Fast-41 Best Practices: Delegated State Permitting Programs, 50418-50420 [2017-23686]
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50418
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 209 / Tuesday, October 31, 2017 / Notices
Dated: October 18, 2017.
Andrew D. Sawyers,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 2017–23567 Filed 10–30–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[FRL–9970–18–Region 6]
Notice of Proposed Administrative
Settlement Pursuant to the
Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice; request for public
comment.
AGENCY:
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VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:37 Oct 30, 2017
Jkt 244001
Dated: October 16, 2017.
Samuel Coleman,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 2017–23684 Filed 10–30–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
2018 MVEBs contained in the
Attainment Demonstration for Kenosha
County in Wisconsin are adequate for
transportation conformity purposes.
Receipt of these MVEBs was announced
on EPA’s transportation conformity Web
site, and no comments were submitted.
The finding is available at EPA’s
conformity Web site: https://
www.epa.gov/state-and-localtransportation/adequacy-review-stateimplementation-plan-sip-submissionsconformity.
The 2017 and 2018 MVEBs, in tons
per day (tpd), for VOCs and NOX for the
Kenosha County, Wisconsin area are as
follows:
[EPA–R05–OAR–2017–0212; FRL–9970–15–
Region 5]
In accordance with section
122(h)(1) of the Comprehensive
Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act, as
amended (‘‘CERCLA’’), notice is hereby
given of a proposed administrative
settlement concerning the Bandera Road
Ground Water Plume Superfund Site,
located in City of Leon Valley, Bexar
County, Texas.
The settlement requires Savings
Square Partners, Ltd., settling party, to
pay a total of $1,820,000 as payment of
past response costs to the Hazardous
Substances Superfund. The settlement
includes a covenant not to sue pursuant
to sections 106 and 107(a) of CERCLA,
42 U.S.C. 9606 and 9607(a).
For thirty (30) days following the date
of publication of this notice, the Agency
will receive written comments relating
to this notice and will receive written
comments relating to the settlement.
The Agency will consider all comments
received and may modify or withdraw
its consent to the settlement if
comments received disclose facts or
considerations which indicate that the
settlement is inappropriate, improper,
or inadequate. The Agency’s response to
any comments received will be available
for public inspection at 1445 Ross
Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202–2733.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on
or before November 30, 2017.
ADDRESSES: The proposed settlement
and additional background information
relating to the settlement are available
for public inspection at 1445 Ross
Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202–2733. A
copy of the proposed settlement may be
obtained from Lawrence Andrews, 1445
Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202–2733
or by calling (214) 665–7397. Comments
should reference the Bandera Road
Ground Water Plume Superfund Site,
SUMMARY:
City of Leon, Bexar County, Texas, and
EPA Docket Number 06–06–17 and
should be addressed to Lawrence
Andrews at the address listed above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jacob Piehl, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas,
Texas 75202–2733 or call (214) 665–
2138.
Kenosha
County
Adequacy Status of the Kenosha
County, Wisconsin Area for Submitted
8-Hour Ozone Attainment
Demonstration for Transportation
Conformity Purposes
2017 ..........
2018 ..........
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of adequacy.
AGENCY:
In this notice, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
is notifying the public that we find that
the motor vehicle emissions budgets
(MVEBs) for volatile organic compounds
(VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOX) in
the Kenosha County, Wisconsin ozone
nonattainment area are adequate for use
in transportation conformity
determinations. Wisconsin submitted an
Attainment Demonstration for Kenosha
County on April 17, 2017. As a result of
our finding, this area must use these
MVEBs from the submitted Attainment
Demonstration for future transportation
conformity determinations.
DATES: This finding is effective
November 15, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael Leslie, Environmental
Engineer, Control Strategies Section
(AR–18J), Air Programs Branch, Air and
Radiation Division, United States
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard,
Chicago, Illinois 60604, (312) 353–6680,
leslie.michael@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Throughout this document, whenever
‘‘we’’, ‘‘us’’ or ‘‘our’’ is used, we mean
EPA.
SUMMARY:
Background
Today’s notice is an announcement of
a finding that we have already made. On
September 6, 2017, EPA sent a letter to
the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources stating that the 2017 and
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Sfmt 4703
NOX (tpd)
VOCs (tpd)
3.05
2.75
1.56
1.44
Transportation conformity is required
by section 176(c) of the Clean Air Act.
