California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; Large Spark-Ignition (LSI) Engines; New Emission Standards and In-Use Fleet Requirements; Notice of Decision, 76468-76473 [2015-31049]
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collection as described below. This is a
proposed extension of the ICR, which is
currently approved through March 31,
2016. 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: Comments must be submitted on
or before February 8, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
referencing by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
RCRA–2015–0731, online using
www.regulations.gov (our preferred
method), by email to rcra-docket@
epa.gov, or by mail to: EPA Docket
Center, Environmental Protection
Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200
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: Josh
Smeraldi, Office of Resource
Conservation and Recovery (mail code
5304P), Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.,
Washington, DC 20460; telephone
number: 703–308–0441; fax number:
703–308–0514; email address:
Smeraldi.josh@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Supporting documents which explain in
detail the information 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 https://www.epa.gov/
dockets.
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of
the PRA, the 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
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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. The 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, the
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: The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized
an alternative set of generator
requirements applicable to laboratories
owned by eligible academic entities, as
defined in the final rule. The rule,
which establishes a Subpart K within 40
CFR Part 262, provides a flexible and
protective set of regulations that address
the specific nature of hazardous waste
generation and accumulation in
laboratories owned by colleges and
universities, and teaching hospitals and
non-profit research institutes that are
either owned by or formally affiliated
with a college or university. In addition,
the rule allows colleges and universities
and these other eligible academic
entities formally affiliated with a college
or university the discretion to determine
the most appropriate and effective
method of compliance with these
requirements by allowing them the
choice of managing their hazardous
wastes in accordance with the
alternative regulations as set forth in
Subpart K or remaining subject to the
existing generator regulations.
Form Numbers: None.
Respondents/affected entities: Entities
potentially affected by this action are
private sector as well as State, Local, or
Tribal Governments.
Respondent’s obligation to respond:
required to obtain or retain a benefit
(Sections 2002, 3001, 3002, 3004 of
RCRA).
Estimated number of respondents: 99.
Frequency of response: On occasion.
Total estimated burden: 27,719 hours
Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).
Total estimated cost: Estimated Total
Annual Cost: $1,322,414, which
includes $1,218,693 annualized labor
costs and $103,720 annualized capital
or O&M costs.
Changes in Estimates: The burden
hours are likely to stay substantially the
same.
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Dated: November 23, 2015.
Barnes Johnson,
Director, Office of Resource Conservation and
Recovery.
[FR Doc. 2015–31045 Filed 12–8–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OAR–2014–0533; FRL–9939–91–
OAR]
California State Nonroad Engine
Pollution Control Standards; Large
Spark-Ignition (LSI) Engines; New
Emission Standards and In-Use Fleet
Requirements; Notice of Decision
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of decision.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is granting the California
Air Resources Board’s (CARB’s) request
for authorization of California’s 2008
amendments to its new large sparkignition nonroad engines regulation
(2008 LSI Amendments). EPA is also
confirming that CARB’s 2010
amendments to its in-use fleet average
emission requirements (2010 LSI Fleet
Amendments) are within the scope of
EPA’s prior authorization. This decision
is issued under the authority of the
Clean Air Act (‘‘CAA’’ or ‘‘Act’’).
DATES: Petitions for review must be filed
by February 8, 2016.
ADDRESSES: EPA has established a
docket for this action under Docket ID
EPA–HQ–OAR–2014–0533. All
documents relied upon in making this
decision, including those submitted to
EPA by CARB, are contained in the
public docket. Publicly available docket
materials are available either
electronically through
www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at
the Air and Radiation Docket in the EPA
Headquarters Library, EPA West
Building, Room 3334, located at 1301
Constitution Avenue NW, Washington,
DC. The Public Reading Room is open
to the public on all federal government
working days from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m.; generally, it is open Monday
through Friday, excluding holidays. The
telephone number for the Reading Room
is (202) 566–1744. The Air and
Radiation Docket and Information
Center’s Web site is https://www.epa.gov/
oar/docket.html. The electronic mail
(email) address for the Air and
Radiation Docket is: a-and-r-Docket@
epa.gov, the telephone number is (202)
566–1742, and the fax number is (202)
566–9744. An electronic version of the
SUMMARY:
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public docket is available through the
federal government’s electronic public
docket and comment system. You may
access EPA dockets at https://
www.regulations.gov. After opening the
www.regulations.gov Web site, enter
EPA–HQ–OAR–2014–0533 in the ‘‘Enter
Keyword or ID’’ fill-in box to view
documents in the record. Although a
part of the official docket, the public
docket does not include Confidential
Business Information (‘‘CBI’’) or other
information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute.
EPA’s Office of Transportation and
Air Quality (‘‘OTAQ’’) maintains a Web
page that contains general information
on its review of California waiver
requests. Included on that page are links
to prior waiver Federal Register notices,
some of which are cited in today’s
notice; the page can be accessed at
https://www.epa.gov/otaq/cafr.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Dickinson, Attorney-Advisor,
Transportation Climate Division, Office
of Transportation and Air Quality, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue (6405J), NW.,
Washington, DC 20460. Telephone:
(202) 343–9256. Fax: (202) 343–2800.
Email: dickinson.david@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
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A. California’s LSI Regulations
CARB promulgated its first LSI
regulations in 1999, applicable to new
LSI engines (1999 LSI regulations).1 The
1999 LSI regulations established
exhaust emission standards and
associated test procedures for LSI
engines based upon engine
displacement. The exhaust emission
standards applicable to 2002 and
subsequent model years (MYs) with
displacements up to one liter were
identical to the emission standards
applicable to California small off-road
engines (SORE) with engines greater
than or equal to 225 cubic centimeters.
CARB subsequently adopted more
stringent exhaust emission standards for
engines greater than 225 cubic
centimeters.2 CARB adopted is initial
off-road LSI fleet operator regulations on
May 25, 2006.3 The fleet operator
regulations are designed to address the
hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide
emissions from the existing LSI engines
operating in California and require fleets
1 EPA granted an authorization for these LSI
regulations at 71 FR 29623 (May 15, 2006).
2 EPA granted an authorization for these LSI
regulations at 71 FR 75536 (December 15, 2006).
3 The term ‘‘off-road’’ is used interchangeably
with ‘‘nonroad’’ within this decision.
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to meet certain fleet average emission
level (FAEL) standards.4
By letter dated June 2, 2014, CARB
submitted to EPA its request pursuant to
section 209(e) of the CAA, regarding its
2008 LSI Amendments which create two
new subcategories of LSI engines: LSI
engines with an engine displacement
less than or equal to 825 cubic
centimeters (cc) (LSI ≤ 825 cc), and LSI
engines with an engine displacement
greater than 825 cc but less than or
equal to one liter (825cc ≤1.0 L). The
2008 LSI Amendments establish exhaust
emission standards for new 2011 and
subsequent model year (MY) LSI
engines in each of these new
subcategories and additionally establish
more stringent exhaust emission
standards for 2015 and subsequent MY
LSI engines with engine displacements
825cc ≤1.0 L. The 2008 LSI
Amendments also establish evaporative
emission standards for 2011 and
subsequent MY LSI engines within the
two new subcategories, and the
amendments provide manufacturers of
LSI engines used in vehicles that are
similar to off-highway recreational
vehicles (OHRVs) the option to use the
OHRV test and certification
procedures.5
CARB also submitted its 2010 LSI
Fleet Amendments for confirmation
from EPA that such amendments are
within the scope of a previous EPA
authorization. These amendments are
designed to enhance the compliance
flexibility provisions of the existing LSI
Fleet regulation. They amend the
existing limited hours of use (LHU)
provisions to exempt equipment that
operates no more than 200 hours per
year subsequent to January 1, 2011 from
the fleet average emission standard
requirements of the LSI Fleet regulation.
The 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments also
extend the existing compliance
extension period that is available if
CARB has not verified a retrofit
emission control system, or if one is not
commercially available, from one year
to two years and allow for an additional
two year extension if a retrofit emission
control system remains unavailable. The
2010 LSI Fleet Amendments also
include additional provisions that
largely clarify existing regulatory
provisions or provide additional
compliance flexibility (e.g. revising the
definitions of ‘‘baseline inventory,’’
‘‘operator,’’ and ‘‘airport ground support
equipment’’; providing an exclusion for
4 EPA granted an authorization for these LSI
regulations at 77 FR 20388 (April 12, 2012).
5 CARB adopted the 2008 LSI Amendments on
November 21, 2008 (see Resolution 08–42 at EPA–
HQ–OAR–2014–0533–0008).
