Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Texas; Reasonable Further Progress Plan, Enhanced Monitoring, Clean Fuel Fleets and Failure-to-Attain Contingency Measures for the Dallas/Fort Worth 1997 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area; and Transportation Conformity, 67068-67073 [2014-26625]
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PART 165—REGULATED NAVIGATION
AREAS AND LIMITED ACCESS AREAS
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
1. The authority citation for part 165
continues to read as follows:
40 CFR Part 52
■
Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1231; 46 U.S.C.
Chapter 701, 3306, 3703; 50 U.S.C. 191, 195;
33 CFR 1.05–1, 6.04–1, 6.04–6, 160.5; Pub. L.
107–295, 116 Stat. 2064; Department of
Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1
2. A new temporary § 165.T08–0784 is
added to read as follows:
■
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§ 165.T08–0784 Safety Zone; Natchez
Specialties New Year’s Eve Firework
Display, Lower Mississippi River Mile
Marker, (MM) 363.5 to (MM) 364.5, Natchez,
MS.
(a) Location. The following area is
under a temporary safety zone: waters of
the Lower Mississippi River, from MM
363.5 to MM 364.5.
(b) Effective date and times. This rule
will be effective from 7:30 p.m. to 8:00
p.m. on December 31, 2014.
(c) Regulations. (1) In accordance with
the general regulations in § 165.23 of
this part, entry into this area is
prohibited unless authorized by the
Captain of the Port (COTP) Lower
Mississippi River or a designated
representative.
(2) Spectator vessels may safely
transit outside the safety zone at a
minimum safe speed, but may not
anchor, block, loiter, or impede
participants or official patrol vessels.
(3) Vessels requiring entry into or
passage through the safety zone must
request permission from the COTP
Lower Mississippi River or a designated
representative. They may be contacted
on VHF–FM channels 16 or by
telephone at (901) 521–4822.
(4) All vessels shall comply with the
instructions of the COTP Lower
Mississippi River and designated
personnel. Designated personnel
include commissioned, warrant, and
petty officers of the U.S. Coast Guard.
(d) Informational Broadcasts. The
Captain of the Port, Lower Mississippi
River or a designated representative will
inform the public through broadcast
notices to mariners (BNM) of the
effective period for the safety zone and
of any changes in the effective period,
enforcement times, or size of the safety
zone.
Dated: October 31, 2014.
J.D. Burns,
Acting, Commander, U.S. Coast Guard,
Acting Captain of the Port, Lower Mississippi
River.
[FR Doc. 2014–26753 Filed 11–10–14; 8:45 am]
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[EPA–R06–OAR–2012–0099; FRL–9919–02–
Region 6]
Approval and Promulgation of Air
Quality Implementation Plans; Texas;
Reasonable Further Progress Plan,
Enhanced Monitoring, Clean Fuel
Fleets and Failure-to-Attain
Contingency Measures for the Dallas/
Fort Worth 1997 8-Hour Ozone
Nonattainment Area; and
Transportation Conformity
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to
the Texas State Implementation Plan
(SIP) submitted by the Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality
(TCEQ) on January 17, 2012, which
contain a reasonable further progress
(RFP) plan and associated contingency
measures and motor vehicle emission
budgets; a revised 2002 base year
emissions inventory for the RFP;
enhanced ambient monitoring; and the
clean-fuel fleet programs for the Dallas/
Fort Worth (DFW) Serious
nonattainment area under the 1997 8hour ozone standard. The EPA is also
approving revisions to the DFW
Moderate area attainment demonstration
SIP submitted by the TCEQ on April 6,
2010, which address the failure-to-attain
contingency measures. The EPA is also
approving revisions submitted by the
TCEQ on July 25, 2007, March 25, 2010
and April 13, 2012, which address the
Texas transportation conformity rules
and the Texas Diesel Emissions
Reduction Incentive Program for OnRoad and Non-Road Vehicles. The EPA
is approving these SIP revisions in
accordance with the requirements of the
Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).
DATES: This final rule is effective on
December 12, 2014.
ADDRESSES: The EPA established a
docket for this action under Docket ID
No. EPA–R06–OAR–2012–0099. All
documents in the docket are listed on
the https://www.regulations.gov Web
site. Although listed in the index, some
information is not publicly available,
e.g., Confidential Business Information
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
SUMMARY:
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electronically through https://
www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at
the Air Planning Section (6PD–L),
Environmental Protection Agency, 1445
Ross Avenue, Suite 700, Dallas, Texas
75202–2733. To inspect the hard copy
materials, please schedule an
appointment with the person listed in
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
paragraph below or Mr. Bill Deese at
214–665–7253.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Carrie Paige, Air Planning Section
(6PD–L); telephone (214) 665–6521;
email address paige.carrie@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Throughout this document, ‘‘we,’’ ‘‘us,’’
and ‘‘our’’ means the EPA.
Table of Contents
I. Background
II. Response to Comments
III. Final Action
IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. Background
The background for this final rule is
discussed in the May 13, 2014 Federal
Register (FR) where we proposed to
approve revisions to the Texas SIP (79
FR 27257), henceforth referred to as our
‘‘Proposal.’’ We proposed to approve all
or parts of six SIP revisions submitted
by the TCEQ, which we organized into
three categories. First, we proposed to
approve revisions to the Texas SIP
submitted on January 17, 2012, to meet
certain Serious area requirements of
section 182(c) of the Act for the DFW
nonattainment area under the 1997
ozone standard: The reasonable further
progress (RFP) plan; the RFP
contingency measure provisions; the
revised 2002 base year emission
inventory (EI); enhanced ambient
monitoring; and the clean-fuel fleet
programs (CFFPs). Our proposed
approval of the RFP includes the
associated motor vehicle emission
budgets (MVEBs) for 2011 and 2012—
once the EPA approves the submitted
MVEBs, they must be used by local,
state and Federal agencies in
determining whether transportation
activities conform to the SIP as required
by section 176(c) of the CAA and 40
CFR 93.102. Second, we proposed to
approve revisions to the DFW SIP’s
failure-to-attain contingency measures
plan for the Moderate ozone
nonattainment area under the 1997
ozone standard, submitted on April 6,
2010. Third, we proposed to approve
into the SIP revisions submitted on July
25, 2007, March 25, 2010, and April 13,
2012, that make the Texas
transportation conformity rules
consistent with the Federal Surface
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Transportation Reauthorization Act 1
and expand the Diesel Emissions
Reduction Incentive Program for OnRoad and Non-Road Vehicles (DERIP,
also often referred to as the Texas
Emission Reduction Plan or TERP) to
include additional projects.
Our Proposal and the technical
support documents (TSDs) that
accompanied the proposed rule provide
detailed descriptions of the revisions
and the rationale for our proposed
decisions. Please see the docket for
these and other documents regarding
our Proposal. The public comment
period for our Proposal closed on June
12, 2014.
