Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Transportation Conformity Determinations for Federally Funded and Approved Transportation Plans, Programs and Projects, 9454-9456 [2015-03577]
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9454
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 35 / Monday, February 23, 2015 / Notices
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–RCRA–2014–0694; FRL—9922–
67–OEI]
Information Collection Request
Submitted to OMB for Review and
Approval; Comment Request;
Requirements and Exemptions for
Specific RCRA Wastes (Renewal)
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency has submitted an information
collection request (ICR), ‘‘Requirements
and Exemptions for Specific RCRA
Wastes (Renewal)’’ (EPA ICR No.
1597.11, OMB Control No. 2050–0145)
to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and approval in
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
This is a proposed extension of the ICR,
which is currently approved through
February 28, 2015. Public comments
were previously requested via the
Federal Register (79 FR 65652) on
November 5, 2014 during a 60-day
comment period. This notice allows for
an additional 30 days for public
comments. A fuller description of the
ICR is given below, including its
estimated burden and cost to the public.
An Agency may not conduct or sponsor
and a person is not required to respond
to a collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
DATES: Additional comments may be
submitted on or before March 25, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
referencing Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
RCRA–2014–0694, to (1) EPA online
using www.regulations.gov (our
preferred method), by email to rcradocket@epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA
Docket Center, Environmental
Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T,
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.,
Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB via
email to oira_submission@omb.eop.gov.
Address comments to OMB Desk Officer
for EPA.
EPA’s policy is that all comments
received will be included in the public
docket without change including any
personal information provided, unless
the comment includes profanity, threats,
information claimed to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Peggy Vyas, Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.,
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SUMMARY:
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Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number: 703–308–5477; fax number:
703–308–8433; email address:
vyas.peggy@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Supporting documents, which explain
in detail the information that the EPA
will be collecting, are available in the
public docket for this ICR. The docket
can be viewed online at
www.regulations.gov or in person at the
EPA Docket Center, EPA WJC, Room
3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW.,
Washington, DC. The telephone number
for the Docket Center is 202–566–1744.
For additional information about EPA’s
public docket, visit https://www.epa.gov/
dockets.
Abstract: In 1995, EPA promulgated
regulations at 40 CFR part 273 that
govern the collection and management
of widely-generated hazardous wastes
known as ‘‘Universal Wastes.’’ Part 273
regulations are designed to ensure
facilities collect and properly manage
these wastes. EPA needs to collect
notifications of Universal Waste
management to obtain general
information on handlers and to facilitate
enforcement of the part 273 regulations,
to ensure that Universal Waste is being
accumulated responsibly, to collect
information on illegal Universal Waste
shipments, and lastly to help ensure
that Universal Waste is being properly
treated, recycled, and/or disposed. In
2001, EPA promulgated regulations in
40 CFR part 266 that provide increased
flexibility to facilities managing wastes
commonly known as ‘‘Mixed Waste.’’
Section 266.345(a) requires that
generators or treaters notify EPA or the
Authorized State that they are claiming
the Transportation and Disposal
Conditional Exemption prior to the
initial shipment of a waste to a LLRW
disposal facility. Finally, the regulations
at 40 CFR part 279 establish streamlined
procedures for notification, testing,
labeling, and recordkeeping including
an approach for tracking off-site
shipments that allow used oil handlers
to use standard business practices (e.g.,
invoices, bill of lading). Used oil
transporters must comply with all
applicable packaging, labeling, and
placarding requirements of 49 CFR parts
173, 178, and 179. In addition, used oil
transporters must report discharges of
used oil according to existing 49 CFR
part 171 and 33 CFR part 153
requirements.
Form Numbers: None.
Respondents/affected entities: Private
Sector and State, Local, or Tribal
Governments.
Respondent’s obligation to respond:
Mandatory (40 CFR part 273), required
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
to obtain or retain a benefit (40 CFR
parts 266 and 279).
Estimated number of respondents:
134,280.
Frequency of response: Occasionally.
Total estimated burden: 679,354
hours per year. Burden is defined at 5
CFR 1320.03(b)
Total estimated cost: $44,737,952 (per
year), includes $10,015,823 annualized
capital or operation & maintenance
costs.
Changes in the Estimates: There is an
increase of 28,189 hours in the total
estimated respondent burden compared
with the ICR currently approved by
OMB. This increase is due to updating
the current Universe and Mixed Waste
estimates.
Courtney Kerwin,
Acting Director, Collection Strategies
Division.