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certain inoperable equipment from the
FAEL requirements; and providing a
clarification of the record keeping
requirements and of the FAEL
definition).6
B. Clean Air Act Nonroad Engine and
Vehicle Authorizations
Section 209(e)(1) of the Act
permanently preempts any State, or
political subdivision thereof, from
adopting or attempting to enforce any
standard or other requirement relating
to the control of emissions for new
nonroad engines or vehicles. States are
also preempted from adopting and
enforcing standards and other
requirements related to the control of
emissions from non-new nonroad
engines or vehicles. Section 209(e)(2)
requires the Administrator, after notice
and opportunity for public hearing, to
authorize California to enforce such
standards and other requirements,
unless EPA makes one of three findings.
In addition, other states with attainment
plans may adopt and enforce such
regulations if the standards, and
implementation and enforcement
procedures, are identical to California’s
standards. On July 20, 1994, EPA
promulgated a rule that sets forth,
among other things, regulations
providing the criteria, as found in
section 209(e)(2), which EPA must
consider before granting any California
authorization request for new nonroad
engine or vehicle emission standards.7
EPA later revised these regulations in
1997.8 As stated in the preamble to the
1994 rule, EPA has historically
interpreted the section 209(e)(2)(iii)
6 CARB adopted the 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments
on December 17, 2010 (see Resolution 10–48 at
EPA–HQ–OAR–2014–0533–0024).
7 59 FR 36969 (July 20, 1994).
8 See 62 FR 67733 (December 30, 1997). The
applicable regulations, now in 40 CFR part 1074,
subpart B, § 1074.105, provide:
(a) The Administrator will grant the authorization
if California determines that its standards will be,
in the aggregate, at least as protective of public
health and welfare as otherwise applicable federal
standards.
(b) The authorization will not be granted if the
Administrator finds that any of the following are
true:
(1) California’s determination is arbitrary and
capricious.
(2) California does not need such standards to
meet compelling and extraordinary conditions.
(3) The California standards and accompanying
enforcement procedures are not consistent with
section 209 of the Act.
(c) In considering any request from California to
authorize the state to adopt or enforce standards or
other requirements relating to the control of
emissions from new nonroad spark-ignition engines
smaller than 50 horsepower, the Administrator will
give appropriate consideration to safety factors
(including the potential increased risk of burn or
fire) associated with compliance with the California
standard.
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‘‘consistency’’ inquiry to require, at
minimum, that California standards and
enforcement procedures be consistent
with section 209(a), section 209(e)(1),
and section 209(b)(1)(C) (as EPA has
interpreted that subsection in the
context of section 209(b) motor vehicle
waivers).9
In order to be consistent with section
209(a), California’s nonroad standards
and enforcement procedures must not
apply to new motor vehicles or new
motor vehicle engines. To be consistent
with section 209(e)(1), California’s
nonroad standards and enforcement
procedures must not attempt to regulate
engine categories that are permanently
preempted from state regulation. To
determine consistency with section
209(b)(1)(C), EPA typically reviews
nonroad authorization requests under
the same ‘‘consistency’’ criteria that are
applied to motor vehicle waiver
requests. Pursuant to section
209(b)(1)(C), the Administrator shall not
grant California a motor vehicle waiver
if she finds that California ‘‘standards
and accompanying enforcement
procedures are not consistent with
section 202(a)’’ of the Act. Previous
decisions granting waivers and
authorizations have noted that state
standards and enforcement procedures
are inconsistent with section 202(a) if:
(1) There is inadequate lead time to
permit the development of the necessary
technology giving appropriate
consideration to the cost of compliance
within that time, or (2) the federal and
state testing procedures impose
inconsistent certification requirements.
In light of the similar language of
sections 209(b) and 209(e)(2)(A), EPA
has reviewed California’s requests for
authorization of nonroad vehicle or
engine standards under section
209(e)(2)(A) using the same principles
that it has historically applied in
reviewing requests for waivers of
preemption for new motor vehicle or
new motor vehicle engine standards
under section 209(b).10 These principles
include, among other things, that EPA
should limit its inquiry to the three
specific authorization criteria identified
in section 209(e)(2)(A),11 and that EPA
should give substantial deference to the
policy judgments California has made in
adopting its regulations. In previous
waiver decisions, EPA has stated that
Congress intended EPA’s review of
California’s decision-making be narrow.
9 See
59 FR 36969 (July 20, 1994).
Engine Manufacturers Association v. EPA,
88 F.3d 1075, 1087 (D.C. Cir. 1996): ‘‘. . . EPA was
within the bounds of permissible construction in
analogizing § 209(e) on nonroad sources to § 209(a)
on motor vehicles.’’
11 See supra note 12, at 36983.
10 See
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EPA has rejected arguments that are not
specified in the statute as grounds for
denying a waiver:
The law makes it clear that the waiver
requests cannot be denied unless the specific
findings designated in the statute can
properly be made. The issue of whether a
proposed California requirement is likely to
result in only marginal improvement in
California air quality not commensurate with
its costs or is otherwise an arguably unwise
exercise of regulatory power is not legally
pertinent to my decision under section 209,
so long as the California requirement is
consistent with section 202(a) and is more
stringent than applicable Federal
requirements in the sense that it may result
in some further reduction in air pollution in
California.12
This principle of narrow EPA review
has been upheld by the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit.13 Thus, EPA’s consideration of
all the evidence submitted concerning
an authorization decision is
circumscribed by its relevance to those
questions that may be considered under
section 209(e)(2)(A).
C. Within-the-Scope Determinations
If California amends regulations that
were previously authorized by EPA,
California may ask EPA to determine
that the amendments are within the
scope of the earlier authorization. A
within-the-scope determination for such
amendments is permissible without a
full authorization review if three
conditions are met. First, the amended
regulations must not undermine
California’s previous determination that
its standards, in the aggregate, are as
protective of public health and welfare
as applicable federal standards. Second,
the amended regulations must not affect
consistency with section 209 of the Act,
following the same criteria discussed
above in the context of full
authorizations. Third, the amended
regulations must not raise any ‘‘new
issues’’ affecting EPA’s prior
authorizations.14
12 ‘‘Waiver of Application of Clean Air Act to
California State Standards,’’ 36 FR 17458 (August
31, 1971). Note that the more stringent standard
expressed here, in 1971, was superseded by the
1977 amendments to section 209, which established
that California must determine that its standards
are, in the aggregate, at least as protective of public
health and welfare as applicable Federal standards.
In the 1990 amendments to section 209, Congress
established section 209(e) and similar language in
section 209(e)(1)(i) pertaining to California’s
nonroad emission standards which California must
determine to be, in the aggregate, at least as
protective of public health and welfare as
applicable federal standards.
13 See, e.g., Motor and Equip. Mfrs Assoc. v. EPA,
627 F.2d 1095 (D.C. Cir. 1979) (‘‘MEMA I’’).
14 See ‘‘California State Motor Vehicle Pollution
Control Standards; Amendments Within the Scope
of Previous Waiver of Federal Preemption,’’ 46 FR
36742 (July 15, 1981).
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D. Deference to California
In previous waiver decisions, EPA has
recognized that the intent of Congress in
creating a limited review based on the
section 209(b)(1) criteria was to ensure
that the federal government did not
second-guess state policy choices. This
has led EPA to state:
It is worth noting. . . I would feel
constrained to approve a California approach
to the problem which I might also feel unable
to adopt at the federal level in my own
capacity as a regulator. The whole approach
of the Clean Air Act is to force the
development of new types of emission
control technology where that is needed by
compelling the industry to ‘‘catch up’’ to
some degree with newly promulgated
standards. Such an approach . . . may be
attended with costs, in the shape of reduced
product offering, or price or fuel economy
penalties, and by risks that a wider number
of vehicle classes may not be able to
complete their development work in time.
Since a balancing of these risks and costs
against the potential benefits from reduced
emissions is a central policy decision for any
regulatory agency under the statutory scheme
outlined above, I believe I am required to
give very substantial deference to California’s
judgments on this score.15
EPA has stated that the text, structure,
and history of the California waiver
provision clearly indicate both a
congressional intent and appropriate
EPA practice of leaving the decision on
‘‘ambiguous and controversial matters of
public policy’’ to California’s
judgment.16
The House Committee Report
explained as part of the 1977
amendments to the Clean Air Act,
where Congress had the opportunity to
restrict the waiver provision, it elected
instead to explain California’s flexibility
to adopt a complete program of motor
vehicle emission controls. The
amendment is intended to ratify and
strengthen the California waiver
provision and to affirm the underlying
intent of that provision, i.e., to afford
California the broadest possible
discretion in selecting the best means to
protect the health of its citizens and the
public welfare.17
E. Burden and Standard of Proof
As the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
D.C. Circuit has made clear in MEMA I,
opponents of a waiver request by
California bear the burden of showing
that the statutory criteria for a denial of
the request have been met:
15 40 FR 23103–23104 (May 28, 1975); see also
LEV I Decision Document at 64 (58 FR 4166
(January 13, 1993)).
