Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Redesignation of Lake and Porter Counties to Attainment of the Fine Particulate Matter Standard, 59600-59614 [2011-24376]
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2025 in the area. EPA is proposing to
approve the 2006 emissions inventory
for the Indianapolis area as meeting the
comprehensive emissions inventory
requirement of the CAA. Finally, EPA
finds adequate and is proposing to
approve Indiana’s Nitrogen Oxides
(NOX) and PM2.5 Motor Vehicle
Emission Budgets (MVEBs) for 2015 and
2025 for the Indianapolis area.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before October 27, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R05–
OAR–2009–0839, by one of the
following methods:
1. https://www.regulations.gov: Follow
the on-line instructions for submitting
comments.
2. E-mail: Aburano.Douglas@epa.gov.
3. Fax: (312) 408–2779.
4. Mail: Doug Aburano, Chief, Control
Strategies Section, Air Programs Branch
(AR–18J), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 77 West Jackson
Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604.
5. Hand Delivery: Doug Aburano,
Chief, Control Strategies Section, Air
Programs Branch (AR–18J), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 77
West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago,
Illinois 60604. Such deliveries are only
accepted during the Regional Office
normal hours of operation, and special
arrangements should be made for
deliveries of boxed information. The
Regional Office official hours of
business are Monday through Friday,
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding
Federal holidays.
Please see the direct final rule which
is located in the Rules section of this
Federal Register for detailed
instructions on how to submit
comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kathleen D’Agostino, Environmental
Engineer, Attainment Planning and
Maintenance Section, Air Programs
Branch (AR–18J), Environmental
Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West
Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois
60604, (312) 886–1767,
dagostino.kathleen@epa.gov.
In the
Final Rules section of this Federal
Register, EPA is approving the
determination of attainment,
redesignation, and SIP as a direct final
rule without prior proposal because the
Agency views this as a noncontroversial
action and anticipates no adverse
comments. A detailed rationale for the
approval is set forth in the direct final
rule. If no adverse comments are
received in response to this rule, no
further activity is contemplated. If EPA
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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receives adverse comments, the direct
final rule will be withdrawn and all
public comments received will be
addressed in a subsequent final rule
based on this proposed rule. EPA will
not institute a second comment period.
Any parties interested in commenting
on this action should do so at this time.
Please note that if EPA receives adverse
comment on an amendment, paragraph,
or section of this rule and if that
provision may be severed from the
remainder of the rule, EPA may adopt
as final those provisions of the rule that
are not the subject of an adverse
comment. For additional information,
see the direct final rule which is located
in the Rules section of this Federal
Register.
Dated: September 12, 2011.
Susan Hedman,
Regional Administrator, Region 5.
[FR Doc. 2011–24375 Filed 9–26–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 52 and 81
[EPA–R05–OAR–2008–0395; FRL–9469–8]
Approval and Promulgation of Air
Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana;
Redesignation of Lake and Porter
Counties to Attainment of the Fine
Particulate Matter Standard
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
In an April 3, 2008, submittal,
supplemented on March 6, 2009, May
26, 2011, and July 20, 2011, the Indiana
Department of Environmental
Management (IDEM) requested
redesignation of the Lake and Porter
Counties, Indiana portion (Lake and
Porter Counties) of the Chicago-GaryLake County, Illinos-Indiana (IL–IN)
nonattainment area (Greater Chicago
nonattainment area) to attainment of the
1997 annual fine particulate matter
(PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality
Standard (NAAQS or standard). EPA is
proposing to approve the redesignation
request for Lake and Porter Counties,
along with related Indiana State
Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions,
including the State’s plan for
maintaining attainment of the PM2.5
standard in this area through 2025,
because the request meets the statutory
requirements for redesignation under
the Clean Air Act (CAA). EPA is also
proposing to approve Indiana’s 2025
Nitrogen Oxides (NOX) and PM2.5 Motor
SUMMARY:
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Vehicle Emission Budgets (MVEBs) for
Lake and Porter Counties, as well as the
2005 PM2.5-related emissions
inventories for this area.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before October 27, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R05–
OAR–2008–0395, by one of the
following methods:
• https://https://www.regulations.gov:
Follow the on-line instructions for
submitting comments.
• E-mail: Mooney.John@epa.gov.
• Fax: (312) 692–2551.
• Mail: John Mooney, Chief, Air
Programs Branch (AR–18J), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 77
West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago,
Illinois 60604.
• Hand Delivery: John Mooney, Air
Programs Branch, (AR–18J), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 77
West Jackson Boulevard, 18th Floor,
Chicago, Illinois 60604. Such deliveries
are only accepted during the Regional
Office’s normal hours of operation, and
special arrangements should be made
for deliveries of boxed information. The
Regional Office official hours of
business are Monday through Friday,
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding
Federal holidays.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
Docket ID No. EPA–R05–OAR–2008–
0395. 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.regulations.gov, 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 https://
www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The
https://www.regulations.gov Web site is
an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, 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 https://
www.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
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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
and viruses. For additional instructions
on submitting comments, go to section
I of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this document.
Docket: All documents in the docket
are listed in the https://
www.regulations.gov index. Although
listed in the index, some information is
not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other
information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Certain other
material, such as copyrighted material,
will be publicly available only in hard
copy. Publicly available docket
materials are available either
electronically in https://
www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Region 5, Air and Radiation
Division, 77 West Jackson Boulevard,
Chicago, Illinois 60604. This facility is
open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, excluding
Federal holidays. We recommend that
you telephone Edward Doty at (312)
886–6057 before visiting the Region 5
office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Edward Doty, Environmental Scientist,
Attainment Planning and Maintenance
Section, Air Programs Branch (AR–18J),
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard,
Chicago, Illinois 60604, (312) 886–6057,
or Doty.Edward@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Throughout this document whenever
‘‘we,’’ ‘‘us,’’ or ‘‘our’’ is used, we mean
EPA. This supplementary information
section is arranged as follows:
I. What should I consider as I prepare my
comments for EPA?
II. What actions is EPA proposing?
III. What is the background for these actions?
A. Fine Particulate Standards and Regional
Emission Controls
B. Background for Indiana’s PM2.5
Redesignation Request and Maintenance
Plan
IV. What are the criteria for redesignation to
attainment?
V. Review of the State’s PM2.5 Redesignation
Request and Basis for EPA’s Proposed
Actions
A. Has the greater Chicago nonattainment
area attained the 1997 annual PM2.5
standard?
B. Have Lake and Porter Counties and the
State of Indiana met all requirements of
Section 110 and Part D of the CAA
applicable for purposes of redesignation,
and do Lake and Porter Counties have a
fully approved SIP under Section 110(k)
of the CAA for purposes of redesignation
to attainment?
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C. Are the PM2.5 air quality improvements
in the Chicago-Gary-Lake County, IL–IN
area due to permanent and enforceable
emission reductions?
D. Does Indiana have a fully approvable
PM2.5 maintenance plan pursuant to
Section 175A of the CAA for Lake and
Porter Counties?
VI. Has the State adopted acceptable MVEBs
for the PM2.5 maintenance period?
VII. Are the base year emissions inventories
for Lake and Porter Counties approvable
under CAA Section 172(c)(3)?
VIII. What are EPA’s proposed actions and
what are the effects of these proposed
actions?
IX. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. What should I consider as I prepare
my comments for EPA?
When submitting comments,
remember to:
1. Identify the rulemaking by docket
number and other identifying
information (subject heading, Federal
Register date and page number).
2. Follow directions—EPA may ask
you to respond to specific questions or
to organize comments by referencing a
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part
or section number.
3. Explain why you agree or disagree;
suggest alternatives and substitute
language for your requested changes.
4. Describe any assumptions and
provide any technical information and/
or data you used.
5. If you estimate potential costs or
burdens, explain how you arrived at
your estimate in sufficient detail to
allow for it to be reproduced.
6. Provide specific examples to
illustrate your concerns, and suggest
alternatives.
7. Explain your views as clearly as
possible, avoiding the use of profanity
or personal threats.
8. Make sure to submit your
comments by the comment period
deadline identified in the proposed rule.
II. What actions is EPA proposing?
On November 27, 2009, at 74 FR
62243, EPA made a final determination
that the Greater Chicago nonattainment
area, which includes Lake and Porter
Counties in Indiana, was attaining the
1997 annual PM2.5 standard. EPA is
proposing here to determine that this
area continues to attain this standard.
EPA is also proposing to take several
additional actions related to Indiana’s
PM2.5 redesignation request, as
discussed below. In a separate proposed
rule, EPA will address an Illinois PM2.5
redesignation request for the Illinois
portion of the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area.
EPA is proposing to approve Indiana’s
1997 annual PM2.5 standard
maintenance plan for Lake and Porter
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59601
Counties as a revision of the Indiana SIP
meeting the requirements of section
175A of the CAA. The maintenance
plan, as revised in the May 26, 2011,
submittal, assumes that control of power
plant emissions resulting from the
implementation of EPA’s Cross-State Air
Pollution Rule (CSAPR) will replace
existing power plant emission control
requirements that would have resulted
from EPA’s Clean Air Interstate Rule
(CAIR). See discussions of CAIR and
CSAPR and their relation to Indiana’s
PM2.5 redesignation request and
maintenance plan later in this proposed
rule.
EPA is proposing to approve 2005
emissions inventories for primary
PM2.5,1 NOX, and sulfur dioxide (SO2),2
documented in Indiana’s May 26, 2011,
PM2.5 redesignation request submittal,
as satisfying the requirement in section
172(c)(3) of the CAA for a
comprehensive, current, and accurate
emission inventory.
EPA is proposing to find that Indiana
meets the requirements for
redesignation of Lake and Porter
Counties to attainment of the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard under section
107(d)(3)(E) of the CAA. We are making
this proposal despite the fact that
Indiana, in part, relied on emission
reductions from CAIR to demonstrate,
under section 107(d)(3)(E)(iii) of the
CAA, that permanent and enforceable
emission reductions were responsible
for the monitored improvements in the
PM2.5 air quality of the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area. As will be
discussed further below, because CAIR
was remanded by the United States
Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit), the
emission reductions associated with
that rule cannot be considered to be
permanent and enforceable.
EPA, however, proposes that this
requirement has effectively been met
because the emission reductions of
CAIR continue through 2011, and
CSAPR requires similar or greater
reductions in the relevant areas in 2012
and beyond. Because the emission
reduction requirements of CAIR are
enforceable through 2011, and because
CSAPR has now been promulgated to
address the emission reduction
requirements previously addressed by
CAIR and gets similar or greater
emission reductions in the relevant
areas in 2012 and beyond, EPA is
1 Primary PM
2.5 are fine particulates directly
emitted by sources and are not formed in a
secondary manner through chemical reactions or
other processes in the atmosphere.
2 NO and SO are precursors for fine particulates
X
2
formed through chemical reactions and other
related processes in the atmosphere.
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proposing to determine that the
emission reductions that led to
attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5
standard in the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area can now be
considered to be permanent and
enforceable. For this reason, EPA is
proposing to determine that the
requirement of CAA section
107(d)(3)(D)(iii) has now been met.
Therefore, EPA is proposing to approve
the request from the State of Indiana to
change the designation of Lake and
Porter Counties from nonattainment to
attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5
NAAQS.
Finally, EPA is proposing to approve
2025 primary PM2.5 and NOX MVEBs for
Lake and Porter Counties documented
in Indiana’s PM2.5 maintenance plan, as
submitted on May 26, 2011. These
MVEBs will be used in future
transportation conformity analyses for
these counties.
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III. What is the background for these
actions?
A. Fine Particulate Standards and
Regional Emission Controls
The first air quality standards for
PM2.5 were promulgated on July 18,
1997, at 62 FR 38652. EPA promulgated
an annual standard at a level of 15
micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m3) of
ambient air, based on a three-year
average of the annual mean PM2.5
concentrations at each monitoring site
(1997 annual PM2.5 standard). In the
same rulemaking, EPA promulgated a
24-hour PM2.5 standard, at 65 mg/m3,
based on a three-year average of the
annual 98th percentile of 24-hour PM2.5
concentrations at each monitoring site.
On October 17, 2006, at 71 FR 61144,
EPA retained the annual PM2.5 standard
at 15 mg/m3 (2006 annual PM2.5
standard), but revised the 24-hour
standard to 35 mg/m3, based again on the
three-year average of the annual 98th
percentile of the 24-hour PM2.5
concentrations.
On January 5, 2005, at 70 FR 944, EPA
published air quality area designations
and classifications for the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard based on air quality data
for calendar years 2001–2003. In that
rulemaking, EPA designated the Greater
Chicago area as nonattainment for the
1997 annual PM2.5 standard.
In response to legal challenges of the
2006 annual PM2.5 standard, the DC
Circuit remanded this standard to EPA
for further consideration. See American
Farm Bureau Federation and National
Pork Producers Council, et al. v. EPA,
559 F.3d 512 (D.C. Cir. 2009). However,
given that the 1997 and 2006 annual
PM2.5 standards are essentially
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identical, attainment of the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard also indicates attainment
of the remanded 2006 annual standard.
Since the Greater Chicago area is
designated as nonattainment only for
the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard, today’s
proposed action addresses redesignation
to attainment only for this standard,
and, as noted above, only for the
Indiana portion of this nonattainment
area.
Fine particulate pollution can be
emitted directly from a source (primary
PM2.5) or formed secondarily through
chemical reactions in the atmosphere
involving precursor pollutants emitted
from a variety of sources. Sulfates are a
type of secondary particulate formed
from SO2 emissions from power plants
and industrial facilities. Nitrates,
another common type of secondary
particulate, are formed from combustion
emissions of NOX from power plants,
mobile sources, and other combustion
sources.
Given the significance of sulfates and
nitrates in the formation of PM2.5 in and
transport of PM2.5 into the Greater
Chicago nonattainment area, the
regulation of SO2 and NOX emissions
from power plants strongly affects the
area’s air quality. EPA proposed CAIR
on January 30, 2004, at 69 FR 4566,
promulgated CAIR on May 12, 2005, at
70 FR 25162, and promulgated
associated Federal Implementation
Plans (FIPs) on April 28, 2006, at 71 FR
25328, in order to reduce SO2 and NOX
emissions and to improve air quality in
many areas across Eastern United States.
However, on July 11, 2008, the D.C.
Circuit issued its decision to vacate and
remand both CAIR and the associated
CAIR FIPs in their entirety (North
Carolina v. EPA, 531 F.3d 836 (D.C. Cir.
2008)). EPA petitioned for a rehearing,
and the court issued an order remanding
CAIR and the CAIR FIPs to EPA without
vacatur (North Carolina v. EPA, 550
F.3d 1176 (D.C. Cir. 2008)). The court,
thereby, left CAIR in place in order to
‘‘temporarily preserve the
environmental values covered by CAIR’’
until EPA replaced it with a rule
consistent with the Court’s opinion (id.
at 1178). The court directed EPA to
‘‘remedy CAIR’s flaws’’ consistent with
the July 11, 2008, opinion, but declined
to impose a schedule on EPA for
completing this action (id). As a result
of these court rulings, the power plant
emission reductions that resulted solely
from the development, promulgation,
and implementation of CAIR, and the
associated air quality improvement that
occurred solely as a result of CAIR in
the Greater Chicago nonattainment area
and elsewhere with emissions
contributing to PM2.5 concentrations in
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this area could not be considered to be
permanent.
On August 8, 2011, at 75 FR 48208,
EPA promulgated CSAPR to address
interstate transport of emissions and
resulting secondary air pollutants and to
replace CAIR. CAIR, among other
things, required NOX emission
reductions that contributed to the air
quality improvement in the Greater
Chicago nonattainment area. CAIR
emission reduction requirements limit
emissions through 2011, and EPA has
now promulgated CSAPR, which
requires similar or greater emission
reductions in the relevant areas in 2012
and beyond. CSAPR requires substantial
reductions of SO2 and NOX emissions
from Electric Generating Units (EGUs or
power plants) across most of the Eastern
United States, with implementation
beginning on January 1, 2012. By 2014,
EGUs in states common to both CSAPR
and CAIR will achieve annual SO2
emission reductions of approximately
1.8 million tons, and will achieve
annual NOX emission reductions of
approximately 76,000 tons beyond those
that would have been achieved by CAIR
by that time. CAIR will continue to be
implemented through 2011, and will be
replaced by CSAPR beginnig in 2012.