II. Response to Comments
We received one comment letter dated
June 12, 2014, from the Sierra Club (the
Commenter) regarding our Proposal. A
summary of the comments and our
responses to those comments follow.
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A. The Failure-to-Attain Contingency
Measures
The Commenter provided the
following statements regarding the
failure-to-attain contingency measures:
• The EPA is approving measures that
do not ‘‘cure the identified failure [to
attain]’’ or do not provide a ‘‘backup
plan of action,’’ and the measures had
already taken place without air quality
benefit, prior to the 2010 attainment
finding.
• The EPA has not provided any
information or support to show that the
state’s projection of reductions resulting
from fleet turnover from 2009–2010 are
accurate, provide a ‘‘continuing
surplus’’ and whether the projections
would be accurate on a continuing
basis. The fleet turnover measure is not
enforceable and therefore is not
permissible as a contingency measure.
• Rather than holding Texas
accountable for its failure to attain the
1997 ozone standard on multiple
deadlines, and thus requiring that
stronger contingency measures be put in
place, the EPA in this action credits the
state for reductions that will take place
naturally and requires nothing more.
• The EPA should recommend for
Texas’s consideration emissions
reductions from large, uncontrolled
sources contributing to DFW ozone
levels, even where they are not within
the nonattainment area. The DFW
failure-to-attain contingency measures
should include tighter emission limits
1 The Federal Surface Transportation
Reauthorization Act is commonly known as the
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act—A Legacy for Users
(SAFETEA–LU).
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on the East Texas coal-fired power
plants.
• Including selective catalytic
reduction (SCR) on the cement kilns in
Midlothian as a failure-to-attain
contingency measure would give Texas
a greater incentive to ensure that it
meets a new attainment deadline than
would allowing it to rely on naturally
occurring fleet turnover. The EPA
should recommend that Texas consider
the EPA’s Natural Gas STAR Program
and other practices recommended by
the EPA as voluntary measures to
reduce emissions from oil and natural
gas operations and improve efficiency.
Response: The Commenter
mischaracterizes the action EPA is
taking. The SIP already includes failureto-attain contingency measures: (1) Fleet
turnover for 2009 to 2010 and, (2) three
other measures that reduce emissions of
volatile organic compounds or VOC—
Degassing, Dry Cleaning, and Offset
Lithographic Printing (OLP) rules. See
74 FR 1903 (January 14, 2009). And, in
this action EPA is not approving any
new or different measures into the SIP
for purposes of the failure-to-attain
contingency measure requirement.
Rather, our Proposal only addresses the
removal of the OLP rule as a failure-toattain contingency measure.
As of March 1, 2012, the OLP rule is
being implemented in the DFW area
pursuant to EPA’s issuance of a control
technique guideline (CTG) 2 and for that
reason it is no longer eligible for use as
a failure-to-attain contingency measure.
As a result, the State submitted a SIP
revision to demonstrate that the
remaining failure-to-attain contingency
measures would still achieve 3% in
emissions reductions without the OLP
rule.3 Fleet turnover for 2009–2010 by
itself satisfies the 3% emissions
reductions (fleet turnover is estimated at
3.68 percent reduction of the base year
emissions, which includes the NOX and
VOC emissions reductions, as discussed
in our TSD–B, beginning on p. 13), so
removal of the OLP rule as a failure-toattain contingency measure does not
reduce the remaining emissions
reductions to less than the 3%.4 Our
2 March 1, 2012 is the implementation date for
minor sources. The implementation date for major
sources is March 1, 2011. See 79 FR 45105, August
4, 2014.
3 As described in our Proposal and TSD–B, EPA
interprets sections 172 and 182 of the Act to require
States with Moderate or above ozone nonattainment
areas to include contingency measures to
implement additional emission reductions of 3% of
the adjusted base year inventory in the year
following the year in which the failure has been
identified. See 57 FR 13498, 13510, April 16, 1992.
4 Although EPA has not re-opened the issue of
whether this already-approved contingency
measure is appropriate, we note that EPA has long
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67069
Proposal recognizes that the Moderate
area failure-to-attain contingency
measures already approved in the SIP
meet the Act’s requirement in section
182(c)(9) for failure-to-attain
contingency measures. Thus, the
elimination of OLP as a contingency
measure does not interfere with any
applicable requirement concerning
attainment and reasonable further
progress, or any other applicable
requirement of the Act. See CAA section
110(l).
We evaluated and described the
methodologies used to calculate each of
the measures used in the failure-toattain contingency plan at 74 FR 1903.
The methodologies were consistent with
EPA guidance. The Federal Motor
Vehicle Control programs (FMVCP or
‘‘fleet turnover’’) are federal rules and as
such, are enforceable by the EPA, the
State and the public (see 74 FR 1903).
We disagree that we have not held the
State accountable for its failure to attain
the 1997 ozone standard in the DFW
area. Consistent with our duties under
the CAA, on December 20, 2010, we
reclassified the DFW area from
Moderate to Serious after it failed to
meet the June 15, 2010 attainment date
for the Moderate area (75 FR 79302). In
that reclassification rulemaking, the
State was required to submit SIP
revisions addressing requirements for
the Serious area no later than one year
after the effective date of the rulemaking
and the TCEQ submitted such revisions
within the time allowed. As a matter of
law, the EPA is required to approve a
SIP revision if it meets the Act’s
requirements, regardless of the State’s
choices. It is not EPA’s role to rule out
the State’s choice of components of its
SIP submittal, including the
contingency measures, so long as the
interpreted the contingency measures provision to
allow states to rely on measures already in place
and implemented so long as those reductions are
beyond those relied on for purposes of the
attainment or RFP planning SIP. This interpretation
has been upheld. See LEAN v. EPA, 382 F.3d 575
(5th Cir. 2004). In addition, section 172(c)(9) of the
CAA states that contingency measures are to be
‘‘specific measures to be undertaken if the area fails
to make reasonable further progress, or to attain
. . . by the attainment date. . . . Such measures
shall be included in the plan revision as
contingency measures to take effect in any such
case without further action by the State or the
Administrator.’’ The April 16, 1992 General
Preamble provided the following guidance: ‘‘States
must show that their contingency measures can be
implemented with minimal further action on their
part and with no additional rulemaking actions
such as public hearings or legislative review. In
general, EPA will expect all actions needed to affect
full implementation of the measures to occur within
60 days after EPA notifies the State of its failure.’’
(57 FR 13512). This could include Federal measures
and local measures already scheduled for
implementation. See 70 FR 71612, 71651
(November 29, 2005).
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plan is adequate to meet the
requirements of the Act. See Train v.
NRDC, 421 U.S. 60 (1975) and Union
Electric v. EPA, 427 U.S. 246 (1976).
