Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; South Carolina; Regional Haze State Implementation Plan, 3147-3153 [2014-00940]

Agencies

• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 12 (Friday, January 17, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 3147-3153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-00940]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[EPA-R04-OAR-2013-0389; FRL-9905-58-Region 4]


Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; South 
Carolina; Regional Haze State Implementation Plan

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing 
approval of a revision to the South Carolina State Implementation Plan 
(SIP) submitted by the State of South Carolina through the South 
Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) on 
December 28, 2012. South Carolina's December 28, 2012, SIP revision 
(``progress report SIP'') addresses requirements of the Clean Air Act 
(CAA or ``the Act'') and EPA's rules that require states to submit 
periodic reports describing progress towards reasonable progress goals 
(RPGs) established for regional haze and a determination of the 
adequacy of the State's existing SIP addressing regional haze 
(``regional haze SIP''). EPA is proposing approval of South Carolina's 
progress report SIP on the basis that it addresses the progress report 
and adequacy determination requirements for the first implementation 
period for regional haze.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 18, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R04-
OAR-2013-0389 by one of the following methods:
    1. www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for 
submitting comments.
    2. Email: R4-RDS@epa.gov.
    3. Fax: (404) 562-9019.
    4. Mail: EPA-R04-OAR-2013-0389, Regulatory Development Section, Air 
Planning Branch, Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management Division, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW., 
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960.
    5. Hand Delivery or Courier: Ms. Lynorae Benjamin, Chief, 
Regulatory Development Section, Air Planning Branch, Air, Pesticides 
and Toxics Management Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960. Such 
deliveries are only accepted during the Regional Office's normal hours 
of operation. The Regional Office's official hours of business are 
Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30, excluding federal holidays.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. ``EPA-R04-OAR-
2013-0389.'' EPA's policy is that all comments received will be 
included in the public docket without change and may be made available 
online at 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 through 
www.regulations.gov or email, information that you consider to be CBI 
or otherwise protected. The www.regulations.gov Web site is an

[[Page 3148]]

``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 email comment directly to EPA without 
going through www.regulations.gov, your email address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you 
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name 
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any 
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA 
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid 
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public 
docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at https://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.
    Docket: All documents in the electronic docket are listed in the 
www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 
information is not publicly available, i.e., CBI or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such 
as copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet and will be 
publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket 
materials are available either electronically in www.regulations.gov or 
in hard copy at the Regulatory Development Section, Air Planning 
Branch, Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management Division, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW., 
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960. EPA requests that if at all possible, you 
contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section to schedule your inspection. The Regional Office's official 
hours of business are Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30, excluding 
federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michele Notarianni, Regulatory 
Development Section, Air Planning Branch, Air, Pesticides and Toxics 
Management Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 
Forsyth Street SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960. Michele Notarianni can 
be reached at telephone number (404) 562-9031 and by electronic mail at 
notarianni.michele@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents

I. What is the background for EPA's proposed action?
II. What are the requirements for the regional haze progress report 
SIPs and adequacy determinations?
III. What is EPA's analysis of South Carolina's progress report SIP 
and adequacy determination?
IV. What action is EPA proposing to take?
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

I. What is the background for EPA's proposed action?

    States are required to submit a progress report in the form of a 
SIP revision every five years that evaluates progress towards the RPGs 
for each mandatory Class I Federal area within the state and in each 
mandatory Class I Federal area outside the state which may be affected 
by emissions from within the state. 40 CFR 51.308(g). States are also 
required to submit, at the same time as the progress report, a 
determination of the adequacy of the state's existing regional haze 
SIP. 40 CFR 51.308(h). The first progress report SIP is due five years 
after submittal of the initial regional haze SIP. On December 17, 2007, 
SC DHEC submitted the State's first regional haze SIP in accordance 
with 40 CFR 51.308(b).\1\
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    \1\ On June 28, 2012, EPA finalized a limited approval of South 
Carolina's December 17, 2007, regional haze SIP to address the first 
implementation period for regional haze (77 FR 38509). In a separate 
action, published on June 7, 2012 (77 FR 33642), EPA finalized a 
limited disapproval of the South Carolina regional haze SIP because 
of the State's reliance on the Clean Air Interstate Rule to meet 
certain regional haze requirements, which EPA replaced in August 
2011 with the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) (76 FR 48208 
(Aug. 8, 2011)). In the aforementioned June 7, 2012, action, EPA 
finalized a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) for South Carolina to 
replace the State's reliance on CAIR with reliance on CSAPR. 
Following these EPA actions, the DC Circuit issued a decision in EME 
Homer City Generation, L.P. v. EPA (hereinafter referred to as ``EME 
Homer City''), 696 F.3d 7 (D.C. Cir. 2012), cert. granted 570 U.S. 
---- (June 24, 2013) (No. 12-1182) vacating CSAPR and keeping CAIR 
in place pending the promulgation of a valid replacement rule.
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    On December 28, 2012, SC DHEC submitted, in the form of a revision 
to South Carolina's SIP, a report on progress made in the first 
implementation period towards RPGs for Class I areas in the State and 
Class I areas outside the State that are affected by emissions from 
South Carolina's sources. This progress report SIP and accompanying 
cover letter also included a determination that the State's existing 
regional haze SIP requires no substantive revision to achieve the 
established regional haze visibility improvement and emissions 
reduction goals for 2018. EPA is proposing to approve South Carolina's 
progress report SIP on the basis that it satisfies the requirements of 
40 CFR 51.308(g) and 51.308(h).