EPA’s conformity rule 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
conform. Conformity to a State
Implementation Plan (SIP) means that
transportation activities will not
produce new air quality violations,
worsen existing violations, or delay
timely attainment of the national
ambient air quality standards.
The criteria by which we determine
whether a SIP’s MVEBs are adequate for
transportation conformity purposes are
outlined in 40 CFR 93.118(e)(4). Please
note that an adequacy review is separate
from EPA’s completeness review, and it
also should not be used to prejudge
EPA’s ultimate approval of the SIP.
Even if we find a budget adequate, the
SIP could later be disapproved.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401–7671 q.
Dated: October 17, 2017.
Robert A. Kaplan,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 5.
[FR Doc. 2017–23685 Filed 10–30–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OA–2017–0600; FRL–9968–25–
OA]
Fast-41 Best Practices: Delegated
State Permitting Programs
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
AGENCY:
E:\FR\FM\31OCN1.SGM
31OCN1
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 209 / Tuesday, October 31, 2017 / Notices
Notice; request for public
comment.
ACTION:
On January 18, 2017, the
Federal Permitting Improvement
Steering Council, published
Recommended Best Practices for
Environmental Reviews and
Authorizations for Infrastructure
Projects, available at https://
www.permits.performance.gov. In
accordance with Section 41006 of the
Fixing America’s Surface Transportation
Act (FAST–41), the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking
public comment. Specifically, EPA is
seeking feedback on whether any of the
best practices are generally applicable
on a delegation or authorization-wide
basis to permitting under FAST–41.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before November 20, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments and
additional materials, identified by
docket EPA–HQ–OA–2017–0600 to the
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
Once submitted, comments cannot be
edited or removed from Regulations.gov.
The EPA may publish any comment
received to its public docket. Do not
submit electronically any information
you consider to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Multimedia
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be
accompanied by a written comment.
The written comment is considered the
official comment and should include
discussion of all points you wish to
make. The EPA will generally not
consider comments or comment
contents located outside of the primary
submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or
other file sharing system). For
additional submission methods, the full
EPA public comment policy,
information about CBI or multimedia
submissions, and general guidance on
making effective comments, please visit
https://www2.epa.gov/dockets/
commenting-epa-dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laura Gentile, Office of Policy, Mail
Code 1104–A, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460;
telephone number: 202–564–3158;
email address: gentile.laura@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FAST–41
seeks to enhance coordination and
transparency of Federal environmental
reviews and authorizations required
prior to construction of covered
infrastructure projects. This statute
applies specifically to authorizations
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:37 Oct 30, 2017
Jkt 244001
and environmental reviews which are
led by and/or issued by a Federal
agency. However, states may choose to
participate in the environmental review
and authorization process under FAST–
41. This statute only applies to ‘‘covered
projects’’ which 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A)
defines as:
The term ‘‘covered project’’ means any
activity in the United States that requires
authorization or environmental review by a
Federal agency involving construction of
infrastructure for renewable or conventional
energy production, electricity transmission,
surface transportation, aviation, ports and
waterways, water resource projects,
broadband, pipelines, manufacturing, or any
other sector as determined by a majority vote
of the Council that—
(i)(I) is subject to NEPA;
(II) is likely to require a total investment
of more than $200,000,000; and
(III) does not qualify for abbreviated
authorization or environmental review
processes under any applicable law; or
(ii) is subject to NEPA and the size and
complexity of which, in the opinion of the
Council, make the project likely to benefit
from enhanced oversight and coordination,
including a project likely to require—
(I) authorization from or environmental
review involving more than 2 Federal
agencies; or
(II) the preparation of an environmental
impact statement under NEPA.
FAST–41 required the establishment
of the Federal Permitting Improvement
Steering Council (FPISC) which is a
council that includes a chair and then
representatives of certain Federal
agencies, the Chairman of the Council
on Environmental Quality, and the
Director of the Office of Management
and Budget. Council agencies include
agencies that may be involved in
authorization or environmental review
of a covered project. The EPA is one
such agency and is represented on the
FPISC. Pursuant to FAST–41, the FPISC
is charged with issuing
recommendations on best practices to
support the goals of FAST–41. See, e.g.,
42 U.S.C. 4370m–1(c)(2)(B). In essence,
the best practices are aimed at
streamlining and improving the process
by which the Federal government
undertakes environmental reviews and
authorizations for covered projects.
