminum facilities are major contributors to 24-hour PM10
past or future exceedences, SCAPCA issued regulatory orders for the
Kaiser-Trentwood facility under WAC 173-400-091 ``Voluntary Limits on
Emissions.'' SCAPCA orders 96-03, 96-04, 96-
05, and 96-06 lower the potential to emit and 91-01
establishes an alternate opacity limit. These orders were adopted into
the SIP on January 27, 1997 (62 FR 3800), and EPA is approving
revisions to regulatory orders 96-03, 96-05, and
96-06 with this action.
Finally, EPA believes that areas that qualify for the LMP will meet
the NAAQS, even under worst case meteorological conditions. Under the
Limited Maintenance Plan policy, the maintenance demonstration is
presumed to be satisfied if an area meets the qualifying criteria.
Thus, by qualifying for the Limited Maintenance Plan, Washington has
demonstrated that the air quality improvements in the Spokane area are
the result of permanent emission reductions and not a result of either
economic trends or meteorology. A description of the LMP qualifying
criteria and how the Spokane area meets these criteria is provided in
the following section.
E. Does the Area Have a Fully Approved Maintenance Plan Pursuant to
Section 175A of the Act?
In this action, we are approving the Limited Maintenance Plan in
accordance with the principles outlined in the LMP Option. Upon the
effective date of this action, the area will have a fully approved
maintenance plan.
F. Has the State Demonstrated That the Spokane NAA Qualifies for the
LMP Option?
The LMP Option memo outlines the requirements for an area to
qualify for the LMP Option. First, the area should be attaining the
NAAQS. As stated above in Section IV.A., EPA has determined that the
Spokane NAA has been in attainment of the PM10 NAAQS since 1997 and
continues to meet the PM10 NAAQS for the period 1998-2002.
Second, the average design value (ADV) for the past 5 years of
monitoring data must be at or below the critical design value (CDV).
The CDV is a margin of safety value and is the value at which an area
has been determined to have a 1 in 10 probability of exceeding the
NAAQS. The LMP Option memo provides two methods for review of
monitoring data for the purpose of qualifying for the LMP option. The
first method is a comparison of a site's ADV with the CDV of 98 [mu]g/
m\3\ for the 24-hour PM10 NAAQS and 40 [mu]g/m\3\ for the annual PM10
NAAQS. A second method that applies to the 24-hour PM10 NAAQS is the
calculation of a site-specific CDV and a comparison of the site-
specific CDV with the ADV for the past 5 years of monitoring data.
The ADV for the 24-hour PM10 NAAQS for Spokane, based on data from
the Crown Zellerbach monitor for the years 1998-2002, is 110.7. This
value falls below the site-specific 24-hour CDV of 116.6 [mu]g/m\3\.
The annual ADV from the Crown Zellerbach monitor for the same period is
28.2 [mu]g/m\3\. This falls below the annual CDV provided in the LMP
Option memo of 40 [mu]g/m\3\. Therefore, Spokane meets the design value
criteria outlined in the LMP Option memo. For the 1998-2002 ADV and
1993-2003 site-specific CDV calculations for PM10 in Spokane, please
see the technical support document, Attachment H.
Third, the area must meet the motor vehicle regional emissions
analysis test in attachment B of the LMP Option memo. Using the
methodology outlined in the memo, based on monitoring data for the
period 1998-2002, EPA has determined that the Spokane NAA passes the
motor vehicle regional emissions analysis test. For the calculations
used to determine that Spokane has passed the motor vehicle regional
analysis test, see the technical support document, Attachment H.
The monitoring data for the period 1998-2002 shows that Spokane has
attained the NAAQS for PM10, the 24-hour ADV and the annual ADV in
Spokane are less than the site specific 24-hour PM10 CDV and the
national annual CDV respectively. Finally, the area has met the
regional vehicle emissions analysis test. Thus, the Spokane NAA area
qualifies for the Limited Maintenance Plan option described in the LMP
Option memo.
