Adequacy Status of the Knoxville, TN 1997 Annual PM2.5, 13337-13338 [2017-04681]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 46 / Friday, March 10, 2017 / Notices ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [9931–93–OEI] Cross-Media Electronic Reporting: Authorized Program Revision Approval, State of North Carolina Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: This notice announces EPA’s approval of the State of North Carolina’s request to revise its EPA Administered Permit Programs: The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and General Pretreatment Regulations for Existing and New Sources of Pollution EPA-authorized program to allow electronic reporting. DATES: EPA’s approval is effective March 10, 2017. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Seeh, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information, Mail Stop 2823T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460, (202) 566–1175, seeh.karen@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 13, 2005, the final Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Rule (CROMERR) was published in the Federal Register (70 FR 59848) and codified as part 3 of title 40 of the CFR. CROMERR establishes electronic reporting as an acceptable regulatory alternative to paper reporting and establishes requirements to assure that electronic documents are as legally dependable as their paper counterparts. Subpart D of CROMERR requires that state, tribal or local government agencies that receive, or wish to begin receiving, electronic reports under their EPA-authorized programs must apply to EPA for a revision or modification of those programs and obtain EPA approval. Subpart D provides standards for such approvals based on consideration of the electronic document receiving systems that the state, tribe, or local government will use to implement the electronic reporting. Additionally, § 3.1000(b) through (e) of 40 CFR part 3, subpart D provides special procedures for program revisions and modifications to allow electronic reporting, to be used at the option of the state, tribe or local government in place of procedures available under existing programspecific authorization regulations. An application submitted under the subpart D procedures must show that the state, tribe or local government has sufficient legal authority to implement the electronic reporting components of the sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:37 Mar 09, 2017 Jkt 241001 programs covered by the application and will use electronic document receiving systems that meet the applicable subpart D requirements. On November 3rd 2016, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NC DENR) submitted an application titled Electronic Discharge Monitoring Report System for revision/modification to its EPA-approved program under title 40 CFR to allow new electronic reporting. EPA reviewed NC DENR’s request to revise its EPA-authorized Part 123— EPA Administered Permit Programs: The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and General Pretreatment Regulations for Existing and New Sources of Pollution program and, based on this review, EPA determined that the application met the standards for approval of authorized program revision/modification set out in 40 CFR part 3, subpart D. In accordance with 40 CFR 3.1000(d), this notice of EPA’s decision to approve North Carolina’s request to revise its Part 123—EPA Administered Permit Programs: The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and General Pretreatment Regulations for Existing and New Sources of Pollution program to allow electronic reporting under 40 CFR part 122 is being published in the Federal Register. NC DENR was notified of EPA’s determination to approve its application with respect to the authorized program listed above. Matthew Leopard, Director, Office of Information Management. [FR Doc. 2017–04759 Filed 3–9–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–R04–OAR–2016–0782; FRL–9959–75– Region 4] Adequacy Status of the Knoxville, TN 1997 Annual PM2.5 Maintenance Plan Motor Vehicle Emission Budgets for Transportation Conformity Purposes Environmental Protection Agency. ACTION: Notice of adequacy. AGENCY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is notifying the public that it has found that the motor vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) contained in the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision pertaining to the Knoxville, Tennessee 1997 Annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) nonattainment area are adequate for transportation SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 13337 conformity purposes. This SIP revision was submitted on December 20, 2016, by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) and requests that EPA redesignate the area to attainment for the 1997 annual PM2.5 national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), and that EPA approve a maintenance plan for the continued attainment of the Area. The Knoxville 1997 Annual PM2.5 nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as ‘‘the Knoxville Area’’), for which MVEBs are established in this notice, is comprised of the entire counties of Anderson, Blount, Knox, and Loudon, as well as a portion of Roane County. On March 2, 1999, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit) ruled that submitted SIPs cannot be used for transportation conformity determinations until EPA has affirmatively found that the MVEBs are adequate. As a result of EPA’s finding, the Knoxville Area must use the MVEBs for future conformity determinations for the 1997 Annual PM2.5 NAAQS. DATES: These MVEBs are effective March 27, 2017. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelly Sheckler, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, Air Regulatory Management Section, 61 Forsyth Street SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303. Ms. Sheckler can also be reached by telephone at (404) 562–9222, or via electronic mail at sheckler.kelly@ epa.gov. The finding is available at EPA’s conformity Web site: https:// www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/ transconf/currsips.htm. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is simply an announcement of a finding that EPA has already made. EPA, Region 4, sent a letter to TDEC on February 15, 2017, stating that the MVEBs identified for Knoxville in Tennessee’s maintenance SIP revision, submitted on December 20, 2016, are adequate and must be used for transportation conformity determinations in the Knoxville Area. EPA posted the availability of the Knoxville Area MVEBs on EPA’s Web site on December 22, 2016, as part of the adequacy process, for the purpose of soliciting comments. The adequacy comment period ran until January 23, 2017. During EPA’s adequacy comment period, no comments were received on the Knoxville Area MVEBs. Through this notice, EPA is informing the public that these MVEBs are adequate for transportation conformity. This finding has also been announced on EPA’s conformity Web site: https:// www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/ E:\FR\FM\10MRN1.SGM 10MRN1 13338 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 46 / Friday, March 10, 2017 / Notices transconf/pastsips.htm. The adequate MVEBs are provided in Table 1 below: TABLE 1—KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE 1997 ANNUAL PM2.5 MVEBS [Tons per year or tpy] 2014 PM2.5 ................ NOX ................... 2028 444.78 15,597.73 * 245.00 * 7,171.14 sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES * This includes a safety margin of 10.39 tpy for PM2.5 and 2,613.27 tpy for NOX in 2028. Transportation conformity is required by section 176(c) of the Clean Air Act. EPA’s conformity rule, 40 CFR part 93, requires that transportation plans, programs, and projects conform to state air quality implementation plans and establishes the criteria and procedures for determining whether or not they do so. Conformity to a SIP means that transportation activities will not produce new air quality violations, worsen existing violations, or delay timely attainment of the NAAQS. The criteria by which EPA determines whether a SIP’s MVEBs are adequate for transportation conformity purposes are outlined in 40 CFR 93.118(e)(4). We have also described the process for determining the adequacy of submitted SIP budgets in our July 1, 2004 (69 FR 40004), final rulemaking entitled, ‘‘Transportation Conformity Rule Amendments for the New 8-Hour Ozone and PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards and Miscellaneous Revisions for Existing Areas; Transportation Conformity Rule Amendments: Response to Court Decision and Additional Rule Changes.’’ Please note that an adequacy review is separate from EPA’s completeness review, and it should not be used to prejudge EPA’s ultimate approval of Tennessee’s 1997 Annual PM2.5 SIP revision for the Knoxville Area. Even if EPA finds a budget adequate, the SIP revision could later be disapproved. Within 24 months from the effective date of this notice or until such time that the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS is revoked for the Knoxville Area, the transportation partners will need to demonstrate conformity to the new MVEBs, if the demonstration has not already been made, pursuant to 40 CFR 93.104(e). See 73 FR 4419 (January 24, 2008). Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq. Dated: February 15, 2017. Kenneth R. Lapierre, Acting Regional Administrator, Region 4. [FR Doc. 2017–04681 Filed 3–9–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:37 Mar 09, 2017 Jkt 241001 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [ER–FRL–9032–1] Environmental Impact Statements; Notice of Availability Responsible Agency: Office of Federal Activities, General Information (202) 564–7146 or https://www.epa.gov/nepa. Weekly receipt of Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) Filed 02/27/2017 Through 03/03/2017 Pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.9. Notice Section 309(a) of the Clean Air Act requires that EPA make public its comments on EISs issued by other Federal agencies. EPA’s comment letters on EISs are available at: https:// www.epa.gov/compliance/nepa/ eisdata.html. EIS No. 20170029, Draft, FERC, WV, Mountaineer and Gulf XPress Projects, Comment Period Ends: 04/ 24/2017, Contact: Julia Yuan 202– 502–8130 EIS No. 20170030, Final, BOEM, Other, Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas 2017–2022 Multisale, Review Period Ends: 04/09/2017, Contact: Greg Kozlowski 504–736–2512 EIS No. 20170031, Draft, USFS, ID, Big Creek Hot Springs Geothermal Leasing, Comment Period Ends: 04/ 24/2017, Contact: Julie Hopkins 208– 756–5279 Dated: March 6, 2017. Dawn Roberts, Management Analyst, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities. [FR Doc. 2017–04760 Filed 3–9–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [9956–84–OEI] Cross-Media Electronic Reporting: Authorized Program Revision Approval, Mecklenburg County, State of North Carolina Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: This notice announces EPA’s approval of Mecklenburg County’s request to revise/modify certain of its EPA-authorized programs to allow electronic reporting. DATES: EPA’s approval is effective March 10, 2017. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Seeh, US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Environmental Information, Mail Stop 2823T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460, (202) 566–1175, seeh.karen@epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 13, 2005, the final Cross-Media Electronic Reporting Rule (CROMERR) was published in the Federal Register (70 FR 59848) and codified as part 3 of title 40 of the CFR. CROMERR establishes electronic reporting as an acceptable regulatory alternative to paper reporting and establishes requirements to assure that electronic documents are as legally dependable as their paper counterparts. Subpart D of CROMERR requires that state, tribal or local government agencies that receive, or wish to begin receiving, electronic reports under their EPA-authorized programs must apply to EPA for a revision or modification of those programs and obtain EPA approval. Subpart D provides standards for such approvals based on consideration of the electronic document receiving systems that the state, tribe, or local government will use to implement the electronic reporting. Additionally, § 3.1000(b) through (e) of 40 CFR part 3, subpart D provides special procedures for program revisions and modifications to allow electronic reporting, to be used at the option of the state, tribe or local government in place of procedures available under existing programspecific authorization regulations. An application submitted under the subpart D procedures must show that the state, tribe or local government has sufficient legal authority to implement the electronic reporting components of the programs covered by the application and will use electronic document receiving systems that meet the applicable subpart D requirements. Once an authorized program has EPA’s approval to accept electronic documents under certain programs, CROMERR § 3.1000(a)(4) requires that the program keep EPA apprised of any changes to laws, policies, or the electronic document receiving systems that have the potential to affect the program’s compliance with CROMERR § 3.2000. On June 30, 2016, the Mecklenburg County Land Use & Environmental Services Agency (LUESA) submitted an application titled ‘‘GovOnline System’’ for revisions/modifications to its EPAapproved programs under title 40 CFR to allow new electronic reporting. EPA reviewed LUESA’s request to revise/ modify its EPA-authorized programs and, based on this review, EPA determined that the application met the standards for approval of authorized program revisions/modifications set out E:\FR\FM\10MRN1.SGM 10MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 46 (Friday, March 10, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13337-13338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04681]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-R04-OAR-2016-0782; FRL-9959-75-Region 4]


