Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Petition for Objection to State Operating Permit for Bio Energy in Hopkinton NH, 75751-75752 [E6-21528]

Download as PDF jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 242 / Monday, December 18, 2006 / Notices of major source of hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions or a part of an area source of HAP emissions. In general, all NESHAP standards require initial notifications, performance tests, and periodic reports by the owners/operators of the affected facilities. They are also required to maintain records of the occurrence and duration of any startup, shutdown, or malfunction in the operation of an affected facility, or any period during which the monitoring system is inoperative. These notifications, reports, and records are essential in determining compliance, and are required of all affected facilities. Any owner/operator subject to the provisions of this part shall maintain a file of these measurements, and retain the file for at least five years following the date of such measurements, maintenance reports and records. All reports are sent to the delegated state or local authority. In the event that there is no such delegated authority, the reports are sent directly to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional office. Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 809 hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements which have subsequently changed; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information. Respondents/Affected Entities: Mercury cell chlor-alkali plants. Estimated Number of Respondents: 9. Frequency of Response: Semiannually. Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 14,558. Estimated Total Annual Cost: $1,351,382 which is comprised of zero annualized Capital Start Up costs, $74,000 annualized Operating and Maintenance (O&M), and $1,277,382 annual Labor Costs. Changes in the Estimates: The number of respondents has not changed and VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:16 Dec 15, 2006 Jkt 211001 there are no program changes. However, there are adjustments for an increase in labor hours and a decrease in costs as compared to the currently ‘‘active’’ ICR. The adjustments result from the transition by the respondents from initial compliance with the standard to continuing compliance with the standard. The respondents achieved compliance over the past three years by conducting performance tests and purchasing pollution monitors which resulted in a small number of labor hours, but a relatively high capital/ startup cost. After achieving compliance, performance tests are not required and capital/startup costs are low because pollution monitors are a one-time, initial expense. However, the cost to maintain the monitors is increased. The overall labor costs are higher because the pollution levels must be recorded and compliance reports sent to the appropriate regulatory authority. Dated: December 8, 2006. Richard T. Westlund, Acting Director, Collection Strategies Division. [FR Doc. E6–21501 Filed 12–15–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [A–1–FRL–8257–9] Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Petition for Objection to State Operating Permit for Bio Energy in Hopkinton NH Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of final order on petition to object to a modification to a state operating permit. AGENCY: SUMMARY: This notice announces that the EPA Administrator has responded to a citizen petition requesting that EPA object to a Clean Air Act (‘‘CAA’’ or ‘‘the Act’’) title V operating permit modification issued by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (‘‘New Hampshire DES’’). Specifically, the Administrator has granted in part and denied in part the petition submitted by the Residents Environmental Action Committee of Hopkinton, the Conservation Law Foundation, and the Physician Petitioners (collectively referred to herein as ‘‘Petitioners’’) requesting that the Administrator object to the permit modification issued to Bio Energy, LLC of Hopkinton, New Hampshire. Pursuant to section 505(b)(2) of the Act, the petitioner may seek judicial PO 00000 Frm 00044 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 75751 review of any portion of the petition which EPA denied in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit. Any petition for review shall be filed within 60 days from the date this notice appears in the Federal Register, pursuant to section 307 of the Act. ADDRESSES: Copies of the final order, petition, and other supporting information are available at the Office of Ecosystem Protection, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA New England Regional Office, One Congress Street, Suite 1100, Boston, MA. EPA requests that if at all possible, you contact the contact listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to schedule your inspection. The Regional Office’s official hours of business are Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30 excluding legal holidays. The final order is also available electronically at: https://www.epa.gov/region07/programs/ artd/air/title5/petitiondb/ petitiondb2003.htm. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ida E. McDonnell, Air Permits, Toxics, and Indoor Programs Unit, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA New England Regional Office, One Congress Street, Suite 1100 (CAP), Boston, MA 02114–2023, telephone number (617) 918–1653, fax number (617) 918–0653, e-mail mcdonnell.ida@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA approves State and local permitting authorities to administer the operating permit program set forth in title V of the CAA, 42 U.S.C. 7661–7661f. New Hampshire DES administers a fully approved title V program. The Act affords EPA a 45-day period to review, and object to as appropriate, operating permits proposed by State permitting authorities. Section 505(b)(2) of the Act authorizes any person to petition the EPA Administrator within 60 days after the expiration of this review period to object to state operating permits not in compliance with the CAA, if EPA has not already done so. Petitions must be based only on objections to the permit that were raised with reasonable specificity during the public comment period provided by the State, unless the petitioner demonstrates that it was impracticable to raise such issues during the comment period or the grounds for the issues arose after this period. On October 21, 2003, the Petitioners submitted a petition requesting that EPA object to the issuance of the modified title V permit pursuant to section 505(b)(2) of the Act. The Petitioners raised four broad objections to the issuance of the modified permit: E:\FR\FM\18DEN1.SGM 18DEN1 75752 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 242 / Monday, December 18, 2006 / Notices (1) NH DES failed to provide adequate notice of the proposed permit modification to the public; (2) NH