The LMP Option memo also indicates that once a state selects the
LMP Option and it is in effect, the state will be expected to
determine, on an annual basis, that the LMP criteria are still being
met. If the state determines that the LMP criteria are not being met,
it should take action to reduce PM10 concentrations enough to requalify
for the LMP. One possible approach the State could take is to implement
contingency measures. In section E of the Limited Maintenance Plan,
Washington commits to evaluate, on an annual basis, the LMP criteria
for the Spokane NAA.
For these reasons and reasons explained below, we are approving the
LMP for the Spokane NAA and the State's request to redesignate the
Spokane NAA from nonattainment to attainment for PM10.
G. Does the State Have an Approved Attainment Emissions Inventory Which
Can Be Used To Demonstrate Attainment of the NAAQS?
The state's approved attainment plan should include an emissions
inventory (attainment inventory) which can be used to demonstrate
attainment of the NAAQS. The inventory should represent emissions
during the same five year period associated with air quality data used
to determine whether the area meets the applicability requirements of
the LMP Option. The state should review its inventory every three years
to ensure emissions growth is incorporated in the attainment inventory
if necessary. In this instance, Washington completed an attainment year
inventory for the attainment year 1997. However, this inventory was not
fully approved as it did not include emissions from windblown dust.
Washington is now using the emissions inventory for the calendar year
2002 as the attainment year inventory.
EPA has reviewed the 2002 emissions inventory and determined that
it is current, accurate and complete. EPA has also reviewed monitoring
data for the years 1997-2002, and determined that the 2002 emissions
inventory is representative of the attainment year inventory since the
NAAQS was not violated during 2002. In addition, the emissions
inventory submitted with the Limited Maintenance Plan for the calendar
year 2002 is representative of the level of emissions during the time
period used to calculate the average design value since 2002 is
included in the five year period used to calculate the design value
(1998-2002). As stated above in Section IV.C.4., the 2002 emissions
inventory meets the requirements of Section 172(c)(3) of the Act, and
the requirements for emissions inventory in Table 3.1 of the EPA
document entitled PM-10 Emission Inventory Requirements, Final Report.
H. Does the LMP Include an Assurance of Continued Operation of an
Appropriate EPA-Approved Air Quality Monitoring Network, in Accordance
With 40 CFR Part 58?
A PM10 monitoring network was established in the Spokane area in
October, 1985. Monitoring sites have been located in nine different
locations throughout the area since that time. The monitoring network
was developed and
[[Page 38036]]
has been maintained in accordance with federal siting and design
criteria in 40 CFR Part 58, Appendices D and E and in consultation with
Region 10. Currently, there are two PM10/PM2.5 SLAMS/NAMS monitors in
the Spokane NAA. In section IV.E. of the Spokane LMP, Washington states
that it will continue to operate its monitoring network to meet EPA
requirements.
I. Does the Plan Meet the Clean Air Act Requirements for Contingency
Provisions?
Section 175A of the Act states that a maintenance plan must include
contingency provisions, as necessary, to promptly correct any violation
of the NAAQS which may occur after redesignation of the area to
attainment. As explained in the LMP Option memo, these contingency
measures do not have to be fully adopted at the time of redesignation.
Section IV.F. of the Spokane Limited Maintenance Plan describes a
process and timeline to identify and evaluate appropriate contingency
measures in the event of a quality assured violation of the PM10 NAAQS.
Within 30 days following a violation of the PM10 NAAQS, the Spokane
County Air Pollution Control Authority (SCAPCA), the Spokane Regional
Transportation Council (SRTC) and the Washington Department of Ecology
will convene an assessment team to identify appropriate measures to be
implemented and prepare and deliver a report to the Spokane County Air
Pollution Control Authority (SCAPCA) board of directors and appropriate
staff at Washington Department of Ecology within 120 days based on:
(1) Monitoring data before and during the event;
(2) Weather conditions that may have caused and/or contributed to
the violation;
(3) Normal and unusual emissions occurring prior to and during the
event;
(4) Effectiveness of existing controls in reducing the magnitude
and/or duration of events;
(5) Appropriateness of modifying and or implementing one or more
LMP contingency measures; and
(6) Possible changes to the LMP, monitoring network, and or public
information strategies.