[FR Doc. 2015–03541 Filed 2–20–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OAR–2007–0269; FRL–9923–38–
OAR]
Proposed Information Collection
Request; Comment Request;
Transportation Conformity
Determinations for Federally Funded
and Approved Transportation Plans,
Programs and Projects
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an
information collection request (ICR),
‘‘Transportation Conformity
Determinations for Federally Funded
and Approved Transportation Plans,
Programs, and Projects’’ (EPA ICR No.
2130.05, OMB Control No. 2060–0561)
to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and approval in
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public
comments on specific aspects of the
proposed information collection as
described below. This is a proposed
extension of the ICR.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on
or before April 24, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
referencing Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
OAR–2007–0269 online using
www.regulations.gov (our preferred
method) or by mail to: EPA Docket
Center, Environmental Protection
Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\23FEN1.SGM
23FEN1
Rmajette on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 35 / Monday, February 23, 2015 / Notices
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington,
DC 20460.
EPA’s policy is that all comments
received will be included in the public
docket without change including any
personal information provided, unless
the comment includes profanity, threats,
information claimed to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Astrid Larsen, Transportation and
Climate Division, State Measures and
Transportation Planning Center,
Environmental Protection Agency, 2000
Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI
48105; telephone number: 734–214–
4812; fax number: 734–214–4052; email
address: larsen.astrid@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Supporting documents which explain
in detail the information that the EPA
will be collecting are available in the
public docket for this ICR. The docket
can be viewed online at
www.regulations.gov or in person at the
EPA Docket Center, WJC West, Room
3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW.,
Washington, DC. The telephone number
for the Docket Center is 202–566–1744.
For additional information about EPA’s
public docket, visit www.epa.gov/
dockets.
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of
the PRA, EPA is soliciting comments
and information to enable it to: (i)
Evaluate whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the Agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (ii) evaluate the
accuracy of the Agency’s estimate of the
burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(iii) enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (iv) minimize the burden
of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including through
the use of appropriate automated
electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology,
e.g., permitting electronic submission of
responses. EPA will consider the
comments received and amend the ICR
as appropriate. The final ICR package
will then be submitted to OMB for
review and approval. At that time, EPA
will issue another Federal Register
notice to announce the submission of
the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to
submit additional comments to OMB.
Abstract: Transportation conformity is
required under Clean Air Act section
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14:19 Feb 20, 2015
Jkt 235001
176(c) (42 U.S.C. 7506(c)) to ensure that
federally supported transportation
activities are consistent with (‘‘conform
to’’) the purpose of the state air quality
implementation plan (SIP).
Transportation activities include
transportation plans, transportation
improvement programs (TIPs), and
federally funded or approved highway
or transit projects. Conformity to the
purpose of the SIP means that
transportation activities will not cause
or contribute to new air quality
violations, worsen existing violations, or
delay timely attainment of the relevant
national ambient air quality standards
(NAAQS or ‘‘standards’’) or interim
milestones.
Transportation conformity applies
under EPA’s conformity regulations at
40 CFR part 93, subpart A, to areas that
are designated nonattainment, and those
redesignated to attainment after 1990
(‘‘maintenance areas’’ with plans
developed under Clean Air Act section
175A) for the following transportationrelated criteria pollutants: ozone,
particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10),
carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen
dioxide (NO2). The EPA published the
original transportation conformity rule
on November 24, 1993 (58 FR 62188),
and subsequently published several
revisions. EPA develops the conformity
regulations in coordination with the
Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) and Federal Transit
Administration (FTA).
Transportation conformity
determinations are required before
federal approval or funding is given to
certain types of transportation planning
documents as well as non-exempt
highway and transit projects.1
EPA considered the following in
renewing the existing ICR:
• Burden estimates for transportation
conformity determinations (including
both regional and project-level) in
current nonattainment and maintenance
areas for the ozone, PM2.5, PM10, CO,
and NO2 NAAQS;
• Federal burden associated with
EPA’s adequacy review process for
submitted SIP motor vehicle emissions
budgets that are to be used in
conformity determinations;
• Efficiencies in areas making
conformity determinations for multiple
NAAQS;
• Differences in conformity resource
needs in large and small metropolitan
areas and isolated rural areas;
• Burden estimates for the transition
from MOVES2010 to MOVES2014:
1 Some projects are exempt from all or certain
conformity requirements; see 40 CFR 93.126,
93.127, and 93.128.