As demonstrated later in this
proposed rule, CSAPR requires
reduction of NOX and SO2 emissions to
levels well below the levels that led to
attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5
standard in the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area. The emission
reductions that CSAPR mandates may
be considered to be permanent and
enforceable. In turn, the air quality
improvement in the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area that has resulted
from EGU emission reductions to date
(as well as the substantial further air
quality improvement that would be
expected to result from full
implementation of CSAPR) may also be
considered to be permanent and
enforceable.
B. Background for Indiana’s PM2.5
Redesignation Request and
Maintenance Plan
On April 3, 2008, IDEM submitted a
request for EPA approval of a
redesignation of Lake and Porter
Counties to attainment of the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard. This
redesignation request is based on 2004–
2007 monitoring data showing
attainment of the standard throughout
the Greater Chicago nonattainment area.
On March 6, 2009, IDEM submitted a
technical addendum to the April 3,
2008, PM2.5 redesignation request to
show that the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area continued to attain
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the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard through
2008.
In addition to showing that this area
has attained the 1997 annual PM2.5
standard, the April 3, 2008, State
submittal also seeks to demonstrate that
Indiana has met all other CAA
requirements for redesignation of Lake
and Porter Counties to attainment of the
1997 annual PM2.5 standard. The
redesignation request includes a
maintenance plan for Lake and Porter
Counties demonstrating maintenance of
the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard through
2020. Both the redesignation request
and the maintenance demonstration rely
on emission reductions resulting from
CAIR to demonstrate the basis for the
attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5
standard and to demonstrate
maintenance of this standard.
Before EPA could rule on the August
3, 2008, redesignation request, as
amended in the March 6, 2009,
supplemental submittal, the D.C. Circuit
remanded CAIR to EPA for
reconsideration. This raised questions
about the emission reduction credits
resulting from CAIR assumed in
Indiana’s PM2.5 redesignation request
and maintenance plan. As time passed
without resolution of the CAIR issue,
EPA also became concerned about the
period covered by Indiana’s PM2.5
maintenance demonstration, which
must, at a minimum, demonstrate
attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5
standard for at least ten years after EPA
approves the State’s PM2.5 redesignation
request. See section 175A(a) of the CAA.
This necessitated a revision of the PM2.5
maintenance plan by the State to extend
the maintenance demonstration to a
later endpoint.
On May 26, 2011, IDEM submitted a
revised PM2.5 maintenance plan to EPA
demonstrating maintenance of the 1997
annual PM2.5 in Lake and Porter
Counties through 2025. In this
submittal, the State included additional
air quality data showing continued
attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5
standard in the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area during 2008–2010.
The State held a public hearing on the
PM2.5 redesignation request and
maintenance plan on May 18, 2011, and
the State’s public comment period on
these submittal elements ended on May
20, 2011. Following the close of the
public comment period, Indiana
submitted a revised PM2.5 redesignation
request and final PM2.5 maintenance
plan for Lake and Porter Counties on
July 20, 2011.
Indiana requests that the maintenance
plan be approved by EPA as a revision
of the Indiana SIP. The maintenance
plan documents 2025 PM2.5 and NOX
MVEBs, which IDEM requests EPA to
approve and find adequate for use in
transportation conformity
determinations and demonstrations.3
IV. What are the criteria for
redesignation to attainment?
The CAA sets forth the requirements
for redesignating a nonattainment area
to attainment. Specifically, section
107(d)(3)(E) of the CAA allows
redesignation to attainment provided
that: (1) The Administrator determines
that the area has attained the applicable
NAAQS; (2) the Administrator has fully
approved an applicable SIP for the area
under section 110(k) of the CAA; (3) the
Administrator determines that the
improvement in air quality is due to
permanent and enforceable emission
reductions resulting from the
implementation of the applicable SIP,
Federal emission control regulations,
and other permanent and enforceable
emission reductions; (4) the
Administrator has fully approved a
maintenance plan for the area meeting
the requirements of section 175A of the
CAA; and, (5) the state containing the
area has met all requirements applicable
to the area for purposes of redesignation
under section 110 and part D of the
CAA.
V. Review of the State’s PM2.5
Redesignation Request and Basis for
EPA’s Proposed Actions
A. Has the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area attained the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard?
In a final rulemaking dated November
27, 2009, at 76 FR 62243, EPA
determined that the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area had attained the
1997 annual PM2.5 standard. This
determination was based on complete,
quality-assured air monitoring data for
2006–2008.
The April 3, 2008, IDEM PM2.5
redesignation request presents PM2.5
data for the period of 2005–2007, and
the May 26, 2011, IDEM submittal
presents PM2.5 data for the period of
2008–2010. These quality-assured data
show that the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area attained the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard beginning in
2005–2007, and has continued to attain
through 2010. Preliminary data
available for 2011 are consistent with
continued attainment.
Table 1 provides a summary of the
PM2.5 annual air quality data for the area
for the period of 2008–2010.
TABLE 1—PM2.5 ANNUAL AVERAGE CONCENTRATIONS FOR THE GREATER CHICAGO NONATTAINMENT AREA
(in μg/m3)
Monitoring site
AQS site number
County
2008
2009
2010
3-Year
average
Indiana Monitoring Sites
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Lake ....................................
Lake ....................................
Lake ....................................
Lake ....................................
Lake ....................................
Porter ..................................
Franklin School, 180890006 ..........................................
Griffith, 180890027 .........................................................
Hammond-Purdue, 180892004 ......................................
Hammond-Clark High School, 180892010 ....................
Gary-Madison Street, 180890031 ..................................
Ogden Dunes, 181270024 .............................................
11.95
11.69
11.66
12.42
12.27
10.89
11.34
11.00
(1)
10.80
12.12
11.29
12.48
12.39
12.30
11.90
12.90
11.56
11.9
11.7
(1)
11.7
12.4
11.2
12.54
11.80
12.18
12.03
11.62
10.99
12.69
11.33
14.04
12.47
12.57
1 12.03
12.7
11.8
12.5
1 11.8
Illinois Monitoring Sites
Cook
Cook
Cook
Cook
....................................
....................................
....................................
....................................
Chicago-Washington High School, 170310022 .............
Chicago-Southeast Police Station, 170310050 .............
Chicago-Mayfair Pump Station, 170310052 ..................
Chicago-Springfield Pump Station, 170310057 .............
3 Transportation conformity assures that
emissions from on-road mobile sources do not
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jeopardize continued maintenance of the standard
during the maintenance period.
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TABLE 1—PM2.5 ANNUAL AVERAGE CONCENTRATIONS FOR THE GREATER CHICAGO NONATTAINMENT AREA—Continued
(in μg/m3)
County
Monitoring site
AQS site number
Cook ....................................
Chicago-Commonwealth Edison Maintenance Building,
170310076.
Blue Island, 170312001 .................................................
Schiller Park, 170313103 ...............................................
Summit, 170313301 .......................................................
Des Plaines, 170314007 ................................................
Northbrook, 170314201 ..................................................
Cicero, 170316005 .........................................................
Naperville, 170434002 ...................................................
Elgin, 170890003 ...........................................................
Aurora, 170890007 .........................................................
Zion, 170971007 ............................................................
Cary, 171110001 ............................................................
Joliet, 171971002 ...........................................................
Braidwood, 171971011 ..................................................
Cook ....................................
Cook ....................................
Cook ....................................
Cook ....................................
Cook ....................................
Cook ....................................
DuPage ...............................
Kane ....................................
Kane ....................................
Lake ....................................
McHenry ..............................
Will ......................................
Will ......................................
2008
2009
2010
3-Year
average
11.89
11.12
12.25
11.8
12.50
13.59
12.03
11.35
10.09
1 13.25
11.28
10.79
10.34
9.34
10.10
11.66
10.31
11.68
12.91
11.62
11.02
9.33
1 11.98
9.83
9.61
10.01
8.83
9.65
10.52
8.73
11.59
12.64
12.23
10.60
9.34
11.90
11.67
11.29
11.44
9.66
10.24
11.83
10.02
11.9
13.0
12.0
11.0
9.6
1 12.4
10.9
10.6
10.6
9.3
10.0
11.3
9.7
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Notes: (1) The data for these sites and/or years do not meet data completeness requirements.
The data in table 1 show that all PM2.5
monitors in the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area have recorded PM2.5
concentrations attaining the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard during 2008–
2010. These annual average PM2.5
concentrations are based on PM2.5
monitoring data that have been quality
assured and stored in EPA’s Air Quality
System (AQS) database.
Further consideration of annual PM2.5
concentrations at several sites is
necessary because data at these sites do
not meet EPA data completeness
requirements. Under 40 CFR part 50,
appendix N, section 4.1 (addressing the
annual PM2.5 standard), a year of PM2.5
data meets completeness requirements
when ‘‘at least 75 percent of the
scheduled sampling days for each
quarter has valid data.’’ As noted in
table 1, three sites in the Greater
Chicago nonattainment area did not
meet this data completeness
requirement for one or more years: the
Hammond-Purdue (180892004) sites,
located in Lake County, Indiana; and,
the Chicago-Springfield Pump Station
(170310057) and Cicero (170316005)
sites, both located in Cook County,
Illinois.
Data handling conventions and
computations necessary for determining
whether areas have met the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard, including requirements
for data completeness, are listed in
appendix N of 40 CFR part 50. The use
of less than complete data is subject to
the approval of the EPA, which may
consider factors such as monitoring site
closures/moves, monitoring diligence,
and nearby concentrations in
determining whether to use such data,
as set forth at 40 CFR part 50, appendix
N, section N.1(c).
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Two of the identified sites are similar
in that they have only one year with
incomplete data during the three years
of data considered in table 1: 2009 for
the Hammond-Purdue (Indiana) site;
and, 2010 for the Chicago-Springfield
Pump Station (Illinois) site. For these
sites, we note that, for the three-year
periods preceding the years with the
missing data, each site had complete
data showing attainment of the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard. For the
Hammond-Purdue site, complete 2006–
2008 data show annual PM2.5
concentrations of 12.67, 13.8, and 11.66
mg/m3, with an average of 12.7 mg/m3 for
the three-year period (see data tables on
pages A–1 and A–2 of appendix A of
Indiana’s May 26, 2011, submittal). For
the Chicago-Springfield Pump Station
site, complete 2007–2009 data show
annual PM2.5 concentrations of 15.18,
12.03, and 11.33 mg/m3, with an average
of 12.85 mg/m3 for the three-year period
(see data tables on pages A–6 and A–7
of appendix A of Indiana’s May 26,
2011, submittal). Therefore, both of
these sites are able to show attainment
of the standard with complete data for
the preceding three-year periods. For
the 2008–2010 period, there are
available complete data for nearby sites,
such as Hammond-Clark High School
and Chicago-Mayfair Pump Station, that
show attainment of the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard (See table 1). EPA, thus,
concludes that the Hammond-Purdue
and Chicago-Springfield Pump Station
sites monitored attainment of the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard during 2008–
2010. EPA is using these data because
it finds that the States of Indiana and
Illinois have exercised due diligence in
their monitoring, no monitoring site
closures or moves were involved for
these sites, and nearby PM2.5
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concentrations suggest that the partial
evidence of PM2.5 concentrations at the
Hammond-Purdue and ChicagoSpringfield Pump Station sites are
indeed indicative that the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard has been attained at
these sites.
For Cicero, both 2008 and 2009 have
incomplete monitoring data. We
previously determined that this site had
attained the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard
based on 2006–2008 monitoring data.
See our proposed and final
determination of attainment at 74 FR
48690 (September 24, 2009) and at 74
FR 62243 (November 27, 2009). In the
proposed determination, we discussed
our analysis of PM2.5 concentrations for
the Cicero monitoring site and our
conclusion that, although the PM2.5 data
for this site did not meet EPA’s data
completeness criteria in 2008, it is likely
that this site monitored attainment of
the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard in 2008
and throughout 2006–2008.
EPA has conducted PM2.5 data
substitution tests for the 2009 PM2.5 data
at the Cicero monitoring site
(170316005), to evaluate how to address
the issue of data completeness. The
results helped EPA assess whether the
Cicero monitoring site monitored
attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5
standard. On the basis of these tests, and
additional factors discussed below, we
have concluded that the data should be
considered complete and should be
approved for the purpose of showing
that this site attained the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard based on 2007–2009 and
2008–2010 monitoring data. EPA is
using these data because it finds that the
State of Illinois has exercised due
diligence in its monitoring, no
monitoring site closures or moves were
involved for this site, and nearby PM2.5
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concentrations, such as those for the
Blue Island monitoring site, suggest that
the partial evidence of PM2.5
concentrations at the Cicero monitoring
site are indeed indicative that the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard is being attained
at this site. See PM2.5-related data links
and spreadsheets with data for this
monitoring site at: https://www.epa.gov/
airtrends/values.html.
For the reasons discussed above, EPA
proposes to determine that the ChicagoGary-Lake County, IL-IN area has
attained the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard
based on quality-assured data for 2008–
2010.
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B. Have Lake and Porter Counties and
the State of Indiana met all
requirements of section 110 and part D
of the CAA applicable for purposes of
redesignation, and do Lake and Porter
Counties have a fully approved SIP
under section 110(k) of the CAA for
purposes of redesignation to
attainment?
1. General Requirements
Sections 107(d)(3)(E)(ii) and
107(d)(3)(E)(v) of the CAA set forth
related requirements that together
require the State to have a fully
approved SIP meeting all pertinent
requirements under section 110 and part
D of the CAA as a prerequisite for
approval of the State’s redesignation
request. The following discussion
addresses Indiana’s satisfaction of these
criteria.
Since the passage of the CAA in 1970,
Indiana has adopted and submitted, and
EPA has fully approved, provisions
addressing the various required SIP
elements needed to attain the
particulate standards in Lake and Porter
Counties and elsewhere in Indiana.
Indiana submitted the ‘‘State of Indiana
Air Pollution Control Implementation
Plan,’’ Indiana’s SIP, on January 31,
1972. EPA approved Indiana’s SIP on
May 31, 1972 (37 FR 10863). Rules
contained in this SIP addressed
attaining the Total Suspended
Particulate (TSP) standard, reflecting the
particulate size range regulated under
1971 air quality standards.
On July 1, 1987, EPA replaced the
TSP standard with a standard for
particles with aerodynamic diameters of
10 micrometers or smaller (PM10). EPA
promulgated area designations under
the PM10 NAAQS on March 15, 1991 (56
FR 11101). Lake County was designated
and classified as moderate
nonattainment for the PM10 standard.
Through submittals on June 16, 1993,
December 9, 1993, September 8, 1994,
and November 17, 1994, the State of
Indiana submitted the emission control
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regulations, emissions inventories,
attainment demonstrations, and other
plan elements needed to comply with
the SIP requirements for PM10. EPA
approved Indiana’s PM10 SIP on June
15, 1995, at 60 FR 31412.
2. Section 110(a) Requirements
On December 7, 2007, September 19,
2008, March 23, 2011, and April 7,
2011, Indiana made submittals
addressing ‘‘infrastructure SIP’’
elements required by section 110(a)(2)
of the CAA for the 1997 annual PM2.5
standard and 1997 8-hour ozone
standard. EPA published proposed
rulemaking on these submittals on April
28, 2011, at 76 FR 23757, and finalized
that rulemaking on July 13, 2011, at 76
FR 41075, approving Indiana’s
infrastructure SIP for these air quality
standards. The requirements of section
110(a)(2), however, are statewide
requirements that are not linked to the
PM2.5 nonattainment status of Lake and
Porter Counties.
EPA finds that section 110
requirements not linked to an area’s
nonattainment status are not applicable
for purposes of redesignation. See the
Reading, Pennsylvania proposed and
final rulemakings (October 10, 1996, at
61 FR 53174–53176, and May 7, 1997,
at 62 FR 24826), the Cleveland-AkronLoraine, Ohio final rulemaking (May 7,
1996, at 61 FR 20458), and the Tampa,
Florida final rulemaking (December 7,
1995, at 60 FR 62748). Therefore, these
section 110(a)(2) SIP elements, which
are unrelated to an area’s attainment
status, are not applicable requirements
for purposes of review of the State’s
PM2.5 redesignation request.
3. Emission Inventories
Section 172(c)(3) of the CAA calls for
the State to provide a complete,
accurate, and comprehensive emissions
inventory of source emissions. In
today’s action EPA proposes to approve
Indiana’s 2005 emissions inventories as
meeting this requirement. These
emissions inventories are addressed in
sections V.C and VII below, and are
documented in appendices B through G
of Indiana’s May 26, 2011, submittal.