The plan describes contingency measures that are already in effect
or may automatically become effective in the event of a violation of
the NAAQS, subject to the assessment described above. These contingency
measures include:
(1) Unpaved Road Control Regulation: This measure, adopted by
SCAPCA in 1994 as section 6.15 of Regulation I, controls particulate
matter emissions from unpaved surfaces. The measure requires, among
other things, that the city of Spokane, Spokane County, and the Town of
Millwood submit emission reduction contingency plans for the control of
dust emissions from unpaved roads and parking lot emissions to SCAPCA
for approval. These contingency plans, if determined appropriate, will
be reviewed and updated in the event of a NAAQS violation;
(2) Ban on Uncertified Stoves: Article VIII of SCAPCA's Regulation
I contains provisions for Solid Fuel Burning Device Standards. As
amended on January 6, 1994, it enables SCAPCA to take further
residential wood-smoke control actions if the area is not in attainment
of the PM10 standard because of wood-smoke emissions.
The regulation prohibits the use of any solid fuel burning device
not meeting state certification standards. Implementation of this
regulation as a contingency measure will provide a further reduction of
wood-smoke emissions, should the assessment, as described above, find
it necessary.
The assessment team will also consider recommending other
contingency measures that may more appropriately address the most
probable source contributing to the violation. The board may adopt and
implement contingency measures other than those listed above, as
needed. EPA believes that current and proposed contingency measures in
Spokane's Limited Maintenance Plan meet the requirements for
contingency measures as outlined in the Limited Maintenance Plan Option
memo.
J. Has the State Met Conformity Requirements?
(1) Transportation Conformity
Under the LMP Option, emissions budgets are treated as essentially
not constraining for the maintenance period because it is unreasonable
to expect that qualifying areas would experience so much growth in that
period that a NAAQS violation would result.
While areas with maintenance plans approved under the LMP Option
are not subject to the budget test, the areas remain subject to other
transportation conformity requirements of 40 CFR part 93, subpart A.
Thus, the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) in the area or the
State must document and ensure that:
(a) Transportation plans and projects provide for timely
implementation of SIP transportation control measures (TCMs) in
accordance with 40 CFR 93.113;
(b) Transportation plans and projects comply with the fiscal
constraint element per 40 CFR 93.108;
(c) The MPO's interagency consultation procedures meet applicable
requirements of 40 CFR 93.105;
(d) Conformity of transportation plans is determined no less
frequently than every three years, and conformity of plan amendments
and transportation projects is demonstrated in accordance with the
timing requirements specified in 40 CFR 93.104;
(e) The latest planning assumptions and emissions model are used as
set forth in 40 CFR 93.110 and 40 CFR 93.111;
(f) Projects do not cause or contribute to any new localized carbon
monoxide or particulate matter violations, in accordance with
procedures specified in 40 CFR 93.123; and
(g) Project sponsors and/or operators provide written commitments
as specified in 40 CFR 93.125.
On February 10, 2005, EPA posted a proposal to find the Spokane LMP
Motor Vehicle Emissions Budget adequate for transportation conformity
purposes on EPA's conformity Web site: https://www.epa.gov/oms/traq. As
stated above, Limited Maintenance Plan budgets are unconstrained and
consequently, the adequacy review period for these maintenance plans
serves to allow the public to comment on whether limited maintenance is
appropriate for these areas. Interested parties may comment on the
adequacy and approval of the Limited Maintenance Plans by submitting
their comments on the proposed rule published concurrently with this
direct final rule. The comment period for the adequacy posting for the
Spokane LMP ended on March 15, 2005. EPA did not receive any comments
on this posting.