DES failed to perform adequate air quality modeling analyses in its assessment of the proposed permit modification; (3) The modified permit does not contain requirements applicable to ‘‘incinerators’’ under the CAA and federal and state regulations; (4) The modified permit does not contain state hazardous waste management requirements. On October 27, 2006, the Administrator issued an order partially granting and partially denying the petition. EPA grants the Petitioners’ request that EPA object to the issuance of the modified permit for failure to provide adequate public notice of the proposed modification, and directs New Hampshire DES to reissue the draft modified permit for public comment. EPA denies the petition with respect to all other allegations. The order explains EPA’s rationale for concluding that NH DES must reopen the draft modified permit for public comment. The order also explains EPA’s rationale for denying the Petitioners’ remaining claims. Dated: December 8, 2006. Robert W. Varney, Regional Administrator, EPA New England. [FR Doc. E6–21528 Filed 12–15–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL–8252–7] Ecological Benefits Assessment Strategic Plan Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability. jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: EPA is announcing the availability of a document titled, ‘‘Ecological Benefits Assessment Strategic Plan’’ (EPA–240–R–06–001), which was prepared by several Offices within the Agency. The Ecological Benefits Assessment Strategic Plan identifies and communicates key research and institutional actions that will improve EPA’s ability to perform assessments of the ecological benefits of its environmental policies and decisions. DATES: This document will be available on or about December 18, 2006. ADDRESSES: The Ecological Benefits Assessment Strategic Plan is available for downloading via the Internet on VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:16 Dec 15, 2006 Jkt 211001 EPA’s National Center for Environmental Economics home page at https://www.epa.gov/economics. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information, contact Dr. Wayne R. Munns, Jr., U.S. EPA/ORD National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, telephone: 401–782–3017; facsimile: 401–782– 9683; or e-mail: munns.wayne@epa.gov or Dr. Sabrina Lovell, U.S. EPA/OPEI National Center for Environmental Economics, telephone: 202–566–2272; facsimile: 202–566–2339; or e-mail: iselovell.sabrina@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Ecological Benefits Assessment Strategic Plan was developed to guide future research and institutional actions for improving ecological benefits assessments conducted by the Agency. The goal of an ecological benefits assessment is to estimate the benefits of an environmental policy, and when appropriate, estimate the value to society in monetary terms. This facilitates comparisons among policy alternatives to support decision-making. In practice however, ecological benefits are difficult to evaluate. Several factors contribute to this challenge, including limited understanding of: (1) The linkages among policies, stressors, and ecosystem services; (2) the linkages within and between ecosystems; and (3) the linkages between ecological and economic systems. EPA developed the Ecological Benefits Assessment Strategic Plan to improve our understanding of these linkages. The Ecological Benefits Assessment Strategic Plan was authored by a crossAgency workgroup under the general direction of a steering committee representing offices involved with ecological benefits assessment. The plan describes the challenges currently faced by EPA in conducting comprehensive and rigorous ecological benefits assessments. It encourages a model of interdisciplinary participation in benefits assessments and research, and it promotes collaboration among economists, ecologists, and other natural and social scientists to facilitate identification and characterization of the important ecological benefits of Agency actions. The Plan also identifies strategic actions focusing on: institutional arrangements that foster interdisciplinary analyses and provide analysts with appropriate guidance and tools; interdisciplinary research that directly supports ecological benefits assessments, including broad methodological development and specific studies about resources, stressors, localities, and policies; and PO 00000 Frm 00045 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 coordination of efforts with external partners. The Ecological Benefits Assessment Strategic Plan also describes mechanisms to facilitate adaptive implementation of the strategic actions, including periodic adjustments to reflect advances in knowledge. A primary audience for the Ecological Benefits Assessment Strategic Plan is the managers and analysts in EPA Program Offices, and natural and social scientists across the Agency. The Ecological Benefits Assessment Strategic Plan was subjected to broad Agency review and external peer review by the Committee on Valuing the Protection of Ecological Systems and Services of EPA’s Science Advisory Board. The final plan reflects the comments of both internal and external review. Dated: December 12, 2006. Nathalie B. Simon, Acting Director, National Center for Environmental Economics. [FR Doc. E6–21543 Filed 12–15–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P PRIVACY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES OVERSIGHT BOARD Watch List Redress Request for Public Comment Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, The White House. ACTION: Request for public comment. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, established by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108–458, December 17, 2004), advises the President and other senior executive branch officials to ensure that concerns about privacy and civil liberties are appropriately considered in the implementation of laws, regulations, and executive branch policies related to efforts to protect the Nation against terrorism. This includes advising on whether adequate guidelines, supervision, and oversight exist to protect the important legal rights of all Americans. Processes currently exist to redress errors and ameliorate false positives associated with the use of watch list data for aviation and other security screening purposes. Efforts to address, enhance, conform, and potentially streamline these procedures are ongoing throughout the Federal Government, and the Board is assisting relevant executive branch departments and agencies in those efforts. The Board seeks any comments, suggestions or other information from members of the E:\FR\FM\18DEN1.SGM 18DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 242 (Monday, December 18, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75751-75752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-21528]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[A-1-FRL-8257-9]


Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Petition for Objection to 
State Operating Permit for Bio Energy in Hopkinton NH

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of final order on petition to object to a modification 
to a state operating permit.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces that the EPA Administrator has responded 
to a citizen petition requesting that EPA object to a Clean Air Act 
(``CAA'' or ``the Act'') title V operating permit modification issued 
by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (``New 
Hampshire DES''). Specifically, the Administrator has granted in part 
and denied in part the petition submitted by the Residents 
Environmental Action Committee of Hopkinton, the Conservation Law 
Foundation, and the Physician Petitioners (collectively referred to 
herein as ``Petitioners'') requesting that the Administrator object to 
the permit modification issued to Bio Energy, LLC of Hopkinton, New 
Hampshire.
    Pursuant to section 505(b)(2) of the Act, the petitioner may seek 
judicial review of any portion of the petition which EPA denied in the 
United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit. Any 
petition for review shall be filed within 60 days from the date this 
notice appears in the Federal Register, pursuant to section 307 of the 
Act.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the final order, petition, and other supporting 
information are available at the Office of Ecosystem Protection, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA New England Regional Office, One 
Congress Street, Suite 1100, Boston, MA. EPA requests that if at all 
possible, you contact the contact listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section to schedule your inspection. The Regional Office's 
official hours of business are Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30 
excluding legal holidays. The final order is also available 
electronically at: https://www.epa.gov/region07/programs/artd/air/
title5/petitiondb/petitiondb2003.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ida E. McDonnell, Air Permits, Toxics, 
and Indoor Programs Unit, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA New 
England Regional Office, One Congress Street, Suite 1100 (CAP), Boston, 
MA 02114-2023, telephone number (617) 918-1653, fax number (617) 918-
0653, e-mail mcdonnell.ida@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA approves State and local permitting 
authorities to administer the operating permit program set forth in 
title V of the CAA, 42 U.S.C. 7661-7661f. New Hampshire DES administers 
a fully approved title V program. The Act affords EPA a 45-day period 
to review, and object to as appropriate, operating permits proposed by 
State permitting authorities. Section 505(b)(2) of the Act authorizes 
any person to petition the EPA Administrator within 60 days after the 
expiration of this review period to object to state operating permits 
not in compliance with the CAA, if EPA has not already done so. 
Petitions must be based only on objections to the permit that were 
raised with reasonable specificity during the public comment period 
provided by the State, unless the petitioner demonstrates that it was 
impracticable to raise such issues during the comment period or the 
grounds for the issues arose after this period.
    On October 21, 2003, the Petitioners submitted a petition 
requesting that EPA object to the issuance of the modified title V 
permit pursuant to section 505(b)(2) of the Act. The Petitioners raised 
four broad objections to the issuance of the modified permit:

[[Page 75752]]

    (1) NH DES failed to provide adequate notice of the proposed permit 
modification to the public;
    (2) NH DES failed to perform adequate air quality modeling analyses 
in its assessment of the proposed permit modification;
    (3) The modified permit does not contain requirements applicable to 
``incinerators'' under the CAA and federal and state regulations;
    (4) The modified permit does not contain state hazardous waste 
management requirements.
    On October 27, 2006, the Administrator issued an order partially 
granting and partially denying the petition. EPA grants the 
Petitioners' request that EPA object to the issuance of the modified 
permit for failure to provide adequate public notice of the proposed 
modification, and directs New Hampshire DES to reissue the draft 
modified permit for public comment. EPA denies the petition with 
respect to all other allegations. The order explains EPA's rationale 
for concluding that NH DES must reopen the draft modified permit for 
public comment. The order also explains EPA's rationale for denying the 
Petitioners' remaining claims.

    Dated: December 8, 2006.
Robert W. Varney,
Regional Administrator, EPA New England.
[FR Doc. E6-21528 Filed 12-15-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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