See the EPA digital docket for this
proposed rule, https://
www.regulations.gov, which includes a
digital copy of Indiana’s May 26, 2011,
submittal.
The basis for EPA’s proposed
approval of the emissions inventories is
set forth in the discussions of emission
inventory development techniques and
sources of input data used to determine
the emissions inventories in section
V.C.2 below and in an additional
discussion of the 2005 base year
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59605
emissions inventories for Lake and
Porter Counties in section VII of this
proposed rule.
4. Other Nonattainment Area
Requirements
EPA is proposing to determine that, if
it issues final approval of the emission
inventories discussed below under CAA
section 172(c)(3), the Indiana SIP will
meet the SIP requirements for Lake and
Porter Counties applicable for purposes
of redesignation under part D of the
CAA. Subpart 1 of part D, sections 172
to 176 of the CAA, set forth the
nonattainment plan requirements
applicable to PM2.5 nonattainment areas.
Under section 172, states with
nonattainment areas must submit plans
providing for timely attainment and
meeting a variety of other requirements.
However, pursuant to 40 CFR
51.1004(c), EPA’s November 27, 2009,
determination that the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area is attaining the 1997
PM2.5 annual standard suspended
Indiana’s obligation to submit plans
meeting most of the CAA attainment
planning requirements that would
otherwise apply. Specifically, the
determination of attainment suspended
Indiana’s obligation to submit a PM2.5
attainment demonstration, and
requirements to provide for Reasonable
Further Progress (RFP) toward
attainment, Reasonably Available
Control Measures (RACM), and
contingency measures under section
172(c)(9) of the CAA.
The General Preamble for
Implementation of Title I (57 FR 13498,
April 16, 1992) also discusses the
evaluation of these requirements in the
context of EPA’s consideration of a
redesignation request. The General
Preamble sets forth EPA’s view of
applicable requirements for purposes of
evaluating redesignation requests when
an area is attaining the standard.
Because attainment has been reached,
no additional measures are needed to
provide for attainment, and section
172(c)(1) requirements for an attainment
demonstration and RACM are no longer
considered to be applicable for purposes
of redesignation, as long as the area
continues to attain the standard through
final EPA approval of the State’s
redesignation request. See also 40 CFR
51.1004(c). The RFP requirement under
section 172(c)(2) and contingency
measures requirement under section
172(c)(9) are similarly not relevant for
purposes of redesignation since EPA has
determined that the area has attained
the 1997 PM2.5 annual standard.
Section 172(c)(4) of the CAA requires
the identification and quantification of
allowable emissions for major new and
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modified stationary sources in an area,
and section 172(c)(5) requires source
permits for the construction and
operation of new and modified major
stationary sources anywhere in the
nonattainment area. EPA has
determined that, since Prevention of
Significant Deterioration (PSD)
requirements will apply after
redesignation, areas being redesignated
need not comply with the requirement
that a nonattainment area New Source
Review (NSR) program be approved
prior to redesignation, provided that the
area demonstrates maintenance of the
NAAQS without part D NSR. The
rationale for this view is described in a
memorandum from Mary Nichols,
Assistant Administrator for Air and
Radiation, dated October 14, 1994,
titled, ‘‘Part D New Source Review
Requirements for Areas Requesting
Redesignation to Attainment.’’
Indiana has demonstrated that
emissions will remain at or below
attainment levels throughout the
maintenance period without part D NSR
in effect for Lake and Porter Counties.
Therefore, the State need not have a
fully approved part D NSR program
prior to the approval of Indiana’s
redesignation request for Lake and
Porter Counties. The State’s PSD
program will become effective in Lake
and Porter Counties upon redesignation
of these Counties to attainment of the
1997 annual PM2.5 standard. See
rulemakings for Detroit, Michigan
(March 7, 1995, at 60 FR 12467–12468);
Cleveland-Akron-Lorain, Ohio (May 7,
1996, at 61 FR 20458, 20469–20470);
Louisville, Kentucky (October 23, 2001;
at 66 FR 53665); and Grand Rapids,
Michigan (June 21, 1996, at 61 FR
31834–31837).
Section 172(c)(6) of the CAA requires
the SIP to contain control measures
necessary to provide for attainment of
the standard. Because attainment of the
standard in the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area has been reached,
no additional measures are needed to
provide for attainment.
Section 172(c)(7) requires the SIP to
meet the applicable provisions of
section 110(a)(2) of the CAA. As noted
above, we find that the Indiana SIP
meets the requirements of section
110(a)(2) applicable for purposes of
redesignation.
Section 176(c) of the CAA requires
states to establish criteria and
procedures to ensure that Federallysupported or funded activities,
including highway projects, conform to
the air quality planning goals in the
SIPs. EPA approved Indiana’s general
and transportation conformity SIPs on
January 14, 1998, at 63 FR 2146, and on
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August 17, 2010, at 75 FR 50730,
respectively. Indiana has submitted onroad motor vehicle budgets for Lake and
Porter Counties for 2016 and 2025. The
area must use the MVEBs from the
maintenance plan in any conformity
determination that is effective on or
after the effective date of EPA’s
maintenance plan approval.
No other SIP provisions relevant to
Lake and Porter Counties are currently
disapproved, conditionally approved, or
partially approved.
turns over. The Tier 2 standards also
reduced the sulfur content of gasoline to
30 parts per million (ppm) beginning in
January 2006. Most gasoline sold in
Indiana prior to January 2006 had a
sulfur content of approximately 500
ppm. Sulfur occurs naturally in
gasoline, but interferes with the
operation of catalytic converters.
Lowering the sulfur content of gasoline
improves the emission reduction
resulting from the use of catalytic
converters and results in significantly
lowered NOX emissions. In addition,
C. Are the PM2.5 air quality
lowering the sulfur content of gasoline
improvements in the Chicago-Gary-Lake
also reduces direct emissions of sulfates
County, IL-IN area due to permanent
(direct PM2.5) from vehicles.
and enforceable emission reductions?
Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine Rule. This
Section 107(d)(3)(E)(iii) requires the
rule, which EPA issued in July 2000,
State to demonstrate that the
limited the sulfur content of diesel fuel
improvement in air quality is due to
and went into effect in 2004. A second
permanent and enforceable emission
phase of implementation took effect in
reductions.
2007 and resulted in reduced PM2.5
emissions from heavy-duty highway
1. Permanent and Enforceable Emission
diesel engines and further reduced the
Controls
highway diesel fuel sulfur content to 15
The following is a discussion of
ppm. The full implementation of this
permanent and enforceable emission
rule is estimated to achieve a 90 percent
control measures that have been
reduction in direct PM2.5 emissions
implemented in Lake and Porter
(including direct emissions of sulfates)
Counties, in the Greater Chicago
and a 95 percent reduction in NOX
nonattainment area, and in upwind
emissions for new engines using low
areas (resulting in lower pollutant
sulfur diesel fuel, compared to existing
transport into the Greater Chicago
engines using higher sulfur content fuel.
nonattainment area).
The reductions in fuel sulfur content
occurred by the 2008–2010 attainment
a. Federal Emission Control Measures
period. Some of the emissions
Reductions in PM2.5 precursor
reductions resulting from new vehicle
emissions have occurred statewide and
standards also occurred during the
in upwind areas as a result of the
2008–2010 attainment period; however,
following Federal emission control
additional reductions will continue to
measures. Most of these Federal
occur throughout the maintenance
emission control measures will result in period as the fleet of older heavy-duty
additional emission reductions in the
diesel engines turns over. This rule will
future.
also lower SO2 emissions from engines
Tier 2 Emission Standards for
using the low sulfur diesel fuel,
Vehicles and Gasoline Sulfur Standards. resulting in lower PM2.5 concentrations;
These emission control requirements
however, EPA has not estimated the
result in lower Volatile Organic
level of this emissions reduction and the
Compounds (VOC), NOX, and SO2
level of its impact on PM2.5
emissions from new cars and light-duty
concentrations.
trucks, including sport utility vehicles.
Nonroad Diesel Engine Standards. In
The Federal rules were phased in
May 2004, EPA promulgated a rule to
between 2004 and 2009. The EPA has
establish emission standards for large
estimated that, by the end of the phasenonroad diesel engines, such as those
in period, the following vehicle NOX
used in construction, agriculture, or
emission reductions will occur
mining operations (the engine emission
nationwide: Passenger cars (light duty
standards are phased in between 2008
vehicles), 77 percent; light-duty trucks,
and 2014) and to regulate the sulfur
minivans, and sport utility vehicles, 86
content in nonroad diesel fuel. This rule
percent; and, larger sport utility
reduced the allowable sulfur content in
vehicles, vans, and heavier trucks, 69 to nonroad diesel fuel by over 99 percent.
95 percent. Some of the emissions
Prior to 2006, nonroad diesel fuel
reductions resulting from new vehicle
averaged approximately 3,400 ppm in
standards occurred during the 2008–
sulfur content. This rule limited
2010 attainment period; however,
nonroad diesel sulfur content to 500
additional reductions will continue to
ppm by 2006, with a further reduction
occur throughout the maintenance
to 15 ppm by 2010. The combined
period as the fleet of older vehicles
engines standards and fuel sulfur
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content limits reduce NOX and PM2.5
emissions (including direct emissions of
sulfates) from large nonroad diesel
engines by over 90 percent compared to
pre-control nonroad engines using the
higher sulfur content diesel fuel. This
rule achieved all of the reductions in
fuel sulfur content by 2010. Some
emissions reductions from the new
engine emission standards were realized
over the 2008–2010 time period;
although most of the reductions will
occur during the maintenance period as
the fleet of older nonroad diesel engines
turns over.
Nonroad Spark-Ignition Engines and
Recreational Engine Standards. In
November 2002, EPA promulgated
emission standards for groups of
previously unregulated nonroad
engines. These engines include large
spark-ignition engines, such as those
used in forklifts and airport groundservice equipment; recreational vehicles
using spark-ignition engines, including
off-highway motorcycles, all-terrain
vehicles, and snowmobiles; and,
recreational marine diesel engines.
Emission standards for large sparkignition engines were implemented in
two phases (tiers), with Tier 1 starting
in 2004 and Tier 2 starting in 2007.
Recreational vehicle emission standards
are being phased in from 2006 through
2012. Marine diesel engine standards
were phased in from 2004 through 2009.
With full implementation of all of these
standards, an overall 72 percent
reduction in VOC, and 80 percent
reduction in NOX emissions are
expected by 2020. A significant portion
of these emission reductions occurred
by 2008, the year Indiana has selected
to be the attainment baseline year in the
demonstration of maintenance
discussed later in this proposed rule.
Additional emission reductions will
occur in Lake and Porter Counties,
statewide in Indiana and Illinois, and in
upwind areas during the maintenance
period for Lake and Porter Counties.
b. Control Measures in Upwind Areas
Given the significance of sulfates and
nitrates as components of PM2.5 in the
Greater Chicago nonattainment area, the
area’s PM2.5 air quality in this area is
strongly affected by regulation of SO2
and NOX emissions from power plants
in this nonattainment area and in
upwind areas. The following considers
the emission control measures that have
affected these emissions.
NOX SIP Call. On October 27, 1998, at
63 FR 57356, EPA issued a NOX SIP call
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requiring the District of Columbia and
22 states to reduce emissions of NOX.
Affected states were required to comply
with Phase I of the SIP call beginning in
2004, and with Phase II beginning in
2007. The NOX SIP call established
state-specific NOX emission caps,
assuming possible NOX emission
control levels for various source types
within EGUs and using EGU-specific
historical operating data. States,
including Indiana, have adopted NOX
emission control regulations for EGUs
(and for other major stationary NOX
sources) to achieve the state-specific
NOX emission caps. These NOX
emission caps are supported by periodic
reporting of state NOX emissions to the
EPA. The reduction in NOX emissions
has resulted in lower concentrations of
transported NOX and PM2.5 into the
Greater Chicago PM2.5 nonattainment
area. Emission reductions resulting from
state regulations developed in response
to the NOX SIP call are permanent and
enforceable.
CAIR. See the detailed discussion of
CAIR in section III of this proposed rule.
CSAPR. See the discussion of CSAPR
in section III of this proposed rule.
All of the emission reduction
requirements discussed above have led
to (or will lead to) substantial emission
reductions and have been shown by
Indiana and EPA (in analyses
supporting CAIR and CSAPR) to be the
main cause of the emission reductions
discussed below.
2. Emission Reductions
To demonstrate that significant
emission reductions have resulted in
attainment, Indiana compared the NOX,
SO2, and primary PM2.5 emissions for
2002 and 2005 with those of 2008. The
emissions inventories for 2008 represent
a year in which the area was attaining
the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard.
The 2002, 2005, and 2008 point
source emissions were obtained from
Indiana’s source facility emissions
reporting program for Lake and Porter
Counties. Point source emissions for
Illinois’ portion of the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area 4 were derived from
2002 and 2008 point source emissions
documented in Illinois’ ‘‘Maintenance
Plan for the Chicago Nonattainment
Area for the 1997 PM2.5 National
4 Emissions
for the Illinois portion of the PM2.5
nonattainment area must be considered along with
the emissions for Lake and Porter Counties to
demonstrate the emission reductions resulting in
attainment of the PM2.5 standard and to demonstrate
maintenance of the PM2.5 standard for the entire bistate PM2.5 nonattainment area.
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59607
Ambient Air Quality Standard’’ (Illinois’
PM2.5 maintenance plan) prepared in
September 2010. The 2005 point source
emissions for Illinois’ portion of the
PM2.5 nonattainment area were
interpolated using Illinois’ 2002 and
2008 point source emission estimates.
EPA’s Clean Air Market’s Acid Rain
database (https://
camddataandmaps.epa.gov/gdm/) was
also used to estimate SO2 and NOX
emissions for certain point sources.
On-road mobile source emissions
were calculated using EPA’s mobile
source emission factor model,
MOBILE6.2, and other mobile source
input data, including vehicle age and
type distributions and speeds, derived
using Northwest Indiana Regional
Planning Commission’s (NIRPC’s) travel
demand model.
Area source emissions for Lake and
Porter Counties for 2002 and 2005 were
taken from Indiana’s 2002 and 2005
periodic emissions inventories.5 The
2005 periodic emission inventory area
source emissions were extrapolated to
2008. Source growth factors were
supplied for area and nonroad mobile
sources by the Lake Michigan Air
Directors Consortium (LADCO). Area
source emissions for the Illinois portion
of the Greater Chicago nonattainment
area were obtained from the 1997
annual PM2.5 maintenance plan
submitted by Illinois on October 15,
2010.
Nonroad mobile source emissions
were extracted or extrapolated from
nonroad mobile source emissions
reported in EPA’s 2005 National
Emissions Inventory (NEI). Contractors
were employed by LADCO to estimate
emissions for commercial marine
vessels and railroads.
Pre-2008 EGU emissions were derived
from EPA’s Clean Air Market’s Acid
Rain database. These emissions reflect
Indiana’s SO2 and NOX emission
budgets resulting from EPA’s NOX SIP
call. The 2008 emissions from EGUs
reflect Indiana’s emission caps under
EPA’s CAIR.
The 2002 and 2005 base year NOX,
SO2, and primary PM2.5 emission totals
by source sector are given in table 2.
5 Periodic emission inventories are developed by
states every three years and reported to EPA. These
periodic emission inventories are required by the
Federal Consolidated Emissions Reporting Rule,
codified at 40 CFR Subpart A. EPA revised these
and other emission reporting requirements in a final
rule published on December 17, 2008, at 73 FR
76539.
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TABLE 2—LAKE AND PORTER COUNTIES 2002 AND 2005 EMISSION TOTALS BY SOURCE SECTOR
[Tons per year]
Pollutant
Point
Area
On-road
mobile
Off-road
mobile
Totals
2002 Lake and Porter Counties Emission Totals
NOX ......................................................................................
SO2 .......................................................................................
Primary PM2.5 .......................................................................
60,808.11
59,263.34
7,313.70
2,626.91
4364.85
4,404.91
30,397.97
264.64
562.64
12,347.30
1,106.59
685.43
106,180.29
64,999.42
12,966.68
14,095.55
146.44
229.39
8,145.64
892.93
447.87
66,426.65
49,876.77
7,152.31
2005 Lake and Porter Counties Emission Totals
NOX ......................................................................................
