Air Plan Approval; NC; Miscellaneous Revisions, 56773-56775 [2018-24819]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 220 / Wednesday, November 14, 2018 / Proposed Rules
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 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 proposed 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, Hydrocarbons,
Incorporation by reference,
Intergovernmental relations, Reporting
and recordkeeping requirements,
Volatile organic compounds.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
Dated: November 5, 2018.
Anne Idsal,
Regional Administrator, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 2018–24658 Filed 11–13–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA–R04–OAR–2018–0419; FRL–9986–48–
Region 4]
portions of State Implementation Plan
(SIP) revisions provided by the State of
North Carolina through the North
Carolina Division of Air Quality
(NCDAQ) in letters dated June 5, 2017,
and August 22, 2017. The submissions
revise several regulations concerning
nitrogen oxides, emission control
standards, monitoring, and reporting
requirements. EPA is proposing to
approve these provisions of the SIP
revisions because these changes are
consistent with the Clean Air Act (CAA
or Act) and federal regulations.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before December 5, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R04–
OAR–2018–0419 at https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
Once submitted, comments cannot be
edited or removed from Regulations.gov.
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. 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:
Richard Wong, Air Regulatory
Management Section, Air Planning and
Implementation Branch, Air, Pesticides
and Toxics Management Division, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta,
Georgia 30303–8960. The telephone
number is (404) 562–8726. Mr. Wong
can also be reached via electronic mail
at wong.richard@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
I. Background
NCDAQ submitted SIP revisions
through letters dated June 5, 2017 and
August 22, 2017 to EPA for review and
approval into the North Carolina SIP.1
North Carolina’s SIP revisions include
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve
1 The SIP revisions were received by EPA on June
5, 2017 and September 6, 2017, respectively.
Air Plan Approval; NC; Miscellaneous
Revisions
AGENCY:
SUMMARY:
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56773
multiple changes to its air quality rules,
under subchapter 15A NCAC 2D,
specifically at Section .1404,
‘‘Recordkeeping: Reporting:
Monitoring,’’ Section .0542, ‘‘Control of
Particulate Emissions from Cotton
Ginning Operations,’’ Section .0606,
‘‘Sources Covered by Appendix P of 40
CFR part 51,’’ and Section .0608, ‘‘Other
Large Coal or Residue Oil Burners.’’
EPA is not taking action on Section
.0535, ‘‘Excess Emissions Reporting and
Malfunctions’’ which is included in the
changes in the August 22, 2017 SIP
revision. EPA will address revisions to
Section .0535 in a separate action.
II. Analysis of the State’s Submittals
A. June 5, 2017 SIP Submittal
The June 5, 2017 submission revises
North Carolina’s nitrogen oxides (NOX)
Rule Section .1404, ‘‘Recordkeeping:
Reporting: Monitoring’’ through several
iterations.2 The State previously
submitted the changes as four separate
submissions.3 North Carolina took these
rule changes to hearings on May 21,
2001, June 5, 2001, June 22, 2005, and
November 11, 2007. NCDAQ
subsequently withdrew and resubmitted
these changes in a comprehensive
submission. The revision that became
state-effective on July 15, 2002, made
minor and clarifying changes to
subsections (a) ‘‘General requirements,’’
(b) ‘‘Submittal of information to show
compliance status,’’ (c) ‘‘Excess
emissions reporting,’’ (d) ‘‘Continuous
emissions monitors,’’ (f) ‘‘Missing data,’’
(g) ‘‘Interim report for large sources,’’ (h)
‘‘Recordkeeping and reporting
requirements for large sources,’’ and (i)
‘‘Averaging time for continuous
emissions monitors.’’ Clarifying edits
consisted of clarifying that records
2 NO Rule section .1404 was originally
X
submitted to EPA as part of the State’s NOX Budget
and Allowance Trading Program in response to
EPA’s regulation entitled ‘‘Finding of Significant
Contribution and Rulemaking for Certain States in
the Ozone Transport Assessment Group Region for
Purposes of Reducing Regional Transport of
Ozone,’’ otherwise known as the NOX SIP Call.