States may voluntarily choose to
participate in the FAST–41 process and
make subject to the process all State
agencies that have jurisdiction, are
required to undertake a review or
analysis, or are required to make a
determination on issuing a permit,
license or other approval for a covered
project.
Current Request for Comment
On January 18, 2017, the FPISC
published a document titled,
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50419
Recommended Best Practices for
Environmental Reviews and
Authorizations for Infrastructure
Projects, which is available online at
https://www.permits.performance.gov.
This document identifies best practices
consistent with the FAST–41 guidelines
described in 42 U.S.C. 4370m–
1(c)(2)(B). Specifically, these best
practices regard:
42 U.S.C. 4370m–1(c)(2)(B)
‘‘(i) enhancing early stakeholder
engagement, including fully considering
and, as appropriate, incorporating
recommendations provided in public
comments on any proposed covered
project;
(ii) ensuring timely decisions
regarding environmental reviews and
authorizations, including through the
development of performance metrics;
(iii) improving coordination between
Federal and non-Federal governmental
entities, including through the
development of common data standards
and terminology across agencies;
(iv) increasing transparency;
(v) reducing information collection
requirements and other administrative
burdens on agencies, project sponsors,
and other interested parties;
(vi) developing and making available
to applicants appropriate geographic
information systems and other tools;
(vii) creating and distributing training
materials useful to Federal, State, tribal,
and local permitting officials; and
(viii) addressing other aspects of
infrastructure permitting, as determined
by the Council.’’
42 U.S.C. 4370m–1(c)(2)(B)
Under a number of federal
environmental laws, the EPA delegates,
approves, or authorizes state
governments to issue permits or other
authorizations under these laws. The
EPA has already taken a number of steps
related to best practices for delegated
and authorized state permitting
programs. These include establishing
minimum program requirements for
authorized and delegated programs
consistent with the underlying statutory
obligations.
In addition, the EPA regularly
communicates with delegated and
authorized programs regarding program
implementation and oversight. One
example of this is that in 2016, the EPA
initiated an agency-wide effort, with the
consultation and collaboration of
stakeholder associations throughout, to
articulate a common set of principles
and best practices for promoting the
efficiency and effectiveness of
delegated, authorized, and approved
state permitting programs. On August
E:\FR\FM\31OCN1.SGM
31OCN1
50420
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 209 / Tuesday, October 31, 2017 / Notices
30, 2016, the EPA formally transmitted
the final principles and best practices
for permitting to the Environmental
Council of the States. See Promoting
Environmental Program Health and
Integrity: Principles and Best Practices
for Oversight of State Permitting
Programs, available online at https://
www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/
2016-10/documents/principles_and_
best_practices_for_oversight_of_state_
permitting_programs.pdf. These best
practices and principles dovetail with
the FPISC’s best practices.
42 U.S.C. 4370m–5(a)(1)
Consistent with the EPA’s obligation
under 42 U.S.C. 4370m–5(a)(1), the EPA
is now seeking public comment to
determine whether and the extent to
which any of the best practices
identified by the FPISC are generally
applicable on a delegation- or
authorization-wide basis to permitting
under FAST–41. This document
satisfies EPA’s obligation under FAST–
41 to solicit public participation on the
FPISC best practices.
Authority: Public Law 114–94, div. D, title
XLI, sec. 41006(a)(1), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat.
1758.
Dated: October 25, 2017.
Samantha K. Dravis,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
The public meeting will be
held at the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, William Jefferson
Clinton (WJC) East Building, Rooms
1117A & B, 1201 Constitution Avenue
NW., Washington, DC 20460.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
more information about this meeting or
to request written materials, contact
Tracey Ward of the Office of Ground
Water and Drinking Water, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency; by
phone at 202–564–3796 or by email at
ward.tracey@epa.gov. For additional
information about the NDWAC meeting,
please visit https://water.epa.gov/drink/
ndwac/ or www.regulations.gov (search
for Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OW–2015–
0714).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Details
About Participating in the Meeting:
Teleconferencing will be available
during the meeting. The number of
teleconference connections available for
the meeting is limited and will be
offered on a first-come, first-served
basis. The teleconference number is (1)
866–299–3188; when prompted, enter
conference code 202 564–7347.
ADDRESSES:
Dated: October 23, 2017.
Peter Grevatt,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking
Water.