SO2 .......................................................................................
Primary PM2.5 .......................................................................
The 2008 emissions totals for SO2,
NOX, and primary PM2.5 for Lake and
41,948.57
48,139.53
6,451.40
2,236.89
697.87
23.65
Porter Counties are summarized in table
3. These emissions establish attainment
year emissions levels for Lake and
Porter Counties.
TABLE 3—LAKE AND PORTER COUNTIES 2008 EMISSION TOTALS BY SOURCE SECTOR
[Tons per year]
Pollutant
Point
NOX ......................................................................................
SO2 .......................................................................................
Primary PM2.5 .......................................................................
The emissions totals in tables 2 and
3 for NOX show significant emission
reductions occurred in Lake and Porter
Counties between 2002 and 2005, and
NOX emissions continued this
downward trend between 2005 and
2008. The emissions for SO2 and
primary PM2.5 also show significant
reductions between 2002 and 2008, but
Area
39,945.76
54,916.02
6,676.32
2,264.46
703.25
23.66
do not show such a downward trend
between 2005 and 2008. We believe that
the significant downward trends in NOX
emissions more significantly
contributed to the improved PM2.5 air
quality observed between 2002/2005
and 2008 than the smaller reductions in
SO2 and primary PM2.5 emissions.
Table 4 presents the NOX, SO2, and
primary PM2.5, emission totals for the
On-road
mobile
10,703.81
103.08
187.10
Off-road
mobile
6,667.71
476.33
363.91
Totals
59,581.74
56,198.68
7,250.93
entire Greater Chicago nonattainment
area for 2002, 2005, and 2008. This table
provides a compelling demonstration of
the reduction in PM2.5 and PM2.5
precursor emissions between 2002,
when the area was violating the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard, and 2005, when
the area was in attainment of the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard.
TABLE 4—CHICAGO-GARY-LAKE COUNTY, IL-IN NONATTAINMENT AREA 2002, 2005, AND 2008 EMISSION TOTALS
[Tons per year]
Year
NOX
mstockstill on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
2002 .............................................................................................................................................
2005 .............................................................................................................................................
2008 .............................................................................................................................................
IDEM finds that the emission
reductions in Lake and Porter Counties
and in the Illinois portion of the Greater
Chicago nonattainment area which are
permanent and enforceable were
primarily responsible for the area’s
attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5
standard, but acknowledges that
emission reductions from throughout
Indiana and Illinois and from other
upwind states also contributed to the
area’s attainment. We agree with this
conclusion.
In addition to the local and PM2.5
nonattainment area emission
reductions, we believe that regional
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NOX and SO2 emission reductions
resulting from the implementation of
the Acid Rain Program (ARP) (see 40
CFR parts 72 through 78), the NOX SIP
call, and CAIR have significantly
contributed to the PM2.5 air quality
improvement in the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area. To assess the
change in regional emissions from states
believed to significantly contribute to
annual PM2.5 concentrations in the
Greater Chicago nonattainment area, we
have considered statewide emissions for
EGUs reported for 2002 and 2008 in
EPA’s ARP/CAIR database. To limit the
number of states considered, we have
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SO2
447,601.29
346,671.15
278,649.74
197,480.42
164,171.77
152,367.68
Primary PM2.5
32,069.68
25,962.31
25,767.93
selected those states with emissions that
have been modeled to have significantly
contributed to elevated PM2.5
concentrations in Cook County, Illinois
(a modeling receptor site considered to
be representative of the regional
pollutant transport into Greater Chicago
nonattainment area), as documented in
EPA’s proposed rule for CSAPR (August
2, 2010, 75 FR 45210) and in technical
analyses supporting CSAPR and its
proposed rule (https://www.epa.gov/
airtransport/techinfo.html). Table 5 lists
the statewide total NOX and SO2
emissions for EGUs for the selected
States.
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TABLE 5—STATEWIDE EGU EMISSIONS FOR 2002 AND 2008
[Tons per year]
SO2
NOX
State
Percent
reduction
2008
Illinois ...............................................................................
Indiana .............................................................................
Iowa ..................................................................................
Kentucky ..........................................................................
Michigan ...........................................................................
Minnesota .........................................................................
Ohio ..................................................................................
Pennsylvania ....................................................................
Wisconsin .........................................................................
174,246
281,146
78,956
198,598
132,623
86,663
370,497
200,909
88,970
119,930
190,092
49,023
157,903
107,623
60,230
235,049
183,658
47,794
31.2
32.4
37.9
21.4
18.9
30.5
36.6
8.6
46.3
353,699
778,868
127,847
482,653
342,998
101,285
1,132,069
889,765
191,256
257,357
565,459
109,293
344,356
326,500
71,926
709,914
831,914
129,693
27.2
27.4
14.5
28.7
4.8
29.0
37.3
6.5
32.1
Total ..........................................................................
1,612,708
1,151,302
28.6
4,400,440
3,346,412
24.0
As can be seen in table 5, the
implementation of CAIR resulted in
significant reductions in regional
statewide NOX and SO2 emissions from
EGUs in the states EPA finds are
contributing significantly to the annual
PM2.5 concentrations in the Greater
Chicago nonattainment area. CAIR
requirements address emissions through
2011. CSAPR in turn requires similar or
greater emission reductions in the nine
states identified in table 5 starting in
2012. The upwind emission reduction
requirements that contributed to the air
quality improvements in the Greater
Chicago nonattainment, thus, can be
considered to be permanent and
enforceable.
In summary, the local emissions data
provided by the State of Indiana support
the conclusion that significant
permanent and enforceable NOX and
SO2 emission reductions have occurred
in the Greater Chicago nonattainment
area. For the reasons set forth above, we
also conclude that significant
permanent and enforceable emission
reductions have occurred in regional
emissions, thus bolstering the observed
improvement in annual PM2.5
concentrations in the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area. We thus believe
that Indiana’s redesignation request
meets the requirement of section
107(d)(3)(E)(iii) of the CAA.
D. Does Indiana have a fully approvable
PM2.5 maintenance plan pursuant to
section 175A of the CAA for Lake and
Porter Counties?
Sections 107(d)(3)(E)(iv) and 175A of
the CAA require that the State
demonstrate that the area to be
redesignated will continue to meet the
PM2.5 NAAQS for at least a ten-year
maintenance period after EPA’s
approval of the redesignation. Indiana’s
maintenance plan includes emission
inventories that demonstrate that
emissions of SO2, NOX, and primary
PM2.5 in the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area will remain at or
below the attainment year levels for the
ten-year period after EPA takes action to
approve Indiana’s redesignation request.
As part of Indiana’s redesignation
request for Lake and Porter Counties,
the State included projected NOX, SO2,
and primary PM2.5 emissions
inventories for the PM2.5 nonattainment
area for 2015, 2020, and 2025. These
projected inventories were compared to
the 2008 attainment year emissions
2002
2008
Percent
reduction
2002
inventories to demonstrate maintenance
of the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard in the
Greater Chicago nonattainment area.
The on-road mobile source emission
components of the 2015 (projected to
2016) and 2025 emissions inventories
were also used to establish MVEBs for
Lake and Porter Counties to be used in
transportation conformity
demonstrations. See the discussion of
the MVEBs below in section VI of this
proposed rule.
For each of the applicable pollutants
and projection years, Indiana prepared
emission estimates for four types of
anthropogenic sources: point sources;
area sources; on-road mobile sources;
and, nonroad mobile sources. Biogenic
emissions were assumed to remain
constant, and were not considered in
the maintenance demonstration
analysis.
The projected 2015, 2020, and 2025
emissions were estimated by IDEM,
with assistance from LADCO, the
Illinois Environmental Protection
Agency, and NIRPC. Table 6 lists the
projected NOX, SO2, and primary PM2.5
emissions along with the 2008
emissions by source sector for Lake and
Porter Counties.
TABLE 6—LAKE AND PORTER COUNTIES 2008, 2015, 2020, AND 2025 EMISSIONS BY SOURCE SECTOR
[Tons per year]
Pollutant
Point
Area
On-road
mobile
Off-road
mobile
Totals
mstockstill on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
2008 Lake and Porter Counties Emissions Totals
NOX ......................................................................................
SO2 .......................................................................................
Primary PM2.5 .......................................................................
39,945.76
54,916.02
6,676.32
2,264.46
703.25
23.66
10,703.81
103.08
187.10
6,667.71
476.33
363.91
59,581.74
56,198.68
7,250.93
5,723.67
66.23
136.61
4,962.17
267.22
248.01
41,795.31
43,410.55
7,057.65
2015 Lake and Porter Counties Emissions Totals
NOX ......................................................................................
SO2 .......................................................................................
Primary PM2.5 .......................................................................
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28,883.26
42,394.24
6,650.33
Fmt 4702
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2,226.21
682.86
22.70
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TABLE 6—LAKE AND PORTER COUNTIES 2008, 2015, 2020, AND 2025 EMISSIONS BY SOURCE SECTOR—Continued
[Tons per year]
Pollutant
Point
On-road
mobile
Area
Off-road
mobile
Totals
2020 Lake and Porter Counties Emissions Totals
NOX ......................................................................................
SO2 .......................................................................................
Primary PM2.5 .......................................................................
27,832.65
38,493.19
6,566.86
2,187.09
664.67
21.97
3,004.68
72.76
114.32
4,057.84
215.27
185.11
37,082.26
39,445.89
6,888.26
2,534.95
76.51
115.39
3,349.95
175.39
140.67
35,013.79
36,787.24
6,762.10
2025 Lake and Porter Counties Emissions Totals
NOX ......................................................................................
SO2 .......................................................................................
Primary PM2.5 .......................................................................
Table 7 lists the projected emissions
for the Greater Chicago nonattainment
26,980.09
35,888.27
6,484.75
2,148.80
647.07
21.29
area along with the 2008 emissions for
this area.
TABLE 7—CHICAGO-GARY-LAKE COUNTY, IL-IN PM2.5 NONATTAINMENT AREA PROJECTED EMISSIONS TOTALS
[Tons per year]
Year
2008
2015
2020
2025
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
Comparison of the 2008 and projected
2015, 2020, and 2025 emissions
demonstrates that future emissions
through 2025 show that the emissions
levels should remain below the 2008
emission levels in Lake and Porter
Counties and in the Greater Chicago
area. Therefore, the State has
demonstrated maintenance of the PM2.5
standard in this area for a period
extending ten years and beyond from
the time EPA may be expected to
complete rulemaking on the State’s
SO2
NOX
PM2.5 redesignation request for Lake and
Porter Counties.
In addition to maintenance of local
emissions at or below attainment levels,
EPA considered the continued impact of
regional emissions levels since we
believe that these emissions will
contribute significantly to annual PM2.5
concentrations during the maintenance
period. Based on the same states
identified in CSAPR as significant
contributors of PM2.5 precursor
emissions (see table 5 and its related
278,649.74
187,557.31
156,231.26
149,198.79
152,367.68
107,285.55
98,829.89
99,453.24
Primary PM2.5
32,069.68
25,128.65
24,729.26
25,074.10
discussion above), table 8 compares
these state’s statewide EGU emissions
for 2008 (the attainment year), derived
from the CAIR emissions database, with
the 2012–2013 and 2014 and beyond
(2014+) statewide EGU emission
budgets established in the preamble to
the CSAPR (table VI.D–3, 76 FR 48261).
The CSAPR emission budgets listed in
table 8 do not include state-specific
source variability limits or source setaside emission limits, otherwise
established in CSAPR.
TABLE 8—STATEWIDE EGU EMISSIONS (2008) AND EMISSION BUDGETS IN THE CROSS-STATE AIR POLLUTION RULE
[Tons per year]
State
2012–2013
CSAPR
emission
budget
2008
2014 and later
CSAPR
emission
budget
mstockstill on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
NOX
Illinois ...........................................................................................................................................
Indiana .........................................................................................................................................
Iowa .............................................................................................................................................
Kentucky ......................................................................................................................................
Michigan .......................................................................................................................................
Minnesota ....................................................................................................................................
Missouri ........................................................................................................................................
Ohio .............................................................................................................................................
Pennsylvania ................................................................................................................................
Wisconsin .....................................................................................................................................
119,930
190,092
49,023
157,903
107,623
60,230
88,742
235,049
183,658
47,794
47,872
109,726
38,335
85,086
60,193
29,572
52,374
92,703
119,986
31,628
47,872
108,424
37,424
77,238
57,812
29,572
48,717
87,493
119,194
30,398
Total ......................................................................................................................................
1,240,044
667,475
644,144
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TABLE 8—STATEWIDE EGU EMISSIONS (2008) AND EMISSION BUDGETS IN THE CROSS-STATE AIR POLLUTION RULE—
Continued
[Tons per year]
State
2012–2013
CSAPR
emission
budget
2008
2014 and later
CSAPR
emission
budget
SO2
mstockstill on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Illinois ...........................................................................................................................................
Indiana .........................................................................................................................................
Iowa .............................................................................................................................................
Kentucky ......................................................................................................................................
Michigan .......................................................................................................................................
Minnesota ....................................................................................................................................
Missouri ........................................................................................................................................
Ohio .............................................................................................................................................
Pennsylvania ................................................................................................................................
Wisconsin .....................................................................................................................................
Total ......................................................................................................................................
The EGU emissions and emissions
budgets listed in table 8 show that
CSAPR is expected to result in
significantly lower regional EGU
emissions after 2008. Therefore, CSAPR
is expected to maintain regional EGU
emissions below the attainment period
levels during the maintenance period
for Lake and Porter Counties. These
emission reductions are expected to be
enforceable and generally permanent on
a regional basis.6
The sizeable reductions in SO2 and
NOX emissions by 2015, 2020, and 2025,
relative to those in 2008, shown by
comparing emissions in tables 3, 4, 6,
and 7 above, are due in significant part
to restrictions mandated by EPA to
reduce power plant emissions of SO2
and NOX in the Eastern United States in
order to reduce pollutant transport in
this region. To develop the 2015, 2020,
and 2025 EGU emission inventories,
Indiana used emission projections
premised on the implementation of
CAIR requirements as an approximation
of the emissions levels the States of
Indiana and Illinois project to occur
following the promulgation of CSAPR.
We acknowledge that emissions
following implementation of CSAPR
may differ somewhat from the emissions
that would have occurred under CAIR.
On the other hand, as noted above,
EPA’s CSAPR achieves substantial
regional reductions of SO2 and NOX
emissions from EGUs. EPA has not
made emission estimates for 2020 or
6 We acknowledge that differences in individual
State EGU emission totals will actually occur under
CSAPR because the implementation of this rule will
provide for emissions trading and because each
State’s EGU emissions budget will be supplemented
with source variability limits and new source setasides. Nonetheless, the regional total EGU
emissions will be significantly reduced as a result
of the implementation of CSAPR.
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2025 that are premised on the
implementation of CSAPR. However,
table 8 above shows the emission
budgets that EPA established in CSAPR
for the relevant states. These emission
budgets are significantly lower than the
2008 EGU emissions in each State.
CSAPR also addresses EGU emissions in
the Greater Chicago nonattainment area.
Given the substantial degree of control
of the various EGUs in Lake and Porter
Counties, and in the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area as a whole, both
currently and projected into the future,
EPA finds Indiana’s projection of such
emission declines through 2025 to be
appropriate forecasts of future
emissions. The projected emission
reductions for the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area, along with the SO2
and NOX emission reductions expected
to occur in upwind states, demonstrate
continued maintenance of the PM2.5
annual standard in the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area.
In conjunction with the projections
for dramatic declines in the Greater
Chicago nonattainment area emissions
of SO2 and NOX, Indiana shows that
there will also be a decrease in primary
PM2.5 emissions in this area between
2008 and 2025, although the percentage
of this emission reduction is relatively
small compared to those of SO2 and
NOX emissions.