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9455
• Reduced burden as a result of areas
no longer determining conformity for
the 1997 ozone NAAQS due to
revocation 2 anticipated in early 2015;
and,
• Reduced burden as a result of areas
completing 20 years of maintenance for
the PM10 and CO NAAQS, at which time
transportation conformity is no longer
required.
This ICR does not include burden
associated with the general
development of transportation planning
and air quality planning documents for
meeting other federal requirements.
Form numbers: None.
Respondents/affected entities: Entities
potentially affected by this action are
metropolitan planning organizations,
local transit agencies, state departments
of transportation, and state and local air
quality agencies. Federal agencies
potentially affected by this action
include FHWA, FTA, and EPA.
Respondent’s obligation to respond:
Mandatory pursuant to Clean Air Act
section 176(c) (42 U.S.C. 7506(c)) and 40
CFR part 51 and 93.
Estimated number of respondents:
EPA estimates that 126 MPOs will be
subject to conformity requirements
during the period covered by this ICR
and that EPA Regional Offices, the
FHWA, and FTA will be involved in
interagency consultation, and review of
transportation-related conformity
determinations performed by MPOs
during this process. EPA also estimates
that similar consultation will occur for
projects in isolated rural areas.
Frequency of response: The
information collections described in this
ICR must be completed before a
transportation plan, TIP, or project
conformity determination is made. The
Clean Air Act requires conformity to be
determined for transportation plans and
TIPs every four years. Conformity
determinations on projects in
metropolitan and isolated rural areas are
required on as as-needed bases.
Total estimated burden: 63,237 hours
(per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR
1320.03(b).
Total estimated cost: $3,768,668 (per
year), includes zero annualized capital
or operation and maintenance costs.
Changes in estimates: There is a
decrease of 136,200 hours in the total
estimated respondent burden compared
with the ICR currently approved by
OMB. This decrease is due to less
burden associated with decreased
conformity analysis for PM10, CO and
1997 ozone NAAQS, the transition from
MOVES2010 to MOVES2014, decreased
2 See
E:\FR\FM\23FEN1.SGM
78 FR 34178 (June 3, 2013).
23FEN1
9456
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 35 / Monday, February 23, 2015 / Notices
project-level conformity analyses, and
decreased EPA adequacy findings.
Dated: February 12, 2015.
Karl Simon,
Director, Transportation and Climate
Division, Office of Transportation and Air
Quality.
[FR Doc. 2015–03577 Filed 2–20–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[FRL–9923–16–Region 6]
Clean Air Act Operating Permit
Program; Petitions for Objection to
State Operating Permits for Luminant
Generating Company, LLC Steam
Electric Generating Stations Martin
Lake, Monticello, and Big Brown in
Texas
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of final action.
AGENCY:
Pursuant to Clean Air Act
(CAA) Section 505(b)(2) and 40 CFR
70.8(d), the EPA Administrator signed
an Order, dated January 23, 2015,
denying in part three petitions asking
the EPA to object to operating permits
issued by the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to
Luminant Generating Company, LLC
(Luminant) relating to three coal fired
steam electric generating stations (SES)
located in East and Northeast Texas.
Title V operating permit number O53
was issued by the TCEQ to Luminant for
the Martin Lake SES located in Rusk
County, Texas. Title V operating permit
number O64 was issued to Luminant for
the Monticello SES located in Titus
County, Texas, while title V operating
permit number O65 was issued to
Luminant for the Big Brown SES located
in Freestone County, Texas. The EPA’s
January 23, 2015 Order responds to the
three petitions submitted by the
Environmental Integrity Project (EIP)
representing themselves and on behalf
of Sierra Club (collectively, the
Petitioners): the petition addressing the
Martin Lake permit was received on
February 26, 2014, while the petitions
addressing the Monticello permit and
Big Brown permit were both received on
March 4, 2014. Sections 307(b) and
505(b)(2) of the Act provide that a
petitioner may ask for judicial review of
those portions of the Orders that deny
objections raised in the petitions by the
United States Court of Appeals for the
appropriate circuit. Any petition for
review shall be filed within 60 days
from the date this notice appears in the
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SUMMARY:
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Federal Register, pursuant to section
307(b) of the Act.
ADDRESSES: You may review copies of
the final Orders, the petitions, and other
supporting information at EPA Region 6,
1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202–
2733.