16 40 FR 23104; 58 FR 4166.
17 MEMA I, 627 F.2d at 1110 (citing H.R.Rep. No.
294, 95 Cong., 1st Sess. 301–02 (1977).
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[T]he language of the statute and its
legislative history indicate that California’s
regulations, and California’s determinations
that they must comply with the statute, when
presented to the Administrator are presumed
to satisfy the waiver requirements and that
the burden of proving otherwise is on
whoever attacks them. California must
present its regulations and findings at the
hearing and thereafter the parties opposing
the waiver request bear the burden of
persuading the Administrator that the waiver
request should be denied.18
The Administrator’s burden, on the
other hand, is to make a reasonable
evaluation of the information in the
record in coming to the waiver decision.
As the court in MEMA I stated: ‘‘here,
too, if the Administrator ignores
evidence demonstrating that the waiver
should not be granted, or if he seeks to
overcome that evidence with
unsupported assumptions of his own,
he runs the risk of having his waiver
decision set aside as ‘arbitrary and
capricious.’ ’’ 19 Therefore, the
Administrator’s burden is to act
‘‘reasonably.’’ 20
With regard to the standard of proof,
the court in MEMA I explained that the
Administrator’s role in a section 209
proceeding is to:
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[. . .] consider all evidence that passes the
threshold test of materiality and * * *
thereafter assess such material evidence
against a standard of proof to determine
whether the parties favoring a denial of the
waiver have shown that the factual
circumstances exist in which Congress
intended a denial of the waiver.21
In that decision, the court considered
the standards of proof under section 209
for the two findings related to granting
a waiver for an ‘‘accompanying
enforcement procedure.’’ Those findings
involve: (1) Whether the enforcement
procedures impact California’s prior
protectiveness determination for the
associated standards, and (2) whether
the procedures are consistent with
section 202(a). The principles set forth
by the court, however, are similarly
applicable to an EPA review of a request
for a waiver of preemption for a
standard. The court instructed that ‘‘the
standard of proof must take account of
the nature of the risk of error involved
in any given decision, and it therefore
varies with the finding involved. We
need not decide how this standard
operates in every waiver decision.’’ 22
With regard to the protectiveness
finding, the court upheld the
Administrator’s position that, to deny a
18 MEMA
I, supra note 19, at 1121.
at 1126.
20 Id. at 1126.
21 Id. at 1122.
22 Id.
19 Id.
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waiver, there must be ‘‘clear and
compelling evidence’’ to show that
proposed enforcement procedures
undermine the protectiveness of
California’s standards.23 The court
noted that this standard of proof also
accords with the congressional intent to
provide California with the broadest
possible discretion in setting regulations
it finds protective of the public health
and welfare.24
With respect to the consistency
finding, the court did not articulate a
standard of proof applicable to all
proceedings, but found that the
opponents of the waiver were unable to
meet their burden of proof even if the
standard were a mere preponderance of
the evidence. Although MEMA I did not
explicitly consider the standards of
proof under section 209 concerning a
waiver request for ‘‘standards,’’ as
compared to a waiver request for
accompanying enforcement procedures,
there is nothing in the opinion to
suggest that the court’s analysis would
not apply with equal force to such
determinations. EPA’s past waiver
decisions have consistently made clear
that: ‘‘[E]ven in the two areas
concededly reserved for Federal
judgment by this legislation—the
existence of ‘compelling and
extraordinary’ conditions and whether
the standards are technologically
feasible—Congress intended that the
standards of EPA review of the State
decision to be a narrow one.’’ 25
F. EPA’s Administrative Process in
Consideration of California’s LSI
Regulations
On November 24, 2014, EPA
published a Federal Register notice
announcing its receipt of California’s
authorization request. In that notice,
EPA invited public comment on the
2008 LSI Amendments and the 2010 LSI
Fleet Amendments and provided an
opportunity to request a public
hearing.26
EPA requested comment on the
amendments, as follows: (1) Should
California’s amendments be considered
under the within-the-scope analysis, or
should they be considered under the
23 Id.
24 Id.
25 See, e.g., ‘‘California State Motor Vehicle
Pollution Control Standards; Waiver of Federal
Preemption,’’ 40 FR 23102 (May 28, 1975), at 23103.
26 See ‘‘California State Nonroad Engine Pollution
Control Standards; Small Off-Road Engines
Regulations; Tier 4 Off-Road Compression-Ignition
Regulations; Exhaust Emission Certification Test
Fuel for Off-Road Spark-Ignition Engines,
Equipment, and Vehicles Regulations; Request for
Within-the-Scope and Full Authorization;
Opportunity for Public Hearing and Comment,’’ 79
FR 27801 (November 24, 2014).
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76471
full authorization criteria?; (2) If those
amendments should be considered as a
within-the-scope request, do they meet
the criteria for EPA to grant a withinthe-scope confirmation?; and (3) If the
amendments should not be considered
under the within-the-scope analysis, or
in the event that EPA determines they
are not within the scope of the previous
authorization, do they meet the criteria
for making a full authorization
determination?
EPA received no written comments.
Additionally, EPA received no requests
for a public hearing. Consequently, EPA
did not hold a public hearing.
II. Discussion
California requested that the
Administrator grant a full authorization
for its 2008 LSI Amendments and that
such amendments meet the three
authorization criteria found in section
209(e)(2)(A) of the CAA. We received no
adverse comment or evidence
suggesting that these amendments fail to
meet any of the full authorization
criteria.
California also requested that the
Administrator confirm that the 2010 LSI
Fleet Amendments detailed above are
within the scope of a previously granted
full authorization. California asserted
that the 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments
met all three within-the-scope criteria,
i.e. that the amendments: (1) Do not
undermine the original protectiveness
determination underlying California’s
regulations; (2) do not affect the
consistency of the regulations with
section 202(a); and (3) do not raise any
new issues affecting the prior
authorizations. We received no adverse
comments or evidence suggesting a
within-the-scope analysis is
inappropriate, or that the 2010 LSI
Amendments fail to meet any of the
three criteria for within-the-scope
confirmation.
Our analysis of the 2008 LSI
Amendments in the context of the full
authorization criteria, and our analysis
of the 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments in
the context of the within-the-scope
criteria, is set forth below.
A. California’s Protectiveness
Determination
Section 209(e)(2)(A)(i) of the CAA
instructs that EPA cannot grant a full
authorization if the agency finds that
California was arbitrary and capricious
in its determination that its standards
are, in the aggregate, at least as
protective of public health and welfare
as applicable federal standards. CARB’s
Board made a protectiveness
determination in Resolution 08–42,
finding that California’s 2008 LSI
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Amendments will not cause the
California emission standards, in the
aggregate, to be less protective of public
health and welfare than applicable
federal standards.27 CARB presents that
California’s exhaust emission standards
applicable to LSI ≤ 825 cc and 825 cc
≤ LSI≤ 1.0 L are at least as protective of
public health and welfare as applicable
federal exhaust emission standards.
Similarly CARB’s Executive Officer
found that California’s evaporative
emission requirements applicable to
2011 and subsequent MY engines less
than or equal to one liter are, in the
aggregate, at least as protective as
applicable federal standards.28
EPA did not receive any comments
challenging California’s protectiveness
determination. Therefore, based on the
record before us, EPA finds no evidence
in the record that demonstrates
California was arbitrary and capricious
in its determination that its 2008 LSI
Amendments are, in the aggregate, at
least as protective of public health and
welfare as applicable federal standards.
Similarly, CARB’s 2010 LSI Fleet
Amendments must not undermine
California’s previous determination that
its standards, in the aggregate, are as
protective of public health and welfare
as applicable federal standards. In
adopting the 2010 LSI Fleet
Amendments CARB made a
protectiveness determination in
Resolution 10–48, finding that
California’s 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments
do not undermine the Board’s previous
determination that the California
emission standards, other emission
related requirements, and associated
enforcement procedures are, in the
aggregate, at least as protective of public
health and welfare than applicable
federal standards.29
EPA did not receive any comments
challenging California’s determination
that its 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments do
not undermine California’s prior
protectiveness determination. Therefore,
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
27 ‘‘BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board
hereby determines, pursuant to section 209(e)(2) of
the federal Clean Air Act that the emission
standards and other requirements related to the
control of emissions adopted as part of these
regulations are, in the aggregate, at least as
protective of public health and welfare as
applicable federal standards, that California needs
the adopted standards to meet compelling and
extraordinary conditions, and that the adopted
standards and accompanying enforcement
procedures are consistent with the provisions in
section 209.’’ CARB, Resolution 06–11. This
Resolution also extends to CARB’s amendment
requiring LSI engines used in vehicles similar to
OHRVs to utilize OHRV test procedures. EPA–HQ–
OAR–2014–0533–0008.