[FR Doc. 2017–23566 Filed 10–30–17; 8:45 am]
[FR Doc. 2017–23686 Filed 10–30–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[OMB 3060–1056]
[EPA–HQ–OW–2015–0714; FRL–9970–21–
OW]
Notice of a Public Meeting of the
National Drinking Water Advisory
Council
Federal Communications
Commission.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing
a public meeting of the National
Drinking Water Advisory Council
(NDWAC), as authorized under the Safe
Drinking Water Act. During this
meeting, the NDWAC will focus
discussions on developing
recommendations for the EPA
Administrator on Health Advisory
Communications.
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
The meeting on December 7,
2017, will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00
p.m., eastern time; and December 8,
2017, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, eastern
time.
DATES:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:37 Oct 30, 2017
Jkt 244001
Information Collection Being Reviewed
by the Federal Communications
Commission Under Delegated
Authority
As part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork burdens, and as
required by the Paperwork Reduction
Act (PRA), the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC or Commission)
invites the general public and other
Federal agencies to take this
opportunity to comment on the
following information collections.
Comments are requested concerning:
Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Commission, including whether the
information shall have practical utility;
the accuracy of the Commission’s
burden estimate; ways to enhance the
SUMMARY:
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Frm 00050
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information collected; ways to minimize
the burden of the collection of
information on the respondents,
including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology; and ways to
further reduce the information
collection burden on small business
concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
The FCC may not conduct or sponsor
a collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) control
number. No person shall be subject to
any penalty for failing to comply with
a collection of information subject to the
PRA that does not display a valid OMB
control number.
DATES: Written comments should be
submitted on or before January 2, 2018.
If you anticipate that you will be
submitting comments, but find it
difficult to do so within the period of
time allowed by this notice, you should
advise the contacts below as soon as
possible.
Direct all PRA comments to
Cathy Williams, FCC, via email PRA@
fcc.gov and to Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
additional information about the
information collection, contact Cathy
Williams at (202) 418–2918.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of
its continuing effort to reduce
paperwork burdens, and as required by
the PRA of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501–3520),
the FCC invites the general public and
other Federal agencies to take this
opportunity to comment on the
following information collections.
Comments are requested concerning:
Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Commission, including whether the
information shall have practical utility;
the accuracy of the Commission’s
burden estimate; ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information collected; ways to minimize
the burden of the collection of
information on the respondents,
including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology; and ways to
further reduce the information
collection burden on small business
concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
OMB Control No.: 3060–1056.
Title: Application for International
Broadcast Station License.
Form No.: FCC Form 421–IB.
Type of Review: Extension of a
currently approved information
collection.
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\31OCN1.SGM
31OCN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 209 (Tuesday, October 31, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50418-50420]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23686]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OA-2017-0600; FRL-9968-25-OA]
Fast-41 Best Practices: Delegated State Permitting Programs
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
[[Page 50419]]
ACTION: Notice; request for public comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On January 18, 2017, the Federal Permitting Improvement
Steering Council, published Recommended Best Practices for
Environmental Reviews and Authorizations for Infrastructure Projects,
available at https://www.permits.performance.gov. In accordance with
Section 41006 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST-
41), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public
comment. Specifically, EPA is seeking feedback on whether any of the
best practices are generally applicable on a delegation or
authorization-wide basis to permitting under FAST-41.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 20, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments and additional materials, identified by
docket EPA-HQ-OA-2017-0600 to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from
Regulations.gov. The EPA may publish any comment received to its public
docket. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose
disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio,
video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The written
comment is considered the official comment and should include
discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA will generally not
consider comments or comment contents located outside of the primary
submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or other file sharing system). For
additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment policy,
information about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general guidance
on making effective comments, please visit https://www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Gentile, Office of Policy, Mail
Code 1104-A, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-3158; email
address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FAST-41 seeks to enhance coordination and
transparency of Federal environmental reviews and authorizations
required prior to construction of covered infrastructure projects. This
statute applies specifically to authorizations and environmental
reviews which are led by and/or issued by a Federal agency. However,
states may choose to participate in the environmental review and
authorization process under FAST-41. This statute only applies to
``covered projects'' which 42 U.S.C. 4370m(6)(A) defines as:
The term ``covered project'' means any activity in the United
States that requires authorization or environmental review by a
Federal agency involving construction of infrastructure for
renewable or conventional energy production, electricity
transmission, surface transportation, aviation, ports and waterways,
water resource projects, broadband, pipelines, manufacturing, or any
other sector as determined by a majority vote of the Council that--
(i)(I) is subject to NEPA;
(II) is likely to require a total investment of more than
$200,000,000; and
(III) does not qualify for abbreviated authorization or
environmental review processes under any applicable law; or
(ii) is subject to NEPA and the size and complexity of which, in
the opinion of the Council, make the project likely to benefit from
enhanced oversight and coordination, including a project likely to
require--
(I) authorization from or environmental review involving more
than 2 Federal agencies; or
(II) the preparation of an environmental impact statement under
NEPA.