For Information: Please contact Brad
Toups at (214) 665–7258, email address:
toups.brad@epa.gov or the above EPA,
Region 6 address, to view copies of the
final Orders, petitions, and other
supporting information. You may view
the hard copies Monday through Friday,
from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., excluding
Federal holidays. If you wish to
examine these documents, you should
make an appointment at least 24 hours
before the visiting day. Additionally, the
final January 23, 2015 Order is available
electronically at: https://www.epa.gov/
region07/air/title5/petitiondb/petitions/
luminant_response2014.pdf.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CAA
affords the EPA a 45-day period to
review, and object, as appropriate, to a
title V operating permit proposed by a
state permitting authority. Section
505(b)(2) of the CAA authorizes any
person to petition the EPA
Administrator, within 60 days after the
expiration of this review period, to
object to a title V operating permit if the
EPA has not done so. Petitions must be
based only on objections to the permit
that were raised with reasonable
specificity during the public comment
period provided by the state, unless the
petitioner demonstrates that it was
impracticable to raise these issues
during the comment period or unless
the grounds for the issue arose after this
period.
The EPA received three petitions from
the Petitioners, one dated February 26,
2014 for the Martin Lake permit, and
one each dated March 3, 2014 for the
Monticello and Big Brown permits, to
object to operating permits issued to
Luminant Generating Company, LLC
relating respectively to facilities located
in Rusk, Titus, and Freestone counties,
Texas.
The Order issued on January 23, 2015
responds to claim V.A of the Martin
Lake Petition (pp. 5–9), the Monticello
Petition (pp. 5–11) and the Big Brown
Petition (pp. 7–14) raised by EIP, the
Sierra Club having withdrawn all of
their objections prior to the issuance of
the order. The EIP requested that the
Administrator object to the proposed
operating permits issued by the TCEQ to
Luminant on several bases. The three
petitions did not raise identical claims;
however, three common claims are
addressed in the issued order. The
remaining issues are to be withdrawn by
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
the petitioner in accordance with a
settlement agreement reached on
January 22, 2015 between the Petitioner
and the EPA.
The claims are described in detail in
Section IV of the Order. In summary, the
issues raised are that: (1) the
Compliance Assurance Monitoring
(CAM) provisions in the Martin Lake,
Monticello and Big Brown permits do
not assure compliance with the
applicable particulate matter (PM)
emission limit during periods of startup,
shutdown, maintenance and
malfunction; (2) the record supporting
the CAM opacity indicator ranges for
PM for Monticello Units 1, 2 and 3 is
deficient and not based on reliable data;
and (3) the Big Brown permit must be
revised to ensure that any credible
evidence may be used to demonstrate
noncompliance with applicable
requirements.
Due to significant overlap in the
issues raised in the Petitions and the
similarity of the relevant permit
conditions in each of the three permits,
the EPA is responding to the identified
portion of all three Petitions in this
Order on January 23, 2015. The EPA’s
rationale for denying the addressed
claims is described in the Order.
Dated: February 9, 2015.
Ron Curry,
Regional Administrator, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 2015–03583 Filed 2–20–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[FRL–9923–31–Region 2]
Clean Water Act Section 303(d):
Availability of List Decisions
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
This notice announces EPA’s
decision to identify certain water
quality limited waters and the
associated pollutant to be listed
pursuant to the Clean Water Act Section
303(d)(2) on New York’s list of impaired
waters, and requests public comment.
Section 303(d)(2) requires that States
submit, and EPA approve or disapprove,
lists of waters for which existing
technology-based pollution controls are
not stringent enough to attain or
maintain State water quality standards
and for which total maximum daily
loads (TMDLs) must be prepared.
On January 13, 2015, EPA
disapproved New York’s decision to
SUMMARY:
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9454-9456]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03577]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0269; FRL-9923-38-OAR]
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request;
Transportation Conformity Determinations for Federally Funded and
Approved Transportation Plans, Programs and Projects
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to
submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Transportation
Conformity Determinations for Federally Funded and Approved
Transportation Plans, Programs, and Projects'' (EPA ICR No. 2130.05,
OMB Control No. 2060-0561) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public
comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as
described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 24, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2007-0269 online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred method) or by
mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code
28221T, 1200
[[Page 9455]]
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460.
EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the
public docket without change including any personal information
provided, unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information
claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Astrid Larsen, Transportation and
Climate Division, State Measures and Transportation Planning Center,
Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann Arbor, MI
48105; telephone number: 734-214-4812; fax number: 734-214-4052; email
address: larsen.astrid@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Supporting documents which explain in detail the information that
the EPA will be collecting are available in the public docket for this
ICR. The docket can be viewed online at www.regulations.gov or in
person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution
Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The telephone number for the Docket Center is
202-566-1744. For additional information about EPA's public docket,
visit www.epa.gov/dockets.