3 The June 5, 2017, cover letter requested
withdrawal for submissions or portions of
submissions dated August 14, 2002, October 14,
2004, March 24, 2006, and November 19, 2008, with
state effective dates July 15, 2002, May 1, 2004,
November 1, 2005, and January 1, 2009,
respectively. Through a separate rulemaking on
May 9, 2013, EPA took final action on portions of
the October 14, 2004 submission approving some
revisions, including those for section .1404, and
conditionally approving other revisions. See 78 FR
27065. Additionally, the State previously submitted
a revision to Section .1404 on December 14, 2004,
and EPA finalized the rulemaking approving that
revision on August 22, 2008 (73 FR 49613). Finally,
the State previously submitted a revision to Section
.1404 on December 27, 2002, and EPA finalized the
rulemaking approving that revision on December
27, 2002. See 67 FR 78987.
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 220 / Wednesday, November 14, 2018 / Proposed Rules
needed to be maintained for five years
and changing ‘‘a’’ to ‘‘the’’ and ‘‘Rule’’
to ‘‘Rules.’’ Changes were also made to
remove an exception for seasonal excess
emission reporting because the
referenced rules were previously
repealed by the State and approved by
EPA. The submission makes a change
that prescribes a requirement for
continuous emission monitoring for
sources covered under Section .1418,
‘‘New Electric Generating Units, Large
Boilers, and Large I/C Engines.’’ Lastly,
the SIP revision makes minor
typographical changes throughout. EPA
is proposing to approve these revisions
because the minor typographical and
clarifying changes do not relax or alter
the meaning of the rule and the other
revision pertaining to a requirement for
continuous emissions monitoring for
sources covered under Section .1418 is
SIP-strengthening and is consistent with
the requirements of the CAA and federal
regulations.4
The revision that became stateeffective on November 1, 2005, removed
the interim reporting requirements for
large sources and retained the annual
requirement where sources must report
NOX emissions no later than October 30.
The revision that became state-effective
on January 1, 2009, also made minor
changes that consisted of changing ‘‘a’’
to ‘‘the,’’ renumbering the
subparagraphs and removing references
to repealed rules, including sections
.1416, ‘‘Emission Allocations for Utility
Companies,’’ .1417, ‘‘Emission
Allocations for Large Combustion
Sources,’’ and .1419, ‘‘Nitrogen Oxide
Budget Trading Program.’’ 5 EPA is
proposing to approve these changes
because the minor changes do not relax
or alter the meaning of the rule and the
other revision pertaining to the date for
the end of season reporting requirement
is consistent with the requirements of
the CAA and federal regulations.
B. August 22, 2017, SIP Submittal
The August 22, 2017 submission
revises Sections .0542, ‘‘Control of
Particulate Emissions from Cotton
Ginning Operations,’’ .0606, ‘‘Sources
Covered by Appendix P of 40 CFR part
51,’’ and .0608, ‘‘Other Large Coal or
Residual Oil Burners.’’ The SIP revision
makes minor and clarifying edits
throughout the three rules. The changes
in Section .0542 remove obsolete past
due dates for Emission Control
Requirements and provide clarification
edits under paragraph (c)—
4 40 CFR 51.121–5.122 (NO SIP Call regulations)
X
and 40 CFR part 75 (Continuous Emissions
Monitoring).
5 EPA approved the repeal of these provisions on
May 9, 2013. See 78 FR 27065.
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Applicability, paragraph (d)—Emission
Control Requirements and paragraph
(e)—Raincaps. Clarifying edits consisted
of renumbering and removing references
to obsolete control dates and were also
made under paragraph (g)—Fugitive
Emissions and paragraph (l)—Reporting.
The changes in Sections .0606 and .0608
are minor and revise references to
another rule in the same subchapter for
fuel analysis for sulfur dioxide emitting
sources without continuous emissions
monitoring. EPA is proposing to
approve these changes because the
minor and clarifying changes do not
relax or alter the meaning of the rule.
III. Incorporation by Reference
In this rulemaking, EPA is proposing
to include in a final EPA rule regulatory
text that includes incorporation by
reference. In accordance with
requirements of 1 CFR 51.5, EPA is
proposing to incorporate by reference
under subchapter 2D, Section .1404,
‘‘Recordkeeping: Reporting:
Monitoring,’’ effective January 1, 2009,6
which clarifies the rule by updating
quality assurance, recordkeeping and
reporting requirements and provisions
for heat input calculations and removes
references to repealed rules. EPA is
proposing to incorporate by reference
under subchapter 2D Section .0542,
‘‘Control of Particulate Emissions from
Cotton Ginning Operations,’’ Section
.0606, ‘‘Sources Covered by Appendix P
of 40 CFR part 51,’’ and Section .0608,
‘‘Other Large Coal or Residue Oil
Burners,’’ effective June 1, 2008, which
makes minor and clarifying changes,
updates rule references, and removes
obsolete controls and dates. EPA has
made, and will continue to make, these
materials generally available through
www.regulations.gov and at the EPA
Region 4 office (please contact the
person identified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
preamble for more information).