II. What are the requirements for the regional haze progress report 
SIPs and adequacy determinations?

A. Regional Haze Progress Report SIP

    Under 40 CFR 51.308(g), states must submit a regional haze progress 
report as a SIP revision every five years and must address, at a 
minimum, the seven elements found in 40 CFR 51.308(g). As described in 
further detail in section III below, 40 CFR 51.308(g) requires a 
description of the status of measures in the approved regional haze 
SIP; a summary of emissions reductions achieved; an assessment of 
visibility conditions for each Class I area in the state; an analysis 
of changes in emissions from sources and activities within the state; 
an assessment of any significant changes in anthropogenic emissions 
within or outside the state that have limited or impeded progress in 
Class I areas impacted by the state's sources; an assessment of the 
sufficiency of the approved regional haze SIP; and a review of the 
state's visibility monitoring strategy.

B. Adequacy Determinations of the Current Regional Haze SIP

    Under 40 CFR 51.308(h), states are required to submit, at the same 
time as the progress report SIP, a determination of the adequacy of 
their existing regional haze SIP and to take one of four possible 
actions based on information in the progress report. As described in 
further detail in section III below, 40 CFR 51.308(h) requires states 
to either: (1) Submit a negative declaration to EPA that no further 
substantive revision to the state's existing regional haze SIP is 
needed; (2) provide notification to EPA (and other state(s) that 
participated in the regional planning process) if the state determines 
that its existing regional haze SIP is or may be inadequate to ensure 
reasonable progress at one or more Class I areas due to emissions from 
sources in other state(s) that participated in the regional planning 
process, and collaborate with these other state(s) to develop 
additional strategies to address deficiencies; (3) provide notification 
with supporting information to EPA if the state determines that its 
existing regional haze SIP is or may be inadequate to ensure reasonable 
progress at one or more Class I areas due to emissions from sources in 
another country; or (4) revise its regional haze SIP to address 
deficiencies within one year if the state determines that its existing 
regional

[[Page 3149]]

haze SIP is or may be inadequate to ensure reasonable progress in one 
or more Class I areas due to emissions from sources within the state.

III. What is EPA's analysis of South Carolina's regional haze progress 
report and adequacy determination?

    On December 28, 2012, SC DHEC submitted a revision to South 
Carolina's regional haze SIP to address progress made towards RPGs of 
Class I areas in the State and Class I areas outside the State that are 
affected by emissions from South Carolina's sources. This progress 
report SIP also included a determination of the adequacy of the State's 
existing regional haze SIP. South Carolina has one Class I area within 
its borders: the Cape Romain Wilderness Area (Cape Romain). SC DHEC 
also identified, through an area of influence modeling analysis based 
on back trajectories, five Class I areas in two neighboring states 
potentially impacted by South Carolina sources: Wolf Island and 
Okefenokee Wilderness Areas in Georgia; and Joyce Kilmer, Shining Rock, 
and Swanquarter Wilderness Areas in North Carolina. 77 FR 11911.