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting
comments and information to enable it to: (i) Evaluate whether the
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of
the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (iv) minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. EPA
will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate.
The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and
approval. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to
submit additional comments to OMB.
Abstract: Transportation conformity is required under Clean Air Act
section 176(c) (42 U.S.C. 7506(c)) to ensure that federally supported
transportation activities are consistent with (``conform to'') the
purpose of the state air quality implementation plan (SIP).
Transportation activities include transportation plans, transportation
improvement programs (TIPs), and federally funded or approved highway
or transit projects. Conformity to the purpose of the SIP means that
transportation activities will not cause or contribute to new air
quality violations, worsen existing violations, or delay timely
attainment of the relevant national ambient air quality standards
(NAAQS or ``standards'') or interim milestones.
Transportation conformity applies under EPA's conformity
regulations at 40 CFR part 93, subpart A, to areas that are designated
nonattainment, and those redesignated to attainment after 1990
(``maintenance areas'' with plans developed under Clean Air Act section
175A) for the following transportation-related criteria pollutants:
ozone, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10),
carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The EPA
published the original transportation conformity rule on November 24,
1993 (58 FR 62188), and subsequently published several revisions. EPA
develops the conformity regulations in coordination with the Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
Transportation conformity determinations are required before
federal approval or funding is given to certain types of transportation
planning documents as well as non-exempt highway and transit
projects.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Some projects are exempt from all or certain conformity
requirements; see 40 CFR 93.126, 93.127, and 93.128.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
EPA considered the following in renewing the existing ICR:
Burden estimates for transportation conformity
determinations (including both regional and project-level) in current
nonattainment and maintenance areas for the ozone, PM2.5,
PM10, CO, and NO2 NAAQS;
Federal burden associated with EPA's adequacy review
process for submitted SIP motor vehicle emissions budgets that are to
be used in conformity determinations;
Efficiencies in areas making conformity determinations for
multiple NAAQS;
Differences in conformity resource needs in large and
small metropolitan areas and isolated rural areas;
Burden estimates for the transition from MOVES2010 to
MOVES2014:
Reduced burden as a result of areas no longer determining
conformity for the 1997 ozone NAAQS due to revocation \2\ anticipated
in early 2015; and,
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ See 78 FR 34178 (June 3, 2013).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reduced burden as a result of areas completing 20 years of
maintenance for the PM10 and CO NAAQS, at which time
transportation conformity is no longer required.
This ICR does not include burden associated with the general
development of transportation planning and air quality planning
documents for meeting other federal requirements.
Form numbers: None.
Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by
this action are metropolitan planning organizations, local transit
agencies, state departments of transportation, and state and local air
quality agencies. Federal agencies potentially affected by this action
include FHWA, FTA, and EPA.
Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory pursuant to Clean Air
Act section 176(c) (42 U.S.C. 7506(c)) and 40 CFR part 51 and 93.
Estimated number of respondents: EPA estimates that 126 MPOs will
be subject to conformity requirements during the period covered by this
ICR and that EPA Regional Offices, the FHWA, and FTA will be involved
in interagency consultation, and review of transportation-related
conformity determinations performed by MPOs during this process. EPA
also estimates that similar consultation will occur for projects in
isolated rural areas.
Frequency of response: The information collections described in
this ICR must be completed before a transportation plan, TIP, or
project conformity determination is made. The Clean Air Act requires
conformity to be determined for transportation plans and TIPs every
four years. Conformity determinations on projects in metropolitan and
isolated rural areas are required on as as-needed bases.
Total estimated burden: 63,237 hours (per year). Burden is defined
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated cost: $3,768,668 (per year), includes zero
annualized capital or operation and maintenance costs.
Changes in estimates: There is a decrease of 136,200 hours in the
total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently
approved by OMB. This decrease is due to less burden associated with
decreased conformity analysis for PM10, CO and 1997 ozone
NAAQS, the transition from MOVES2010 to MOVES2014, decreased
[[Page 9456]]
project-level conformity analyses, and decreased EPA adequacy findings.
Dated: February 12, 2015.
Karl Simon,
Director, Transportation and Climate Division, Office of Transportation
and Air Quality.
[FR Doc. 2015-03577 Filed 2-20-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P