IV. Proposed Action
EPA is proposing to approve the
aforementioned changes to the North
Carolina SIP, submitted on June 5, 2017,
and August 22, 2017 because they are
consistent with the CAA and federal
regulations.
V. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
Under the CAA, the Administrator is
required to approve a SIP submission
that complies with the provisions of the
6 January 1, 2009 is the most recent state effective
date of subchapter 2D, Section .1404,
‘‘Recordkeeping: Reporting: Monitoring,’’ and it
reflects the exact version of the text of .1404 that
EPA is proposing to approve into the SIP.
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Sfmt 4702
Act and applicable Federal regulations.
See 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 CAA. These actions merely propose
to approve state law as meeting Federal
requirements and does not impose
additional requirements beyond those
imposed by state law. For that reason,
these proposed actions:
• Are 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);
• Are not an Executive Order 13771
(82 FR 9339, February 2, 2017)
regulatory action because SIP approvals
are exempted under Executive Order
12866;
• Do not impose an information
collection burden under the provisions
of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
• Are 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.);
• Do 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);
• Do not have Federalism
implications as specified in Executive
Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10,
1999);
• Are not an economically significant
regulatory action based on health or
safety risks subject to Executive Order
13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997);
• Are not a significant regulatory
action subject to Executive Order 13211
(66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001);
• Are 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 CAA; and
• Do 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).
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 as specified by Executive
Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9,
2000), nor will it impose substantial
E:\FR\FM\14NOP1.SGM
14NOP1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 220 / Wednesday, November 14, 2018 / Proposed Rules
direct costs on tribal governments or
preempt tribal law.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air
pollution control, Carbon monoxide,
Incorporation by reference,
Intergovernmental relations, Nitrogen
dioxide, Ozone, Particulate matter,
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Sulfur oxides, Volatile
organic compounds.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
Dated: November 6, 2018.
Onis ‘‘Trey’’ Glenn, III,
Regional Administrator, Region 4.
[FR Doc. 2018–24819 Filed 11–13–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA–R05–OAR–2018–0369 FRL–9986–29–
Region 5]
Air Plan Approval; Ohio; Ohio Less
Than 10 TPY BAT Exemption
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve,
under the Clean Air Act (CAA),
revisions to Ohio’s State
Implementation Plan (SIP) as requested
by the Ohio Environmental Protection
Agency (OEPA) on May 22, 2018. OEPA
has submitted, for approval, revisions
that exempt sources that emit less than
10 tons per year (tpy) from the need to
employ Best Available Technology
(BAT). EPA is proposing to approve
these revisions because they are
consistent with Federal regulations
governing state permit programs.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before December 14, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R05–
OAR–2018–0369 at https://
www.regulations.gov, or via email to
damico.genevieve@epa.gov. 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, 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
SUMMARY:
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18:15 Nov 13, 2018
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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. 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
https://www2.epa.gov/dockets/
commenting-epa-dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Richard Angelbeck, Environmental
Scientist, Air Permits Section, Air
Programs Branch (AR–18J),
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard,
Chicago, Illinois 60604, (312) 886–9698,
angelbeck.richard@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Throughout this document whenever
‘‘we,’’ ‘‘us,’’ or ‘‘our’’ is used, we mean
EPA. This supplementary information
section is arranged as follows:
I. What revisions did OEPA submit?
II. Do the revisions comply with section
110(l) of the Clean Air Act?
III. What action is EPA taking?
IV. Incorporation by Reference
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. What revisions did OEPA submit?
On May 22, 2018, OEPA submitted a
SIP revision to Ohio Administrative
Code (OAC) rule 3745–31–
05(A)(3)(a)(ii), which is its BAT rule.