Maintenance of the 1997 annual PM2.5
air quality standard in the Greater
Chicago nonattainment area is a
function of regional as well as local
emissions trends. The regional impacts
are dominated by the impacts of SO2
and NOX emissions. The previous
section (discussing permanent and
enforceable emission reductions)
showed that CSAPR is expected to
provide for substantial SO2 and NOX
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257,357
565,459
109,293
344,356
326,500
71,926
258,269
709,444
831,914
129,693
3,604,211
234,889
285,424
107,085
189,335
194,537
41,981
207,466
310,230
278,651
79,480
1,929,078
124,123
161,111
75,184
106,284
143,995
41,981
165,941
137,077
112,021
40,126
1,107,843
emission reductions through 2014 and
beyond, reductions that are expected to
be maintained throughout and well
beyond the period (through 2020 and
2025) addressed in Indiana’s
maintenance plan. This lends support to
Indiana’s projection that regional
emission limitations in place will
continue to result in low emissions in
2020 and 2025. With CSAPR, the caps
on emissions of SO2 and NOX from the
power sector will ensure against growth
in SO2 and NOX emissions from these
sources, and, in combination with motor
vehicle rules and other rules, will assure
a continuing decline in SO2 and NOX
emissions. Therefore, EPA notes that
available emissions data indicate that,
with the implementation of CSAPR, the
Greater Chicago area can be expected to
maintain the standard through 2025.
EPA concludes that Indiana’s
maintenance plan demonstrates
maintenance for the period required
under section 175A of the CAA, and
consideration of the impacts of CSAPR
supports this conclusion.
Indiana also presented modeling
analysis indicating that the Greater
Chicago area will continue to attain the
PM2.5 NAAQS well into the future. This
analysis was produced by LADCO, and
submitted by Indiana as part of the May
26, 2011, submittal. EPA disagrees with
Indiana’s contention that this modeling
demonstrates attainment in the Greater
Chicago area in the absence of CAIR,
insofar as the analysis was predicated
on 2007 emission levels that already
include a set of emission reductions
attributable to CAIR. However, EPA
contends that the analysis, showing
attainment with implementation of a
subset of the emission reductions
expected from CAIR, supports the
conclusion that implementation of the
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full set of reductions that were expected
from CAIR (or a relatively similar set of
reductions from CSAPR) will also assure
that the standard is maintained.
Indiana’s maintenance plan contains
additional elements, including a
commitment to continue to operate an
EPA-approved monitoring network to
track ongoing compliance with the
NAAQS. Indiana currently operates six
ambient PM2.5 monitors in Lake and
Porter Counties. Indiana remains
obligated to continue to collect and
follow quality assurance procedures for
monitoring data in accordance with 40
CFR part 58 and to enter all data into
the Air Quality System in accordance
with Federal guidelines. Indiana will
use these data, supplemented with
PM2.5 monitoring data from the Illinois
portion of the Greater Chicago area and
any additional information necessary, to
verify continued attainment of the
standard. Indiana will also continue to
develop and submit periodic emission
inventories, as required by the Federal
Consolidated Emissions Reporting Rule
(codified at 40 CFR part 51 subpart A),
to track future levels of emissions.
Indiana’s maintenance plan also
includes contingency measures as
required by section 175A(d) of the CAA.
The contingency measures are designed
to prevent or promptly correct a
violation of the NAAQS after
redesignation to attainment of the
standard. Section 175A of the CAA
requires that a maintenance plan
include such contingency measures as
EPA deems necessary to assure that the
State will promptly correct a violation
of the NAAQS that occurs after
redesignation, including all measures
that were in the plan prior to
redesignation. Indiana’s contingency
measures provide that, if a violation
occurs, Indiana will implement an
‘‘Action Level Response’’ to evaluate
what measures are warranted to address
the violation. In particular, IDEM
commits to implementing one or more
measures from a list of candidate
measures given in the plan, or other
emission control measures, as needed to
correct the air quality problem.
Indiana’s candidate contingency
measures include the following:
• Vehicle Inspection and
Maintenance Enhancements
• Alternative Fuel and Diesel Retrofit
Programs
• NOX and SO2 Emission Offsets for
New and Modified Major Sources
• NOX and SO2 Emission Offsets for
New and Modified Minor Sources
• Increased Offset Ratio for New
Sources
• NOX and SO2 Controls on New
Minor Sources
• Wood Stove Change-Out Program
• Increased Recovery Efficiency at
Sulfur Recovery Plants
• Various Emission Reduction
Measures or Dust Suppression for
Unpaved Roads and/or Parking Lots
• Idling Restrictions
• Broader Geographic Applicability of
Existing Measures, and
• Various Transportation Control
Measures Sufficient To Achieve At
Least a 0.5 Percent Reduction in AreaWide PM2.5 Precursor Emissions.
Under Indiana’s plan, control
measures are to be adopted and
implemented within 18 months from
the end of the season in which air
quality triggering the Action Level
Response occurs. Indiana further
commits to conduct an ongoing review
of its monitored data, and if monitored
concentrations or emissions are trending
upward, Indiana commits to take
appropriate steps to avoid a violation if
possible. EPA contends that Indiana’s
contingency plan satisfies the pertinent
requirements of section 175A(d).
As required by section 175A(b) of the
CAA, Indiana commits to submit to the
EPA an updated PM2.5 maintenance
plan eight years after redesignation of
Lake and Porter Counties to assure
maintenance for an additional ten-year
period beyond the initial maintenance
period. As required by section 175A of
the CAA, Indiana has also committed to
retain the PM2.5 control measures
contained in the SIP prior to
redesignation.
For all of the reasons outlined above,
EPA is proposing to approve Indiana’s
PM2.5 maintenance plan for Lake and
Porter Counties and the Greater Chicago
area.
VI. Has the State adopted acceptable
MVEBs for the PM2.5 maintenance
period?
Under section 176(c) of the CAA,
transportation plans and Transportation
Improvement Programs (TIPs) must be
evaluated for conformity with SIPs.
Consequently, Indiana’s redesignation
request provides MVEBs, conformance
with which will assure that motor
vehicle emissions are at or below levels
that can be expected to provide for
attainment and maintenance of the
PM2.5 NAAQS. Indiana’s April 3, 2008,
submittal included emission budgets for
NOX and PM2.5 for 2010 and 2020.
Indiana submitted a replacement set of
budgets in its May 26, 2011, submittal.
These updated budgets address the
years 2016 and 2025. However, in a
letter dated July 20, 2011, Indiana has
requested that EPA not act on the 2016
MVEBs for Lake and Porter Counties
because of concerns with the way in
which these emission budgets were
calculated. Since the 2025 emission
budgets replace the emission budgets
submitted in April 2008, EPA will no
longer conduct rulemaking on the April
2008 MVEBs and will not act on the
2016 MVEBs per Indiana’s request.
Table 9 shows the updated 2025
MVEBs as well as the 2025 emission
projections on which these budgets are
based. Table 9 also shows the 2008 onroad mobile source emissions, which
are part of the emissions which have led
to attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5
standard in the Chicago-Gary-Lake
County, IL-IN area. Indiana did not
provide emission budgets for SO2, VOC,
and ammonia because it concluded,
consistent with EPA’s presumptions
regarding these PM2.5 precursors, that
emissions of these precursors from
motor vehicles are not significant
contributors to the area’s PM2.5 air
quality problem.
TABLE 9—MOBILE SOURCE EMISSION PROJECTIONS FOR LAKE AND PORTER COUNTIES
[Tons per year]
Primary PM2.5
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NOX
Year
Emissions
estimate
2008 .................................................................................................................
2025 .................................................................................................................
Table 9 shows substantial decreases
in on-road mobile source NOX and
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10,703.81
2,534.95
primary PM2.5 emissions from 2008 to
2025. The emission reductions are
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Sfmt 4702
Budget
........................
2,915.19
Emissions
estimate
187.09
115.39
Budget
........................
132.70
expected because newer vehicles,
subject to more stringent emission
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standards, are continually replacing
older, dirtier vehicles. Indiana provided
emission budgets for 2025 that include
a safety margin of 15 percent above
projected levels. Safety margins are
included in the MVEBs to account for
the wide range of assumptions that are
factored into the motor vehicle emission
projections. The safety margins are
constrained so as to prevent any
increases in on-road emissions from
interfering with the maintenance of the
1997 annual PM2.5 standard during the
maintenance period. In Lake and Porter
Counties, the MVEBs and motor vehicle
emission projections for both NOX and
primary PM2.5 are lower than attainment
year levels.
EPA is proposing to approve the 2025
Lake and Porter Counties MVEBs into
the Indiana SIP because, based on our
review of the submitted maintenance
plan, we have determined that the
maintenance plan and MVEBs meet
EPA’s criteria found in 40 CFR
93.118(e)(4) for determining that MVEBs
are adequate for use in transportation
conformity determinations and are
approvable because, when considered
together with the submitted
maintenance plan projected emissions,
they provide for maintenance of the
1997 annual PM2.5 standard in the
Chicago-Gary-Lake County, IL-IN area.
The budgets that Indiana submitted
were calculated using the MOBILE6.2
motor vehicle emissions model. EPA is
proposing to approve the inventory and
the conformity emission budgets
calculated using this model because this
model was the most current model
available at the time Indiana was
performing its analysis. As noted above
and separate from today’s proposal, EPA
has issued an updated motor vehicle
emissions model known as the Motor
Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES).
In its announcement of this model, EPA
established a two-year grace period for
continued use of MOBILE6.2 in
transportation conformity
determinations for transportation plans
and TIPs (extending to March 2, 2012),
after which states and metropolitan
planning organizations (other than
California) must use MOVES for
transportation plan and TIP conformity
determinations. (See 75 FR 9411, March
2, 2010.)
Additional information on the use of
MOVES in SIPs and conformity
determinations can be found in the
December 2009 ‘‘Policy Guidance on the
Use of MOVES2010 for State
Implementation Plan Development,
Transportation Conformity, and Other
Purposes.’’ This guidance document is
available at: https://www.epa.gov/otaq/
models/moves/420b09046.pdf. During
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18:38 Sep 26, 2011
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the conformity grace period, the state
and MPO(s) should use the interagency
consultation process to examine how
MOVES2010a will impact their future
transportation plan and TIP conformity
determinations, including regional
emissions analyses. For example, an
increase in emission estimates due to
the use of MOVES2010a may affect an
area’s ability to demonstrate conformity
for its transportation plan and/or TIP.
Therefore, state and local planners
should carefully consider whether the
SIP and MVEBs, transportation plans,
and TIPs should be revised with
MOVES2010a before the end of the
conformity grace period, since doing so
may be necessary to ensure conformity
determinations in the future.
We would expect that states and
metropolitan planning organizations
would work closely with EPA and the
local Federal Highway Administration
and Federal Transit Administration
offices to determine an appropriate
course of action to address this type of
situation if it is expected to occur. If
Indiana chooses to revise the Lake and
Porter Counties maintenance plan, it
should consult the response to Question
7 of the December 2009 Policy Guidance
on the Use of MOVES2010 for State
Implementation Plan Development,
Transportation Conformity, and Other
Purposes for information on
requirements related to such revisions.
VII. Are the base year emissions
inventories for Lake and Porter
Counties approvable under CAA
section 172(c)(3)?
In addition to air quality data
supporting the State’s PM2.5
redesignation request, emissions data
are needed to meet CAA emission
inventory requirements. Under section
172(c)(3) of the CAA, Indiana is
required to submit comprehensive,
accurate, and current inventories of
actual emissions of PM2.5 and PM2.5
precursors for each PM2.5 nonattainment
area.
As noted in table 2 above, Indiana has
documented 2002 and 2005 NOX, SO2,
and primary PM2.5 emissions for Lake
and Porter Counties. The 2005 emission
inventories (and those for other years
summarized above) are documented in
appendices B through G of Indiana’s
May 26, 2011, submittal. General
techniques used derive these emissions
were documented in the revised PM2.5
redesignation request included with the
May 26, 2011, submittal. These
derivation techniques and sources of
information were discussed above in
section V.C.2 of this proposed action.
EPA has reviewed Indiana’s
documentation of the emissions
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Sfmt 4702
59613
inventory techniques and the data
sources used for the derivation of the
2005 base year emissions and has found
that Indiana has thoroughly
documented the derivation of these
emissions inventories.
In the May 26, 2011, submittal, IDEM
states that the 2005 base year emissions
inventories (and the 2008 attainment
year emissions inventories) are
currently the most complete emissions
inventories for PM2.5 and PM2.5
precursors in Lake and Porter Counties.
We conclude that the 2005 emissions
inventories are complete and are as
accurate as possible given the input data
available to the state. Therefore, we
propose to approve the 2005 PM2.5
emissions inventories for Lake and
Porter Counties as meeting the
requirement of section 172(c)(3) of the
CAA.
VIII. What are EPA’s proposed actions
and what are the effects of these
proposed actions?
In its rulemaking of November 27,
2009, EPA determined that the Greater
Chicago area has attained the 1997
annual PM2.5 NAAQS. EPA’s review of
more recent data indicates that the area
continues to attain this standard. Thus,
EPA is proposing to determine that the
area continues to attain the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard. EPA is also proposing to
approve Indiana’s maintenance plan for
Lake and Porter Counties as a SIP
revision that meets the requirements of
section 175A of the CAA. EPA proposes
to approve the 2005 emission
inventories for Lake and Porter Counties
included in Indiana’s May 26, 2011,
submittal as satisfying the requirement
in section 172(c)(3) of the CAA.
Pursuant to section 107(d)(3)(E) of the
CAA, EPA proposes to approve the State
of Indiana’s request to redesignate Lake
and Porter Counties, Indiana to
attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5
NAAQS. Finally, EPA is proposing to
find adequate and to approve 2025
MVEBs for Lake and Porter Counties for
purposes of future transportation
conformity.
If finalized, approval of the
redesignation request would change the
legal designation of Lake and Porter
Counties for the 1997 annual PM2.5
NAAQS, found at 40 CFR part 81, from
nonattainment to attainment. Finalizing
EPA’s proposal to approve several
revisions to the Indiana SIP for Lake and
Porter Counties would approve into the
Indiana SIP the Lake and Porter
Counties’ 1997 annual PM2.5
maintenance plan, the 2005 emission
inventories submitted with the
maintenance plan, and 2025 MVEBs.
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 187 / Tuesday, September 27, 2011 / Proposed Rules
mstockstill on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
IX. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
Under the CAA, redesignation of an
area to attainment and the
accompanying approval of a
maintenance plan under section
107(d)(3)(E) are actions that affect the
status of a geographical area and do not
impose any additional regulatory
requirements on sources beyond those
imposed by state law. A redesignation to
attainment does not in and of itself
create any new requirements, but rather
results in the applicability of
requirements contained in the CAA for
areas that have been redesignated to
attainment. Moreover, the Administrator
is required to approve a SIP submission
that complies with the provisions of the
CAA and applicable Federal regulations.
42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a).
Thus, in reviewing SIP submissions,
EPA’s role is to approve state choices,
provided that they meet the criteria of
the CAA. Accordingly, this action
merely proposes to approve state law as
meeting Federal requirements and does
not impose additional requirements
beyond those imposed by state law. For
that reason, these actions:
• Are not a ‘‘significant regulatory
action’’ subject to review by the Office
of Management and Budget under
Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735,
October 4, 1993);
• Do not impose an information
collection burden under the provisions
of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
• Are certified as not having a
significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities
under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
• Do 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);
• Do not have Federalism
implications as specified in Executive
Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10,
1999);
• Are not economically significant
regulatory actions based on health or
safety risks subject to Executive Order
13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997);
• Are not significant regulatory
actions subject to Executive Order
13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001);
• Are not subject to requirements of
Section 12(d) of the National
Technology Transfer and Advancement
Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) because
application of those requirements would
be inconsistent with the CAA; and
• Do not provide EPA with the
discretionary authority to address, as
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appropriate, disproportionate human
health or environmental effects, using
practicable and legally permissible
methods, under Executive Order 12898
(59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).
In addition, this proposed rule does
not have tribal implications as specified
by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249,
November 9, 2000), because the SIP is
not approved to apply in Indian country
located in the state, and EPA notes that
it will not impose substantial direct
costs on tribal governments or preempt
tribal law.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air
pollution control, Incorporation by
reference, Intergovernmental relations,
Particulate matter.
Dated: September 12, 2011.
Susan Hedman,
Regional Administrator, Region 5.
[FR Doc. 2011–24376 Filed 9–26–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 101
[WT Docket No. 10–153; RM–11602; FCC
11–120]
Facilitating the Use of Microwave for
Wireless Backhaul and Other Uses and
Providing Additional Flexibility To
Broadcast Auxiliary Service and
Operational Fixed Microwave
Licensees
Federal Communications
Commission.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
In this document, the
Commission seeks more targeted
comments on proposals originally
discussed in its Notice of Inquiry (NOI),
for increasing the flexibility of our part
101 rules to promote wireless backhaul.