28 CARB Executive Order G–14–014, EPA–HQ–
OAR–2014–0533–0033.
29 CARB Resolution 10–48, EP–HQ–OAR–2014–
0533–0024.
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based on the record before us, EPA finds
no evidence in the record that
demonstrates California was arbitrary
and capricious in its determination that
its 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments do not
undermine California’s prior
protectiveness determination.
B. Need for California Standards To
Meet Compelling and Extraordinary
Conditions
Section 209(e)(2)(A)(ii) of the Act
instructs that EPA cannot grant a full
authorization if the agency finds that
California ‘‘does not need such
California standards to meet compelling
and extraordinary conditions.’’ This
criterion restricts EPA’s inquiry to
whether California needs its own mobile
source pollution program to meet
compelling and extraordinary
conditions, and not whether any given
standards are necessary to meet such
conditions.30 In its Resolution 08–42,
CARB affirmed its longstanding position
that California continues to need its
own nonroad engine program to meet its
serious air pollution problems.
Likewise, EPA has consistently
recognized that California continues to
have the same ‘‘geographical and
climatic conditions that, when
combined with the large numbers and
high concentrations of automobiles,
create serious pollution problems.’’31
Furthermore, no commenter has
presented any argument or evidence to
suggest that California no longer needs
a separate nonroad engine emissions
program to address compelling and
extraordinary conditions in California.
Therefore, EPA has determined that we
cannot deny California an authorization
for its 2008 LSI Amendments under
section 209(e)(2)(A)(ii). EPA’s withinthe-scope determinations, applicable in
this instance to CARB’s request for its
2010 LSI Fleet Amendments, does not
require an EPA analysis under section
209(e)(2)(A)(ii).
C. Consistency With Section 209 of the
Clean Air Act
Section 209(e)(2)(A)(iii) of the Act
instructs that EPA cannot grant an
authorization if California’s standards
and enforcement procedures are not
consistent with section 209. As
described above, EPA has historically
evaluated this criterion for consistency
with sections 209(a), 209(e)(1), and
209(b)(1)(C). Similarly, EPA’s analysis
for within-the-scope determinations
includes an assessment of whether the
30 See 74 FR 32744, 32761 (July 8, 2009); 49 FR
18887, 18889–18890 (May 3, 1984).
31 49 FR 18887, 18890 (May 3, 1984); see also 76
FR 34693 (June 14, 2011), 74 FR 32744, 32763 (July
8, 2009), and 73 FR 52042 (September 8, 2008).
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
amendments are consistent with section
209.
1. Consistency With Section 209(a)
To be consistent with section 209(a)
of the Clean Air Act, California’s 2008
LSI Amendments and 2010 LSI Fleet
Amendments must not apply to new
motor vehicles or new motor vehicle
engines. California’s LSI regulations
expressly apply only to off-road vehicles
and do not apply to engines used in
motor vehicles as defined by section
216(2) of the Clean Air Act.32 No
commenter presented otherwise.
Therefore, EPA cannot deny California’s
request on the basis that California’s
2008 LSI Amendments and 2010 LSI
Fleet Amendments are not consistent
with section 209(a).
2. Consistency With Section 209(e)(1)
To be consistent with section
209(e)(1) of the Clean Air Act,
California’s 2008 LSI Amendments and
2010 LSI Fleet Amendments must not
affect new farming or construction
vehicles or engines that are below 175
horsepower, or new locomotives or their
engines. CARB notes that its LSI
regulations do not affect such
permanently preempted vehicles or
engines.33 Therefore, EPA cannot deny
California’s request on the basis that
California’s LSI amendments are not
consistent with section 209(e)(1).
3. Consistency With Section 209(b)(1)(C)
The requirement that California’s
standards be consistent with section
209(b)(1)(C) of the Clean Air Act
effectively requires consistency with
section 202(a) of the Act. California
standards are inconsistent with section
202(a) of the Act if there is inadequate
lead-time to permit the development of
technology necessary to meet those
requirements, giving appropriate
consideration to the cost of compliance
within that timeframe. California’s
accompanying enforcement procedures
would also be inconsistent with section
202(a) if federal and California test
procedures conflicted. The scope of
EPA’s review of whether California’s
action is consistent with section 202(a)
is narrow. The determination is limited
to whether those opposed to the
authorization or waiver have met their
burden of establishing that California’s
standards are technologically infeasible,
or that California’s test procedures
impose requirements inconsistent with
the federal test procedures.34
32 CARB, Request for Authorization at 16, and 23.
EPA–HQ–OAR–2014–0533–0003.
33 Id.
34 MEMA I, 627, F.2d at 1126.
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a. Technological Feasibility
Congress has stated that the
consistency requirement of section
202(a) relates to technological
feasibility.35 Section 202(a)(2) states, in
part, that any regulation promulgated
under its authority ‘‘shall take effect
after such period as the Administrator
finds necessary to permit the
development and application of the
requisite technology, giving appropriate
consideration to the cost of compliance
within such period.’’ Section 202(a)
thus requires the Administrator to first
determine whether adequate technology
already exists; or if it does not, whether
there is adequate time to develop and
apply the technology before the
standards go into effect. The latter
scenario also requires the Administrator
to decide whether the cost of developing
and applying the technology within that
time is feasible. Previous EPA waivers
are in accord with this position.36 For
example, a previous EPA waiver
decision considered California’s
standards and enforcement procedures
to be consistent with section 202(a)
because adequate technology existed as
well as adequate lead-time to implement
that technology.37 Subsequently,
Congress has stated that, generally,
EPA’s construction of the waiver
provision has been consistent with
congressional intent.38
CARB presents that the technology
required to comply with its LSI
regulations is feasible, and that it has
provided sufficient lead-time, giving
consideration to the cost of
compliance.39
EPA did not receive any comments
suggesting that CARB’s standards and
test procedures are technologically
infeasible. Consequently, based on the
record, EPA cannot deny California’s
full authorization (for the 2008 LSI
Amendments) based on technological
infeasibility. Also, EPA cannot deny
California’s within-the-scope request for
the 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments based
on technological infeasibility.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
b. Consistency of Certification
Procedures
California’s standards and
accompanying enforcement procedures
would also be inconsistent with section
202(a) if the California test procedures
were to impose certification
35 H.R.
Rep. No. 95–294, 95th Cong., 1st Sess. 301
(1977).
36 See, e.g., 49 FR 1887, 1895 (May 3, 1984); 43
FR 32182, 32183 (July 25, 1978); 41 FR 44209,
44213 (October 7, 1976).
37 41 FR 44209 (October 7, 1976).
38 H.R. Rep. No. 95–294, 95th Cong., 1st Sess. 301
(1977).
39 CARB, Request for Authorization at 17–21, 23.
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18:21 Dec 08, 2015
Jkt 238001
requirements inconsistent with the
federal certification requirements. Such
inconsistency means that manufacturers
would be unable to meet both the
California and federal testing
requirements using the same test vehicle
or engine.40 CARB presents that there is
no issue regarding test procedure
inconsistency for new LSI engines as
California’s test procedures were not
modified since EPA’s prior waiver.41
CARB also presents that its 2010 LSI
Fleet Amendments do not include any
test procedures and thus do not create
an inconsistency issue.
EPA received no comments suggesting
that CARB’s LSI regulations pose any
test procedure consistency problem.
Therefore, based on the record, EPA
cannot find that CARB’s testing
procedures are inconsistent with section
202(a). Consequently, EPA cannot deny
CARB’s request based on the criterion of
consistency with section 209.
4. New Issues
In the context of the 2010 LSI Fleet
Amendments, CARB states that it is not
aware of any new issues affecting the
previously granted authorization for
CARB’s LSI Fleet regulations. ‘‘The
Amendments do not create new, more
stringent emission standards or
requirements, nor force any change in
technology to warrant revisiting
conclusions in granting the existing
authorization.’’42 EPA received no
comment on this issue. We therefore do
not find any new issues raised by the
2010 LSI Fleet Amendments.
E. Authorization Determinations for
California’s LSI Amendments
After a review of the information
submitted by CARB, EPA finds no basis
for denying CARB’s full authorization
request for the 2008 LSI Fleet
Amendments and EPA finds no basis for
denying CARB’s request that EPA
confirm the 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments
are within the scope of a prior EPA full
authorization. For these reasons, EPA
finds that a full authorization for
California’s 2008 LSI Amendments
should be granted and a within-thescope determination should be granted
for California’s 2010 LSI Fleet
Amendments.