A. Regional Haze Progress Report SIPs

    The following sections summarize: (1) Each of the seven elements 
that must be addressed by the progress report under 40 CFR 51.308(g); 
(2) how South Carolina's progress report SIP addressed each element; 
and (3) EPA's analysis and proposed determination as to whether the 
State satisfied each element.
1. 40 CFR 51.308(g)(1)
    40 CFR 51.308(g)(1) requires a description of the status of 
implementation of all measures included in the regional haze SIP for 
achieving RPGs for Class I areas both within and outside the state.
    The State evaluated the status of all measures included in its 2007 
regional haze SIP in accordance with 40 CFR 51.308(g)(1). Specifically, 
in its progress report SIP, South Carolina summarizes the status of the 
emissions reduction measures that were included in the final iteration 
of the Visibility Improvement State and Tribal Association of the 
Southeast (VISTAS) regional haze emissions inventory and RPG modeling. 
The State also discusses the status of those measures that were not 
included in the final VISTAS emissions inventory and were not relied 
upon in the initial regional haze SIP to meet RPGs. The State notes 
that the emissions reductions from these measures, which are relied 
upon by South Carolina for reasonable progress, will help ensure Class 
I areas impacted by South Carolina sources achieve their RPGs. The 
measures include applicable Federal programs (e.g., mobile source 
rules, Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards, Federal 
and state consent agreements, and Federal and state control strategies 
for electric generating units (EGUs)). This summary includes a 
discussion of the benefits associated with each measure.
    In instances where implementation of a measure did not occur on 
schedule, information is provided on the source category and the 
measure's relative impact on the overall future year emissions 
inventories. In aggregate, as noted in section III.A.2 and III.A.6 of 
this action, the emissions reductions from the identified measures are 
expected to result in lower emissions than originally projected in 
South Carolina's regional haze SIP. South Carolina states that it does 
not expect reasonable progress to be adversely impacted in any of the 
Class I areas in South Carolina or neighboring states by any of the 
changes to the emissions reductions projected.
    EPA proposes to find that South Carolina's analysis adequately 
addresses 40 CFR 51.308(g)(1). The State documents the implementation 
status of measures from its regional haze SIP in addition to describing 
additional measures not originally accounted for in the final VISTAS 
emissions inventory used by the State that came into effect since the 
VISTAS analyses for the regional haze SIP were completed. South 
Carolina's progress report also describes significant measures 
resulting from EPA regulations other than the regional haze program as 
they pertain to the State's sources. The progress report SIP highlights 
the effect of several Federal control measures both nationally and in 
the VISTAS region, and when possible, in the State. For example, the 
SIP provides a copy of the Federal consent decree with Santee Cooper, a 
South Carolina utility, and summarizes the emissions effects of this 
decree.\2\
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    \2\ The consent decree required a reduction of 37,500 tpy of 
SO2 from existing units by 2013, declining SO2 
emissions caps, and declining ``system'' SO2 emissions 
rates.
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    The State's progress report discusses the status of key control 
measures that the State relied upon in the first implementation period 
to make reasonable progress. In its regional haze SIP, South Carolina 
identified sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from coal-fired 
EGUs as a key contributor to regional haze in the VISTAS region, with 
the EGU sector as a major contributor to visibility impairment at all 
Class I areas in the VISTAS region. The State's progress report SIP 
provides additional information on EGU control strategies and the 
status of existing and future expected controls for South Carolina's 
EGUs, with updated actual SO2 emissions data for the years 
2009 and 2011 reflecting reductions of SO2 in 2009 and 2011. 
In its regional haze SIP, South Carolina determined that no additional 
controls of non-EGU sources were reasonable for the first 
implementation period.
    Regarding the status of BART and reasonable progress control 
requirements for sources in the State, South Carolina's progress report 
SIP reviews the status of the State's 21 BART-eligible sources, 
including two sources--SCE&G-Williams and SCE&G-Wateree--found to be 
subject to BART. The progress report SIP indicates that flue gas 
desulfurization systems have been installed on these two BART-subject 
sources and are currently operating. Additionally, South Carolina 
summarized its reasonable progress control determinations from its 
regional haze SIP. Because the State found no additional controls to be 
reasonable for the first implementation period for sources evaluated 
for reasonable progress in South Carolina, no further discussion of the 
status of controls was necessary in the progress report SIP.
    EPA proposes to conclude that South Carolina has adequately 
addressed the status of control measures in its regional haze SIP as 
required by 40 CFR 51.308(g)(1). The State describes the implementation 
status of measures from its regional haze SIP, including the status of 
control measures to meet BART and reasonable progress requirements, the 
status of significant measures resulting from EPA regulations and 
certain Federally-enforceable consent decrees, as well as measures that 
came into effect since the VISTAS analyses for the regional haze SIP 
were completed.
2. 40 CFR 51.308(g)(2)
    40 CFR 51.308(g)(2) requires a summary of the emissions reductions 
achieved in the state through the measures subject to 40 CFR 
51.308(g)(1).
    In its regional haze SIP and progress report SIP, South Carolina 
focuses its assessment on SO2 emissions from EGUs because 
VISTAS determined that sulfate accounted for more than 70 percent of 
the visibility-impairing pollution in the Southeast and that 
SO2 point source emissions in 2018