We seek comment on certain proposals
offered by parties in response to the NOI
that we believe warrant further
consideration. We also seek comment
on additional ways to increase the
flexibility, capacity and costeffectiveness of the microwave bands,
while protecting incumbent licensees in
these bands. By enabling more flexible
and cost-effective microwave services,
the Commission can help accelerate
deployment of fourth-generation (4G)
mobile broadband infrastructure across
America. In addition, we address a
petition for rulemaking filed by Fixed
Wireless Communications Coalition
(FWCC).
SUMMARY:
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Submit comments on or before
October 4, 2011. Submit reply
comments on or before October 25,
2011.
DATES:
Federal Communications
Commission, 445 12th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20554. You may submit
comments, identified by WT Docket No.
10–153, by any of the following
methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
Federal Communications
Commission’s Web Site: https://
www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
People with Disabilities: Contact the
FCC to request reasonable
accommodations (accessible format
documents, sign language interpreters,
CART, etc.) by e-mail: FCC504@fcc.gov
or phone: (202) 418–0530 or TTY: (202)
418–0432.
For detailed instructions for
submitting comments and additional
information on the rulemaking process,
see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John
Schauble, Deputy Chief, Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau,
Broadband Division, at 202–418–0797
or by e-mail to John.Schauble@fcc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a
summary of the Commission’s Backhaul
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(FNPRM), FCC 11–120, adopted and
released on August 9, 2011. The full text
of this document is available for
inspection and copying during normal
business hours in the FCC Reference
Information Center, Room CY–A257,
445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC
20554. The complete text may be
purchased from the Commission’s
duplicating contractor, Best Copy and
Printing, Inc. (BCPI), Portals II, 445 12th
Street, SW., Room CY–B402,
Washington, DC 20554, (202) 488–5300,
facsimile (202) 488–5563, or via e-mail
at fcc@bcpiweb.com. The complete text
is also available on the Commission’s
Web site at https://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/
edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-11120A1.doc. Alternative formats
(computer diskette, large print, audio
cassette, and Braille) are available by
contacting Brian Millin at (202) 418–
7426, TTY (202) 418–7365, or via e-mail
to bmillin@fcc.gov.
ADDRESSES:
Summary
Review of Part 101 Antenna Standards
1. Section 101.115(b) of the
Commission’s rules establishes
directional antenna standards designed
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 27, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 59600-59614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-24376]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 52 and 81
[EPA-R05-OAR-2008-0395; FRL-9469-8]
Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans;
Indiana; Redesignation of Lake and Porter Counties to Attainment of the
Fine Particulate Matter Standard
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In an April 3, 2008, submittal, supplemented on March 6, 2009,
May 26, 2011, and July 20, 2011, the Indiana Department of
Environmental Management (IDEM) requested redesignation of the Lake and
Porter Counties, Indiana portion (Lake and Porter Counties) of the
Chicago-Gary-Lake County, Illinos-Indiana (IL-IN) nonattainment area
(Greater Chicago nonattainment area) to attainment of the 1997 annual
fine particulate matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality
Standard (NAAQS or standard). EPA is proposing to approve the
redesignation request for Lake and Porter Counties, along with related
Indiana State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions, including the
State's plan for maintaining attainment of the PM2.5
standard in this area through 2025, because the request meets the
statutory requirements for redesignation under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
EPA is also proposing to approve Indiana's 2025 Nitrogen Oxides
(NOX) and PM2.5 Motor Vehicle Emission Budgets
(MVEBs) for Lake and Porter Counties, as well as the 2005
PM2.5-related emissions inventories for this area.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 27, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R05-
OAR-2008-0395, by one of the following methods:
https://https://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: Mooney.John@epa.gov.
Fax: (312) 692-2551.
Mail: John Mooney, Chief, Air Programs Branch (AR-18J),
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 77 West Jackson Boulevard,
Chicago, Illinois 60604.
Hand Delivery: John Mooney, Air Programs Branch, (AR-18J),
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, 18th
Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60604. Such deliveries are only accepted
during the Regional Office's normal hours of operation, and special
arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. The
Regional Office official hours of business are Monday through Friday,
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding Federal holidays.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-R05-OAR-
2008-0395. 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.regulations.gov, 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 https://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The https://www.regulations.gov Web site
is an ``anonymous access'' system, 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 https://www.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
[[Page 59601]]
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 and viruses. For additional
instructions on submitting comments, go to section I of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the https://www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some
information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such
as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy.
Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically
in https://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Region 5, Air and Radiation Division, 77 West
Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604. This facility is open from
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal
holidays. We recommend that you telephone Edward Doty at (312) 886-6057
before visiting the Region 5 office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward Doty, Environmental Scientist,
Attainment Planning and Maintenance Section, Air Programs Branch (AR-
18J), Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West Jackson
Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, (312) 886-6057, or
Doty.Edward@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document whenever ``we,''
``us,'' or ``our'' is used, we mean EPA. This supplementary information
section is arranged as follows:
I. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?
II. What actions is EPA proposing?
III. What is the background for these actions?
A. Fine Particulate Standards and Regional Emission Controls
B. Background for Indiana's PM2.5 Redesignation
Request and Maintenance Plan
IV. What are the criteria for redesignation to attainment?
V. Review of the State's PM2.5 Redesignation Request and
Basis for EPA's Proposed Actions
A. Has the greater Chicago nonattainment area attained the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard?
B. Have Lake and Porter Counties and the State of Indiana met
all requirements of Section 110 and Part D of the CAA applicable for
purposes of redesignation, and do Lake and Porter Counties have a
fully approved SIP under Section 110(k) of the CAA for purposes of
redesignation to attainment?
C. Are the PM2.5 air quality improvements in the
Chicago-Gary-Lake County, IL-IN area due to permanent and
enforceable emission reductions?
D. Does Indiana have a fully approvable PM2.5
maintenance plan pursuant to Section 175A of the CAA for Lake and
Porter Counties?
VI. Has the State adopted acceptable MVEBs for the PM2.5
maintenance period?
VII. Are the base year emissions inventories for Lake and Porter
Counties approvable under CAA Section 172(c)(3)?
VIII. What are EPA's proposed actions and what are the effects of
these proposed actions?
IX. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?
When submitting comments, remember to:
1. Identify the rulemaking by docket number and other identifying
information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page number).
2. Follow directions--EPA may ask you to respond to specific
questions or to organize comments by referencing a Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) part or section number.
3. Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives and
substitute language for your requested changes.
4. Describe any assumptions and provide any technical information
and/or data you used.
5. If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how you
arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be
reproduced.
6. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns, and
suggest alternatives.
7. Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the use of
profanity or personal threats.
8. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period deadline
identified in the proposed rule.
II. What actions is EPA proposing?
On November 27, 2009, at 74 FR 62243, EPA made a final
determination that the Greater Chicago nonattainment area, which
includes Lake and Porter Counties in Indiana, was attaining the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard. EPA is proposing here to determine
that this area continues to attain this standard. EPA is also proposing
to take several additional actions related to Indiana's
PM2.5 redesignation request, as discussed below. In a
separate proposed rule, EPA will address an Illinois PM2.5
redesignation request for the Illinois portion of the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area.
EPA is proposing to approve Indiana's 1997 annual PM2.5
standard maintenance plan for Lake and Porter Counties as a revision of
the Indiana SIP meeting the requirements of section 175A of the CAA.
The maintenance plan, as revised in the May 26, 2011, submittal,
assumes that control of power plant emissions resulting from the
implementation of EPA's Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) will
replace existing power plant emission control requirements that would
have resulted from EPA's Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR). See
discussions of CAIR and CSAPR and their relation to Indiana's
PM2.5 redesignation request and maintenance plan later in
this proposed rule.
EPA is proposing to approve 2005 emissions inventories for primary
PM2.5,\1\ NOX, and sulfur dioxide
(SO2),\2\ documented in Indiana's May 26, 2011,
PM2.5 redesignation request submittal, as satisfying the
requirement in section 172(c)(3) of the CAA for a comprehensive,
current, and accurate emission inventory.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Primary PM2.5 are fine particulates directly
emitted by sources and are not formed in a secondary manner through
chemical reactions or other processes in the atmosphere.
\2\ NOX and SO2 are precursors for fine
particulates formed through chemical reactions and other related
processes in the atmosphere.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
EPA is proposing to find that Indiana meets the requirements for
redesignation of Lake and Porter Counties to attainment of the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard under section 107(d)(3)(E) of the CAA.
We are making this proposal despite the fact that Indiana, in part,
relied on emission reductions from CAIR to demonstrate, under section
107(d)(3)(E)(iii) of the CAA, that permanent and enforceable emission
reductions were responsible for the monitored improvements in the
PM2.5 air quality of the Greater Chicago nonattainment area.
As will be discussed further below, because CAIR was remanded by the
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
(D.C. Circuit), the emission reductions associated with that rule
cannot be considered to be permanent and enforceable.
EPA, however, proposes that this requirement has effectively been
met because the emission reductions of CAIR continue through 2011, and
CSAPR requires similar or greater reductions in the relevant areas in
2012 and beyond. Because the emission reduction requirements of CAIR
are enforceable through 2011, and because CSAPR has now been
promulgated to address the emission reduction requirements previously
addressed by CAIR and gets similar or greater emission reductions in
the relevant areas in 2012 and beyond, EPA is
[[Page 59602]]
proposing to determine that the emission reductions that led to
attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard in the Greater
Chicago nonattainment area can now be considered to be permanent and
enforceable. For this reason, EPA is proposing to determine that the
requirement of CAA section 107(d)(3)(D)(iii) has now been met.
Therefore, EPA is proposing to approve the request from the State of
Indiana to change the designation of Lake and Porter Counties from
nonattainment to attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5 NAAQS.
Finally, EPA is proposing to approve 2025 primary PM2.5
and NOX MVEBs for Lake and Porter Counties documented in
Indiana's PM2.5 maintenance plan, as submitted on May 26,
2011. These MVEBs will be used in future transportation conformity
analyses for these counties.
III. What is the background for these actions?
A. Fine Particulate Standards and Regional Emission Controls
The first air quality standards for PM2.5 were
promulgated on July 18, 1997, at 62 FR 38652. EPA promulgated an annual
standard at a level of 15 micrograms per cubic meter ([mu]g/m\3\) of
ambient air, based on a three-year average of the annual mean
PM2.5 concentrations at each monitoring site (1997 annual
PM2.5 standard). In the same rulemaking, EPA promulgated a
24-hour PM2.5 standard, at 65 [mu]g/m\3\, based on a three-
year average of the annual 98th percentile of 24-hour PM2.5
concentrations at each monitoring site. On October 17, 2006, at 71 FR
61144, EPA retained the annual PM2.5 standard at 15 [mu]g/
m\3\ (2006 annual PM2.5 standard), but revised the 24-hour
standard to 35 [mu]g/m\3\, based again on the three-year average of the
annual 98th percentile of the 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations.
On January 5, 2005, at 70 FR 944, EPA published air quality area
designations and classifications for the 1997 annual PM2.5
standard based on air quality data for calendar years 2001-2003. In
that rulemaking, EPA designated the Greater Chicago area as
nonattainment for the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard.
In response to legal challenges of the 2006 annual PM2.5
standard, the DC Circuit remanded this standard to EPA for further
consideration. See American Farm Bureau Federation and National Pork
Producers Council, et al. v. EPA, 559 F.3d 512 (D.C. Cir. 2009).
However, given that the 1997 and 2006 annual PM2.5 standards
are essentially identical, attainment of the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard also indicates attainment of the remanded
2006 annual standard. Since the Greater Chicago area is designated as
nonattainment only for the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard,
today's proposed action addresses redesignation to attainment only for
this standard, and, as noted above, only for the Indiana portion of
this nonattainment area.
Fine particulate pollution can be emitted directly from a source
(primary PM2.5) or formed secondarily through chemical
reactions in the atmosphere involving precursor pollutants emitted from
a variety of sources. Sulfates are a type of secondary particulate
formed from SO2 emissions from power plants and industrial
facilities. Nitrates, another common type of secondary particulate, are
formed from combustion emissions of NOX from power plants,
mobile sources, and other combustion sources.
Given the significance of sulfates and nitrates in the formation of
PM2.5 in and transport of PM2.5 into the Greater
Chicago nonattainment area, the regulation of SO2 and
NOX emissions from power plants strongly affects the area's
air quality. EPA proposed CAIR on January 30, 2004, at 69 FR 4566,
promulgated CAIR on May 12, 2005, at 70 FR 25162, and promulgated
associated Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) on April 28, 2006, at 71
FR 25328, in order to reduce SO2 and NOX
emissions and to improve air quality in many areas across Eastern
United States. However, on July 11, 2008, the D.C. Circuit issued its
decision to vacate and remand both CAIR and the associated CAIR FIPs in
their entirety (North Carolina v. EPA, 531 F.3d 836 (D.C. Cir. 2008)).
EPA petitioned for a rehearing, and the court issued an order remanding
CAIR and the CAIR FIPs to EPA without vacatur (North Carolina v. EPA,
550 F.3d 1176 (D.C. Cir. 2008)). The court, thereby, left CAIR in place
in order to ``temporarily preserve the environmental values covered by
CAIR'' until EPA replaced it with a rule consistent with the Court's
opinion (id. at 1178). The court directed EPA to ``remedy CAIR's
flaws'' consistent with the July 11, 2008, opinion, but declined to
impose a schedule on EPA for completing this action (id). As a result
of these court rulings, the power plant emission reductions that
resulted solely from the development, promulgation, and implementation
of CAIR, and the associated air quality improvement that occurred
solely as a result of CAIR in the Greater Chicago nonattainment area
and elsewhere with emissions contributing to PM2.5
concentrations in this area could not be considered to be permanent.
On August 8, 2011, at 75 FR 48208, EPA promulgated CSAPR to address
interstate transport of emissions and resulting secondary air
pollutants and to replace CAIR. CAIR, among other things, required
NOX emission reductions that contributed to the air quality
improvement in the Greater Chicago nonattainment area. CAIR emission
reduction requirements limit emissions through 2011, and EPA has now
promulgated CSAPR, which requires similar or greater emission
reductions in the relevant areas in 2012 and beyond. CSAPR requires
substantial reductions of SO2 and NOX emissions
from Electric Generating Units (EGUs or power plants) across most of
the Eastern United States, with implementation beginning on January 1,
2012. By 2014, EGUs in states common to both CSAPR and CAIR will
achieve annual SO2 emission reductions of approximately 1.8
million tons, and will achieve annual NOX emission
reductions of approximately 76,000 tons beyond those that would have
been achieved by CAIR by that time. CAIR will continue to be
implemented through 2011, and will be replaced by CSAPR beginnig in
2012.
As demonstrated later in this proposed rule, CSAPR requires
reduction of NOX and SO2 emissions to levels well
below the levels that led to attainment of the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard in the Greater Chicago nonattainment area.
The emission reductions that CSAPR mandates may be considered to be
permanent and enforceable. In turn, the air quality improvement in the
Greater Chicago nonattainment area that has resulted from EGU emission
reductions to date (as well as the substantial further air quality
improvement that would be expected to result from full implementation
of CSAPR) may also be considered to be permanent and enforceable.
B. Background for Indiana's PM2.5 Redesignation Request and Maintenance
Plan
On April 3, 2008, IDEM submitted a request for EPA approval of a
redesignation of Lake and Porter Counties to attainment of the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard. This redesignation request is based
on 2004-2007 monitoring data showing attainment of the standard
throughout the Greater Chicago nonattainment area. On March 6, 2009,
IDEM submitted a technical addendum to the April 3, 2008,
PM2.5 redesignation request to show that the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area continued to attain
[[Page 59603]]
the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard through 2008.
In addition to showing that this area has attained the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard, the April 3, 2008, State submittal also
seeks to demonstrate that Indiana has met all other CAA requirements
for redesignation of Lake and Porter Counties to attainment of the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard. The redesignation request includes a
maintenance plan for Lake and Porter Counties demonstrating maintenance
of the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard through 2020. Both the
redesignation request and the maintenance demonstration rely on
emission reductions resulting from CAIR to demonstrate the basis for
the attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard and to
demonstrate maintenance of this standard.
Before EPA could rule on the August 3, 2008, redesignation request,
as amended in the March 6, 2009, supplemental submittal, the D.C.
Circuit remanded CAIR to EPA for reconsideration. This raised questions
about the emission reduction credits resulting from CAIR assumed in
Indiana's PM2.5 redesignation request and maintenance plan.