III. Decision
The Administrator has delegated the
authority to grant California section
209(e) authorizations to the Assistant
Administrator for Air and Radiation.
40 See,
e.g., 43 FR 32182 (July 25, 1978).
FR 29623 (May 23, 2006). See also CARB,
Request for Authorization at 21.
42 CARB, Request for Authorization at 23.
41 79
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
76473
After evaluating California’s LSI
amendments, CARB’s submissions, and
the lack of any comment or adverse
comment, EPA is granting a full
authorization to California for its 2008
LSI Amendments and a within-thescope determination for its 2010 LSI
Fleet Amendments.
This decision will affect persons in
California and those manufacturers and/
or owners/operators nationwide who
must comply with California’s
requirements. In addition, because other
states may adopt California’s standards
for which a section 209(e)(2)(A)
authorization has been granted if certain
criteria are met, this decision would
also affect those states and those
persons in such states. See CAA section
209(e)(2)(B). For these reasons, EPA
determines and finds that this is a final
action of national applicability, and also
a final action of nationwide scope or
effect for purposes of section 307(b)(1)
of the Act. Pursuant to section 307(b)(1)
of the Act, judicial review of this final
action may be sought only in the United
States Court of Appeals for the District
of Columbia Circuit. Petitions for review
must be filed by February 8, 2016.
Judicial review of this final action may
not be obtained in subsequent
enforcement proceedings, pursuant to
section 307(b)(2) of the Act.
IV. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
As with past authorization and waiver
decisions, this action is not a rule as
defined by Executive Order 12866.
Therefore, it is exempt from review by
the Office of Management and Budget as
required for rules and regulations by
Executive Order 12866.
In addition, this action is not a rule
as defined in the Regulatory Flexibility
Act, 5 U.S.C. 601(2). Therefore, EPA has
not prepared a supporting regulatory
flexibility analysis addressing the
impact of this action on small business
entities.
Further, the Congressional Review
Act, 5 U.S.C. 801, et seq., as added by
the Small Business Regulatory
Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, does
not apply because this action is not a
rule for purposes of 5 U.S.C. 804(3).
Dated: December 1, 2015.
Janet G. McCabe,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air
and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 2015–31049 Filed 12–8–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 236 (Wednesday, December 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76468-76473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31049]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0533; FRL-9939-91-OAR]
California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards;
Large Spark-Ignition (LSI) Engines; New Emission Standards and In-Use
Fleet Requirements; Notice of Decision
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of decision.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is granting the
California Air Resources Board's (CARB's) request for authorization of
California's 2008 amendments to its new large spark-ignition nonroad
engines regulation (2008 LSI Amendments). EPA is also confirming that
CARB's 2010 amendments to its in-use fleet average emission
requirements (2010 LSI Fleet Amendments) are within the scope of EPA's
prior authorization. This decision is issued under the authority of the
Clean Air Act (``CAA'' or ``Act'').
DATES: Petitions for review must be filed by February 8, 2016.
ADDRESSES: EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID
EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0533. All documents relied upon in making this
decision, including those submitted to EPA by CARB, are contained in
the public docket. Publicly available docket materials are available
either electronically through www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at
the Air and Radiation Docket in the EPA Headquarters Library, EPA West
Building, Room 3334, located at 1301 Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room is open to the public on all
federal government working days from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; generally,
it is open Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. The telephone
number for the Reading Room is (202) 566-1744. The Air and Radiation
Docket and Information Center's Web site is https://www.epa.gov/oar/docket.html. The electronic mail (email) address for the Air and
Radiation Docket is: a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov, the telephone number is
(202) 566-1742, and the fax number is (202) 566-9744. An electronic
version of the
[[Page 76469]]
public docket is available through the federal government's electronic
public docket and comment system. You may access EPA dockets at https://www.regulations.gov. After opening the www.regulations.gov Web site,
enter EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0533 in the ``Enter Keyword or ID'' fill-in box
to view documents in the record. Although a part of the official
docket, the public docket does not include Confidential Business
Information (``CBI'') or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute.
EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality (``OTAQ'') maintains
a Web page that contains general information on its review of
California waiver requests. Included on that page are links to prior
waiver Federal Register notices, some of which are cited in today's
notice; the page can be accessed at https://www.epa.gov/otaq/cafr.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Dickinson, Attorney-Advisor,
Transportation Climate Division, Office of Transportation and Air
Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue
(6405J), NW., Washington, DC 20460. Telephone: (202) 343-9256. Fax:
(202) 343-2800. Email: dickinson.david@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
A. California's LSI Regulations
CARB promulgated its first LSI regulations in 1999, applicable to
new LSI engines (1999 LSI regulations).\1\ The 1999 LSI regulations
established exhaust emission standards and associated test procedures
for LSI engines based upon engine displacement. The exhaust emission
standards applicable to 2002 and subsequent model years (MYs) with
displacements up to one liter were identical to the emission standards
applicable to California small off-road engines (SORE) with engines
greater than or equal to 225 cubic centimeters. CARB subsequently
adopted more stringent exhaust emission standards for engines greater
than 225 cubic centimeters.\2\ CARB adopted is initial off-road LSI
fleet operator regulations on May 25, 2006.\3\ The fleet operator
regulations are designed to address the hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide
emissions from the existing LSI engines operating in California and
require fleets to meet certain fleet average emission level (FAEL)
standards.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ EPA granted an authorization for these LSI regulations at 71
FR 29623 (May 15, 2006).
\2\ EPA granted an authorization for these LSI regulations at 71
FR 75536 (December 15, 2006).
\3\ The term ``off-road'' is used interchangeably with
``nonroad'' within this decision.
\4\ EPA granted an authorization for these LSI regulations at 77
FR 20388 (April 12, 2012).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
By letter dated June 2, 2014, CARB submitted to EPA its request
pursuant to section 209(e) of the CAA, regarding its 2008 LSI
Amendments which create two new subcategories of LSI engines: LSI
engines with an engine displacement less than or equal to 825 cubic
centimeters (cc) (LSI <= 825 cc), and LSI engines with an engine
displacement greater than 825 cc but less than or equal to one liter
(825cc <=1.0 L). The 2008 LSI Amendments establish exhaust emission
standards for new 2011 and subsequent model year (MY) LSI engines in
each of these new subcategories and additionally establish more
stringent exhaust emission standards for 2015 and subsequent MY LSI
engines with engine displacements 825cc <=1.0 L. The 2008 LSI
Amendments also establish evaporative emission standards for 2011 and
subsequent MY LSI engines within the two new subcategories, and the
amendments provide manufacturers of LSI engines used in vehicles that
are similar to off-highway recreational vehicles (OHRVs) the option to
use the OHRV test and certification procedures.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ CARB adopted the 2008 LSI Amendments on November 21, 2008
(see Resolution 08-42 at EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0533-0008).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
CARB also submitted its 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments for confirmation
from EPA that such amendments are within the scope of a previous EPA
authorization. These amendments are designed to enhance the compliance
flexibility provisions of the existing LSI Fleet regulation. They amend
the existing limited hours of use (LHU) provisions to exempt equipment
that operates no more than 200 hours per year subsequent to January 1,
2011 from the fleet average emission standard requirements of the LSI
Fleet regulation. The 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments also extend the
existing compliance extension period that is available if CARB has not
verified a retrofit emission control system, or if one is not
commercially available, from one year to two years and allow for an
additional two year extension if a retrofit emission control system
remains unavailable. The 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments also include
additional provisions that largely clarify existing regulatory
provisions or provide additional compliance flexibility (e.g. revising
the definitions of ``baseline inventory,'' ``operator,'' and ``airport
ground support equipment''; providing an exclusion for certain
inoperable equipment from the FAEL requirements; and providing a
clarification of the record keeping requirements and of the FAEL
definition).\6\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ CARB adopted the 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments on December 17,
2010 (see Resolution 10-48 at EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0533-0024).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Clean Air Act Nonroad Engine and Vehicle Authorizations
Section 209(e)(1) of the Act permanently preempts any State, or
political subdivision thereof, from adopting or attempting to enforce
any standard or other requirement relating to the control of emissions
for new nonroad engines or vehicles. States are also preempted from
adopting and enforcing standards and other requirements related to the
control of emissions from non-new nonroad engines or vehicles. Section
209(e)(2) requires the Administrator, after notice and opportunity for
public hearing, to authorize California to enforce such standards and
other requirements, unless EPA makes one of three findings. In
addition, other states with attainment plans may adopt and enforce such
regulations if the standards, and implementation and enforcement
procedures, are identical to California's standards. On July 20, 1994,
EPA promulgated a rule that sets forth, among other things, regulations
providing the criteria, as found in section 209(e)(2), which EPA must
consider before granting any California authorization request for new
nonroad engine or vehicle emission standards.\7\ EPA later revised
these regulations in 1997.\8\ As stated in the preamble to the 1994
rule, EPA has historically interpreted the section 209(e)(2)(iii)
[[Page 76470]]
``consistency'' inquiry to require, at minimum, that California
standards and enforcement procedures be consistent with section 209(a),
section 209(e)(1), and section 209(b)(1)(C) (as EPA has interpreted
that subsection in the context of section 209(b) motor vehicle
waivers).\9\
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\7\ 59 FR 36969 (July 20, 1994).