[[Page 3150]]

represent more than 95 percent of the total SO2 emissions 
inventory.\3\
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    \3\ See section 7.7 of South Carolina's regional haze SIP 
narrative, page 79, for more detail.
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    Overall, SO2 emissions have decreased in South 
Carolina.\4\ South Carolina states that the large reductions in 
SO2 emissions from EGUs in the State resulted from many 
process and operational changes, including control installations, 
emissions units switching to cleaner fuels, load shifting from higher 
emitting units to lower emitting units, and a temporary decrease in 
power generation in 2009. Using utility emissions data from 2002 
through 2011 as reported to EPA by the utilities, South Carolina 
indicates that reductions in SO2 emissions appear to be 
sustained through 2011, and notes that reductions in these emissions 
were achieved in 2010 and 2011, despite increased electricity 
generation by these EGUs between 2002 and 2011.
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    \4\ See also sections III.A.4 and III.A.6 of this action.
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    Between 2002 and 2011, heat input to these EGUs increased from 
approximately 418,577,515 million British thermal units (MMBtu) to 
443,900,798 MMBtu. However, actual SO2 emissions from these 
units decreased from 199,118 tons in 2002 to 66,166 tons in 2011, a 67 
percent reduction. The average SO2 emissions rate from these 
units also decreased from 0.95 lbs SO2/MMBtu in 2002 to 0.30 
lbs SO2/MMBtu in 2011, a 69 percent reduction. According to 
the State, the reductions in emissions demonstrate that even with an 
increase in demand for power, as evidenced by the increased heat input 
to these units, a significant reduction in overall SO2 
emissions occurred due to the installation of controls and the use of 
cleaner burning fuels.
    South Carolina states that a comparison of 2009 and 2011 data for 
these EGUs shows similar results. Emissions fell from 93,941 tons of 
SO2 in 2009 to 66,166 tons of SO2 in 2011, and 
the emissions rate dropped from 0.46 lbs SO2/MMBtu to 0.30 
lbs SO2/MMBtu. The State expects that the overall EGU 
emissions rate will continue to drop in 2012 due to the start-up of 
additional scrubbing capacity and fuel switching.
    South Carolina also identifies specific additional EGU 
SO2 emissions reductions not included in the VISTAS 
projections that are due to the installation of additional 
SO2 controls, planned or announced retirements, and 
conversion to natural gas. These additional reductions (estimated to be 
60,065 tons per year of SO2 emissions based on 2011 
emissions) will further help to ensure that Cape Romain will achieve 
its RPGs for visibility improvement by 2018.
    South Carolina also submitted data for the entire VISTAS region 
showing similar trends in SO2 EGU emissions in the 
neighboring states that contribute to visibility impairment at Cape 
Romain. Because sulfates have been shown to be the predominant species 
of concern to visibility impairment at Cape Romain during the first 
round of regional haze planning and because SO2 EGU 
emissions are trending downward, South Carolina concludes in its 
progress report that visibility improvements at Cape Romain should 
continue into the future from the reduced sulfate contribution even if 
heat input to these EGUs may increase.
    EPA proposes to conclude that South Carolina has adequately 
addressed 40 CFR 51.308(g)(2). The State provides estimates, and where 
available, actual emissions reductions of SO2 from EGUs in 
South Carolina that have occurred since the State submitted its 
regional haze SIP. The State appropriately focused on SO2 
emissions from its EGUs in its progress report SIP because the State 
had previously identified these emissions as the most significant 
