Air Plan Approval; Connecticut; 1997 8-Hour Ozone Attainment Demonstration, 24259-24264 [2018-11199]

Agencies

• ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 102 (Friday, May 25, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24259-24264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-11199]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[EPA-R01-OAR-2018-0178; A-1-FRL-9978-28--Region 1]


Air Plan Approval; Connecticut; 1997 8-Hour Ozone Attainment 
Demonstration

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

[[Page 24260]]


ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing action 
on the ozone attainment portion of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) 
revision submitted by the State of Connecticut to meet the Clean Air 
Act (CAA) requirements for attaining the 1997 8-hour ozone national 
ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). The EPA is proposing to approve 
Connecticut's demonstration of attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone 
NAAQS for the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT 
moderate 1997 8-hour ozone nonattainment area (hereafter, the NY-NJ-CT 
area or the NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area). In addition, the EPA is 
proposing to approve Connecticut's reasonably available control 
measures (RACM) analysis. This action is being taken under the Clean 
Air Act.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before June 25, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R01-
OAR-2018-0178 at www.regulations.gov, or via email to 
[email protected]. For comments submitted at Regulations.gov, follow 
the online instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, 
comments cannot be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. For either 
manner of submission, 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, please contact the person 
identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. For the full 
EPA public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia 
submissions, and general guidance on making effective comments, please 
visit www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets. Publicly available 
docket materials are available at www.regulations.gov or at the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA New England Regional Office, 
Office of Ecosystem Protection, Air Quality Planning Unit, 5 Post 
Office Square--Suite 100 Boston, MA. EPA requests that if at all 
possible, you contact the contact listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section to schedule your inspection. The Regional Office's 
official hours of business are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., excluding legal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric Wortman, Air Permits, Toxics, and 
Indoor Programs Unit, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA New 
England Regional Office, 5 Post Office Square--Suite 100 (Mail Code 
OEP05-2), Boston, MA 02109-3912, phone number: (617) 918-1624, fax 
number: (617) 918-0624, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document whenever ``we,'' 
``us,'' or ``our'' is used, we mean EPA.

Table of Contents

I. What action is the EPA proposing?
II. What is the background for the EPA's proposed action?
    A. History of Connecticut's Ozone Attainment Demonstrations
    B. Moderate Nonattainment Area and Anti-Backsliding Requirements
III. What are we proposing to approve?
IV. What is the EPA's basis for proposing to approve the 1997 
attainment demonstration and RACM analysis?
    A. Air Quality Data and Attainment Determinations
    B. Components of the Modeled Attainment Demonstration
    C. The EPA's Evaluation
V. Proposed Action
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

I. What action is the EPA proposing?

    On August 8, 2017, Connecticut submitted comprehensive revisions to 
its SIP for the 8-hour ozone NAAQS. The SIP revisions included, among 
other things, an attainment demonstration for the Connecticut portion 
of the NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area for the 1997 and 2008 ozone NAAQS. 
The EPA's review of this material indicates that the NY-NJ-CT 
nonattainment area is attaining the 1997 ozone NAAQS. The EPA is 
proposing to approve the portion of the Connecticut SIP revision which 
demonstrates attainment of the 1997 ozone NAAQS. The EPA is also 
proposing to approve the associated RACM analysis for the same area. 
The EPA will address other components of the August 8, 2017 SIP 
submittal in separate forthcoming actions.
    The EPA is soliciting public comments on the issues discussed in 
this document or on other relevant matters. These comments will be 
considered before taking final action. Interested parties may 
participate in the Federal rulemaking procedure by submitting written 
comments to this proposed rule by following the instructions listed in 
the ADDRESSES section of this Federal Register document.