Adequacy Status of the Knoxville, TN 1997 Annual PM2.5 
Maintenance Plan Motor Vehicle Emission Budgets for Transportation 
Conformity Purposes

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of adequacy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is notifying 
the public that it has found that the motor vehicle emissions budgets 
(MVEBs) contained in the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision 
pertaining to the Knoxville, Tennessee 1997 Annual fine particulate 
matter (PM2.5) nonattainment area are adequate for 
transportation conformity purposes. This SIP revision was submitted on 
December 20, 2016, by the Tennessee Department of Environment and 
Conservation (TDEC) and requests that EPA redesignate the area to 
attainment for the 1997 annual PM2.5 national ambient air 
quality standards (NAAQS), and that EPA approve a maintenance plan for 
the continued attainment of the Area. The Knoxville 1997 Annual 
PM2.5 nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as ``the 
Knoxville Area''), for which MVEBs are established in this notice, is 
comprised of the entire counties of Anderson, Blount, Knox, and Loudon, 
as well as a portion of Roane County. On March 2, 1999, the United 
States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. 
Circuit) ruled that submitted SIPs cannot be used for transportation 
conformity determinations until EPA has affirmatively found that the 
MVEBs are adequate. As a result of EPA's finding, the Knoxville Area 
must use the MVEBs for future conformity determinations for the 1997 
Annual PM2.5 NAAQS.