We appreciate the Commenter’s
suggestions regarding emissions
reductions for large, stationary sources
and voluntary measures for oil and gas
operations. Regarding sources outside of
the nonattainment area, EPA policy
does not allow emissions reductions
from outside of the nonattainment area
to be included in attainment or RFP
plans. On December 22, 2010, the EPA
proposed to set aside its earlier
interpretation of the RFP provisions at
74 FR 40074 (August 11, 2009) and no
longer permit states to rely on credit for
emission reductions from outside the
ozone nonattainment area to meet the
area’s RFP obligations (75 FR 80420). In
light of the reasoning used in Natural
Resources Defense Council (NRDC) v.
EPA, 571 F.3d (D.C. Cir. 2009), NRDC’s
petition for reconsideration of the rule
at 74 FR 40074, and the language of the
CAA, there is no legal basis for states to
credit emissions reductions from
sources outside the nonattainment area
for satisfying RFP requirements.5 On
June 6, 2013, the EPA proposed that for
the 2008 ozone NAAQS states may not
take credit for VOC or NOX reductions
occurring outside the nonattainment
area for purposes of meeting the 15
percent and 3 percent RFP requirements
of sections 172(c)(2), 182(b)(1) and
(c)(2)(B). See 78 FR 34178, 34191.
Finally, as previously noted, the State
has discretion under the Act to
determine the components of its SIP
submittal.
B. The Serious Area Reasonable Further
Progress Plan
Comment: The Commenter states that
the TCEQ’s January 17, 2012 submittal
does not explicitly outline a reasonable
further progress plan or contingency
measures specifically associated with
missing a reasonable further progress
milestone, and that EPA instead
considers the total reductions Texas
claims are available for contingency
measures as above and beyond the
reductions the state claimed were
needed for attainment.
Response: EPA disagrees with this
comment. The submittal 6 by the State
and the EPA’s technical analysis
addressed both RFP and the
contingency measures that would be
5 See
75 FR 80240 for more detail.
submittal (and accompanying appendices)
is available in the docket for this rulemaking, on the
TCEQ Web site (https://www.tceq.texas.gov/
airquality/sip/dfw_revisions.html) and at https://
www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/implementation/
air/sip/dfw/rfp_2011/2010023_ado.pdf.
6 The
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implemented if an RFP milestone is not
met.
Consistent with section 182(c)(2)(B) of
the Act and the Final Rule to Implement
the 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air
Quality Standard—Phase 2 (‘‘the Phase
2 Rule’’) at 70 FR 71612, 71650
(November 29, 2005), for each area
classified as Serious or higher, the
State’s RFP plan must demonstrate a
3-percent annual emission reduction
averaged over every 3-year period after
the initial 6-year period. For the DFW
area, the first 3-year period runs from
January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2011.
The final increment of progress must be
achieved no later than the attainment
date of the attainment year, which is
June 15, 2012.7 As described in our
Proposal and TSD–A, the State’s RFP
submittal accounts for emissions
reductions that average three percent
per year, from 2009 through 2011 and
for 2012.8 Tables 8 and 9 in our TSD–
A list the measures that provide
emissions reductions during years 2009
through 2011 and for 2012. These
include federal measures and State
controls that reduce emissions of
nitrogen oxides (NOX) on electric
generating units (EGUs) and certain area
source engines.9 As shown in the
TSD–A and in Tables 4 and 5 of our
Proposal, the RFP plan shows a net
decrease in emissions for the period
2009–2011 and for 2012 that meets the
RFP requirement of the Act.
In addition, the State’s RFP submittal
must include contingency measures that
would provide reductions of at least
three percent of baseline emissions in
2013. Three percent of the base year
NOX emissions (630.46 tpd) is 18.91 tpd
and three percent of the base year VOC
emissions (481.97 tpd) is 14.46 tpd. The
State’s contingency measures are listed
in Table 10 of our TSD–A; these include
State and federal measures that will
achieve reductions during 2013 of 41.60
tpd in NOX emissions and 15.62 tpd in
VOC emissions. Because the State and
federal measures achieve at least as
much in emissions reductions as the
three percent target values, the State’s
7 The attainment year is the year immediately
preceding the attainment date (40 CFR 51.900(g)).
The attainment date for the DFW Serious area is
June 15, 2013 (75 FR 79302), thus the DFW area’s
attainment year is 2012. The target level of
emissions must be met by the attainment date of the
attainment year. Section 182(c)(2)(B) of the Act
requires that RFP be continued out to the
attainment date. See 70 FR 71612 and 40 CFR
51.910.
8 The 2011 and 2012 targets are termed
‘‘milestone’’ years.
9 These are examples; for a complete list, see
Tables 8 and 9 in our TSD–A and Appendix 1 in
the State’s submittal.
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contingency measures meet the RFP
requirement of the Act.
Comment: The Commenter states that
we failed to provide any verification or
support for Texas’ projections of
emissions reductions and failed to
include a real world check as to whether
promised reductions have occurred.
Response: The Commenter’s second
point—that EPA has not performed a
‘‘real-world’’ check to ensure that
promised reductions have occurred—is
not relevant for this action. This action
is simply evaluating the SIP to ensure
that it provides for sufficient measures
to meet the reasonable further progress
goals. Additionally, the commenter did
not present evidence to support the idea
that the reductions have not occurred
and EPA has no reason to believe they
have not. EPA is not reviewing Texas’
implementation of the SIP for purposes
of whether the area attained the
standard by the attainment date as part
of this action. As to the first point—
whether EPA has verified Texas’
projection of the emission reductions—
we disagree. Consistent with section
182(c)(2)(B), the plan needs to
demonstrate emissions reductions from
the baseline emissions equal to the
following amount averaged over each
consecutive 3-year period beginning 6
years after [the effective date of
designations], until the attainment date:
(i) At least 3 percent of baseline
emissions each year; or (ii) an amount
less than 3 percent of such baseline
emissions each year, if the State makes
certain additional demonstrations.10 In
addition, section 182(c)(9) of the Act
requires contingency measures equal to
3% of the baseline to be implemented
if RFP is not met. Our TSD–A and
Proposal describe how the State’s
submittal meets these requirements.
Texas projected emissions reductions
from mobile source controls, including,
but not limited to: Fleet turnover;
inspection and maintenance;
reformulated gasoline; Texas lowemission diesel fuel; and Tier 2 and 3
non-road diesel engines. The projected
reductions were calculated using mobile
source emissions estimation models.
The EPA Motor Vehicle Emissions
Simulator (MOVES) model was used to
estimate from on-road mobile source
controls. A Texas-specific version of the
EPA NON–ROAD model was used to
estimate emissions from non-road
mobile source controls.11 The area
10 See section 182(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the Act for further
explanation.
11 We note that new and existing federal mobile
source regulations addressing emissions from
automobiles, non-road equipment and engines,
locomotives and marine engines will continue to
provide additional emissions reductions as the
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source 12 emissions were estimated
using the 2008 National Emissions
Inventory data, back-calculated to 2002
(for the base year EI) and projected to
future dates, using the EPA’s Economic
Growth Analysis System growth factors.