II. What is the background for the EPA's proposed action?

A. History of Connecticut Ozone Attainment Demonstrations

    In 1997, the EPA revised the health-based NAAQS for ozone, setting 
it at 0.08 (parts per million) ppm averaged over an 8-hour time frame. 
The EPA set the 8-hour ozone standard based on scientific evidence 
demonstrating that ozone causes adverse health effects at lower ozone 
concentrations and over longer periods of time than was understood when 
the pre-existing 1-hour ozone standard was set. EPA determined that the 
8-hour standard would be more protective of human health, especially 
with regard to children and adults who are active outdoors, and 
individuals with a pre-existing respiratory disease, such as asthma.
    On April 30, 2004 (69 FR 23858), the EPA finalized its attainment/
nonattainment designations for areas across the country with respect to 
the 1997 8-hour ozone standard of 0.08 ppm. These actions became 
effective on June 15, 2004. Among those nonattainment areas is the NY-
NJ-CT area. The NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area is composed of: Bergen, 
Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, 
Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren Counties in New Jersey; Bronx, 
Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, and 
Westchester Counties in New York; and Fairfield, Middlesex, and New 
Haven Counties in Connecticut. See 40 CFR 81.307, 81.331, and 81.333. 
In addition, the remaining five counties in Connecticut were also 
designated nonattainment, as the Greater Connecticut moderate ozone 
nonattainment area. See 40 CFR 81.307.
    Also, on April 30, 2004 (69 FR 23951), the EPA promulgated the 
Phase 1 8-hour ozone implementation rule which provided how areas 
designated nonattainment for the 1997 8-hour ozone standard would be 
classified. These designations triggered the CAA requirements under 
section 182(b) for moderate nonattainment areas, including a 
requirement to submit an attainment demonstration. The EPA's Phase 2 8-
hour ozone implementation rule (Phase 2 rule), published on November 
29, 2005 (70 FR 71612),

[[Page 24261]]