contributors to visibility impairment at Cape Romain and those areas 
that South Carolina sources impact. Given the large SO2 
reductions at EGUs that have actually occurred, further analysis of 
SO2 from other sources or other pollutants, such as nitrogen 
oxides (NOX), was ultimately unnecessary in this first 
implementation period. Also, in the corresponding section of the 
progress report SIP addressing 40 CFR 51.308(g)(1), the State provides 
estimates, and where available, actual emissions reductions for certain 
non-EGU control measures that were accounted for in the projected 
VISTAS emissions inventories for 2009 and 2018. Because no additional 
controls were found to be reasonable for reasonable progress for the 
first implementation period for evaluated sources in South Carolina, 
EPA proposes to find that no further discussion of emissions reductions 
from controls was necessary in the progress report SIP.
3. 40 CFR 51.308(g)(3)
    40 CFR 51.308(g)(3) requires that states with Class I areas provide 
the following information for the most impaired and least impaired days 
for each area, with values expressed in terms of five-year averages of 
these annual values: \5\
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    \5\ The ``most impaired days'' and ``least impaired days'' in 
the regional haze rule refers to the average visibility impairment 
(measured in deciviews) for the twenty percent of monitored days in 
a calendar year with the highest and lowest amount of visibility 
impairment, respectively, averaged over a five-year period. 40 CFR 
51.301.
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    (i) Current visibility conditions;
    (ii) the difference between current visibility conditions and 
baseline visibility conditions; and
    (iii) the change in visibility impairment over the past five years.
    The State provides figures with the latest supporting data 
available at the time that it developed the progress report SIP that 
address the three requirements of 40 CFR 51.308(g)(3) for Cape Romain. 
For the first regional haze SIPs, ``baseline'' conditions were 
represented by the 2000-2004 time period.\6\ Baseline visibility 
conditions at Cape Romain are 26.5 deciviews (dv) for the most impaired 
(20-percent worst) days and 14.3 dv for the least impaired (20-percent 
best) days. Current visibility conditions (for the five-year period 
from 2005-2009) are 26.4 dv for the 20-percent worst days and 15.0 dv 
for the 20-percent best days. The difference between current visibility 
and baseline visibility conditions for the 20-percent worst days is 0.1 
dv of improvement (i.e., 26.5-26.4 dv). The difference between current 
visibility and baseline visibility conditions for the 20-percent best 
days is 0.7 dv of degradation (i.e., 14.3-15.0 dv). South Carolina 
concludes that visibility on the most impaired days at Cape Romain has 
improved since 2000 and that visibility conditions for the most 
impaired days are on track to meet the 2018 RPGs for the affected time 
period, particularly in light of the downward trend in SO2 
emissions from the State's EGUs.
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    \6\ 64 FR 35730.
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    EPA proposes to conclude that South Carolina has adequately 
addressed 40 CFR 51.308(g)(3). The State provides the information 
regarding visibility conditions and changes necessary to meet the 
requirements of 40 CFR 51.308(g)(3). The progress report SIP includes 
current conditions based on the latest available Interagency Monitoring 
of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) monitoring data for the 
years 2005-2009, the difference between current visibility conditions 
and baseline visibility conditions, and the change in visibility 
impairment over the most recent five-year period for which data were 
available at the time of progress report SIP development (i.e., 2005-
2009).