This provided the most recent, complete
set of emissions data available at the
time the TCEQ developed this RFP plan.
Point sources (for example, cement and
power plants) are individually
inventoried and required to submit
emissions data to TCEQ annually. The
data are reviewed by the TCEQ for
quality assurance purposes and stored
in the State of Texas Air Reporting
System. We reviewed the State’s
methods for developing the projections
of emissions and found them to be
adequate.
III. Final Action
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The EPA is approving revisions to the
Texas SIP submitted by the TCEQ on
January 17, 2012, which contain a RFP
plan and associated contingency
measures and MVEBs; a revised 2002
base year EI for the RFP plan; enhanced
ambient monitoring; and the CFFPs for
the DFW Serious nonattainment area
under the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS.
We are also approving revisions to the
DFW Moderate area attainment
demonstration SIP submitted by the
TCEQ on April 6, 2010, which address
the failure-to-attain contingency
measures. We are also approving
revisions submitted by the TCEQ on
July 25, 2007, March 25, 2010, and April
13, 2012, which address the Texas
transportation conformity rules and the
Texas Diesel Emissions Reduction
Incentive Program for On-Road and
Non-Road Vehicles. These revisions are
consistent with the CAA, federal
transportation rules and EPA Guidance
that addresses economic incentive
programs and transportation conformity.
We are also making a ministerial
correction to the second table in 40 CFR
52.2270(e) to reflect accurately the date
of EPA’s approval of the Transportation
Control Measures SIP on December 5,
2002 (67 FR 72382).
current fleets are replaced with newer vehicles,
equipment and engines that are certified to more
stringent emissions standards or engines are re-built
to comply with any applicable requirements (78 FR
34178, 34181, June 6, 2013).
12 Area sources are also termed nonpoint sources
and collectively represent individual sources that
have not been inventoried as specific point or
mobile sources. These include small scale
industrial, commercial and residential sources that
generate emissions, such as gas stations, bakeries,
and solvent use (e.g., dry cleaners, automobile paint
shops, print shops and house paints).
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IV. 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 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 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);
• 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 FR 43255, 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, the SIP is not approved to
apply on any Indian reservation land or
in any other area where EPA or an
Indian tribe has demonstrated that a
tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of
Indian country, the rule does not have
tribal implications as specified by
Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249,
November 9, 2000), nor will it impose
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67071
substantial direct costs on tribal
governments or preempt tribal law.
The Congressional Review Act, 5
U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement
Fairness Act of 1996, generally provides
that before a rule may take effect, the
agency promulgating the rule must
submit a rule report, which includes a
copy of the rule, to each House of the
Congress and to the Comptroller General
of the United States. EPA will submit a
report containing this action and other
required information to the U.S. Senate,
the U.S. House of Representatives, and
the Comptroller General of the United
States prior to publication of the rule in
the Federal Register. A major rule
cannot take effect until 60 days after it
is published in the Federal Register.
This action is not a ‘‘major rule’’ as
defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA,
petitions for judicial review of this
action must be filed in the United States
Court of Appeals for the appropriate
circuit by January 12, 2015. Filing a
petition for reconsideration by the
Administrator of this final rule does not
affect the finality of this action for the
purposed of judicial review nor does it
extend the time within which a petition
for judicial review may be filed, and
shall not postpone the effectiveness of
such rule or action. This action may not
be challenged later in proceedings to
enforce its requirements (See section
307(b)(2)).
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air
pollution control, Incorporation by
reference, Intergovernmental relations,
Ozone, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Volatile organic
compounds.
Dated: October 29, 2014.
Samuel Coleman,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 6.
40 CFR part 52 is amended as follows:
PART 52—APPROVAL AND
PROMULGATION OF
IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
1. The authority citation for part 52
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
Subpart SS—Texas
2. In § 52.2270:
a. The table in paragraph (c) is
amended by revising the entries for
Section 114.260, Section 114.620, and
Section 114.622.
■ b. The second table in paragraph (e) is
amended by revising the entry for
■
■
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67072
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 218 / Wednesday, November 12, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
‘‘Transportation Control Measures SIP
Revision’’ and adding three new entries
at the end of the table.
§ 52.2270
The revisions and additions read as
follows:
*
Identification of plan.
*
*
(c) * * *
*
*
EPA-APPROVED REGULATIONS IN THE TEXAS SIP
State citation
Title/subject
*
*
*
State
approval/
submittal
date
EPA approval date
*
*
Explanation
*
*
*
*
Subchapter G—Transportation Planning
Section 114.260 .......................
*
Transportation Conformity ......
*
*
6/27/2007
11/12/2014 [Insert Federal
Register citation].
*
*
Subchapter K—Mobile Source Incentive Programs
Division 3: Diesel Emission Reduction Incentive Program for On-road and Non-road Vehicles
Section 114.620 .......................
Definitions ...............................
2/24/2010
11/12/2014 [Insert Federal
Register citation].
*
*
Section 114.622 .......................
*
Incentive Program Requirements.
*
3/28/2012
*
11/12/2014 [Insert Federal
Register citation].
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
(e) * * *
EPA-APPROVED NONREGULATORY PROVISIONS AND QUASI-REGULATORY MEASURES IN THE TEXAS SIP
State
submittal/
effective
date
Name of SIP provision
Applicable geographic or
non-attainment area
*
*
Transportation Control Measures SIP Revision.
*
All Nonattainment and Maintenance Areas.
*
5/9/2000
*
*
Failure-to-Attain Contingency
Measures Plan.
*
Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis,
Johnson, Kaufman, Parker,
Rockwall and Tarrant Counties, TX.
Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis,
Johnson, Kaufman, Parker,
Rockwall and Tarrant Counties, TX.
*
3/10/2010
*
11/12/2014 [Insert Federal
Register citation].
12/7/2011
11/12/2014 [Insert Federal
Register citation].
Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis,
Johnson, Kaufman, Parker,
Rockwall and Tarrant Counties, TX.
12/7/2011
11/12/2014 [Insert Federal
Register citation].
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Reasonable Further Progress
Plan (RFP), RFP Contingency Measures, RFP Motor
Vehicle Emission Budgets
for 2011 and 2012, and Revised 2002 Base Year Emissions Inventory.
Enhanced Ambient Monitoring
and the Clean-fuel Fleet Programs.