specifies that states must submit attainment demonstrations for their 
nonattainment areas to the EPA by no later than three years from the 
effective date of designation, that is, by June 15, 2007. See 40 CFR 
51.908(a). Subsequently, Connecticut submitted attainment 
demonstrations and associated SIP revisions for the Connecticut portion 
of the NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area and Greater Connecticut 
nonattainment area on February 1, 2008.
    Section 182(j) of the CAA requires each state within a multi-state 
ozone nonattainment area to specifically use photochemical grid 
modeling and take all reasonable steps to coordinate, substantively and 
procedurally, the revisions and implementation of SIPs applicable to 
the nonattainment area. Under this subsection of the CAA, the EPA may 
not approve any SIP revision for a State that fails to comply with 
these requirements. Among other things, Connecticut's February 1, 2008 
SIP submittal contained photochemical grid modeling to demonstrate 
attainment of the 1997 ozone NAAQS for the NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area. 
On May 8, 2009 (74 FR 21568), the EPA proposed to disapprove 
Connecticut's 8-hour ozone attainment demonstration for the NY-NJ-CT 
nonattainment area, because the EPA determined the photochemical 
modeling did not demonstrate attainment and the weight of evidence 
analysis that Connecticut used to support the attainment demonstration 
did not include sufficient evidence to provide confidence that the area 
would attain the 1997 ozone NAAQS by the June 15, 2010 deadline. The 
May 2009 proposal was never finalized.
    On June 18, 2012 (77 FR 36163), the EPA issued a clean data 
determination (CDD) for the NY-NJ-CT area with respect to the 1997 8-
hour ozone NAAQS and determined the area attained the 1997 standard by 
the June 15, 2010 attainment deadline. In a separate action, the EPA 
made a determination of attainment of the 1997 ozone NAAQS for the 
Greater Connecticut nonattainment area based on three years of 
monitoring data. See 75 FR 53219 (August 31, 2010). On May 9, 2013, the 
EPA proposed to approve the February 1, 2008 SIP submittal consisting 
of the ozone attainment demonstrations and RACM analysis for the 1997 
ozone NAAQS. See 78 FR 27161 (May 9, 2013). In this action, the EPA 
proposed to approve the demonstrations of attainment of the 1997 ozone 
standard and RACM analysis for Connecticut's portion of the NY-NJ-CT 
nonattainment area and the Greater Connecticut nonattainment area. On 
December 26, 2013, the EPA issued a final rule approving the portion of 
Connecticut's February 1, 2008 ozone attainment demonstration of the 
1997 ozone NAAQS and RACM analysis for the Greater Connecticut 
nonattainment area. See 78 FR 78272 (December 26, 2013). However, the 
May 2013 proposed approval for the NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area portion 
of the February 1, 2008 SIP submittal was never finalized.
    On March 12, 2008 (73 FR 16436), the EPA revised the ozone NAAQS to 
a level of 0.075 ppm to provide increased protection of public health 
and the environment. State and Federal emission reduction efforts 
adopted to meet the 1997 8-hour ozone standard continued with the 
implementation of the 2008 ozone NAAQS. On May 21, 2012 (77 FR 30088), 
the EPA designated as nonattainment any area that was violating the 
2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS based on the three most recent calendar years 
of air quality data. The NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area was designated as 
a marginal ozone nonattainment area for the 2008 ozone NAAQS. See 40 
CFR 81.307, 81.331, and 81.333. The boundaries of the 2008 ozone 
nonattainment area were identical to the 1997 ozone nonattainment area. 
As a result of its ``marginal'' classification, the area was required 
to attain the 2008 ozone standard by July 20, 2015 \1\ but was not 
required to submit an attainment demonstration for the 2008 ozone 
standard. 42 U.S.C. 7511a(a). Furthermore, the EPA again revised the 
ozone NAAQS in 2015, setting the level for both the primary and 
secondary NAAQS at 0.070 ppm. See 80 FR 65292 (October 26, 2015). On 
November 16, 2017, the EPA published a document in the Federal Register 
to establish area designations for the 2015 ozone NAAQS for 2,646 
counties as Attainment/Unclassifiable or Unclassifiable. See 82 FR 
54232 (November 16, 2017). The EPA responded to certain state and 
tribal area designation requests for the 2015 ozone NAAQS on or about 
December 20, 2017 and published a document in the Federal Register on 
January 5, 2018. See 83 FR 651 (January 5, 2018). On April 30, 2018, 
the EPA finalized designations for the 2015 ozone NAAQS for the 
remaining areas of the country, except for eight counties in the San 
Antonio, Texas area.\2\ At this time, the EPA has not finalized 
implementation guidelines for the 2015 ozone NAAQS.
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    \1\ The EPA originally established the attainment deadline to 
meet the 2008 ozone NAAQS to be December 31, 2015. See 77 FR 30167, 
May 21, 2012. Pursuant to a challenge of the EPA's interpretation of 
the attainment deadlines, on December 23, 2014, the D.C. Circuit 
issued a decision rejecting, among other things, the Classifications 
Rule's attainment deadlines for the 2008 ozone nonattainment areas. 
The court found that the EPA did not have statutory authority under 
the CAA to extend those deadlines to the end of the calendar year. 
NRDC v. EPA, 777 F.3d 456, 464-69 (D.C. Cir. 2014). Accordingly, as 
part of the final 2008 ozone NAAQS SIP Requirements Rule (See 80 FR 
12264, March 6, 2015), the EPA modified the maximum attainment dates 
for all nonattainment areas for the 2008 ozone NAAQS, consistent 
with the court's decision. The rule established a deadline for 
marginal attainment areas of 3 years from the effective date of the 
designation, or July 20, 2015 to attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS.
    \2\ Additional Information on the EPA's regulatory actions 
regarding designations for the 2015 ozone NAAQS is available on the 
EPA's website at www.epa.gov/ozone-designations/ozone-designations-regulatory-actions.
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    The June 18, 2012 CDD for the NY-NJ-CT area with respect to the 
1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS suspended the three states' obligations to 
submit attainment-related planning requirements, including the 
obligation to submit attainment demonstrations, RACM and reasonable 
further progress (RFP) plans, and contingency measures. On May 15, 2014 
(79 FR 27830), the EPA proposed to rescind this CDD for the area based 
on the fact that the area was no longer attaining the 1997 8-hour ozone 
standard based on 2010-2012 and 2011-2013 air quality data, and 
proposed a SIP Call for submittals from the three states of new ozone 
attainment demonstrations for the NY-NJ-CT area for the 1997 ozone 
NAAQS. The EPA also proposed that the states could opt to respond to 
the SIP Call for a new 1997 ozone NAAQS attainment demonstration by 
requesting a voluntary reclassification, or ``bump-up'', to moderate 
nonattainment for the 2008 ozone NAAQS (See CAA section 181(b)(3)) and 
submit an attainment demonstration for the more stringent 2008 
standard. Before taking final action on the rescission of the CDD for 
the NY-NJ-CT area, the EPA issued a proposal on August 27, 2015 to 
determine, among other things, that the NY-NJ-CT area failed to attain 
the 2008 NAAQS by the applicable attainment deadline of July 20, 2015. 
See 80 FR 51992 (August 27, 2015). The EPA also determined that the 
area was not eligible for a 1-year attainment date extension because 
the 4th highest daily maximum 8-hour average for at least one monitor 
in the area was greater than 0.075 ppm for 2014, the year preceding the 
attainment year.
    On May 4, 2016, the EPA finalized the determination that the NY-NJ-
CT nonattainment area failed to attain the 2008 standard by the 
Marginal nonattainment area attainment date of July 20, 2015, and 
reclassified the area to moderate for that standard by