[[Page 3151]]

4. 40 CFR 51.308(g)(4)
    40 CFR 51.308(g)(4) requires an analysis tracking emissions changes 
of visibility-impairing pollutants from the state's sources by type or 
category over the past five years based on the most recent updated 
emissions inventory.
    In its progress report SIP, South Carolina presents data from a 
statewide emissions inventory developed for the year 2007 and compares 
this data to three sets of data from its initial regional haze SIP: a 
baseline emissions inventory for 2002 and estimated emissions 
inventories for the future years of 2009 and 2018 (as updated and 
provided by VISTAS to the State in 2008).\7\ The pollutants inventoried 
include volatile organic compounds, NOx, fine particulate matter, 
coarse particulate matter, ammonia, and SO2. The emissions 
inventories include the following source classifications: stationary 
point and area sources, off-road and on-road mobile sources, and 
biogenic sources. The comparison of emissions inventory data shows that 
emissions of the key visibility-impairing pollutant for the southeast, 
SO2, continued to drop from 2002 to 2007 (from 284,935 to 
228,053 tons of SO2).
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    \7\ VISTAS improved model performance for the 2002 base year 
emissions inventory used by South Carolina in its original regional 
haze SIP, resulting in updates to the 2002 inventory and the 2009 
and 2018 projection inventories. VISTAS provided the final iteration 
of these inventories to the states in 2008. South Carolina used 
these updated data for the years 2002, 2009, and 2018 in its 
progress report.
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    In addition, South Carolina augments the statewide 2007 actual 
emissions inventory data with more recent emissions data and control 
summary information for the years 2007 to 2011 for the EGU sector, 
which is the key source of SO2 in the State. As discussed in 
section III.A.2 of this action, South Carolina documents changes in EGU 
emissions that already have occurred and changes to future emissions 
projections that are expected by 2018. South Carolina expects the 
overall EGU SO2 emissions to continue to drop beyond the 
reductions projected in the State's regional haze SIP due to the 
installation of additional SO2 emissions controls at EGUs 
and additional fuel switches not previously projected. As noted in 
section III.A.2 of this action, South Carolina expects the overall EGU 
SO2 emissions to continue to drop beyond the reductions 
projected in the State's regional haze SIP due to the installation of 
additional SO2 emissions controls at EGUs and additional 
fuel switches not previously projected.
    EPA proposes to conclude that South Carolina has adequately 
addressed 40 CFR 51.308(g)(4). While ideally the five-year period to be 
analyzed for emissions inventory changes is the time period since the 
current regional haze SIP was submitted, there is an inevitable time 
lag in developing and reporting complete emissions inventories once 
quality-assured emissions data becomes available. Therefore, EPA 
believes that there is some flexibility in the five-year time period 
that states can select. South Carolina tracked changes in emissions of 
visibility-impairing pollutants using an updated emissions inventory 
for 2007 that the State believes is more robust than the 2008 National 
Emissions Inventory pertaining to the State, the most recent updated 
inventory of actual emissions for the State at the time that it 
developed the progress report SIP. EPA believes that the State's use of 
the five-year period from 2002-2007 understates the actual reductions 
because substantial additional SO2 emissions reductions are 
expected to occur from 2007-2012. South Carolina also analyzed trends 
in annual SO2 emissions from EGUs in the State for 2002-
2011, the most current quality-assured data available for these units 
at the time of progress report SIP development (see, e.g., Figure 3 and 
Table 9 of the progress report SIP).
5. 40 CFR 51.308(g)(5)
    40 CFR 51.308(g)(5) requires an assessment of any significant 
changes in anthropogenic emissions within or outside the state that 
have occurred over the past five years that have limited or impeded 
progress in reducing pollutant emissions and improving visibility in 
Class I areas impacted by the state's sources.
    In its progress report SIP, South Carolina states that sulfates 
continue to be the biggest single contributor to regional haze at Cape 
Romain. Accordingly, South Carolina first focused its analysis on 
addressing large SO2 emissions from point sources. While 
there have been significant changes in the anthropogenic emissions from 
EGUs, South Carolina stated that these changes have not impeded 
progress in reducing emissions and improving visibility. Rather, the 
State concluded that the EGU controls already adopted or planned, 
coupled with planned shut downs or fuel conversions, will result in 
greater improvements in visibility than those originally projected in 
South Carolina's regional haze SIP for the first implementation period.
    In addressing the requirements at 40 CFR 51.308(g)(5), South 
Carolina further examined other potential pollutants of concern 
affecting visibility at Cape Romain. After ammonium sulfate (64.1 
percent), primary organic matter (POM) (14.4 percent) is the next 
largest contributor to visibility impairment at Cape Romain. To further 
examine spikes in POM monitoring data, the State conducted an analysis 
to determine potential contributors. This analysis indicated that fires 
reported within and/or outside the State appear to have contributed to 
visibility impairment on days exhibiting uncharacteristically high 
levels of POM.
    EPA proposes to conclude that South Carolina has adequately 
addressed 40 CFR 51.308(g)(5). The State performed additional analyses 
to confirm its decision to focus on SO2 emissions for 
reasonable progress for the remainder of the implementation period and 
demonstrated that there are no significant changes in anthropogenic 
emissions of SO2 that have impeded progress in reducing 
emissions and improving visibility in Class I areas impacted by South 
Carolina sources. The State referenced its analyses in the progress 
report SIP identifying an overall downward trend in these emissions 
from 2002 to 2011. Further, the progress report SIP shows that the 
State is on track to meeting its 2018 RPGs for Cape Romain.
6. 40 CFR 51.308(g)(6)
    40 CFR 51.308(g)(6) requires an assessment of whether the current 
regional haze SIP is sufficient to enable the state, or other states, 
to meet the RPGs for Class I areas affected by emissions from the 
state.
    In its progress report SIP, South Carolina states that it believes 
that the elements and strategies outlined in its original regional haze 
SIP are sufficient to enable South Carolina and other neighboring 
states to meet all the established RPGs. To support this conclusion, 
South Carolina notes that the actual 2011 EGU emissions of 66,131 tons 
of SO2 are already below the 2018 projected emissions of 
76,291 tons of SO2, with further decreases expected. South 
Carolina expects that the reduction of SO2 emissions will in 
fact be even greater than originally anticipated in its regional haze 
SIP, particularly for the EGU sector as discussed in section III.A.6. 
of this action. In particular, the State notes that the emissions 
reductions already achieved in the 2007 to 2011 period and the 
additional reductions not accounted for in the original regional haze 
SIP (as discussed previously for purposes of 40 CFR 51.308(g)(1)) 
further support the State's conclusion that the regional haze SIP's 
elements and strategies are sufficient to meet the established RPGs.