This revision exempts the smaller
emitting sources, those that emit less
than 10 tpy of each criteria pollutant,
from the need to employ BAT. OEPA’s
less than 10 tpy BAT exemption is
currently in OEPA’s OAC 3745–31–
05(A)(3)(a)(ii) and reads: ‘‘BAT is not
required if the air contaminant source
was installed or modified on or after
August 3, 2006 and has the potential to
emit (PTE), taking into account air
pollution controls installed on the
source, less than ten tons per year of
emissions of an air contaminant or
precursor of an air contaminant for
which a national ambient air quality
standard has been adopted under the
Clean Air Act.’’
Ohio’s Federally approved
construction program, OAC 3745–31
(‘‘Permits to Install New Sources of
Pollution’’) provides the authority for
OEPA to issue Permits to Install (PTI) to
new sources of air pollution or
modifications to existing sources of air
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56775
pollution. For attainment areas, the
program was conditionally approved
into Ohio’s SIP on October 10, 2001 (66
FR 51570), and fully approved on
January 22, 2003 (68 FR 2909). For
nonattainment areas, the program was
fully approved on January 10, 2002 (68
FR 1366). On February 20, 2013, OEPA’s
SIP was revised (78 FR 28547) to
combine the PTI and Permit to Operate
(PTO) programs into a single Permit to
Install and Operate (PTIO) program so
that a minor source not subject to title
V of the Clean Air Act in Ohio would
be issued a single PTIO instead of a PTI
and a PTO permit.
On August 3, 2006, the Ohio General
Assembly passed Senate Bill 265 (SB
265) which required OEPA to modify
several of its BAT rules. OEPA’s BAT is
an air permitting mechanism to help
control emissions in minor air permits.
BAT can be any combination of work
practices, air pollution control devices,
raw material specifications, throughput
limitations, source design
characteristics, and OEPA does an
evaluation of the annualized cost per
ton of air pollutant removed when
determining BAT. One of the changes
implemented was the less than 10 tpy
BAT exemption. To implement the SB
265 changes, OEPA adopted revisions
under OAC Chapter 3745–31–
05(A)(3)(b) on November 20, 2006,
which became effective on December 1,
2006. On January 18, 2008, OEPA
requested that EPA approve this rule
language as a revision to Ohio’s SIP.
EPA responded with a June 5, 2008
letter to OEPA indicating that the
request was incomplete due to a lack of
a CAA section 110(l) demonstration,
thus returning the request back to
OEPA. On June 2, 2008, OEPA moved
the language in OAC rule 3745–31–05
from paragraph (A)(3)(b) to (A)(3)(a)(ii)
which became effective at the state level
on June 30, 2008. The rule language
contained in OAC rule 3745–31–
05(A)(3)(a)(ii) was carried over in OAC
rule 3745–31–05, which was adopted on
April 20, 2016, and became effective at
the state level as of May 1, 2016, and is
what OEPA is now requesting for EPA
approval as a revision to its SIP. EPA
considered this May 22, 2018 submittal
to be complete.
II. Do the revisions comply with section
110(l) of the Clean Air Act?
OEPA’s May 22, 2018 SIP revision
submittal included a 110(l)
demonstration. This demonstration
included an extensive analysis to show
the impact that the less than 10 tpy BAT
exemption would have on emissions.
This analysis evaluated over 400
permits, representing more than 80
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 220 (Wednesday, November 14, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 56773-56775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-24819]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA-R04-OAR-2018-0419; FRL-9986-48-Region 4]
Air Plan Approval; NC; Miscellaneous Revisions
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to
approve portions of State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions provided
by the State of North Carolina through the North Carolina Division of
Air Quality (NCDAQ) in letters dated June 5, 2017, and August 22, 2017.