DATES: These MVEBs are effective March 27, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelly Sheckler, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Region 4, Air Regulatory Management Section, 61 
Forsyth Street SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303. Ms. Sheckler can also be 
reached by telephone at (404) 562-9222, or via electronic mail at 
sheckler.kelly@epa.gov. The finding is available at EPA's conformity 
Web site: https://www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/transconf/currsips.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is simply an announcement of a 
finding that EPA has already made. EPA, Region 4, sent a letter to TDEC 
on February 15, 2017, stating that the MVEBs identified for Knoxville 
in Tennessee's maintenance SIP revision, submitted on December 20, 
2016, are adequate and must be used for transportation conformity 
determinations in the Knoxville Area.
    EPA posted the availability of the Knoxville Area MVEBs on EPA's 
Web site on December 22, 2016, as part of the adequacy process, for the 
purpose of soliciting comments. The adequacy comment period ran until 
January 23, 2017. During EPA's adequacy comment period, no comments 
were received on the Knoxville Area MVEBs. Through this notice, EPA is 
informing the public that these MVEBs are adequate for transportation 
conformity. This finding has also been announced on EPA's conformity 
Web site: https://www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/

[[Page 13338]]

transconf/pastsips.htm. The adequate MVEBs are provided in Table 1 
below:

          Table 1--Knoxville, Tennessee 1997 Annual PM2.5 MVEBS
                         [Tons per year or tpy]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    2014         2028
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PM2.5.........................................       444.78     * 245.00
NOX...........................................    15,597.73   * 7,171.14
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* This includes a safety margin of 10.39 tpy for PM2.5 and 2,613.27 tpy
  for NOX in 2028.

    Transportation conformity is required by section 176(c) of the 
Clean Air Act. EPA's conformity rule, 40 CFR part 93, requires that 
transportation plans, programs, and projects conform to state air 
quality implementation plans and establishes the criteria and 
procedures for determining whether or not they do so. Conformity to a 
SIP means that transportation activities will not produce new air 
quality violations, worsen existing violations, or delay timely 
attainment of the NAAQS.
    The criteria by which EPA determines whether a SIP's MVEBs are 
adequate for transportation conformity purposes are outlined in 40 CFR 
93.118(e)(4). We have also described the process for determining the 
adequacy of submitted SIP budgets in our July 1, 2004 (69 FR 40004), 
final rulemaking entitled, ``Transportation Conformity Rule Amendments 
for the New 8-Hour Ozone and PM2.5 National Ambient Air 
Quality Standards and Miscellaneous Revisions for Existing Areas; 
Transportation Conformity Rule Amendments: Response to Court Decision 
and Additional Rule Changes.'' Please note that an adequacy review is 
separate from EPA's completeness review, and it should not be used to 
prejudge EPA's ultimate approval of Tennessee's 1997 Annual 
PM2.5 SIP revision for the Knoxville Area. Even if EPA finds 
a budget adequate, the SIP revision could later be disapproved.
    Within 24 months from the effective date of this notice or until 
such time that the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS is revoked for the 
Knoxville Area, the transportation partners will need to demonstrate 
conformity to the new MVEBs, if the demonstration has not already been 
made, pursuant to 40 CFR 93.104(e). See 73 FR 4419 (January 24, 2008).

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

    Dated: February 15, 2017.
Kenneth R. Lapierre,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 4.
[FR Doc. 2017-04681 Filed 3-9-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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