2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is proposing to make determinations that the Greene County and Jackson County ozone nonattainment areas have attained the 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). These proposed determinations are based on three years of complete, quality-assured ambient air quality monitoring data for the 2002-2004 seasons that demonstrate that the 8-hour ozone NAAQS has been attained in the areas. EPA is proposing to approve requests from the State of Indiana to redesignate the Greene County and Jackson County areas to attainment of the 8-hour ozone NAAQS. These requests were submitted by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) on July 15, 2005 and supplemented on September 6, 2005, September 7, 2005, October 6, 2005, and October 20, 2005. In proposing to approve these requests, EPA is also proposing to approve the State's plans for maintaining the 8-hour ozone NAAQS through 2015 in these areas as a revision to the Indiana State Implementation Plan (SIP). EPA is also proposing to find adequate and approve the State's 2015 Motor Vehicle Emission Budgets (MVEBs) for these areas. In the final rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the SIP revisions as a direct final rule without prior proposal, because EPA views these actions as noncontroversial and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approvals is set forth in the direct final rule. If we do not receive any adverse comments in response to these direct final and proposed rules, we do not contemplate taking any further action in relation to these proposed rule. If EPA receives adverse comments with respect to an area addressed by these rules, we will publish a timely withdrawal of the action affecting that area, informing the public that the rule will not take effect with respect to that area. EPA will respond to the public comments in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period on this action. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

On November 5, 2001, we published a direct final rule and concurrent notice of proposed rulemaking to revise the requirements on variability in the composition of additives certified EPA's Gasoline Deposit Control Program. We received adverse comments on two of the amendments contained in the direct final rule and proposed rule. Consequently, we issued a partial withdrawal notice on January 24, 2002, to withdraw the amendments that received adverse comments. This action addresses the public comments received on the withdrawn amendments. We found the adverse comments on the withdrawn amendments unpersuasive. However, we agreed with one commenter's suggestion that additional clarifying language would be useful in one of the subject amendments to prevent any potential for misinterpretation. Consequently, today's action implements the previously withdrawn amendments with the addition of clarifying language. The changes to the regulatory requirements made by this action address additive manufacturer concerns that compliance with the previous requirements would be burdensome and difficult, while maintaining the emissions control benefits of the gasoline deposit control program.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. (EMBRAER) Model ERJ 170 airplanes. This AD requires repetitively replacing the low-stage check valve and associated seals of the right-hand engine bleed system. This AD results from a report that an engine shut down during flight due to the failure of the low-stage check valve to close. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the low-stage check valve, which could result in an engine shutting down during flight.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain EMBRAER Model EMB-135 airplanes, and Model EMB-145, -145ER, - 145MR, -145LR, -145XR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes. This AD requires modification of the logic of the steering system of the nose landing gear (NLG) wheel. This AD results from reports of the loss of directional control of the airplane on the ground after an internal failure of the NLG wheel steering system. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the NLG wheel steering system, which could result in reduced controllability of the airplane.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A319-100 series airplanes, Model A320-111 airplanes, Model A320-200 series airplanes, and Model A321-100 series airplanes equipped with any additional center tank (ACT). This AD requires identifying the part number of the ACT and, for certain ACTs, replacing the outer ACT manhole cover and seal. This AD results from reports of an ACT fuel transfer failure due to air leakage around the seal of the outer manhole covers of the ACTs. We are issuing this AD to prevent this leakage, which could result in fuel or fuel vapor leaking into the cargo compartment, and consequent increased risk of a fire in the cargo compartment.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain Airbus Model A319-100, A320-200, and A321-100 and -200 series airplanes. That AD currently requires modification of the telescopic girt bar of the escape slide/raft assembly, and follow-on actions. This new AD requires a new modification of the telescopic girt bar and the installation of placards on the modified girt bars, which terminates the repetitive functional tests required by the existing AD. This AD results from development of a new, improved modification. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the escape slide/raft to deploy correctly, which could result in the slide being unusable during an emergency evacuation and consequent injury to passengers or airplane crewmembers.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Learjet Model 23, 24, 24A, 24B, 24B-A, 24D, 24D-A, 24E, 24F, 25, 25A, 25B, 25C, 25D, and 25F airplanes. This AD requires removing the thrust reverser accumulator, and making the thrust reverser hydraulic system and the thrust reversers inoperable. This AD results from reports of the failure of two thrust reverser accumulators. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the thrust reverser accumulators, due to fatigue cracking on the female threads, which could result in the loss of hydraulic power and damage to the surrounding airplane structure.

On February 3, 2004 (69 FR 5038), the EPA issued national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants for organic liquids distribution (non-gasoline) (OLD NESHAP) under section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA). In this action, EPA is proposing to amend portions of the OLD NESHAP in response to petitions for judicial review and for administrative reconsideration of the promulgated rule. The proposed amendments are being made to clarify the applicability and control requirements for storage tanks and transfer racks, and amend the recordkeeping and reporting requirements for affected sources for which there are no control requirements. The proposed amendments do not reflect the full set of possible amendments EPA intends to propose in response to all of the issues raised in the petitions for review and reconsideration. The Agency is separately developing a proposed response to some of those issues.