As time passed without resolution of the CAIR issue, EPA also became
concerned about the period covered by Indiana's PM2.5
maintenance demonstration, which must, at a minimum, demonstrate
attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard for at least
ten years after EPA approves the State's PM2.5 redesignation
request. See section 175A(a) of the CAA. This necessitated a revision
of the PM2.5 maintenance plan by the State to extend the
maintenance demonstration to a later endpoint.
On May 26, 2011, IDEM submitted a revised PM2.5
maintenance plan to EPA demonstrating maintenance of the 1997 annual
PM2.5 in Lake and Porter Counties through 2025. In this
submittal, the State included additional air quality data showing
continued attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard in
the Greater Chicago nonattainment area during 2008-2010.
The State held a public hearing on the PM2.5
redesignation request and maintenance plan on May 18, 2011, and the
State's public comment period on these submittal elements ended on May
20, 2011. Following the close of the public comment period, Indiana
submitted a revised PM2.5 redesignation request and final
PM2.5 maintenance plan for Lake and Porter Counties on July
20, 2011.
Indiana requests that the maintenance plan be approved by EPA as a
revision of the Indiana SIP. The maintenance plan documents 2025
PM2.5 and NOX MVEBs, which IDEM requests EPA to
approve and find adequate for use in transportation conformity
determinations and demonstrations.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ Transportation conformity assures that emissions from on-
road mobile sources do not jeopardize continued maintenance of the
standard during the maintenance period.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
IV. What are the criteria for redesignation to attainment?
The CAA sets forth the requirements for redesignating a
nonattainment area to attainment. Specifically, section 107(d)(3)(E) of
the CAA allows redesignation to attainment provided that: (1) The
Administrator determines that the area has attained the applicable
NAAQS; (2) the Administrator has fully approved an applicable SIP for
the area under section 110(k) of the CAA; (3) the Administrator
determines that the improvement in air quality is due to permanent and
enforceable emission reductions resulting from the implementation of
the applicable SIP, Federal emission control regulations, and other
permanent and enforceable emission reductions; (4) the Administrator
has fully approved a maintenance plan for the area meeting the
requirements of section 175A of the CAA; and, (5) the state containing
the area has met all requirements applicable to the area for purposes
of redesignation under section 110 and part D of the CAA.
V. Review of the State's PM2.5 Redesignation Request and
Basis for EPA's Proposed Actions
A. Has the Greater Chicago nonattainment area attained the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard?
In a final rulemaking dated November 27, 2009, at 76 FR 62243, EPA
determined that the Greater Chicago nonattainment area had attained the
1997 annual PM2.5 standard. This determination was based on
complete, quality-assured air monitoring data for 2006-2008.
The April 3, 2008, IDEM PM2.5 redesignation request
presents PM2.5 data for the period of 2005-2007, and the May
26, 2011, IDEM submittal presents PM2.5 data for the period
of 2008-2010. These quality-assured data show that the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area attained the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard
beginning in 2005-2007, and has continued to attain through 2010.
Preliminary data available for 2011 are consistent with continued
attainment.
Table 1 provides a summary of the PM2.5 annual air
quality data for the area for the period of 2008-2010.
Table 1--PM2.5 Annual Average Concentrations for the Greater Chicago Nonattainment Area
(in [mu]g/m\3\)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monitoring site AQS site 3-Year
County number 2008 2009 2010 average
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indiana Monitoring Sites
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lake............................. Franklin School, 11.95 11.34 12.48 11.9
180890006.
Lake............................. Griffith, 180890027...... 11.69 11.00 12.39 11.7
Lake............................. Hammond-Purdue, 180892004 11.66 (1) 12.30 (1)
Lake............................. Hammond-Clark High 12.42 10.80 11.90 11.7
School, 180892010.
Lake............................. Gary-Madison Street, 12.27 12.12 12.90 12.4
180890031.
Porter........................... Ogden Dunes, 181270024... 10.89 11.29 11.56 11.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Illinois Monitoring Sites
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cook............................. Chicago-Washington High 12.54 11.62 14.04 12.7
School, 170310022.
Cook............................. Chicago-Southeast Police 11.80 10.99 12.47 11.8
Station, 170310050.
Cook............................. Chicago-Mayfair Pump 12.18 12.69 12.57 12.5
Station, 170310052.
Cook............................. Chicago-Springfield Pump 12.03 11.33 \1\ 12.03 \1\ 11.8
Station, 170310057.
[[Page 59604]]
Cook............................. Chicago-Commonwealth 11.89 11.12 12.25 11.8
Edison Maintenance
Building, 170310076.
Cook............................. Blue Island, 170312001... 12.50 11.68 11.59 11.9
Cook............................. Schiller Park, 170313103. 13.59 12.91 12.64 13.0
Cook............................. Summit, 170313301........ 12.03 11.62 12.23 12.0
Cook............................. Des Plaines, 170314007... 11.35 11.02 10.60 11.0
Cook............................. Northbrook, 170314201.... 10.09 9.33 9.34 9.6
Cook............................. Cicero, 170316005........ \1\ 13.25 \1\ 11.98 11.90 \1\ 12.4
DuPage........................... Naperville, 170434002.... 11.28 9.83 11.67 10.9
Kane............................. Elgin, 170890003......... 10.79 9.61 11.29 10.6
Kane............................. Aurora, 170890007........ 10.34 10.01 11.44 10.6
Lake............................. Zion, 170971007.......... 9.34 8.83 9.66 9.3
McHenry.......................... Cary, 171110001.......... 10.10 9.65 10.24 10.0
Will............................. Joliet, 171971002........ 11.66 10.52 11.83 11.3
Will............................. Braidwood, 171971011..... 10.31 8.73 10.02 9.7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes: (1) The data for these sites and/or years do not meet data completeness requirements.
The data in table 1 show that all PM2.5 monitors in the
Greater Chicago nonattainment area have recorded PM2.5
concentrations attaining the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard
during 2008-2010. These annual average PM2.5 concentrations
are based on PM2.5 monitoring data that have been quality
assured and stored in EPA's Air Quality System (AQS) database.
Further consideration of annual PM2.5 concentrations at
several sites is necessary because data at these sites do not meet EPA
data completeness requirements. Under 40 CFR part 50, appendix N,
section 4.1 (addressing the annual PM2.5 standard), a year
of PM2.5 data meets completeness requirements when ``at
least 75 percent of the scheduled sampling days for each quarter has
valid data.'' As noted in table 1, three sites in the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area did not meet this data completeness requirement for
one or more years: the Hammond-Purdue (180892004) sites, located in
Lake County, Indiana; and, the Chicago-Springfield Pump Station
(170310057) and Cicero (170316005) sites, both located in Cook County,
Illinois.
Data handling conventions and computations necessary for
determining whether areas have met the 1997 annual PM2.5
standard, including requirements for data completeness, are listed in
appendix N of 40 CFR part 50. The use of less than complete data is
subject to the approval of the EPA, which may consider factors such as
monitoring site closures/moves, monitoring diligence, and nearby
concentrations in determining whether to use such data, as set forth at
40 CFR part 50, appendix N, section N.1(c).
Two of the identified sites are similar in that they have only one
year with incomplete data during the three years of data considered in
table 1: 2009 for the Hammond-Purdue (Indiana) site; and, 2010 for the
Chicago-Springfield Pump Station (Illinois) site. For these sites, we
note that, for the three-year periods preceding the years with the
missing data, each site had complete data showing attainment of the
1997 annual PM2.5 standard. For the Hammond-Purdue site,
complete 2006-2008 data show annual PM2.5 concentrations of
12.67, 13.8, and 11.66 [micro]g/m\3\, with an average of 12.7 [micro]g/
m\3\ for the three-year period (see data tables on pages A-1 and A-2 of
appendix A of Indiana's May 26, 2011, submittal). For the Chicago-
Springfield Pump Station site, complete 2007-2009 data show annual
PM2.5 concentrations of 15.18, 12.03, and 11.33 [micro]g/
m\3\, with an average of 12.85 [micro]g/m\3\ for the three-year period
(see data tables on pages A-6 and A-7 of appendix A of Indiana's May
26, 2011, submittal). Therefore, both of these sites are able to show
attainment of the standard with complete data for the preceding three-
year periods. For the 2008-2010 period, there are available complete
data for nearby sites, such as Hammond-Clark High School and Chicago-
Mayfair Pump Station, that show attainment of the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard (See table 1). EPA, thus, concludes that the
Hammond-Purdue and Chicago-Springfield Pump Station sites monitored
attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard during 2008-
2010. EPA is using these data because it finds that the States of
Indiana and Illinois have exercised due diligence in their monitoring,
no monitoring site closures or moves were involved for these sites, and
nearby PM2.5 concentrations suggest that the partial
evidence of PM2.5 concentrations at the Hammond-Purdue and
Chicago-Springfield Pump Station sites are indeed indicative that the
1997 annual PM2.5 standard has been attained at these sites.
For Cicero, both 2008 and 2009 have incomplete monitoring data. We
previously determined that this site had attained the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard based on 2006-2008 monitoring data. See our
proposed and final determination of attainment at 74 FR 48690
(September 24, 2009) and at 74 FR 62243 (November 27, 2009). In the
proposed determination, we discussed our analysis of PM2.5
concentrations for the Cicero monitoring site and our conclusion that,
although the PM2.5 data for this site did not meet EPA's
data completeness criteria in 2008, it is likely that this site
monitored attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard in
2008 and throughout 2006-2008.
EPA has conducted PM2.5 data substitution tests for the
2009 PM2.5 data at the Cicero monitoring site (170316005),
to evaluate how to address the issue of data completeness. The results
helped EPA assess whether the Cicero monitoring site monitored
attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard. On the basis
of these tests, and additional factors discussed below, we have
concluded that the data should be considered complete and should be
approved for the purpose of showing that this site attained the 1997
annual PM2.5 standard based on 2007-2009 and 2008-2010
monitoring data. EPA is using these data because it finds that the
State of Illinois has exercised due diligence in its monitoring, no
monitoring site closures or moves were involved for this site, and
nearby PM2.5
[[Page 59605]]
concentrations, such as those for the Blue Island monitoring site,
suggest that the partial evidence of PM2.5 concentrations at
the Cicero monitoring site are indeed indicative that the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard is being attained at this site. See
PM2.5-related data links and spreadsheets with data for this
monitoring site at: https://www.epa.gov/airtrends/values.html.
For the reasons discussed above, EPA proposes to determine that the
Chicago-Gary-Lake County, IL-IN area has attained the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard based on quality-assured data for 2008-2010.
B. Have Lake and Porter Counties and the State of Indiana met all
requirements of section 110 and part D of the CAA applicable for
purposes of redesignation, and do Lake and Porter Counties have a fully
approved SIP under section 110(k) of the CAA for purposes of
redesignation to attainment?
1. General Requirements
Sections 107(d)(3)(E)(ii) and 107(d)(3)(E)(v) of the CAA set forth
related requirements that together require the State to have a fully
approved SIP meeting all pertinent requirements under section 110 and
part D of the CAA as a prerequisite for approval of the State's
redesignation request. The following discussion addresses Indiana's
satisfaction of these criteria.
Since the passage of the CAA in 1970, Indiana has adopted and
submitted, and EPA has fully approved, provisions addressing the
various required SIP elements needed to attain the particulate
standards in Lake and Porter Counties and elsewhere in Indiana. Indiana
submitted the ``State of Indiana Air Pollution Control Implementation
Plan,'' Indiana's SIP, on January 31, 1972. EPA approved Indiana's SIP
on May 31, 1972 (37 FR 10863). Rules contained in this SIP addressed
attaining the Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) standard, reflecting
the particulate size range regulated under 1971 air quality standards.
On July 1, 1987, EPA replaced the TSP standard with a standard for
particles with aerodynamic diameters of 10 micrometers or smaller
(PM10). EPA promulgated area designations under the
PM10 NAAQS on March 15, 1991 (56 FR 11101). Lake County was
designated and classified as moderate nonattainment for the
PM10 standard. Through submittals on June 16, 1993, December
9, 1993, September 8, 1994, and November 17, 1994, the State of Indiana
submitted the emission control regulations, emissions inventories,
attainment demonstrations, and other plan elements needed to comply
with the SIP requirements for PM10. EPA approved Indiana's
PM10 SIP on June 15, 1995, at 60 FR 31412.
2. Section 110(a) Requirements
On December 7, 2007, September 19, 2008, March 23, 2011, and April
7, 2011, Indiana made submittals addressing ``infrastructure SIP''
elements required by section 110(a)(2) of the CAA for the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard and 1997 8-hour ozone standard. EPA published
proposed rulemaking on these submittals on April 28, 2011, at 76 FR
23757, and finalized that rulemaking on July 13, 2011, at 76 FR 41075,
approving Indiana's infrastructure SIP for these air quality standards.
The requirements of section 110(a)(2), however, are statewide
requirements that are not linked to the PM2.5 nonattainment
status of Lake and Porter Counties.
EPA finds that section 110 requirements not linked to an area's
nonattainment status are not applicable for purposes of redesignation.
See the Reading, Pennsylvania proposed and final rulemakings (October
10, 1996, at 61 FR 53174-53176, and May 7, 1997, at 62 FR 24826), the
Cleveland-Akron-Loraine, Ohio final rulemaking (May 7, 1996, at 61 FR
20458), and the Tampa, Florida final rulemaking (December 7, 1995, at
60 FR 62748). Therefore, these section 110(a)(2) SIP elements, which
are unrelated to an area's attainment status, are not applicable
requirements for purposes of review of the State's PM2.5
redesignation request.
3. Emission Inventories
Section 172(c)(3) of the CAA calls for the State to provide a
complete, accurate, and comprehensive emissions inventory of source
emissions. In today's action EPA proposes to approve Indiana's 2005
emissions inventories as meeting this requirement. These emissions
inventories are addressed in sections V.C and VII below, and are
documented in appendices B through G of Indiana's May 26, 2011,
submittal. See the EPA digital docket for this proposed rule, https://www.regulations.gov, which includes a digital copy of Indiana's May 26,
2011, submittal.
The basis for EPA's proposed approval of the emissions inventories
is set forth in the discussions of emission inventory development
techniques and sources of input data used to determine the emissions
inventories in section V.C.2 below and in an additional discussion of
the 2005 base year emissions inventories for Lake and Porter Counties
in section VII of this proposed rule.
4. Other Nonattainment Area Requirements
EPA is proposing to determine that, if it issues final approval of
the emission inventories discussed below under CAA section 172(c)(3),
the Indiana SIP will meet the SIP requirements for Lake and Porter
Counties applicable for purposes of redesignation under part D of the
CAA. Subpart 1 of part D, sections 172 to 176 of the CAA, set forth the
nonattainment plan requirements applicable to PM2.5
nonattainment areas.
Under section 172, states with nonattainment areas must submit
plans providing for timely attainment and meeting a variety of other
requirements. However, pursuant to 40 CFR 51.1004(c), EPA's November
27, 2009, determination that the Greater Chicago nonattainment area is
attaining the 1997 PM2.5 annual standard suspended Indiana's
obligation to submit plans meeting most of the CAA attainment planning
requirements that would otherwise apply. Specifically, the
determination of attainment suspended Indiana's obligation to submit a
PM2.5 attainment demonstration, and requirements to provide
for Reasonable Further Progress (RFP) toward attainment, Reasonably
Available Control Measures (RACM), and contingency measures under
section 172(c)(9) of the CAA.
The General Preamble for Implementation of Title I (57 FR 13498,
April 16, 1992) also discusses the evaluation of these requirements in
the context of EPA's consideration of a redesignation request. The
General Preamble sets forth EPA's view of applicable requirements for
purposes of evaluating redesignation requests when an area is attaining
the standard.
Because attainment has been reached, no additional measures are
needed to provide for attainment, and section 172(c)(1) requirements
for an attainment demonstration and RACM are no longer considered to be
applicable for purposes of redesignation, as long as the area continues
to attain the standard through final EPA approval of the State's
redesignation request. See also 40 CFR 51.1004(c). The RFP requirement
under section 172(c)(2) and contingency measures requirement under
section 172(c)(9) are similarly not relevant for purposes of
redesignation since EPA has determined that the area has attained the
1997 PM2.5 annual standard.
Section 172(c)(4) of the CAA requires the identification and
quantification of allowable emissions for major new and
[[Page 59606]]
modified stationary sources in an area, and section 172(c)(5) requires
source permits for the construction and operation of new and modified
major stationary sources anywhere in the nonattainment area. EPA has
determined that, since Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD)
requirements will apply after redesignation, areas being redesignated
need not comply with the requirement that a nonattainment area New
Source Review (NSR) program be approved prior to redesignation,
provided that the area demonstrates maintenance of the NAAQS without
part D NSR. The rationale for this view is described in a memorandum
from Mary Nichols, Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, dated
October 14, 1994, titled, ``Part D New Source Review Requirements for
Areas Requesting Redesignation to Attainment.''