\8\ See 62 FR 67733 (December 30, 1997). The applicable
regulations, now in 40 CFR part 1074, subpart B, Sec. 1074.105,
provide:
(a) The Administrator will grant the authorization if California
determines that its standards will be, in the aggregate, at least as
protective of public health and welfare as otherwise applicable
federal standards.
(b) The authorization will not be granted if the Administrator
finds that any of the following are true:
(1) California's determination is arbitrary and capricious.
(2) California does not need such standards to meet compelling
and extraordinary conditions.
(3) The California standards and accompanying enforcement
procedures are not consistent with section 209 of the Act.
(c) In considering any request from California to authorize the
state to adopt or enforce standards or other requirements relating
to the control of emissions from new nonroad spark-ignition engines
smaller than 50 horsepower, the Administrator will give appropriate
consideration to safety factors (including the potential increased
risk of burn or fire) associated with compliance with the California
standard.
\9\ See 59 FR 36969 (July 20, 1994).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In order to be consistent with section 209(a), California's nonroad
standards and enforcement procedures must not apply to new motor
vehicles or new motor vehicle engines. To be consistent with section
209(e)(1), California's nonroad standards and enforcement procedures
must not attempt to regulate engine categories that are permanently
preempted from state regulation. To determine consistency with section
209(b)(1)(C), EPA typically reviews nonroad authorization requests
under the same ``consistency'' criteria that are applied to motor
vehicle waiver requests. Pursuant to section 209(b)(1)(C), the
Administrator shall not grant California a motor vehicle waiver if she
finds that California ``standards and accompanying enforcement
procedures are not consistent with section 202(a)'' of the Act.
Previous decisions granting waivers and authorizations have noted that
state standards and enforcement procedures are inconsistent with
section 202(a) if: (1) There is inadequate lead time to permit the
development of the necessary technology giving appropriate
consideration to the cost of compliance within that time, or (2) the
federal and state testing procedures impose inconsistent certification
requirements.
In light of the similar language of sections 209(b) and
209(e)(2)(A), EPA has reviewed California's requests for authorization
of nonroad vehicle or engine standards under section 209(e)(2)(A) using
the same principles that it has historically applied in reviewing
requests for waivers of preemption for new motor vehicle or new motor
vehicle engine standards under section 209(b).\10\ These principles
include, among other things, that EPA should limit its inquiry to the
three specific authorization criteria identified in section
209(e)(2)(A),\11\ and that EPA should give substantial deference to the
policy judgments California has made in adopting its regulations. In
previous waiver decisions, EPA has stated that Congress intended EPA's
review of California's decision-making be narrow. EPA has rejected
arguments that are not specified in the statute as grounds for denying
a waiver:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ See Engine Manufacturers Association v. EPA, 88 F.3d 1075,
1087 (D.C. Cir. 1996): ``. . . EPA was within the bounds of
permissible construction in analogizing Sec. 209(e) on nonroad
sources to Sec. 209(a) on motor vehicles.''
\11\ See supra note 12, at 36983.
The law makes it clear that the waiver requests cannot be denied
unless the specific findings designated in the statute can properly
be made. The issue of whether a proposed California requirement is
likely to result in only marginal improvement in California air
quality not commensurate with its costs or is otherwise an arguably
unwise exercise of regulatory power is not legally pertinent to my
decision under section 209, so long as the California requirement is
consistent with section 202(a) and is more stringent than applicable
Federal requirements in the sense that it may result in some further
reduction in air pollution in California.\12\
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\12\ ``Waiver of Application of Clean Air Act to California
State Standards,'' 36 FR 17458 (August 31, 1971). Note that the more
stringent standard expressed here, in 1971, was superseded by the
1977 amendments to section 209, which established that California
must determine that its standards are, in the aggregate, at least as
protective of public health and welfare as applicable Federal
standards. In the 1990 amendments to section 209, Congress
established section 209(e) and similar language in section
209(e)(1)(i) pertaining to California's nonroad emission standards
which California must determine to be, in the aggregate, at least as
protective of public health and welfare as applicable federal
standards.
This principle of narrow EPA review has been upheld by the U.S. Court
of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.\13\ Thus, EPA's
consideration of all the evidence submitted concerning an authorization
decision is circumscribed by its relevance to those questions that may
be considered under section 209(e)(2)(A).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ See, e.g., Motor and Equip. Mfrs Assoc. v. EPA, 627 F.2d
1095 (D.C. Cir. 1979) (``MEMA I'').
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C. Within-the-Scope Determinations
If California amends regulations that were previously authorized by
EPA, California may ask EPA to determine that the amendments are within
the scope of the earlier authorization. A within-the-scope
determination for such amendments is permissible without a full
authorization review if three conditions are met. First, the amended
regulations must not undermine California's previous determination that
its standards, in the aggregate, are as protective of public health and
welfare as applicable federal standards. Second, the amended
regulations must not affect consistency with section 209 of the Act,
following the same criteria discussed above in the context of full
authorizations. Third, the amended regulations must not raise any ``new
issues'' affecting EPA's prior authorizations.\14\
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\14\ See ``California State Motor Vehicle Pollution Control
Standards; Amendments Within the Scope of Previous Waiver of Federal
Preemption,'' 46 FR 36742 (July 15, 1981).
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D. Deference to California
In previous waiver decisions, EPA has recognized that the intent of
Congress in creating a limited review based on the section 209(b)(1)
criteria was to ensure that the federal government did not second-guess
state policy choices. This has led EPA to state:
It is worth noting. . . I would feel constrained to approve a
California approach to the problem which I might also feel unable to
adopt at the federal level in my own capacity as a regulator. The
whole approach of the Clean Air Act is to force the development of
new types of emission control technology where that is needed by
compelling the industry to ``catch up'' to some degree with newly
promulgated standards. Such an approach . . . may be attended with
costs, in the shape of reduced product offering, or price or fuel
economy penalties, and by risks that a wider number of vehicle
classes may not be able to complete their development work in time.
Since a balancing of these risks and costs against the potential
benefits from reduced emissions is a central policy decision for any
regulatory agency under the statutory scheme outlined above, I
believe I am required to give very substantial deference to
California's judgments on this score.\15\
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\15\ 40 FR 23103-23104 (May 28, 1975); see also LEV I Decision
Document at 64 (58 FR 4166 (January 13, 1993)).
EPA has stated that the text, structure, and history of the
California waiver provision clearly indicate both a congressional
intent and appropriate EPA practice of leaving the decision on
``ambiguous and controversial matters of public policy'' to
California's judgment.\16\
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\16\ 40 FR 23104; 58 FR 4166.
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The House Committee Report explained as part of the 1977 amendments
to the Clean Air Act, where Congress had the opportunity to restrict
the waiver provision, it elected instead to explain California's
flexibility to adopt a complete program of motor vehicle emission
controls. The amendment is intended to ratify and strengthen the
California waiver provision and to affirm the underlying intent of that
provision, i.e., to afford California the broadest possible discretion
in selecting the best means to protect the health of its citizens and
the public welfare.\17\
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\17\ MEMA I, 627 F.2d at 1110 (citing H.R.Rep. No. 294, 95
Cong., 1st Sess. 301-02 (1977).
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E. Burden and Standard of Proof
As the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has made clear in
MEMA I, opponents of a waiver request by California bear the burden of
showing that the statutory criteria for a denial of the request have
been met:
[[Page 76471]]
[T]he language of the statute and its legislative history
indicate that California's regulations, and California's
determinations that they must comply with the statute, when
presented to the Administrator are presumed to satisfy the waiver
requirements and that the burden of proving otherwise is on whoever
attacks them. California must present its regulations and findings
at the hearing and thereafter the parties opposing the waiver
request bear the burden of persuading the Administrator that the
waiver request should be denied.\18\
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\18\ MEMA I, supra note 19, at 1121.
The Administrator's burden, on the other hand, is to make a reasonable
evaluation of the information in the record in coming to the waiver
decision. As the court in MEMA I stated: ``here, too, if the
Administrator ignores evidence demonstrating that the waiver should not
be granted, or if he seeks to overcome that evidence with unsupported
assumptions of his own, he runs the risk of having his waiver decision
set aside as `arbitrary and capricious.' '' \19\ Therefore, the
Administrator's burden is to act ``reasonably.'' \20\
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\19\ Id. at 1126.
