February 18, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is amending several permanent safety zones located in the Eleventh Coast Guard District that are established to protect public safety during annual firework displays. These amendments will standardize the safety zone language, update listed events, delete events that are no longer occurring, add new annual fireworks events, and establish a standardized format using a table to list these recurring annual fireworks events. When these safety zones are activated, and thus subject to enforcement, this rule will limit the movement of vessels within the established firework display area.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone around the blasting and dredging project taking place in Portland Harbor between Portland and South Portland, Maine. This safety zone is required to protect users of the waterway from the safety hazards associated with this blasting and dredging project, which is being undertaken to increase the water depth of the main channel to 35 feet. Entry into this safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Northern New England.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the New Mexico State Implementation Plan (SIP) at New Mexico Administrative Code 20.11.3 and 20.11.4, concerning transportation conformity and general conformity rules for Bernalillo County, New Mexico. The plan revision is intended to ensure consistency with amendments to the federal Transportation Conformity Rule and the federal General Conformity Rule. These plan revisions meet statutory and regulatory requirements, and are consistent with EPA's guidance.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve portions of two revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to EPA on October 5, 2010, and December 2, 2013. Together, these two SIP submittals revise the Texas Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Program to provide for the regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and clarify the applicability of Best Available Control Technology (BACT) for all PSD permit applications. The December 2, 2013, submittal is a request for parallel processing of revisions proposed by the TCEQ on October 23, 2013. The December 2, 2013, submittal includes proposed revisions to the Texas SIP to provide the State of Texas with the express authority to regulate GHG emissions, issue PSD permits governing GHG emissions, establish appropriate emission thresholds for determining which new stationary sources and modifications to existing stationary sources become subject to Texas's PSD permitting requirements for their GHG emissions, and revises several Minor New Source Review (NSR) provisions to specify that Minor NSR permit mechanisms cannot be used for authorizing GHG emissions. The December 2, 2013, SIP revision also defers until July 21, 2014, application of the PSD permitting requirements to biogenic carbon dioxide emissions from bioenergy and other biogenic stationary sources. The October 5, 2010, submittal revises the Texas SIP to clarify that all PSD permits must undergo BACT review consistent with the requirements in the Federal and Texas PSD programs. EPA is proposing to approve portions of the October 5, 2010, and December 2, 2013, SIP revisions to the Texas SIP and NSR permitting program as consistent with federal requirements for PSD permitting of GHG emissions. EPA is proposing to sever and take no action on the portion of the October 5, 2010, SIP revision which pertains to the Texas Minor NSR program for Qualified Facilities. EPA is also proposing to sever and take no action on the portion of the December 2, 2013, SIP revision that relates to the provisions of EPA's July 20, 2011, ``Deferral for CO2 Emissions from Bioenergy and other Biogenic Sources Under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Title V Programs'' (Biomass Deferral Rule), as the DC Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order to vacate that rule on July 13, 2013. EPA is also proposing to rescind the Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) for Texas, with three limited possibilities for retained authority, which was put in place to ensure the availability of a permitting authority for GHG permitting in Texas until final approval of the Texas SIP PSD GHG program. EPA is proposing this action under section 110 and part C of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

On September 12, 2012, the Administrator of the WTC Health Program (Administrator) published a final rule in the Federal Register adding certain types of cancer to the List of World Trade Center (WTC)- Related Health Conditions (List) in the WTC Health Program regulations; an additional final rule was published on September 19, 2013 adding prostate cancer to the List. Through the process of implementing the addition of cancers to the List and integrating cancer coverage into the WTC Health Program, the Administrator has identified the need to amend the rule to remove the ICD codes and specific cancer sub-sites, clarify the definition of ``childhood cancers,'' revise the definition of ``rare cancers,'' and notify stakeholders that the Administrator is revising WTC Health Program policy related to coverage of cancers of the brain and the pancreas. No types of cancer covered by the WTC Health Program will be removed by this action; four types of cancer malignant neoplasms of the brain, the cervix uteri, the pancreas, and the testisare newly eligible for certification as WTC-related health conditions as a result of this action.

On June 8, 2012, the State of Wisconsin, through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) submitted a request for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to redesignate the Milwaukee- Racine fine particle (PM2.5) nonattainment area (``Milwaukee-Racine Area'' or ``Area'') to attainment for the 2006 24- hour PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), and to approve a state implementation plan (SIP) revision containing a maintenance plan for the Area. The Milwaukee-Racine Area is comprised of Milwaukee, Racine and Waukesha Counties. EPA is proposing to grant the state's request to redesignate the Area to attainment for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS. EPA's proposed approval involves several additional related actions. EPA is proposing to approve the state's plan for maintaining the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS through 2025. EPA is proposing to approve the ammonia, volatile organic compounds (VOC), nitrogen oxides (NOX), direct PM2.5, and sulfur dioxide (SO2) inventories submitted by the state as meeting the comprehensive emissions inventory requirement of the Clean Air Act (CAA). Finally, EPA finds adequate and is proposing to approve Wisconsin's NOX, direct PM2.5, SO2, and VOC motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) for 2020 and 2025 for the Milwaukee Area. EPA is also addressing a number of additional issues, including the effects of two decisions of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (D.C. Circuit or Court): The Court's August 21, 2012, decision to vacate and remand to EPA the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR); and the Court's January 4, 2013, decision to remand two final rules implementing the 1997 annual PM2.5 standard.