Indiana has demonstrated that emissions will remain at or below
attainment levels throughout the maintenance period without part D NSR
in effect for Lake and Porter Counties. Therefore, the State need not
have a fully approved part D NSR program prior to the approval of
Indiana's redesignation request for Lake and Porter Counties. The
State's PSD program will become effective in Lake and Porter Counties
upon redesignation of these Counties to attainment of the 1997 annual
PM2.5 standard. See rulemakings for Detroit, Michigan (March
7, 1995, at 60 FR 12467-12468); Cleveland-Akron-Lorain, Ohio (May 7,
1996, at 61 FR 20458, 20469-20470); Louisville, Kentucky (October 23,
2001; at 66 FR 53665); and Grand Rapids, Michigan (June 21, 1996, at 61
FR 31834-31837).
Section 172(c)(6) of the CAA requires the SIP to contain control
measures necessary to provide for attainment of the standard. Because
attainment of the standard in the Greater Chicago nonattainment area
has been reached, no additional measures are needed to provide for
attainment.
Section 172(c)(7) requires the SIP to meet the applicable
provisions of section 110(a)(2) of the CAA. As noted above, we find
that the Indiana SIP meets the requirements of section 110(a)(2)
applicable for purposes of redesignation.
Section 176(c) of the CAA requires states to establish criteria and
procedures to ensure that Federally-supported or funded activities,
including highway projects, conform to the air quality planning goals
in the SIPs. EPA approved Indiana's general and transportation
conformity SIPs on January 14, 1998, at 63 FR 2146, and on August 17,
2010, at 75 FR 50730, respectively. Indiana has submitted on-road motor
vehicle budgets for Lake and Porter Counties for 2016 and 2025. The
area must use the MVEBs from the maintenance plan in any conformity
determination that is effective on or after the effective date of EPA's
maintenance plan approval.
No other SIP provisions relevant to Lake and Porter Counties are
currently disapproved, conditionally approved, or partially approved.
C. Are the PM2.5 air quality improvements in the Chicago-Gary-Lake
County, IL-IN area due to permanent and enforceable emission
reductions?
Section 107(d)(3)(E)(iii) requires the State to demonstrate that
the improvement in air quality is due to permanent and enforceable
emission reductions.
1. Permanent and Enforceable Emission Controls
The following is a discussion of permanent and enforceable emission
control measures that have been implemented in Lake and Porter
Counties, in the Greater Chicago nonattainment area, and in upwind
areas (resulting in lower pollutant transport into the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area).
a. Federal Emission Control Measures
Reductions in PM2.5 precursor emissions have occurred
statewide and in upwind areas as a result of the following Federal
emission control measures. Most of these Federal emission control
measures will result in additional emission reductions in the future.
Tier 2 Emission Standards for Vehicles and Gasoline Sulfur
Standards. These emission control requirements result in lower Volatile
Organic Compounds (VOC), NOX, and SO2 emissions
from new cars and light-duty trucks, including sport utility vehicles.
The Federal rules were phased in between 2004 and 2009. The EPA has
estimated that, by the end of the phase-in period, the following
vehicle NOX emission reductions will occur nationwide:
Passenger cars (light duty vehicles), 77 percent; light-duty trucks,
minivans, and sport utility vehicles, 86 percent; and, larger sport
utility vehicles, vans, and heavier trucks, 69 to 95 percent. Some of
the emissions reductions resulting from new vehicle standards occurred
during the 2008-2010 attainment period; however, additional reductions
will continue to occur throughout the maintenance period as the fleet
of older vehicles turns over. The Tier 2 standards also reduced the
sulfur content of gasoline to 30 parts per million (ppm) beginning in
January 2006. Most gasoline sold in Indiana prior to January 2006 had a
sulfur content of approximately 500 ppm. Sulfur occurs naturally in
gasoline, but interferes with the operation of catalytic converters.
Lowering the sulfur content of gasoline improves the emission reduction
resulting from the use of catalytic converters and results in
significantly lowered NOX emissions. In addition, lowering
the sulfur content of gasoline also reduces direct emissions of
sulfates (direct PM2.5) from vehicles.
Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine Rule. This rule, which EPA issued in July
2000, limited the sulfur content of diesel fuel and went into effect in
2004. A second phase of implementation took effect in 2007 and resulted
in reduced PM2.5 emissions from heavy-duty highway diesel
engines and further reduced the highway diesel fuel sulfur content to
15 ppm. The full implementation of this rule is estimated to achieve a
90 percent reduction in direct PM2.5 emissions (including
direct emissions of sulfates) and a 95 percent reduction in
NOX emissions for new engines using low sulfur diesel fuel,
compared to existing engines using higher sulfur content fuel. The
reductions in fuel sulfur content occurred by the 2008-2010 attainment
period. Some of the emissions reductions resulting from new vehicle
standards also occurred during the 2008-2010 attainment period;
however, additional reductions will continue to occur throughout the
maintenance period as the fleet of older heavy-duty diesel engines
turns over. This rule will also lower SO2 emissions from
engines using the low sulfur diesel fuel, resulting in lower
PM2.5 concentrations; however, EPA has not estimated the
level of this emissions reduction and the level of its impact on
PM2.5 concentrations.
Nonroad Diesel Engine Standards. In May 2004, EPA promulgated a
rule to establish emission standards for large nonroad diesel engines,
such as those used in construction, agriculture, or mining operations
(the engine emission standards are phased in between 2008 and 2014) and
to regulate the sulfur content in nonroad diesel fuel. This rule
reduced the allowable sulfur content in nonroad diesel fuel by over 99
percent. Prior to 2006, nonroad diesel fuel averaged approximately
3,400 ppm in sulfur content. This rule limited nonroad diesel sulfur
content to 500 ppm by 2006, with a further reduction to 15 ppm by 2010.
The combined engines standards and fuel sulfur
[[Page 59607]]
content limits reduce NOX and PM2.5 emissions
(including direct emissions of sulfates) from large nonroad diesel
engines by over 90 percent compared to pre-control nonroad engines
using the higher sulfur content diesel fuel. This rule achieved all of
the reductions in fuel sulfur content by 2010. Some emissions
reductions from the new engine emission standards were realized over
the 2008-2010 time period; although most of the reductions will occur
during the maintenance period as the fleet of older nonroad diesel
engines turns over.
Nonroad Spark-Ignition Engines and Recreational Engine Standards.
In November 2002, EPA promulgated emission standards for groups of
previously unregulated nonroad engines. These engines include large
spark-ignition engines, such as those used in forklifts and airport
ground-service equipment; recreational vehicles using spark-ignition
engines, including off-highway motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and
snowmobiles; and, recreational marine diesel engines. Emission
standards for large spark-ignition engines were implemented in two
phases (tiers), with Tier 1 starting in 2004 and Tier 2 starting in
2007. Recreational vehicle emission standards are being phased in from
2006 through 2012. Marine diesel engine standards were phased in from
2004 through 2009. With full implementation of all of these standards,
an overall 72 percent reduction in VOC, and 80 percent reduction in
NOX emissions are expected by 2020. A significant portion of
these emission reductions occurred by 2008, the year Indiana has
selected to be the attainment baseline year in the demonstration of
maintenance discussed later in this proposed rule. Additional emission
reductions will occur in Lake and Porter Counties, statewide in Indiana
and Illinois, and in upwind areas during the maintenance period for
Lake and Porter Counties.
b. Control Measures in Upwind Areas
Given the significance of sulfates and nitrates as components of
PM2.5 in the Greater Chicago nonattainment area, the area's
PM2.5 air quality in this area is strongly affected by
regulation of SO2 and NOX emissions from power
plants in this nonattainment area and in upwind areas. The following
considers the emission control measures that have affected these
emissions.
NOX SIP Call. On October 27, 1998, at 63 FR 57356, EPA issued a
NOX SIP call requiring the District of Columbia and 22
states to reduce emissions of NOX. Affected states were
required to comply with Phase I of the SIP call beginning in 2004, and
with Phase II beginning in 2007. The NOX SIP call
established state-specific NOX emission caps, assuming
possible NOX emission control levels for various source
types within EGUs and using EGU-specific historical operating data.
States, including Indiana, have adopted NOX emission control
regulations for EGUs (and for other major stationary NOX
sources) to achieve the state-specific NOX emission caps.
These NOX emission caps are supported by periodic reporting
of state NOX emissions to the EPA. The reduction in
NOX emissions has resulted in lower concentrations of
transported NOX and PM2.5 into the Greater
Chicago PM2.5 nonattainment area. Emission reductions
resulting from state regulations developed in response to the
NOX SIP call are permanent and enforceable.
CAIR. See the detailed discussion of CAIR in section III of this
proposed rule.
CSAPR. See the discussion of CSAPR in section III of this proposed
rule.
All of the emission reduction requirements discussed above have led
to (or will lead to) substantial emission reductions and have been
shown by Indiana and EPA (in analyses supporting CAIR and CSAPR) to be
the main cause of the emission reductions discussed below.
2. Emission Reductions
To demonstrate that significant emission reductions have resulted
in attainment, Indiana compared the NOX, SO2, and
primary PM2.5 emissions for 2002 and 2005 with those of
2008. The emissions inventories for 2008 represent a year in which the
area was attaining the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard.
The 2002, 2005, and 2008 point source emissions were obtained from
Indiana's source facility emissions reporting program for Lake and
Porter Counties. Point source emissions for Illinois' portion of the
Greater Chicago nonattainment area \4\ were derived from 2002 and 2008
point source emissions documented in Illinois' ``Maintenance Plan for
the Chicago Nonattainment Area for the 1997 PM2.5 National
Ambient Air Quality Standard'' (Illinois' PM2.5 maintenance
plan) prepared in September 2010. The 2005 point source emissions for
Illinois' portion of the PM2.5 nonattainment area were
interpolated using Illinois' 2002 and 2008 point source emission
estimates. EPA's Clean Air Market's Acid Rain database (https://camddataandmaps.epa.gov/gdm/) was also used to estimate SO2
and NOX emissions for certain point sources.
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\4\ Emissions for the Illinois portion of the PM2.5
nonattainment area must be considered along with the emissions for
Lake and Porter Counties to demonstrate the emission reductions
resulting in attainment of the PM2.5 standard and to
demonstrate maintenance of the PM2.5 standard for the
entire bi-state PM2.5 nonattainment area.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On-road mobile source emissions were calculated using EPA's mobile
source emission factor model, MOBILE6.2, and other mobile source input
data, including vehicle age and type distributions and speeds, derived
using Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission's (NIRPC's) travel
demand model.
Area source emissions for Lake and Porter Counties for 2002 and
2005 were taken from Indiana's 2002 and 2005 periodic emissions
inventories.\5\ The 2005 periodic emission inventory area source
emissions were extrapolated to 2008. Source growth factors were
supplied for area and nonroad mobile sources by the Lake Michigan Air
Directors Consortium (LADCO). Area source emissions for the Illinois
portion of the Greater Chicago nonattainment area were obtained from
the 1997 annual PM2.5 maintenance plan submitted by Illinois
on October 15, 2010.
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\5\ Periodic emission inventories are developed by states every
three years and reported to EPA. These periodic emission inventories
are required by the Federal Consolidated Emissions Reporting Rule,
codified at 40 CFR Subpart A. EPA revised these and other emission
reporting requirements in a final rule published on December 17,
2008, at 73 FR 76539.
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Nonroad mobile source emissions were extracted or extrapolated from
nonroad mobile source emissions reported in EPA's 2005 National
Emissions Inventory (NEI). Contractors were employed by LADCO to
estimate emissions for commercial marine vessels and railroads.
Pre-2008 EGU emissions were derived from EPA's Clean Air Market's
Acid Rain database. These emissions reflect Indiana's SO2
and NOX emission budgets resulting from EPA's NOX
SIP call. The 2008 emissions from EGUs reflect Indiana's emission caps
under EPA's CAIR.
The 2002 and 2005 base year NOX, SO2, and
primary PM2.5 emission totals by source sector are given in
table 2.
[[Page 59608]]
Table 2--Lake and Porter Counties 2002 and 2005 Emission Totals by Source Sector
[Tons per year]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On-road Off-road
Pollutant Point Area mobile mobile Totals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2002 Lake and Porter Counties Emission Totals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOX............................. 60,808.11 2,626.91 30,397.97 12,347.30 106,180.29
SO2............................. 59,263.34 4364.85 264.64 1,106.59 64,999.42
Primary PM2.5................... 7,313.70 4,404.91 562.64 685.43 12,966.68
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005 Lake and Porter Counties Emission Totals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOX............................. 41,948.57 2,236.89 14,095.55 8,145.64 66,426.65
SO2............................. 48,139.53 697.87 146.44 892.93 49,876.77
Primary PM2.5................... 6,451.40 23.65 229.39 447.87 7,152.31
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 2008 emissions totals for SO2, NOX, and
primary PM2.5 for Lake and Porter Counties are summarized in
table 3. These emissions establish attainment year emissions levels for
Lake and Porter Counties.
Table 3--Lake and Porter Counties 2008 Emission Totals by Source Sector
[Tons per year]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On-road Off-road
Pollutant Point Area mobile mobile Totals
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOX............................. 39,945.76 2,264.46 10,703.81 6,667.71 59,581.74
SO2............................. 54,916.02 703.25 103.08 476.33 56,198.68
Primary PM2.5................... 6,676.32 23.66 187.10 363.91 7,250.93
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The emissions totals in tables 2 and 3 for NOX show
significant emission reductions occurred in Lake and Porter Counties
between 2002 and 2005, and NOX emissions continued this
downward trend between 2005 and 2008. The emissions for SO2
and primary PM2.5 also show significant reductions between
2002 and 2008, but do not show such a downward trend between 2005 and
2008. We believe that the significant downward trends in NOX
emissions more significantly contributed to the improved
PM2.5 air quality observed between 2002/2005 and 2008 than
the smaller reductions in SO2 and primary PM2.5
emissions.
Table 4 presents the NOX, SO2, and primary
PM2.5, emission totals for the entire Greater Chicago
nonattainment area for 2002, 2005, and 2008. This table provides a
compelling demonstration of the reduction in PM2.5 and
PM2.5 precursor emissions between 2002, when the area was
violating the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard, and 2005, when the
area was in attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard.
Table 4--Chicago-Gary-Lake County, IL-IN Nonattainment Area 2002, 2005, and 2008 Emission Totals
[Tons per year]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Year NOX SO2 Primary PM2.5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2002............................................................ 447,601.29 197,480.42 32,069.68
2005............................................................ 346,671.15 164,171.77 25,962.31
2008............................................................ 278,649.74 152,367.68 25,767.93
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IDEM finds that the emission reductions in Lake and Porter Counties
and in the Illinois portion of the Greater Chicago nonattainment area
which are permanent and enforceable were primarily responsible for the
area's attainment of the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard, but
acknowledges that emission reductions from throughout Indiana and
Illinois and from other upwind states also contributed to the area's
attainment. We agree with this conclusion.
In addition to the local and PM2.5 nonattainment area
emission reductions, we believe that regional NOX and
SO2 emission reductions resulting from the implementation of
the Acid Rain Program (ARP) (see 40 CFR parts 72 through 78), the
NOX SIP call, and CAIR have significantly contributed to the
PM2.5 air quality improvement in the Greater Chicago
nonattainment area. To assess the change in regional emissions from
states believed to significantly contribute to annual PM2.5
concentrations in the Greater Chicago nonattainment area, we have
considered statewide emissions for EGUs reported for 2002 and 2008 in
EPA's ARP/CAIR database. To limit the number of states considered, we
have selected those states with emissions that have been modeled to
have significantly contributed to elevated PM2.5
concentrations in Cook County, Illinois (a modeling receptor site
considered to be representative of the regional pollutant transport
into Greater Chicago nonattainment area), as documented in EPA's
proposed rule for CSAPR (August 2, 2010, 75 FR 45210) and in technical
analyses supporting CSAPR and its proposed rule (