\20\ Id. at 1126.
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With regard to the standard of proof, the court in MEMA I explained
that the Administrator's role in a section 209 proceeding is to:
[. . .] consider all evidence that passes the threshold test of
materiality and * * * thereafter assess such material evidence
against a standard of proof to determine whether the parties
favoring a denial of the waiver have shown that the factual
circumstances exist in which Congress intended a denial of the
waiver.\21\
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\21\ Id. at 1122.
In that decision, the court considered the standards of proof under
section 209 for the two findings related to granting a waiver for an
``accompanying enforcement procedure.'' Those findings involve: (1)
Whether the enforcement procedures impact California's prior
protectiveness determination for the associated standards, and (2)
whether the procedures are consistent with section 202(a). The
principles set forth by the court, however, are similarly applicable to
an EPA review of a request for a waiver of preemption for a standard.
The court instructed that ``the standard of proof must take account of
the nature of the risk of error involved in any given decision, and it
therefore varies with the finding involved. We need not decide how this
standard operates in every waiver decision.'' \22\
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\22\ Id.
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With regard to the protectiveness finding, the court upheld the
Administrator's position that, to deny a waiver, there must be ``clear
and compelling evidence'' to show that proposed enforcement procedures
undermine the protectiveness of California's standards.\23\ The court
noted that this standard of proof also accords with the congressional
intent to provide California with the broadest possible discretion in
setting regulations it finds protective of the public health and
welfare.\24\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\23\ Id.
\24\ Id.
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With respect to the consistency finding, the court did not
articulate a standard of proof applicable to all proceedings, but found
that the opponents of the waiver were unable to meet their burden of
proof even if the standard were a mere preponderance of the evidence.
Although MEMA I did not explicitly consider the standards of proof
under section 209 concerning a waiver request for ``standards,'' as
compared to a waiver request for accompanying enforcement procedures,
there is nothing in the opinion to suggest that the court's analysis
would not apply with equal force to such determinations. EPA's past
waiver decisions have consistently made clear that: ``[E]ven in the two
areas concededly reserved for Federal judgment by this legislation--the
existence of `compelling and extraordinary' conditions and whether the
standards are technologically feasible--Congress intended that the
standards of EPA review of the State decision to be a narrow one.''
\25\
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\25\ See, e.g., ``California State Motor Vehicle Pollution
Control Standards; Waiver of Federal Preemption,'' 40 FR 23102 (May
28, 1975), at 23103.
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F. EPA's Administrative Process in Consideration of California's LSI
Regulations
On November 24, 2014, EPA published a Federal Register notice
announcing its receipt of California's authorization request. In that
notice, EPA invited public comment on the 2008 LSI Amendments and the
2010 LSI Fleet Amendments and provided an opportunity to request a
public hearing.\26\
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\26\ See ``California State Nonroad Engine Pollution Control
Standards; Small Off-Road Engines Regulations; Tier 4 Off-Road
Compression-Ignition Regulations; Exhaust Emission Certification
Test Fuel for Off-Road Spark-Ignition Engines, Equipment, and
Vehicles Regulations; Request for Within-the-Scope and Full
Authorization; Opportunity for Public Hearing and Comment,'' 79 FR
27801 (November 24, 2014).
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EPA requested comment on the amendments, as follows: (1) Should
California's amendments be considered under the within-the-scope
analysis, or should they be considered under the full authorization
criteria?; (2) If those amendments should be considered as a within-
the-scope request, do they meet the criteria for EPA to grant a within-
the-scope confirmation?; and (3) If the amendments should not be
considered under the within-the-scope analysis, or in the event that
EPA determines they are not within the scope of the previous
authorization, do they meet the criteria for making a full
authorization determination?
EPA received no written comments. Additionally, EPA received no
requests for a public hearing. Consequently, EPA did not hold a public
hearing.
II. Discussion
California requested that the Administrator grant a full
authorization for its 2008 LSI Amendments and that such amendments meet
the three authorization criteria found in section 209(e)(2)(A) of the
CAA. We received no adverse comment or evidence suggesting that these
amendments fail to meet any of the full authorization criteria.
California also requested that the Administrator confirm that the
2010 LSI Fleet Amendments detailed above are within the scope of a
previously granted full authorization. California asserted that the
2010 LSI Fleet Amendments met all three within-the-scope criteria, i.e.
that the amendments: (1) Do not undermine the original protectiveness
determination underlying California's regulations; (2) do not affect
the consistency of the regulations with section 202(a); and (3) do not
raise any new issues affecting the prior authorizations. We received no
adverse comments or evidence suggesting a within-the-scope analysis is
inappropriate, or that the 2010 LSI Amendments fail to meet any of the
three criteria for within-the-scope confirmation.
Our analysis of the 2008 LSI Amendments in the context of the full
authorization criteria, and our analysis of the 2010 LSI Fleet
Amendments in the context of the within-the-scope criteria, is set
forth below.
A. California's Protectiveness Determination
Section 209(e)(2)(A)(i) of the CAA instructs that EPA cannot grant
a full authorization if the agency finds that California was arbitrary
and capricious in its determination that its standards are, in the
aggregate, at least as protective of public health and welfare as
applicable federal standards. CARB's Board made a protectiveness
determination in Resolution 08-42, finding that California's 2008 LSI
[[Page 76472]]
Amendments will not cause the California emission standards, in the
aggregate, to be less protective of public health and welfare than
applicable federal standards.\27\ CARB presents that California's
exhaust emission standards applicable to LSI <= 825 cc and 825 cc <=
LSI<= 1.0 L are at least as protective of public health and welfare as
applicable federal exhaust emission standards. Similarly CARB's
Executive Officer found that California's evaporative emission
requirements applicable to 2011 and subsequent MY engines less than or
equal to one liter are, in the aggregate, at least as protective as
applicable federal standards.\28\
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\27\ ``BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board hereby determines,
pursuant to section 209(e)(2) of the federal Clean Air Act that the
emission standards and other requirements related to the control of
emissions adopted as part of these regulations are, in the
aggregate, at least as protective of public health and welfare as
applicable federal standards, that California needs the adopted
standards to meet compelling and extraordinary conditions, and that
the adopted standards and accompanying enforcement procedures are
consistent with the provisions in section 209.'' CARB, Resolution
06-11. This Resolution also extends to CARB's amendment requiring
LSI engines used in vehicles similar to OHRVs to utilize OHRV test
procedures. EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0533-0008.
\28\ CARB Executive Order G-14-014, EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0533-0033.
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EPA did not receive any comments challenging California's
protectiveness determination. Therefore, based on the record before us,
EPA finds no evidence in the record that demonstrates California was
arbitrary and capricious in its determination that its 2008 LSI
Amendments are, in the aggregate, at least as protective of public
health and welfare as applicable federal standards.
Similarly, CARB's 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments must not undermine
California's previous determination that its standards, in the
aggregate, are as protective of public health and welfare as applicable
federal standards. In adopting the 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments CARB made
a protectiveness determination in Resolution 10-48, finding that
California's 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments do not undermine the Board's
previous determination that the California emission standards, other
emission related requirements, and associated enforcement procedures
are, in the aggregate, at least as protective of public health and
welfare than applicable federal standards.\29\
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\29\ CARB Resolution 10-48, EP-HQ-OAR-2014-0533-0024.
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EPA did not receive any comments challenging California's
determination that its 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments do not undermine
California's prior protectiveness determination. Therefore, based on
the record before us, EPA finds no evidence in the record that
demonstrates California was arbitrary and capricious in its
determination that its 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments do not undermine
California's prior protectiveness determination.
B. Need for California Standards To Meet Compelling and Extraordinary
Conditions
Section 209(e)(2)(A)(ii) of the Act instructs that EPA cannot grant
a full authorization if the agency finds that California ``does not
need such California standards to meet compelling and extraordinary
conditions.'' This criterion restricts EPA's inquiry to whether
California needs its own mobile source pollution program to meet
compelling and extraordinary conditions, and not whether any given
standards are necessary to meet such conditions.\30\ In its Resolution
08-42, CARB affirmed its longstanding position that California
continues to need its own nonroad engine program to meet its serious
air pollution problems. Likewise, EPA has consistently recognized that
California continues to have the same ``geographical and climatic
conditions that, when combined with the large numbers and high
concentrations of automobiles, create serious pollution problems.''\31\
Furthermore, no commenter has presented any argument or evidence to
suggest that California no longer needs a separate nonroad engine
emissions program to address compelling and extraordinary conditions in
California. Therefore, EPA has determined that we cannot deny
California an authorization for its 2008 LSI Amendments under section
209(e)(2)(A)(ii). EPA's within-the-scope determinations, applicable in
this instance to CARB's request for its 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments, does
not require an EPA analysis under section 209(e)(2)(A)(ii).