[[Page 24262]]

operation of law in accordance with CAA section 181(b)(2)(A). See 81 FR 
26697 (May 4, 2016). The action also finalized the proposed rescission 
of the CDD for the NY-NJ-CT area with respect to the 1997 ozone NAAQS, 
and also finalized the accompanying SIP Call. The SIP Call found that 
the SIPs for New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut were substantially 
inadequate for demonstrating attainment of the 1997 standard and 
required the three states to submit new attainment plans. Since the 
area was reclassified by operation of law, the option to request a 
voluntary reclassification under section 182(b)(2)(A) of the CAA was 
eliminated. However, the EPA determined that the three affected states 
could meet their obligations under the SIP Call for the 1997 ozone 
NAAQS with their moderate nonattainment area SIP submittal for the 2008 
standard. The EPA explained that because the 2008 standard is more 
stringent than the 1997 standard, the area would necessarily attain the 
1997 standard once the area adopted a control strategy designed to 
achieve the tighter standard. Moreover, where state planning resources 
were constrained, those resources were better used focused on attaining 
the more stringent standard. The deadline for submitting the moderate 
nonattainment area SIP revisions for the 2008 standard was January 1, 
2017. Connecticut submitted a combined attainment demonstration and 
RACM analysis for the 1997 and 2008 ozone standards for the Connecticut 
portion of the NY-NJ-CT area on August 8, 2017.

B. Moderate Nonattainment Area and Anti-Backsliding Requirements

    The EPA's November 29, 2005 Phase 2 ozone implementation rule 
addresses, among other things, the control obligations that apply to 
areas designated nonattainment for the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS. The 
Phase 1 and Phase 2 ozone implementation rules outline the SIP 
requirements and deadlines for various requirements in areas designated 
as moderate nonattainment. For such areas, modeling and attainment 
demonstrations with projection year emission inventories were due by 
June 15, 2007, along with RFP plans, RACM, motor vehicle emissions 
budgets and contingency measures (40 CFR 51.908(a) and (c), 51.910, 
51.912). In addition, moderate nonattainment areas were also required 
to submit a reasonably available control technology (RACT) SIP. 
Connecticut submitted an initial attainment demonstration for the 1997 
ozone NAAQS for the Connecticut portion of the NY-NJ-CT area on 
February 1, 2008. Although the EPA did not take final action on the 
February 1, 2008 attainment demonstration for the 1997 ozone NAAQS for 
the Connecticut portion of the NJ-NJ-CT area, the EPA approved 
Connecticut's RFP plan and 2002 Base Year Emission Inventories in 2012, 
as well as the 2008 motor vehicle emission budgets and contingency 
measures associated with the RFP plan. See 77 FR 50595 (August 22, 
2012). The EPA approved Connecticut's RACT submittals in 2013 and 2014. 
See 78 FR 38587 (July 9, 2013) and 79 FR 32873 (July 9, 2014).
    In the 2008 ozone NAAQS SIP Requirements rule, the EPA revoked the 
1997 ozone NAAQS for all purposes and established anti-backsliding 
requirements for that NAAQS, which include submittal of an attainment 
demonstration. See 80 FR 12296 (March 6, 2015).\3\ The EPA retained a 
listing of the designated areas for the revoked 1997 NAAQS in 40 CFR 
part 81, for identifying anti-backsliding requirements that may apply 
to those areas. Accordingly, in an area designated nonattainment for 
the 2008 ozone NAAQS and nonattainment for the 1997 ozone NAAQS, as is 
the case with the NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area, Connecticut was 
obligated to implement the applicable requirements set forth in 40 CFR 
51.1100(o), including the requirement to submit an attainment 
demonstration.
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    \3\ In South Coast Air Quality Management District v. EPA, the 
D.C. Circuit vacated a number of provisions in the 2008 Ozone SIP 
Requirements Rule, but that decision did not affect the rule's anti-
backsliding requirement to submit an attainment demonstration for 
the 1997 ozone NAAQS. South Coast Air Quality Management District v. 
EPA, No. 15-1115 (D.C. Cir. February 16, 2018).
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III. What are we proposing to approve?