[[Page 3152]]

    In its regional haze SIP, South Carolina established a RPG for the 
20-percent best days that would result in a 1.4 deciview reduction in 
visibility impairment to 12.7 dv. After South Carolina submitted its 
regional haze SIP on December 17, 2007, VISTAS made several 
modifications to the original emissions inventory to improve model 
performance and reassess the RPGs for the VISTAS states. The final 
model simulation of the updated/revised VISTAS emissions inventory 
results in a slight change in the calculation of the Cape Romain RPG 
for the 20-percent best days from 12.7 to 12.8 dv. South Carolina 
requests that EPA acknowledge this update to the RPG as a revision to 
the State's regional haze SIP. EPA proposes to approve this revised RPG 
for the 20-percent best days for Cape Romain because it reflects the 
updated VISTAS baseline inventory used to generate the RPGs 
incorporated into the regional haze SIPs for the other VISTAS states.
    EPA proposes to conclude that South Carolina has adequately 
addressed 40 CFR 51.308(g)(6). EPA views this requirement as a 
qualitative assessment that should evaluate emissions and visibility 
trends and other readily available information, including expected 
emissions reductions associated with measures with compliance dates 
that have not yet become effective. The State referenced the improving 
visibility trends and the downward emissions trends in the State, with 
a focus on SO2 emissions from South Carolina EGUs, that 
support the State's determination that the State's regional haze SIP is 
sufficient to meet RPGs for Class I areas within and outside the State 
impacted by South Carolina sources. In addition, because additional 
IMPROVE visibility data has become available since the State developed 
its progress report SIP, EPA has also reviewed the most current data 
for Cape Romain for the years 2007-2011 from the IMPROVE monitoring 
network.\8\ For the 2007-2011 time period, the visibility conditions 
for the 20-percent worst days are 24.6 dv and for the 20-percent best 
days are 14.1 dv. Using this latest available data, the visibility 
improvement from the baseline conditions is 1.9 dv for the 2007-2011 
period on the 20-percent worst days and 0.2 dv on the 20-percent best 
days. Despite the degradation of 0.7 dv on the 20-percent best days at 
Cape Romain over the 2005-2009 period, identified in Section III.A.3 of 
this action, EPA believes that South Carolina's conclusion regarding 
the sufficiency of the regional haze SIP is appropriate because of the 
calculated visibility improvement using the latest available data and 
the downward trend in SO2 emissions from EGUs in the State.
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    \8\ This data is available at: https://vista.cira.colostate.edu/tss/Results/HazePlanning.aspx.
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7. 40 CFR 51.308(g)(7)
    40 CFR 51.308(g)(7) requires a review of the state's visibility 
monitoring strategy and an assessment of whether any modifications to 
the monitoring strategy are necessary. In its progress report SIP, 
South Carolina summarizes the existing monitoring network at Cape 
Romain and the State's intended continued reliance on the IMPROVE 
monitoring network for its visibility planning. South Carolina also 
expresses its continued commitment to operate monitors supporting 
regional haze investigations where appropriate and when support is 
available. South Carolina is also encouraging VISTAS and the other 
regional planning organizations to maintain support of the existing 
data management system or an equivalent to facilitate availability 
analysis of the IMPROVE and visibility-related data. South Carolina 
concludes that the existing network is adequate and that no 
modifications to the State's visibility monitoring strategy are 
necessary at this time.
    EPA proposes to conclude that South Carolina has adequately 
addressed the sufficiency of its monitoring strategy as required by 40 
CFR 51.308(g)(7). The State reaffirmed its continued reliance upon the 
IMPROVE monitoring network and discussed its additional continuous 
sulfate monitors and fine particulate matter network used to further 
understand visibility trends in the State. South Carolina also 
explained the importance of the IMPROVE monitoring network for tracking 
visibility trends at Cape Romain and identified no expected changes in 
this network. The State did note that certain special monitoring 
studies that VISTAS performed in South Carolina during 2002-2005 will 
not be continued due to lack of funds; however, the discontinuance of 
these additional, specialized studies do not affect the adequacy of the 
State's current monitoring strategy.