(2) General Conformity
For Federal actions which are required to address the specific
requirements of the general conformity rule, one set of requirements
applies particularly to ensuring that emissions from the action will
not cause or contribute to new violations of the NAAQS, exacerbate
current violations, or delay timely attainment. One way that this
requirement can be met is to demonstrate that ``the total of direct and
indirect emissions from the action (or portion thereof) is determined
and documented by the State agency primarily responsible for the
applicable SIP to result in a level of emissions which, together with
all other emissions in the nonattainment area, would not
[[Page 38037]]
exceed the emissions budgets specified in the applicable SIP.'' 40 CFR
93.158(a)(5)(i)(A).
The decision about whether to include specific allocations of
allowable emissions increases to sources is one made by the State and
local air quality agencies. These emissions budgets are different than
those used in transportation conformity. Emissions budgets in
transportation conformity are required to limit and restrain emissions.
Emissions budgets in general conformity allow increases in emissions up
to specified levels. Washington has not chosen to include specific
emissions allocations for Federal projects that would be subject to the
provisions of general conformity.
V. Incorporation by Reference (IBR) Material
EPA is incorporating by reference revisions to the following
Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority (SCAPCA) Regulatory
Orders: 96-03, effective date October 4, 2000; 96-05,
effective date October 4, 2000; and 96-06, effective date
October 19, 2000.
VI. Direct Final Action
EPA is approving the Limited Maintenance Plan (LMP) for the Spokane
nonattainment area (Spokane NAA) and redesignating the Spokane NAA to
attainment for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for
particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a
nominal 10 micrometers (PM10). EPA is also approving the remaining
portions of the moderate area plan (``attainment plan'') for the
Spokane NAA for all PM10 sources including windblown dust.
Also in this action, EPA is approving revisions to the Spokane
County Air Pollution Control Authority (SCAPCA) Regulatory Orders
96-03, effective date October 4, 2000; 96-05,
effective date October 4, 2000; and 96-06, effective date
October 19, 2000.
EPA is publishing this action without a prior proposal because EPA
views this as a noncontroversial amendment and anticipates no adverse
comments. In the proposed rules section of this Federal Register
publication, however, EPA is publishing a separate document that will
serve as the proposal to approve the SIP revision should adverse
comments be filed. This direct final rule is effective on August 30,
2005, without further notice, unless EPA receives adverse comment by
August 1, 2005. If an adverse comment is received, EPA will publish a
timely withdrawal of the direct final rule in the Federal Register and
inform the public that the rule did not take effect. All adverse public
comments received will then be addressed in a subsequent final rule
based on the proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment
period on this action. Any parties interested in commenting must do so
at this time. Please note that if EPA receives adverse comment on an
amendment, paragraph, or section of this rule, EPA may adopt as final
those provisions of the rule that are not the subject of an adverse
comment.
VII. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
Under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993), this
action is not a ``significant regulatory action'' and therefore is not
subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget. For this
reason, this action is also not subject to Executive Order 13211,
``Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy
Supply, Distribution, or Use'' (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001). This action
merely approves state law as meeting Federal requirements and imposes
no additional requirements beyond those imposed by state law.
Accordingly, the Administrator certifies that this rule will not have a
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities
under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). Because
this rule approves pre-existing requirements under state law and does
not impose any additional enforceable duty beyond that required by
state law, it does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or
uniquely affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4).
This rule also does not have tribal implications because it will
not have a substantial direct effect on one or more Indian tribes, on
the relationship between the Federal Government and Indian tribes, or
on the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal
Government and Indian tribes, as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65
FR 67249, November 6, 2000). This action also does not have federalism
implications because it does 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 (64
FR 43255, August 10, 1999). This action merely approves a state rule
implementing a Federal standard, and does not alter the relationship or
the distribution of power and responsibilities established in the Clean
Air Act. This rule also is not subject to Executive Order 13045
``Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety
Risks'' (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997), because it is not economically
significant.