    On February 1, 2008, Connecticut submitted a SIP revision that 
included, among other things, an ozone attainment demonstration for the 
1997 8-hour ozone standard and RACM analysis for the Connecticut 
portion of the NY-NJ-CT area. On August 8, 2017, Connecticut submitted 
comprehensive revisions to the SIP to satisfy the May 4, 2016 SIP Call. 
The SIP submittal included an ozone attainment demonstration for the 
2008 ozone standard for the Connecticut portion of the NY-NJ-CT area, 
which also served as an ozone attainment demonstration for the revoked 
1997 ozone NAAQS per the SIP Call. Connecticut's August 8, 2017 
submittal also included 2011 base year emission inventories, RFP plans, 
RACM analysis, motor vehicle emission budgets and contingency measures.
    This proposed action addresses Connecticut's demonstrations of 
attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard and associated RACM 
analysis for the Connecticut portion of the NY-NJ-CT area, submitted by 
Connecticut on February 1, 2008 and August 8, 2017. The EPA is taking 
separate action on the 2011 base year emission inventories, RFP plans, 
motor vehicle emission budgets, and contingency measures submitted as 
part of the August 8, 2017 SIP revisions in a forthcoming Federal 
Register document.

IV. What is the EPA's basis for proposing to approve the 1997 
attainment demonstration and RACM analysis?

A. Air Quality Data and Attainment Determinations

    Under the regulations at 40 CFR part 50, the 1997 ozone NAAQS is 
attained at a monitoring site when the three-year average of the annual 
fourth highest daily maximum 8-hour average ambient air quality ozone 
concentration is less than or equal to 0.08 ppm. This three-year 
average is referred to as the design value. When the design value is 
less than or equal to 0.08 ppm at each ambient air quality monitoring 
site within a nonattainment area, then the area is deemed to be meeting 
the 1997 standard. According to 40 CFR part 50, Appendix I, the number 
of significant figures in the level of the standard dictates the 
rounding convention for comparing the computed 3-year average annual 
fourth-highest daily maximum 8-hour average ozone concentration with 
the level of the standard. The third decimal place of the computed 
value is rounded, with values equal to or greater than 5 rounding up. 
Thus, a computed 3-year average ozone concentration of 0.085 ppm is the 
lowest value that is greater than 0.08 ppm.
    On May 23, 2017, Connecticut submitted an exceptional events 
demonstration \4\ claiming that emissions from a 2016 wildfire near 
Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada caused elevated ozone levels at air 
quality monitors throughout Connecticut, exceeding the 8-hour ozone 
NAAQS at four monitoring stations on May 25 and 26, 2016. The ozone 
concentrations exceeded the 2015 ozone NAAQS at all four of the 
monitoring locations, and in some cases exceeded the 1997 and 2008 
ozone NAAQS. One of the monitoring locations, the Westport monitoring