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EPA approval date
Comments
*
*
*
12/5/2002, 67 FR 72382 ........ Chapter 1. Introduction, Chapter 2. General, and Chapter
3. Criteria and Procedures.
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*
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 218 / Wednesday, November 12, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
[FR Doc. 2014–26625 Filed 11–10–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 63
[EPA–R06–OAR–2012–0765; FRL–9918–61–
Region 6]
National Emission Standards for
Hazardous Air Pollutants; Delegation
of Authority to Arkansas
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Direct final rule; delegation of
authority.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is approving, through a
‘‘direct final’’ procedure, the straight
delegation of authority and approval of
the mechanism used for the
implementation and enforcement of
certain unchanged Federal section 112
rules to the Arkansas Department of
Environmental Quality (ADEQ),
pursuant to section 112(l) of the Clean
Air Act (Act or CAA). A more detailed
description of the procedures used to
implement the delegation is set forth in
a memorandum of agreement (MOA)
between ADEQ and EPA, dated
September 17, 2014, a copy of which
may be found in the docket for this
rulemaking, as discussed below. The
delegation only encompasses sources
subject to one or more Federal section
112 standards (Part 63 standards
specifically) which are also subject to
the requirements of the Title V
operating permits program. The
delegation of authority under this action
does not include authorities contained
in CAA section 112(r).
DATES: The rule is effective on January
12, 2015 without further notice, unless
EPA receives relevant adverse comment
by December 12, 2014. If EPA receives
such comment, EPA will publish a
timely withdrawal in the Federal
Register informing the public that the
rule will not take effect.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R06–
OAR–2012–0765, by one of the
following methods:
• www.regulations.gov. Follow the
on-line instructions.
• Email: Mr. Rick Barrett at
barrett.richard@epa.gov. Please also
send a copy by email to the person
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section below.
• Mail or delivery: Mr. Rick Barrett,
Air Permits Section (6PD–R),
Environmental Protection Agency, 1445
wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
14:57 Nov 10, 2014
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Ross Avenue, Suite 1200, Dallas, Texas
75202–2733.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
Docket No. EPA–R06–OAR–2012–0765.
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 through
https://www.regulations.gov or email, if
you believe that it is CBI or otherwise
protected from disclosure. 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 email comment directly
to EPA without going through https://
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 along with
any disk or CD–ROM submitted. 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 and 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: The index to the docket for
this action is available electronically at
www.regulations.gov and in hard copy
at EPA Region 6, 1445 Ross Avenue,
Suite 700, Dallas, Texas. While all
documents in the docket are listed in
the index, some information may be
publicly available only at the hard copy
location (e.g., copyrighted material), and
some may not be publicly available at
either location (e.g., CBI). To inspect the
hard copy materials, please schedule an
appointment with the person listed in
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
paragraph below or Mr. Bill Deese at
(214) 665–7253.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rick Barrett (6PD–R), Air Permits
Section, telephone (214) 665–7227;
email: barrett.richard@epa.gov.
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Mr.
67073
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Throughout this document ‘‘we,’’ ‘‘our,’’
and ‘‘us’’ refers to EPA.
Table of Contents
I. Why are we delegating this program to
ADEQ?
II. What is the history of this request for
delegation?
III. How will ADEQ implement this
delegation?
IV. What requirements did ADEQ meet to
receive today’s approval?
V. How did ADEQ meet the approval criteria?
VI. How are sources subject to the listed
standards going to be handled since
ADEQ did not accept delegation of these
standards?
VII. What is being delegated?
VIII. What is not being delegated?
IX. How will applicability determinations
under section 112 be made?
X. What information must ADEQ provide to
EPA?
XI. Should sources submit notices to EPA or
ADEQ?
XII. How will unchanged authorities be
delegated to ADEQ in the future?
XIII. What is today’s final action?
XIV. Administrative Requirements
I. Why are we delegating this program
to ADEQ?
Section 112(l) of the CAA enables a
State to develop and submit to EPA for
approval a program for partial or
complete delegation of EPA’s authorities
for the implementation and enforcement
of the requirements found in section 112
of the Act pertaining to the regulation of
hazardous air pollutants (Federal
section 112 rules). After notice and
opportunity for public comment, the
State program may be approved if EPA
determines that: (1) the authorities
contained in the program are adequate
to assure compliance by all sources
within the State with each applicable
requirement, regulation, or requirement
established by EPA under CAA section
112; (2) the State has adequate authority
and resources to implement the
program; (3) the schedule for
implementing the program and assuring
compliance by affected sources is
sufficiently expeditious: and (4) the
program is otherwise in compliance
with guidance issued by EPA under
CAA section 112(l)(2) and is likely to
satisfy the objectives of the CAA. Once
approved, the air toxics program may be
implemented and enforced by the
delegated State or local agency, as well
as EPA. Implementation by local
agencies is dependent upon appropriate
sub-delegation.
II. What is the history of this request for
delegation?
In a Federal Register notice dated
September 8, 1995, EPA Region 6
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 218 (Wednesday, November 12, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67068-67073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-26625]
=======================================================================
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA-R06-OAR-2012-0099; FRL-9919-02-Region 6]
Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans;
Texas; Reasonable Further Progress Plan, Enhanced Monitoring, Clean
Fuel Fleets and Failure-to-Attain Contingency Measures for the Dallas/
Fort Worth 1997 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area; and Transportation
Conformity
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving
revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on January 17, 2012,
which contain a reasonable further progress (RFP) plan and associated
contingency measures and motor vehicle emission budgets; a revised 2002
base year emissions inventory for the RFP; enhanced ambient monitoring;
and the clean-fuel fleet programs for the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
Serious nonattainment area under the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. The
EPA is also approving revisions to the DFW Moderate area attainment
demonstration SIP submitted by the TCEQ on April 6, 2010, which address
the failure-to-attain contingency measures. The EPA is also approving
revisions submitted by the TCEQ on July 25, 2007, March 25, 2010 and
April 13, 2012, which address the Texas transportation conformity rules
and the Texas Diesel Emissions Reduction Incentive Program for On-Road
and Non-Road Vehicles. The EPA is approving these SIP revisions in
accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).
DATES: This final rule is effective on December 12, 2014.
ADDRESSES: The EPA established a docket for this action under Docket ID
No. EPA-R06-OAR-2012-0099. All documents in the docket are listed on
the https://www.regulations.gov Web site. Although listed in the index,
some information is not publicly available, e.g., Confidential Business
Information 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 through https://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at
the Air Planning Section (6PD-L), Environmental Protection Agency, 1445
Ross Avenue, Suite 700, Dallas, Texas 75202-2733. To inspect the hard
copy materials, please schedule an appointment with the person listed
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT paragraph below or Mr. Bill
Deese at 214-665-7253.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Carrie Paige, Air Planning Section
(6PD-L); telephone (214) 665-6521; email address paige.carrie@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document, ``we,'' ``us,''
and ``our'' means the EPA.
Table of Contents
I. Background
II. Response to Comments
III. Final Action
IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. Background
The background for this final rule is discussed in the May 13, 2014
Federal Register (FR) where we proposed to approve revisions to the
Texas SIP (79 FR 27257), henceforth referred to as our ``Proposal.'' We
proposed to approve all or parts of six SIP revisions submitted by the
TCEQ, which we organized into three categories. First, we proposed to
approve revisions to the Texas SIP submitted on January 17, 2012, to
meet certain Serious area requirements of section 182(c) of the Act for
the DFW nonattainment area under the 1997 ozone standard: The
reasonable further progress (RFP) plan; the RFP contingency measure
provisions; the revised 2002 base year emission inventory (EI);
enhanced ambient monitoring; and the clean-fuel fleet programs (CFFPs).