FAST-41 required the establishment of the Federal Permitting
Improvement Steering Council (FPISC) which is a council that includes a
chair and then representatives of certain Federal agencies, the
Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality, and the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget. Council agencies include agencies
that may be involved in authorization or environmental review of a
covered project. The EPA is one such agency and is represented on the
FPISC. Pursuant to FAST-41, the FPISC is charged with issuing
recommendations on best practices to support the goals of FAST-41. See,
e.g., 42 U.S.C. 4370m-1(c)(2)(B). In essence, the best practices are
aimed at streamlining and improving the process by which the Federal
government undertakes environmental reviews and authorizations for
covered projects.
States may voluntarily choose to participate in the FAST-41 process
and make subject to the process all State agencies that have
jurisdiction, are required to undertake a review or analysis, or are
required to make a determination on issuing a permit, license or other
approval for a covered project.
Current Request for Comment
On January 18, 2017, the FPISC published a document titled,
Recommended Best Practices for Environmental Reviews and Authorizations
for Infrastructure Projects, which is available online at https://www.permits.performance.gov. This document identifies best practices
consistent with the FAST-41 guidelines described in 42 U.S.C. 4370m-
1(c)(2)(B). Specifically, these best practices regard:
42 U.S.C. 4370m-1(c)(2)(B)
``(i) enhancing early stakeholder engagement, including fully
considering and, as appropriate, incorporating recommendations provided
in public comments on any proposed covered project;
(ii) ensuring timely decisions regarding environmental reviews and
authorizations, including through the development of performance
metrics;
(iii) improving coordination between Federal and non-Federal
governmental entities, including through the development of common data
standards and terminology across agencies;
(iv) increasing transparency;
(v) reducing information collection requirements and other
administrative burdens on agencies, project sponsors, and other
interested parties;
(vi) developing and making available to applicants appropriate
geographic information systems and other tools;
(vii) creating and distributing training materials useful to
Federal, State, tribal, and local permitting officials; and
(viii) addressing other aspects of infrastructure permitting, as
determined by the Council.''
42 U.S.C. 4370m-1(c)(2)(B)
Under a number of federal environmental laws, the EPA delegates,
approves, or authorizes state governments to issue permits or other
authorizations under these laws. The EPA has already taken a number of
steps related to best practices for delegated and authorized state
permitting programs. These include establishing minimum program
requirements for authorized and delegated programs consistent with the
underlying statutory obligations.
In addition, the EPA regularly communicates with delegated and
authorized programs regarding program implementation and oversight. One
example of this is that in 2016, the EPA initiated an agency-wide
effort, with the consultation and collaboration of stakeholder
associations throughout, to articulate a common set of principles and
best practices for promoting the efficiency and effectiveness of
delegated, authorized, and approved state permitting programs. On
August
[[Page 50420]]
30, 2016, the EPA formally transmitted the final principles and best
practices for permitting to the Environmental Council of the States.
See Promoting Environmental Program Health and Integrity: Principles
and Best Practices for Oversight of State Permitting Programs,
available online at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-10/documents/principles_and_best_practices_for_oversight_of_state_permitting_programs.pdf. These best practices and principles dovetail with the FPISC's
best practices.
42 U.S.C. 4370m-5(a)(1)
Consistent with the EPA's obligation under 42 U.S.C. 4370m-5(a)(1),
the EPA is now seeking public comment to determine whether and the
extent to which any of the best practices identified by the FPISC are
generally applicable on a delegation- or authorization-wide basis to
permitting under FAST-41. This document satisfies EPA's obligation
under FAST-41 to solicit public participation on the FPISC best
practices.
Authority: Public Law 114-94, div. D, title XLI, sec.
41006(a)(1), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1758.
Dated: October 25, 2017.
Samantha K. Dravis,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2017-23686 Filed 10-30-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P