[[Page 24263]]

station, is located in the NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area. The EPA 
concurred on Connecticut's exceptional events demonstration on July 31, 
2017, finding that Connecticut demonstrated a clear causal relationship 
between the Fort McMurray wildfire and the ozone exceedances at the 
Westport monitoring station on May 25 and 26, 2016, and that wildfires 
are natural events that are not reasonably preventable and not 
reasonably controllable.\5\ As a result of the EPA's concurrence, the 
2014-2016 design value at the Westport monitoring location was reduced 
from 0.085 ppm to 0.083 ppm, and the NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area 
therefore attained the 1997 ozone NAAQS.
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    \4\ Connecticut's exceptional event demonstration was submitted 
in accordance with the revised Exceptional Events Rule found in 
Sec. Sec.  50.14 and 51.930 of 40 CFR parts 50 and 51. See 81 FR 
68216 (October 3, 2016).
    \5\ The EPA's concurrence on an exceptional events demonstration 
is a preliminary step in the regulatory process for actions that may 
rely on the dataset containing the event-influenced data and does 
not constitute final Agency action. This proposed approval of 
Connecticut's attainment demonstration is a regulatory action 
affected by exclusion of the ozone data for May 25 and 26, 2016. The 
EPA is publishing this document of its proposed action in the 
Federal Register. The EPA's concurrence letter and accompanying 
technical support document on the exceptional events demonstration, 
as well as the exceptional events demonstration submitted by 
Connecticut, are included in the docket as part of the technical 
basis for this proposal.
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    The EPA has reviewed the 8-hour ozone ambient air quality 
monitoring data for the 2014-2016 monitoring period for the NY-NJ-CT 
area, as recorded in the EPA's Air Quality System (AQS) database. Air 
quality monitoring data from each year for 2014-2016 has been certified 
by Connecticut, New Jersey and New York in accordance with 40 CFR 
58.15, and AQS reflects this. Based on that review, the EPA has 
concluded that the NY-NJ-CT area has a 2014-2016 design value of 0.083 
ppm \6\ and is in attainment for the 1997 ozone NAAQS.\7\ Certified 
data for 2017 in the NY-NJ-CT area and the 2015-2017 design value are 
consistent with continued attainment. The EPA has a continuing 
obligation to review the air quality data each year to determine 
whether areas are meeting the NAAQS and will continue to conduct that 
review in the future after data is complete, quality-assured, certified 
and submitted to the EPA.
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    \6\ The regulations at 40 CFR part 50, Appendix I specify that 
the design value shall be based on three consecutive, complete 
calendar years of air quality monitoring data. This requirement is 
met for the three-year period at a monitoring site if daily maximum 
8-hour average concentrations are available for at least 90%, on 
average, of the days during the designated ozone monitoring season, 
with a minimum data completeness in any one year of at least 75% of 
the designated sampling days. Air quality monitoring data for 2016 
does not meet the completeness criteria in 40 CFR part 50 and the 
EPA has not conducted a missing data analysis. This action is not 
making a formal determination of attainment or clean data 
determination.
    \7\ The 2014-2016 design values are available on the EPA's 
website at: www.epa.gov/air-trends/air-quality-design-values#report.
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    As previously discussed, Connecticut submitted an attainment 
demonstration and RACM analysis for the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS for the 
Connecticut portion of the NY-NJ-CT area on February 1, 2008. On June 
18, 2012 (77 FR 36163), the EPA determined the area had attained the 
standard by the June 15, 2010 attainment deadline and issued a CDD for 
the NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area. The CDD suspended Connecticut's 
obligation to submit attainment-related planning requirements, 
including the obligation to submit attainment demonstrations. The EPA 
rescinded the CDD on May 4, 2016 based on the fact that the area was no 
longer attaining the standard, and issued a SIP Call for a new 
attainment demonstration for the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS for the NY-NJ-
CT area. As previously discussed, the EPA determined that the 
submission of a moderate nonattainment area attainment plan for the 
more stringent 2008 ozone NAAQS would satisfy the SIP Call for the NY-
NJ-CT area in relation to the 1997 ozone standard. Connecticut 
submitted a combined attainment demonstration and RACM analysis for the 
1997 and 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS on August 8, 2017.
    Section 110(k)(2) of the CAA requires the EPA to take action on any 
administratively complete SIP revision submittal within 12 months of 
the SIP being deemed complete. Although the June 2012 CDD temporarily 
suspended Connecticut's obligation to submit an attainment 
demonstration and RACM analysis, it did not suspend the EPA's 
obligation to take action on the February 1, 2008 SIP submittal. The 
EPA is proposing to take such final action in this document. This 
proposed rulemaking is intended to address EPA's obligations to act on 
Connecticut's attainment demonstration and RACM analysis for the 
State's portion of the NY-NJ-CT area submitted on February 1, 2008, and 
also is intended to approve the portion of the August 8, 2017 SIP 
submittal regarding the updated attainment demonstration and RACM 
analysis for the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS for the Connecticut portion of 
the NY-NJ-CT area.