Our proposed approval of the RFP includes the associated motor vehicle
emission budgets (MVEBs) for 2011 and 2012--once the EPA approves the
submitted MVEBs, they must be used by local, state and Federal agencies
in determining whether transportation activities conform to the SIP as
required by section 176(c) of the CAA and 40 CFR 93.102. Second, we
proposed to approve revisions to the DFW SIP's failure-to-attain
contingency measures plan for the Moderate ozone nonattainment area
under the 1997 ozone standard, submitted on April 6, 2010. Third, we
proposed to approve into the SIP revisions submitted on July 25, 2007,
March 25, 2010, and April 13, 2012, that make the Texas transportation
conformity rules consistent with the Federal Surface
[[Page 67069]]
Transportation Reauthorization Act \1\ and expand the Diesel Emissions
Reduction Incentive Program for On-Road and Non-Road Vehicles (DERIP,
also often referred to as the Texas Emission Reduction Plan or TERP) to
include additional projects.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Federal Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act is
commonly known as the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act--A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our Proposal and the technical support documents (TSDs) that
accompanied the proposed rule provide detailed descriptions of the
revisions and the rationale for our proposed decisions. Please see the
docket for these and other documents regarding our Proposal. The public
comment period for our Proposal closed on June 12, 2014.
II. Response to Comments
We received one comment letter dated June 12, 2014, from the Sierra
Club (the Commenter) regarding our Proposal. A summary of the comments
and our responses to those comments follow.
A. The Failure-to-Attain Contingency Measures
The Commenter provided the following statements regarding the
failure-to-attain contingency measures:
The EPA is approving measures that do not ``cure the
identified failure [to attain]'' or do not provide a ``backup plan of
action,'' and the measures had already taken place without air quality
benefit, prior to the 2010 attainment finding.
The EPA has not provided any information or support to
show that the state's projection of reductions resulting from fleet
turnover from 2009-2010 are accurate, provide a ``continuing surplus''
and whether the projections would be accurate on a continuing basis.
The fleet turnover measure is not enforceable and therefore is not
permissible as a contingency measure.
Rather than holding Texas accountable for its failure to
attain the 1997 ozone standard on multiple deadlines, and thus
requiring that stronger contingency measures be put in place, the EPA
in this action credits the state for reductions that will take place
naturally and requires nothing more.
The EPA should recommend for Texas's consideration
emissions reductions from large, uncontrolled sources contributing to
DFW ozone levels, even where they are not within the nonattainment
area. The DFW failure-to-attain contingency measures should include
tighter emission limits on the East Texas coal-fired power plants.
Including selective catalytic reduction (SCR) on the
cement kilns in Midlothian as a failure-to-attain contingency measure
would give Texas a greater incentive to ensure that it meets a new
attainment deadline than would allowing it to rely on naturally
occurring fleet turnover. The EPA should recommend that Texas consider
the EPA's Natural Gas STAR Program and other practices recommended by
the EPA as voluntary measures to reduce emissions from oil and natural
gas operations and improve efficiency.
Response: The Commenter mischaracterizes the action EPA is taking.
The SIP already includes failure-to-attain contingency measures: (1)
Fleet turnover for 2009 to 2010 and, (2) three other measures that
reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds or VOC--Degassing, Dry
Cleaning, and Offset Lithographic Printing (OLP) rules. See 74 FR 1903
(January 14, 2009). And, in this action EPA is not approving any new or
different measures into the SIP for purposes of the failure-to-attain
contingency measure requirement. Rather, our Proposal only addresses
the removal of the OLP rule as a failure-to-attain contingency measure.
As of March 1, 2012, the OLP rule is being implemented in the DFW
area pursuant to EPA's issuance of a control technique guideline (CTG)
\2\ and for that reason it is no longer eligible for use as a failure-
to-attain contingency measure. As a result, the State submitted a SIP
revision to demonstrate that the remaining failure-to-attain
contingency measures would still achieve 3% in emissions reductions
without the OLP rule.\3\ Fleet turnover for 2009-2010 by itself
satisfies the 3% emissions reductions (fleet turnover is estimated at
3.68 percent reduction of the base year emissions, which includes the
NOX and VOC emissions reductions, as discussed in our TSD-B,
beginning on p. 13), so removal of the OLP rule as a failure-to-attain
contingency measure does not reduce the remaining emissions reductions
to less than the 3%.\4\ Our Proposal recognizes that the Moderate area
failure-to-attain contingency measures already approved in the SIP meet
the Act's requirement in section 182(c)(9) for failure-to-attain
contingency measures. Thus, the elimination of OLP as a contingency
measure does not interfere with any applicable requirement concerning
attainment and reasonable further progress, or any other applicable
requirement of the Act. See CAA section 110(l).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ March 1, 2012 is the implementation date for minor sources.
The implementation date for major sources is March 1, 2011. See 79
FR 45105, August 4, 2014.
\3\ As described in our Proposal and TSD-B, EPA interprets
sections 172 and 182 of the Act to require States with Moderate or
above ozone nonattainment areas to include contingency measures to
implement additional emission reductions of 3% of the adjusted base
year inventory in the year following the year in which the failure
has been identified. See 57 FR 13498, 13510, April 16, 1992.
\4\ Although EPA has not re-opened the issue of whether this
already-approved contingency measure is appropriate, we note that
EPA has long interpreted the contingency measures provision to allow
states to rely on measures already in place and implemented so long
as those reductions are beyond those relied on for purposes of the
attainment or RFP planning SIP. This interpretation has been upheld.
See LEAN v. EPA, 382 F.3d 575 (5th Cir. 2004). In addition, section
172(c)(9) of the CAA states that contingency measures are to be
``specific measures to be undertaken if the area fails to make
reasonable further progress, or to attain . . . by the attainment
date. . . . Such measures shall be included in the plan revision as
contingency measures to take effect in any such case without further
action by the State or the Administrator.'' The April 16, 1992
General Preamble provided the following guidance: ``States must show
that their contingency measures can be implemented with minimal
further action on their part and with no additional rulemaking
actions such as public hearings or legislative review. In general,
EPA will expect all actions needed to affect full implementation of
the measures to occur within 60 days after EPA notifies the State of
its failure.'' (57 FR 13512). This could include Federal measures
and local measures already scheduled for implementation. See 70 FR
71612, 71651 (November 29, 2005).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We evaluated and described the methodologies used to calculate each
of the measures used in the failure-to-attain contingency plan at 74 FR
1903. The methodologies were consistent with EPA guidance. The Federal
Motor Vehicle Control programs (FMVCP or ``fleet turnover'') are
federal rules and as such, are enforceable by the EPA, the State and
the public (see 74 FR 1903).