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\30\ See 74 FR 32744, 32761 (July 8, 2009); 49 FR 18887, 18889-
18890 (May 3, 1984).
\31\ 49 FR 18887, 18890 (May 3, 1984); see also 76 FR 34693
(June 14, 2011), 74 FR 32744, 32763 (July 8, 2009), and 73 FR 52042
(September 8, 2008).
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C. Consistency With Section 209 of the Clean Air Act
Section 209(e)(2)(A)(iii) of the Act instructs that EPA cannot
grant an authorization if California's standards and enforcement
procedures are not consistent with section 209. As described above, EPA
has historically evaluated this criterion for consistency with sections
209(a), 209(e)(1), and 209(b)(1)(C). Similarly, EPA's analysis for
within-the-scope determinations includes an assessment of whether the
amendments are consistent with section 209.
1. Consistency With Section 209(a)
To be consistent with section 209(a) of the Clean Air Act,
California's 2008 LSI Amendments and 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments must not
apply to new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines. California's
LSI regulations expressly apply only to off-road vehicles and do not
apply to engines used in motor vehicles as defined by section 216(2) of
the Clean Air Act.\32\ No commenter presented otherwise. Therefore, EPA
cannot deny California's request on the basis that California's 2008
LSI Amendments and 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments are not consistent with
section 209(a).
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\32\ CARB, Request for Authorization at 16, and 23. EPA-HQ-OAR-
2014-0533-0003.
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2. Consistency With Section 209(e)(1)
To be consistent with section 209(e)(1) of the Clean Air Act,
California's 2008 LSI Amendments and 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments must not
affect new farming or construction vehicles or engines that are below
175 horsepower, or new locomotives or their engines. CARB notes that
its LSI regulations do not affect such permanently preempted vehicles
or engines.\33\ Therefore, EPA cannot deny California's request on the
basis that California's LSI amendments are not consistent with section
209(e)(1).
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\33\ Id.
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3. Consistency With Section 209(b)(1)(C)
The requirement that California's standards be consistent with
section 209(b)(1)(C) of the Clean Air Act effectively requires
consistency with section 202(a) of the Act. California standards are
inconsistent with section 202(a) of the Act if there is inadequate
lead-time to permit the development of technology necessary to meet
those requirements, giving appropriate consideration to the cost of
compliance within that timeframe. California's accompanying enforcement
procedures would also be inconsistent with section 202(a) if federal
and California test procedures conflicted. The scope of EPA's review of
whether California's action is consistent with section 202(a) is
narrow. The determination is limited to whether those opposed to the
authorization or waiver have met their burden of establishing that
California's standards are technologically infeasible, or that
California's test procedures impose requirements inconsistent with the
federal test procedures.\34\
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\34\ MEMA I, 627, F.2d at 1126.
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[[Page 76473]]
a. Technological Feasibility
Congress has stated that the consistency requirement of section
202(a) relates to technological feasibility.\35\ Section 202(a)(2)
states, in part, that any regulation promulgated under its authority
``shall take effect after such period as the Administrator finds
necessary to permit the development and application of the requisite
technology, giving appropriate consideration to the cost of compliance
within such period.'' Section 202(a) thus requires the Administrator to
first determine whether adequate technology already exists; or if it
does not, whether there is adequate time to develop and apply the
technology before the standards go into effect. The latter scenario
also requires the Administrator to decide whether the cost of
developing and applying the technology within that time is feasible.
Previous EPA waivers are in accord with this position.\36\ For example,
a previous EPA waiver decision considered California's standards and
enforcement procedures to be consistent with section 202(a) because
adequate technology existed as well as adequate lead-time to implement
that technology.\37\ Subsequently, Congress has stated that, generally,
EPA's construction of the waiver provision has been consistent with
congressional intent.\38\
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\35\ H.R. Rep. No. 95-294, 95th Cong., 1st Sess. 301 (1977).
\36\ See, e.g., 49 FR 1887, 1895 (May 3, 1984); 43 FR 32182,
32183 (July 25, 1978); 41 FR 44209, 44213 (October 7, 1976).
\37\ 41 FR 44209 (October 7, 1976).
\38\ H.R. Rep. No. 95-294, 95th Cong., 1st Sess. 301 (1977).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
CARB presents that the technology required to comply with its LSI
regulations is feasible, and that it has provided sufficient lead-time,
giving consideration to the cost of compliance.\39\
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\39\ CARB, Request for Authorization at 17-21, 23.
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EPA did not receive any comments suggesting that CARB's standards
and test procedures are technologically infeasible. Consequently, based
on the record, EPA cannot deny California's full authorization (for the
2008 LSI Amendments) based on technological infeasibility. Also, EPA
cannot deny California's within-the-scope request for the 2010 LSI
Fleet Amendments based on technological infeasibility.
b. Consistency of Certification Procedures
California's standards and accompanying enforcement procedures
would also be inconsistent with section 202(a) if the California test
procedures were to impose certification requirements inconsistent with
the federal certification requirements. Such inconsistency means that
manufacturers would be unable to meet both the California and federal
testing requirements using the same test vehicle or engine.\40\ CARB
presents that there is no issue regarding test procedure inconsistency
for new LSI engines as California's test procedures were not modified
since EPA's prior waiver.\41\ CARB also presents that its 2010 LSI
Fleet Amendments do not include any test procedures and thus do not
create an inconsistency issue.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\40\ See, e.g., 43 FR 32182 (July 25, 1978).
\41\ 79 FR 29623 (May 23, 2006). See also CARB, Request for
Authorization at 21.
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EPA received no comments suggesting that CARB's LSI regulations
pose any test procedure consistency problem. Therefore, based on the
record, EPA cannot find that CARB's testing procedures are inconsistent
with section 202(a). Consequently, EPA cannot deny CARB's request based
on the criterion of consistency with section 209.
4. New Issues
In the context of the 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments, CARB states that
it is not aware of any new issues affecting the previously granted
authorization for CARB's LSI Fleet regulations. ``The Amendments do not
create new, more stringent emission standards or requirements, nor
force any change in technology to warrant revisiting conclusions in
granting the existing authorization.''\42\ EPA received no comment on
this issue. We therefore do not find any new issues raised by the 2010
LSI Fleet Amendments.
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\42\ CARB, Request for Authorization at 23.
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E. Authorization Determinations for California's LSI Amendments
After a review of the information submitted by CARB, EPA finds no
basis for denying CARB's full authorization request for the 2008 LSI
Fleet Amendments and EPA finds no basis for denying CARB's request that
EPA confirm the 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments are within the scope of a
prior EPA full authorization. For these reasons, EPA finds that a full
authorization for California's 2008 LSI Amendments should be granted
and a within-the-scope determination should be granted for California's
2010 LSI Fleet Amendments.
III. Decision
The Administrator has delegated the authority to grant California
section 209(e) authorizations to the Assistant Administrator for Air
and Radiation. After evaluating California's LSI amendments, CARB's
submissions, and the lack of any comment or adverse comment, EPA is
granting a full authorization to California for its 2008 LSI Amendments
and a within-the-scope determination for its 2010 LSI Fleet Amendments.
This decision will affect persons in California and those
manufacturers and/or owners/operators nationwide who must comply with
California's requirements. In addition, because other states may adopt
California's standards for which a section 209(e)(2)(A) authorization
has been granted if certain criteria are met, this decision would also
affect those states and those persons in such states. See CAA section
209(e)(2)(B). For these reasons, EPA determines and finds that this is
a final action of national applicability, and also a final action of
nationwide scope or effect for purposes of section 307(b)(1) of the
Act. Pursuant to section 307(b)(1) of the Act, judicial review of this
final action may be sought only in the United States Court of Appeals
for the District of Columbia Circuit. Petitions for review must be
filed by February 8, 2016. Judicial review of this final action may not
be obtained in subsequent enforcement proceedings, pursuant to section
307(b)(2) of the Act.
IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
As with past authorization and waiver decisions, this action is not
a rule as defined by Executive Order 12866. Therefore, it is exempt
from review by the Office of Management and Budget as required for
rules and regulations by Executive Order 12866.
In addition, this action is not a rule as defined in the Regulatory
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601(2). Therefore, EPA has not prepared a
supporting regulatory flexibility analysis addressing the impact of
this action on small business entities.
Further, the Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801, et seq., as
added by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of
1996, does not apply because this action is not a rule for purposes of
5 U.S.C. 804(3).
Dated: December 1, 2015.
Janet G. McCabe,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 2015-31049 Filed 12-8-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P