B. Components of the Modeled Attainment Demonstration

    Section 110(a)(2)(k) of the Act requires states to prepare air 
quality modeling to demonstrate how they will meet ambient air quality 
standards. The SIP must demonstrate that the ``measures, rules, and 
regulations contained in it are adequate to provide for the timely 
attainment and maintenance of the national standard.'' See 40 CFR 
51.112(a). The EPA determined that states must use photochemical grid 
modeling, or any other analytical method determined by the 
Administrator to be at least as effective, to demonstrate attainment of 
the ozone health-based standard in areas classified as ``moderate'' or 
above, and to do so by the required attainment date. See 40 CFR 
51.908(c). The EPA requires an attainment demonstration using air 
quality modeling that meets the EPA's guidelines. The model analysis 
can be supplemented by a ``weight of evidence'' analysis in which the 
state can use a variety of information to enhance the conclusions 
reached by the photochemical model analysis. In the case of the August 
8, 2017 submittal for the Connecticut portion of the NY-NJ-CT area, the 
weight of evidence also included monitoring evidence that the area 
design value is attaining the 1997 standard. The EPA has determined 
that the photochemical grid modeling conducted by the State is 
consistent with the EPA's guidelines and the model performed 
acceptably. See 40 CFR 51.908(c).

C. The EPA's Evaluation

    In its attainment demonstration, Connecticut included results from 
the Ozone Transport Commission's (OTC's) SIP air quality modeling as 
well as EPA's modeling study used in support of the final update to the 
Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR Update).8 9 The model 
used by the OTC was the Community Multi-scale Air Quality Model version 
5.0.2 (CMAQ) and the model used by EPA in the CSAPR Update was the 
Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions version 6.2 (CAMx). 
Each of these models is a photochemical grid model capable of 
simulating ozone production on a regional or national scale. Both the 
OTC CMAQ model and the EPA's CAMx model projected 2017 design value 
results that all air quality monitors in Southwest Connecticut will 
attain the 1997 ozone NAAQS in 2017. In addition, modeling results 
predict all monitors in the NY-NJ-CT

[[Page 24264]]

nonattainment area will attain the 1997 ozone NAAQS in 2017.\10\
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    \8\ The OTC modeling results are available in the ``Technical 
Support Document for the 2011 Ozone Transport Commission/Mid-
Atlantic Northeastern Visibility Union Modeling Platform'', November 
15, 2016 in the docket for this action.
    \9\ The EPA's final rule titled Cross-State Air Pollution Rule 
Update for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS was published in the Federal 
Register on October 26, 2016. See 81 FR 74504 (October 26, 2016).
    \10\ The OTC CMAQ and EPA CAMx modeling results for all monitors 
in the NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area predict all monitors will attain 
the 1997 NAAQS in 2017. In addition, the OTC CMAQ modeling analysis 
was used to demonstrate attainment with the 1997 ozone NAAQS in the 
November 2017 attainment demonstration submitted by the New York 
Department of Conservation and the December 2017 attainment 
demonstration submitted by the New Jersey Department of 
Environmental Protection.
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    In summary, the photochemical grid modeling used by Connecticut in 
its August 8, 2017 SIP submittal to demonstrate attainment of the 1997 
ozone NAAQS meets the EPA's guidelines and is acceptable to the EPA. 
Air quality monitoring data for 2014-2016 also demonstrates attainment 
of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard throughout the NY-NJ-CT area. The 
purpose of the attainment demonstration is to demonstrate how, through 
enforceable and approvable emission reductions, an area will meet the 
standard by the attainment date. The purpose of the RACM analysis is to 
show that the State has considered all reasonable available control 
measures to achieve attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. All 
necessary ozone control measures have already been adopted, submitted, 
approved and implemented. Based on (1) the State following the EPA's 
modeling guidance, (2) the modeled attainment of 1997 standard, (3) the 
air quality monitoring data for 2014-2016, and (4) the implemented SIP-
approved control measures, the EPA is proposing to approve the 
attainment demonstration and RACM analysis for the 1997 ozone NAAQS for 
the Connecticut portion of the NY-NJ-CT area. The EPA is not taking 
action on the attainment demonstration and RACM analysis for the 2008 
ozone NAAQS at this time.