We disagree that we have not held the State accountable for its
failure to attain the 1997 ozone standard in the DFW area. Consistent
with our duties under the CAA, on December 20, 2010, we reclassified
the DFW area from Moderate to Serious after it failed to meet the June
15, 2010 attainment date for the Moderate area (75 FR 79302). In that
reclassification rulemaking, the State was required to submit SIP
revisions addressing requirements for the Serious area no later than
one year after the effective date of the rulemaking and the TCEQ
submitted such revisions within the time allowed. As a matter of law,
the EPA is required to approve a SIP revision if it meets the Act's
requirements, regardless of the State's choices. It is not EPA's role
to rule out the State's choice of components of its SIP submittal,
including the contingency measures, so long as the
[[Page 67070]]
plan is adequate to meet the requirements of the Act. See Train v.
NRDC, 421 U.S. 60 (1975) and Union Electric v. EPA, 427 U.S. 246
(1976).
We appreciate the Commenter's suggestions regarding emissions
reductions for large, stationary sources and voluntary measures for oil
and gas operations. Regarding sources outside of the nonattainment
area, EPA policy does not allow emissions reductions from outside of
the nonattainment area to be included in attainment or RFP plans. On
December 22, 2010, the EPA proposed to set aside its earlier
interpretation of the RFP provisions at 74 FR 40074 (August 11, 2009)
and no longer permit states to rely on credit for emission reductions
from outside the ozone nonattainment area to meet the area's RFP
obligations (75 FR 80420). In light of the reasoning used in Natural
Resources Defense Council (NRDC) v. EPA, 571 F.3d (D.C. Cir. 2009),
NRDC's petition for reconsideration of the rule at 74 FR 40074, and the
language of the CAA, there is no legal basis for states to credit
emissions reductions from sources outside the nonattainment area for
satisfying RFP requirements.\5\ On June 6, 2013, the EPA proposed that
for the 2008 ozone NAAQS states may not take credit for VOC or
NOX reductions occurring outside the nonattainment area for
purposes of meeting the 15 percent and 3 percent RFP requirements of
sections 172(c)(2), 182(b)(1) and (c)(2)(B). See 78 FR 34178, 34191.
Finally, as previously noted, the State has discretion under the Act to
determine the components of its SIP submittal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ See 75 FR 80240 for more detail.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. The Serious Area Reasonable Further Progress Plan
Comment: The Commenter states that the TCEQ's January 17, 2012
submittal does not explicitly outline a reasonable further progress
plan or contingency measures specifically associated with missing a
reasonable further progress milestone, and that EPA instead considers
the total reductions Texas claims are available for contingency
measures as above and beyond the reductions the state claimed were
needed for attainment.
Response: EPA disagrees with this comment. The submittal \6\ by the
State and the EPA's technical analysis addressed both RFP and the
contingency measures that would be implemented if an RFP milestone is
not met.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ The submittal (and accompanying appendices) is available in
the docket for this rulemaking, on the TCEQ Web site (https://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/sip/dfw_revisions.html) and at https://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/implementation/air/sip/dfw/rfp_2011/2010023_ado.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consistent with section 182(c)(2)(B) of the Act and the Final Rule
to Implement the 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard--
Phase 2 (``the Phase 2 Rule'') at 70 FR 71612, 71650 (November 29,
2005), for each area classified as Serious or higher, the State's RFP
plan must demonstrate a 3-percent annual emission reduction averaged
over every 3-year period after the initial 6-year period. For the DFW
area, the first 3-year period runs from January 1, 2009 to December 31,
2011. The final increment of progress must be achieved no later than
the attainment date of the attainment year, which is June 15, 2012.\7\
As described in our Proposal and TSD-A, the State's RFP submittal
accounts for emissions reductions that average three percent per year,
from 2009 through 2011 and for 2012.\8\ Tables 8 and 9 in our TSD-A
list the measures that provide emissions reductions during years 2009
through 2011 and for 2012. These include federal measures and State
controls that reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX) on
electric generating units (EGUs) and certain area source engines.\9\ As
shown in the TSD-A and in Tables 4 and 5 of our Proposal, the RFP plan
shows a net decrease in emissions for the period 2009-2011 and for 2012
that meets the RFP requirement of the Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ The attainment year is the year immediately preceding the
attainment date (40 CFR 51.900(g)). The attainment date for the DFW
Serious area is June 15, 2013 (75 FR 79302), thus the DFW area's
attainment year is 2012. The target level of emissions must be met
by the attainment date of the attainment year. Section 182(c)(2)(B)
of the Act requires that RFP be continued out to the attainment
date. See 70 FR 71612 and 40 CFR 51.910.
\8\ The 2011 and 2012 targets are termed ``milestone'' years.
\9\ These are examples; for a complete list, see Tables 8 and 9
in our TSD-A and Appendix 1 in the State's submittal.
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In addition, the State's RFP submittal must include contingency
measures that would provide reductions of at least three percent of
baseline emissions in 2013. Three percent of the base year
NOX emissions (630.46 tpd) is 18.91 tpd and three percent of
the base year VOC emissions (481.97 tpd) is 14.46 tpd. The State's
contingency measures are listed in Table 10 of our TSD-A; these include
State and federal measures that will achieve reductions during 2013 of
41.60 tpd in NOX emissions and 15.62 tpd in VOC emissions.
Because the State and federal measures achieve at least as much in
emissions reductions as the three percent target values, the State's
contingency measures meet the RFP requirement of the Act.
Comment: The Commenter states that we failed to provide any
verification or support for Texas' projections of emissions reductions
and failed to include a real world check as to whether promised
reductions have occurred.
Response: The Commenter's second point--that EPA has not performed
a ``real-world'' check to ensure that promised reductions have
occurred--is not relevant for this action. This action is simply
evaluating the SIP to ensure that it provides for sufficient measures
to meet the reasonable further progress goals. Additionally, the
commenter did not present evidence to support the idea that the
reductions have not occurred and EPA has no reason to believe they have
not. EPA is not reviewing Texas' implementation of the SIP for purposes
of whether the area attained the standard by the attainment date as
part of this action. As to the first point--whether EPA has verified
Texas' projection of the emission reductions--we disagree. Consistent
with section 182(c)(2)(B), the plan needs to demonstrate emissions
reductions from the baseline emissions equal to the following amount
averaged over each consecutive 3-year period beginning 6 years after
[the effective date of designations], until the attainment date: (i) At
least 3 percent of baseline emissions each year; or (ii) an amount less
than 3 percent of such baseline emissions each year, if the State makes
certain additional demonstrations.\10\ In addition, section 182(c)(9)
of the Act requires contingency measures equal to 3% of the baseline to
be implemented if RFP is not met. Our TSD-A and Proposal describe how
the State's submittal meets these requirements. Texas projected
emissions reductions from mobile source controls, including, but not
limited to: Fleet turnover; inspection and maintenance; reformulated
gasoline; Texas low-emission diesel fuel; and Tier 2 and 3 non-road
diesel engines. The projected reductions were calculated using mobile
source emissions estimation models. The EPA Motor Vehicle Emissions
Simulator (MOVES) model was used to estimate from on-road mobile source
controls. A Texas-specific version of the EPA NON-ROAD model was used
to estimate emissions from non-road mobile source controls.\11\ The
area
[[Page 67071]]
source \12\ emissions were estimated using the 2008 National Emissions
Inventory data, back-calculated to 2002 (for the base year EI) and
projected to future dates, using the EPA's Economic Growth Analysis
System growth factors. This provided the most recent, complete set of
emissions data available at the time the TCEQ developed this RFP plan.