The submissions revise several regulations concerning nitrogen oxides,
emission control standards, monitoring, and reporting requirements. EPA
is proposing to approve these provisions of the SIP revisions because
these changes are consistent with the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and
federal regulations.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 5, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R04-
OAR-2018-0419 at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot
be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. 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. 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: Richard Wong, Air Regulatory
Management Section, Air Planning and Implementation Branch, Air,
Pesticides and Toxics Management Division, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, Georgia
30303-8960. The telephone number is (404) 562-8726. Mr. Wong can also
be reached via electronic mail at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
NCDAQ submitted SIP revisions through letters dated June 5, 2017
and August 22, 2017 to EPA for review and approval into the North
Carolina SIP.\1\ North Carolina's SIP revisions include multiple
changes to its air quality rules, under subchapter 15A NCAC 2D,
specifically at Section .1404, ``Recordkeeping: Reporting:
Monitoring,'' Section .0542, ``Control of Particulate Emissions from
Cotton Ginning Operations,'' Section .0606, ``Sources Covered by
Appendix P of 40 CFR part 51,'' and Section .0608, ``Other Large Coal
or Residue Oil Burners.'' EPA is not taking action on Section .0535,
``Excess Emissions Reporting and Malfunctions'' which is included in
the changes in the August 22, 2017 SIP revision. EPA will address
revisions to Section .0535 in a separate action.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The SIP revisions were received by EPA on June 5, 2017 and
September 6, 2017, respectively.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
II. Analysis of the State's Submittals
A. June 5, 2017 SIP Submittal
The June 5, 2017 submission revises North Carolina's nitrogen
oxides (NOX) Rule Section .1404, ``Recordkeeping: Reporting:
Monitoring'' through several iterations.\2\ The State previously
submitted the changes as four separate submissions.\3\ North Carolina
took these rule changes to hearings on May 21, 2001, June 5, 2001, June
22, 2005, and November 11, 2007. NCDAQ subsequently withdrew and
resubmitted these changes in a comprehensive submission. The revision
that became state-effective on July 15, 2002, made minor and clarifying
changes to subsections (a) ``General requirements,'' (b) ``Submittal of
information to show compliance status,'' (c) ``Excess emissions
reporting,'' (d) ``Continuous emissions monitors,'' (f) ``Missing
data,'' (g) ``Interim report for large sources,'' (h) ``Recordkeeping
and reporting requirements for large sources,'' and (i) ``Averaging
time for continuous emissions monitors.'' Clarifying edits consisted of
clarifying that records
[[Page 56774]]
needed to be maintained for five years and changing ``a'' to ``the''
and ``Rule'' to ``Rules.'' Changes were also made to remove an
exception for seasonal excess emission reporting because the referenced
rules were previously repealed by the State and approved by EPA. The
submission makes a change that prescribes a requirement for continuous
emission monitoring for sources covered under Section .1418, ``New
Electric Generating Units, Large Boilers, and Large I/C Engines.''
Lastly, the SIP revision makes minor typographical changes throughout.
EPA is proposing to approve these revisions because the minor
typographical and clarifying changes do not relax or alter the meaning
of the rule and the other revision pertaining to a requirement for
continuous emissions monitoring for sources covered under Section .1418
is SIP-strengthening and is consistent with the requirements of the CAA
and federal regulations.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ NOX Rule section .1404 was originally submitted
to EPA as part of the State's NOX Budget and Allowance
Trading Program in response to EPA's regulation entitled ``Finding
of Significant Contribution and Rulemaking for Certain States in the
Ozone Transport Assessment Group Region for Purposes of Reducing
Regional Transport of Ozone,'' otherwise known as the NOX
SIP Call.
\3\ The June 5, 2017, cover letter requested withdrawal for
submissions or portions of submissions dated August 14, 2002,
October 14, 2004, March 24, 2006, and November 19, 2008, with state
effective dates July 15, 2002, May 1, 2004, November 1, 2005, and
January 1, 2009, respectively. Through a separate rulemaking on May
9, 2013, EPA took final action on portions of the October 14, 2004
submission approving some revisions, including those for section
.1404, and conditionally approving other revisions. See 78 FR 27065.
Additionally, the State previously submitted a revision to Section
.1404 on December 14, 2004, and EPA finalized the rulemaking
approving that revision on August 22, 2008 (73 FR 49613). Finally,
the State previously submitted a revision to Section .1404 on
December 27, 2002, and EPA finalized the rulemaking approving that
revision on December 27, 2002. See 67 FR 78987.
\4\ 40 CFR 51.121-5.122 (NOX SIP Call regulations)
and 40 CFR part 75 (Continuous Emissions Monitoring).