B. Determination of Adequacy of Existing Regional Haze Plan

    Under 40 CFR 51.308(h), states are required to take one of four 
possible actions based on the information gathered and conclusions made 
in the progress report SIP. The following section summarizes: (1) The 
action taken by South Carolina under 40 CFR 51.308(h); (2) South 
Carolina's rationale for the selected action; and (3) EPA's analysis 
and proposed determination regarding the State's action.
    In its progress report SIP, South Carolina took the action provided 
for by 40 CFR 51.308(h)(1), which allows a state to submit a negative 
declaration to EPA if the state determines that the existing regional 
haze SIP requires no further substantive revision at this time to 
achieve the RPGs for Class I areas affected by the state's sources. The 
basis for the State's negative declaration is the findings from the 
progress report (as discussed in section III.A of this action), 
including the findings that: Visibility has improved at Cape Romain; 
SO2 emissions from the State's sources have decreased beyond 
original projections; additional EGU control measures not relied upon 
in the State's regional haze SIP have occurred or will occur in the 
implementation period; and the SO2 emissions from EGUs in 
South Carolina are already below the levels projected for 2018 in the 
regional haze SIP and are expected to continue to trend downward for 
the next five years, as will the SO2 emissions from EGUs in 
the other VISTAS states. Based on these findings, EPA proposes to agree 
with South Carolina's conclusion under 40 CFR 51.308(h) that no further 
substantive changes to its regional haze SIP are required at this time.

IV. What action is EPA proposing to take?

    EPA is proposing approval of a revision to the South Carolina SIP, 
submitted by the State of South Carolina on December 28, 2012, as 
meeting the applicable regional haze requirements as set forth in 40 
CFR 51.308(g) and 51.308(h).

V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

    Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP 
submission that complies with the provisions of the Act 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 
proposed action merely approves state law as meeting federal 
requirements and does not impose additional requirements beyond those 
imposed by state law. For that reason, this proposed action:
     Is 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);

[[Page 3153]]

     does not impose an information collection burden under the 
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
     is 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.);
     does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or 
uniquely affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4);
     does not have Federalism implications as specified in 
Executive Order 13132 (64 FR43255, August 10, 1999);
     is not an economically significant regulatory action based 
on health or safety risks subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 
19885, April 23, 1997);
     is not a significant regulatory action subject to 
Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001);
     is 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
     does not provide EPA with the discretionary authority to 
address, as 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, EPA has preliminarily determined that this proposed 
rule does not have tribal implications as specified by Executive Order 
13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000), because there are no 
``substantial direct effects'' on an Indian Tribe as a result of this 
action and because the SIP is not approved to apply in Indian country 
located in the state, and EPA notes that it has preliminarily 
determined that it will not impose substantial direct costs on tribal 
governments or preempt tribal law. The Catawba Indian Nation and 
Reservation (Catawba Indian Nation) is located in Rock Hill, South 
Carolina. Pursuant to the Catawba Indian Claims Settlement Act, S.C. 
Code Ann. 27-16-120, ``all state and local environmental laws and 
regulations apply to the Catawba Indian Nation and Reservation and are 
fully enforceable by all relevant state and local agencies and 
authorities.'' Thus, the South Carolina SIP applies to the Catawba 
Reservation. On May 15, 2013, EPA offered consultation on South 
Carolina's progress report SIP to the Catawba Indian Nation and that 
same day, the Catawba Indian Nation declined formal consultation on 
South Carolina's progress report SIP.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by 
reference, Intergovernmental relations, Nitrogen oxides, Particulate 
matter, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur dioxide, 
Volatile organic compounds.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.

    Dated: January 7, 2014.
A. Stanley Meiburg,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 4.
[FR Doc. 2014-00940 Filed 1-16-14; 8:45 am]
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