In reviewing SIP submissions, EPA's role is to approve state
choices, provided that they meet the criteria of the Clean Air Act. In
this context, in the absence of a prior existing requirement for the
State to use voluntary consensus standards (VCS), EPA has no authority
to disapprove a SIP submission for failure to use VCS. It would thus be
inconsistent with applicable law for EPA, when it reviews a SIP
submission, to use VCS in place of a SIP submission that otherwise
satisfies the provisions of the Clean Air Act. Thus, the requirements
of section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement
Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) do not apply. This rule does not
impose an information collection burden under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
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. 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 not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C.
804(2).
Under section 307(b)(1) of the Clean Air Act, petitions for
judicial review of this action must be filed in the United States Court
of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by August 30, 2005. Filing a
petition for reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule
does not affect the finality of this rule for the purposes of judicial
review nor does it extend the time within which a petition for judicial
review may be filed, and shall not postpone the effectiveness of such
rule or action. This action may not be challenged later in proceedings
to enforce its requirements. See section 307(b)(2).
[[Page 38038]]
List of Subjects
40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by
reference, Intergovernmental relations, Particulate matter, Reporting
and recordkeeping requirements.
40 CFR Part 81
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, National parks,
Wilderness areas.
Dated: June 17, 2005.
Daniel D. Opalski,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 10.
0
Chapter I, title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as
follows:
PART 52--[AMENDED]
0
1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
Subpart WW--Washington
0
2. Section 52.2470 is amended by adding paragraph (c)(85) to read as
follows:
Sec. 52.2470 Identification of plan.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(85) On November 15, 2004, the Washington State Department of
Ecology submitted a PM10 Limited Maintenance Plan and requested the
redesignation of the Spokane County PM10 Nonattainment area to
attainment for PM10. The State's Limited Maintenance Plan, attainment
year emissions inventory, and the redesignation request meet the
requirements of the Clean Air Act. EPA approves the State's Limited
Maintenance Plan and Moderate Area Plan requirements for the Spokane
PM10 nonattainment area and request for redesignation to attainment.
(i) Incorporation by reference.
(A) Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority (SCAPCA) orders
96-03 (modified October 4, 2000), 96-05 (modified
October 4, 2000) and 96-06 (modified October 19, 2000) to
regulate particulate matter emissions from the specific emission units
of the Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation, Trentwood aluminum
facility.
0
3. Section 52.2475 is amended by adding paragraph (e) (3) (i) to read
as follows:
Sec. 52.2475 Approval of plans.
(e) * * *
(3) Spokane.
(i) EPA approves as a revision to the Washington State
Implementation Plan, the Spokane County PM10 Nonattainment Area Limited
Maintenance Plan adopted by the Spokane Regional Clean Air Authority on
November 17, 2004, and adopted and submitted by the Washington
Department of Ecology on November 30, 2004.
* * * * *
PART 81--[AMENDED]
0
1. The authority citation for part 81 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
0
2. In Sec. 81.348, the table entitled ``Washington PM-10'' is amended
by revising the entry for ``Spokane County'' to read as follows:
Sec. 81.348 Washington.
* * * * *
Washington--PM10
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Designation Classification area
Designated area ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date Type Date Type
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * * 8/30/05 Attainment...............................
Spokane County: The area bounded on the
south by a line from Universal
Transmercator (UTM) coordinate
489000mE, 5271000mN west to 458000mE,
5271000mN, thence north along a line to
coordinate 458000mE, 5288000mN, thence
east to 463000mE, 5288000mN, thence
north to 463000mE, 5292000mN, thence
east to 481000mE, 5292000mN, thence
south to 481000mE, 5288000mN, thence
east to 489000mE, 5288000mN, thence
south to the beginning coordinate,
489000mE, 5271000mN..
* * * * * * *
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[FR Doc. 05-12946 Filed 6-30-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P