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The revision that became state-effective on November 1, 2005,
removed the interim reporting requirements for large sources and
retained the annual requirement where sources must report
NOX emissions no later than October 30. The revision that
became state-effective on January 1, 2009, also made minor changes that
consisted of changing ``a'' to ``the,'' renumbering the subparagraphs
and removing references to repealed rules, including sections .1416,
``Emission Allocations for Utility Companies,'' .1417, ``Emission
Allocations for Large Combustion Sources,'' and .1419, ``Nitrogen Oxide
Budget Trading Program.'' \5\ EPA is proposing to approve these changes
because the minor changes do not relax or alter the meaning of the rule
and the other revision pertaining to the date for the end of season
reporting requirement is consistent with the requirements of the CAA
and federal regulations.
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\5\ EPA approved the repeal of these provisions on May 9, 2013.
See 78 FR 27065.
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B. August 22, 2017, SIP Submittal
The August 22, 2017 submission revises Sections .0542, ``Control of
Particulate Emissions from Cotton Ginning Operations,'' .0606,
``Sources Covered by Appendix P of 40 CFR part 51,'' and .0608, ``Other
Large Coal or Residual Oil Burners.'' The SIP revision makes minor and
clarifying edits throughout the three rules. The changes in Section
.0542 remove obsolete past due dates for Emission Control Requirements
and provide clarification edits under paragraph (c)--Applicability,
paragraph (d)--Emission Control Requirements and paragraph (e)--
Raincaps. Clarifying edits consisted of renumbering and removing
references to obsolete control dates and were also made under paragraph
(g)--Fugitive Emissions and paragraph (l)--Reporting. The changes in
Sections .0606 and .0608 are minor and revise references to another
rule in the same subchapter for fuel analysis for sulfur dioxide
emitting sources without continuous emissions monitoring. EPA is
proposing to approve these changes because the minor and clarifying
changes do not relax or alter the meaning of the rule.
III. Incorporation by Reference
In this rulemaking, EPA is proposing to include in a final EPA rule
regulatory text that includes incorporation by reference. In accordance
with requirements of 1 CFR 51.5, EPA is proposing to incorporate by
reference under subchapter 2D, Section .1404, ``Recordkeeping:
Reporting: Monitoring,'' effective January 1, 2009,\6\ which clarifies
the rule by updating quality assurance, recordkeeping and reporting
requirements and provisions for heat input calculations and removes
references to repealed rules. EPA is proposing to incorporate by
reference under subchapter 2D Section .0542, ``Control of Particulate
Emissions from Cotton Ginning Operations,'' Section .0606, ``Sources
Covered by Appendix P of 40 CFR part 51,'' and Section .0608, ``Other
Large Coal or Residue Oil Burners,'' effective June 1, 2008, which
makes minor and clarifying changes, updates rule references, and
removes obsolete controls and dates. EPA has made, and will continue to
make, these materials generally available through www.regulations.gov
and at the EPA Region 4 office (please contact the person identified in
the For Further Information Contact section of this preamble for more
information).
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\6\ January 1, 2009 is the most recent state effective date of
subchapter 2D, Section .1404, ``Recordkeeping: Reporting:
Monitoring,'' and it reflects the exact version of the text of .1404
that EPA is proposing to approve into the SIP.
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IV. Proposed Action
EPA is proposing to approve the aforementioned changes to the North
Carolina SIP, submitted on June 5, 2017, and August 22, 2017 because
they are consistent with the CAA and federal regulations.
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP
submission that complies with the provisions of the Act and applicable
Federal regulations. See 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 CAA. These actions merely
propose to approve state law as meeting Federal requirements and does
not impose additional requirements beyond those imposed by state law.
For that reason, these proposed actions:
Are 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);
Are not an Executive Order 13771 (82 FR 9339, February 2,
2017) regulatory action because SIP approvals are exempted under
Executive Order 12866;
Do not impose an information collection burden under the
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
Are 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.);
Do 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);
Do not have Federalism implications as specified in
Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999);
Are not an economically significant regulatory action
based on health or safety risks subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR
19885, April 23, 1997);
Are not a significant regulatory action subject to
Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001);
Are 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 CAA; and
Do 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).
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 as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65
FR 67249, November 9, 2000), nor will it impose substantial
[[Page 56775]]
direct costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Carbon monoxide,
Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental relations, Nitrogen
dioxide, Ozone, Particulate matter, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Sulfur oxides, Volatile organic compounds.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
Dated: November 6, 2018.
Onis ``Trey'' Glenn, III,
Regional Administrator, Region 4.
[FR Doc. 2018-24819 Filed 11-13-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P