Point sources (for example, cement and power plants) are individually
inventoried and required to submit emissions data to TCEQ annually. The
data are reviewed by the TCEQ for quality assurance purposes and stored
in the State of Texas Air Reporting System. We reviewed the State's
methods for developing the projections of emissions and found them to
be adequate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ See section 182(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the Act for further
explanation.
\11\ We note that new and existing federal mobile source
regulations addressing emissions from automobiles, non-road
equipment and engines, locomotives and marine engines will continue
to provide additional emissions reductions as the current fleets are
replaced with newer vehicles, equipment and engines that are
certified to more stringent emissions standards or engines are re-
built to comply with any applicable requirements (78 FR 34178,
34181, June 6, 2013).
\12\ Area sources are also termed nonpoint sources and
collectively represent individual sources that have not been
inventoried as specific point or mobile sources. These include small
scale industrial, commercial and residential sources that generate
emissions, such as gas stations, bakeries, and solvent use (e.g.,
dry cleaners, automobile paint shops, print shops and house paints).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
III. Final Action
The EPA is approving revisions to the Texas SIP submitted by the
TCEQ on January 17, 2012, which contain a RFP plan and associated
contingency measures and MVEBs; a revised 2002 base year EI for the RFP
plan; enhanced ambient monitoring; and the CFFPs for the DFW Serious
nonattainment area under the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS. We are also
approving revisions to the DFW Moderate area attainment demonstration
SIP submitted by the TCEQ on April 6, 2010, which address the failure-
to-attain contingency measures. We are also approving revisions
submitted by the TCEQ on July 25, 2007, March 25, 2010, and April 13,
2012, which address the Texas transportation conformity rules and the
Texas Diesel Emissions Reduction Incentive Program for On-Road and Non-
Road Vehicles. These revisions are consistent with the CAA, federal
transportation rules and EPA Guidance that addresses economic incentive
programs and transportation conformity.
We are also making a ministerial correction to the second table in
40 CFR 52.2270(e) to reflect accurately the date of EPA's approval of
the Transportation Control Measures SIP on December 5, 2002 (67 FR
72382).
IV. 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
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 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);
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 FR 43255, 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, the SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian reservation
land or in any other area where EPA or an Indian tribe has demonstrated
that a tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian country, the
rule does not have tribal implications as specified by Executive Order
13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000), nor will it impose substantial
direct costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law.
The Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally
provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating
the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule,
to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the
United States. EPA will submit a report containing this action and
other required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of
Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior
to publication of the rule in the Federal Register. A major rule cannot
take effect until 60 days after it is published in the Federal
Register. This action is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C.
804(2).
Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA, petitions for judicial review
of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for
the appropriate circuit by January 12, 2015. Filing a petition for
reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule does not affect
the finality of this action for the purposed of judicial review nor
does it extend the time within which a petition for judicial review may
be filed, and shall not postpone the effectiveness of such rule or
action. This action may not be challenged later in proceedings to
enforce its requirements (See section 307(b)(2)).
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by
reference, Intergovernmental relations, Ozone, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Volatile organic compounds.
Dated: October 29, 2014.
Samuel Coleman,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 6.
40 CFR part 52 is amended as follows:
PART 52--APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
0
1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
Subpart SS--Texas
0
2. In Sec. 52.2270:
0
a. The table in paragraph (c) is amended by revising the entries for
Section 114.260, Section 114.620, and Section 114.622.
0
b. The second table in paragraph (e) is amended by revising the entry
for
[[Page 67072]]
``Transportation Control Measures SIP Revision'' and adding three new
entries at the end of the table.
The revisions and additions read as follows:
Sec. 52.2270 Identification of plan.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
EPA-Approved Regulations in the Texas SIP
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State
approval/
State citation Title/subject submittal EPA approval date Explanation
date
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subchapter G--Transportation Planning
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 114.260.................. Transportation 6/27/2007 11/12/2014 [Insert ....................
Conformity. Federal Register
citation].
* * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subchapter K--Mobile Source Incentive Programs
Division 3: Diesel Emission Reduction Incentive Program for On-road and Non-road Vehicles
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 114.620.................. Definitions......... 2/24/2010 11/12/2014 [Insert ....................
Federal Register
citation].
* * * * * * *
Section 114.622.................. Incentive Program 3/28/2012 11/12/2014 [Insert ....................
Requirements. Federal Register
citation].
* * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * *
(e) * * *
EPA-Approved Nonregulatory Provisions and Quasi-Regulatory Measures in the Texas SIP
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State
Applicable submittal/
Name of SIP provision geographic or non- effective EPA approval date Comments
attainment area date
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * *
Transportation Control Measures All Nonattainment 5/9/2000 12/5/2002, 67 FR Chapter 1.
SIP Revision. and Maintenance 72382. Introduction,
Areas. Chapter 2. General,
and Chapter 3.
Criteria and
Procedures.
* * * * * * *
Failure-to-Attain Contingency Collin, Dallas, 3/10/2010 11/12/2014 [Insert ....................
Measures Plan. Denton, Ellis, Federal Register
Johnson, Kaufman, citation].
Parker, Rockwall
and Tarrant
Counties, TX.
Reasonable Further Progress Plan Collin, Dallas, 12/7/2011 11/12/2014 [Insert ....................
(RFP), RFP Contingency Measures, Denton, Ellis, Federal Register
RFP Motor Vehicle Emission Johnson, Kaufman, citation].
Budgets for 2011 and 2012, and Parker, Rockwall
Revised 2002 Base Year Emissions and Tarrant
Inventory. Counties, TX.
Enhanced Ambient Monitoring and Collin, Dallas, 12/7/2011 11/12/2014 [Insert ....................
the Clean-fuel Fleet Programs. Denton, Ellis, Federal Register
Johnson, Kaufman, citation].
Parker, Rockwall
and Tarrant
Counties, TX.
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[[Page 67073]]
[FR Doc. 2014-26625 Filed 11-10-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P