V. Proposed Action

    The EPA has evaluated the information provided by Connecticut and 
has considered all other information it deems relevant to attainment of 
the 1997 8-hour ozone standard, i.e., statewide RACT analysis approval, 
RFP plan approvals, continued attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone 
standard based on quality assured and certified monitoring data, and 
the implementation of the more stringent 2008 8-hour ozone standard. 
The EPA is therefore proposing to approve the attainment demonstration 
and RACM analysis for the Connecticut portion of the NY-NJ-CT area for 
the 1997 ozone NAAQS. This proposed rulemaking is intended to address 
the EPA's obligations to act on Connecticut's February 1, 2008 SIP 
revision for the 1997 ozone NAAQS, as well as the attainment 
demonstration and RACM analysis portion of the August 8, 2017 SIP 
submittal for the 1997 ozone NAAQS for the Connecticut portion of the 
NY-NJ-CT area.
    EPA is soliciting public comments on the issues discussed in this 
proposal or on other relevant matters. These comments will be 
considered before EPA takes final action. Interested parties may 
participate in the Federal rulemaking procedure by submitting comments 
to this proposed rule by following the instructions listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this Federal Register document.

VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

    Under the Clean Air Act, the Administrator is required to approve a 
SIP submission that complies with the provisions of the Act and 
applicable Federal regulations. 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a). 
Thus, in reviewing SIP submissions, EPA's role is to approve state 
choices, provided that they meet the criteria of the Clean Air Act. 
Accordingly, this proposed action merely approves state law as meeting 
Federal requirements and does not impose additional requirements beyond 
those imposed by state law. For that reason, this proposed action:
     Is not a significant regulatory action subject to review 
by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Orders 12866 (58 
FR 51735, October 4, 1993) and 13563 (76 FR 3821, January 21, 2011);
     Is not expected to be an Executive Order 13771 regulatory 
action because this action is not significant under Executive Order 
12866.
     Does not impose an information collection burden under the 
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
     Is certified as not having a significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
     Does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or 
uniquely affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4);
     Does not have Federalism implications as specified in 
Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999);
     Is not an economically significant regulatory action based 
on health or safety risks subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 
19885, April 23, 1997);
     Is not a significant regulatory action subject to 
Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001);
     Is not subject to requirements of section 12(d) of the 
National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 
note) because application of those requirements would be inconsistent 
with the Clean Air Act; and
     Does not provide EPA with the discretionary authority to 
address, as appropriate, disproportionate human health or environmental 
effects, using practicable and legally permissible methods, under 
Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).
    In addition, the SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian 
reservation land or in any other area where EPA or an Indian tribe has 
demonstrated that a tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian 
country, the rule does not have tribal implications and will not impose 
substantial direct costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law as 
specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by 
reference, Intergovernmental relations, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, 
Particulate matter, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Volatile 
organic compounds.

    Dated: May 17, 2018.
Alexandra Dunn,
Regional Administrator, EPA Region 1.
[FR Doc. 2018-11199 Filed 5-24-18; 8:45 am]
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