Determinations of Attainment by the Attainment Date, Extensions of the Attainment Date, and Reclassification of Several Areas Classified as Moderate for the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards, 44238-44254 [2019-17796]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 164 / Friday, August 23, 2019 / Rules and Regulations
EPA-APPROVED REGULATIONS IN THE ARKANSAS SIP—Continued
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Explanation
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Regulation 26: Regulations of the Arkansas Operating Permit Program
Chapter 3: Requirements for Permit Applicability
Reg. 26.301 ...........
Requirement for a permit ...........................
07/26/2010
Reg. 26.302 ...........
Sources subject to permitting .....................
03/24/2017
8/23/2019, [Insert Federal Register citation].
8/23/2019, [Insert Federal Register citation].
Chapter 4: Applications for Permits
Reg. 26.401 ...........
Duty to apply ..............................................
03/24/2017
Reg. 26.402 ...........
Standard application form and required information.
Complete application ..................................
03/24/2017
Applicant’s duty to supplement correct application.
Certification by responsible official .............
07/26/2010
Reg. 26.407 ...........
Reg. 26.409 ...........
Reg. 26.410 ...........
03/24/2017
07/26/2010
8/23/2019,
tion].
8/23/2019,
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8/23/2019,
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[Insert Federal Register cita[Insert Federal Register cita[Insert Federal Register cita[Insert Federal Register cita[Insert Federal Register cita-
Chapter 5: Action on Application
Reg. 26.501 ...........
Action on part 70 permit applications ........
07/26/2010
Reg. 26.502 ...........
Final action on permit application ..............
03/24/2017
8/23/2019, [Insert Federal Register citation].
8/23/2019, [Insert Federal Register citation].
Chapter 6: Permit Review by the Public, Affected States, and EPA
Reg. 26.601 ...........
Applicability .................................................
07/26/2010
Reg. 26.602 ...........
Public participation .....................................
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Reg. 26.603 ...........
Transmission of permit information to the
Administrator.
Review of draft permit by affected States ..
03/24/2017
Reg. 26.604 ...........
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BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
40 CFR Parts 52 and 81
[EPA–HQ–OAR–2018–0226; FRL–9998–28–
OAR]
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RIN 2060–AT97
Determinations of Attainment by the
Attainment Date, Extensions of the
Attainment Date, and Reclassification
of Several Areas Classified as
Moderate for the 2008 Ozone National
Ambient Air Quality Standards
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
AGENCY:
15:55 Aug 22, 2019
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Final rule.
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is taking final action for
11 ozone nonattainment areas that are
classified as ‘‘Moderate’’ for the 2008
ozone national ambient air quality
standards (NAAQS). First, the agency is
determining that two Moderate areas—
Baltimore, Maryland, and Mariposa
County, California—attained the
standards by the July 20, 2018,
applicable attainment date. Second, the
agency is granting a 1-year attainment
date extension for the two Moderate
areas in Sheboygan County,
Wisconsin—Inland Sheboygan County,
Wisconsin, and Shoreline Sheboygan
County, Wisconsin. Third, the agency is
determining that seven Moderate areas
failed to attain the standards by the
applicable attainment date—Chicago-
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SUMMARY:
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
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ACTION:
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Naperville, Illinois-Indiana-Wisconsin;
Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Greater
Connecticut, Connecticut; HoustonGalveston-Brazoria, Texas; Nevada
County (Western part), California; New
York-North New Jersey-Long Island,
New York-New Jersey-Connecticut; and
San Diego County, California. The effect
of failing to attain by the applicable
attainment date is that these areas will
be reclassified by operation of law to
‘‘Serious’’ nonattainment for the 2008
ozone NAAQS on September 23, 2019,
the effective date of this final rule.
Accordingly, the responsible state air
agencies must submit State
Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions and
implement controls to satisfy the
statutory and regulatory requirements
for Serious areas for the 2008 ozone
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 164 / Friday, August 23, 2019 / Rules and Regulations
NAAQS according to the deadlines
established in this final rule.
DATES: This rule is effective on
September 23, 2019.
ADDRESSES: The EPA established Docket
ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2018–0226 for
this action. All documents on the docket
are listed at https://
www.regulations.gov. Although listed in
the docket index, some information may
not be publicly available, e.g.,
Confidential Business Information (CBI)
or other information for which
disclosure is restricted by statute.
Certain other material, such as
copyrighted material, is not placed on
the internet and will be publicly
available only in hard copy form.
Docket materials are available
electronically to the public through
https://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further general information on this final
rule, contact Ms. Virginia Raps, Air
Quality Policy Division, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail
Code: C539–01, Research Triangle Park,
NC 27711, telephone (919) 541–4383;
fax number: (919) 541–5315; email
address: raps.virginia@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory
Planning and Review and Executive
Order 13563: Improving Regulation and
Regulatory Review
B. Executive Order 13771: Reducing
Regulations and Controlling Regulatory
Costs
C. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
D. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
E. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
(UMRA)
F. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
G. Executive Order 13175: Consultation
and Coordination With Indian Tribal
Governments
H. Executive Order 13045: Protection of
Children From Environmental Health
and Safety Risks
I. Executive Order 13211: Actions That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution, or Use
J. National Technology Transfer and
Advancement Act (NTTAA)
K. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions
To Address Environmental Justice in
Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations
L. Congressional Review Act (CRA)
M. Judicial Review
I. Proposed Actions
Table of Contents
A. Proposed Determinations of
Attainment by the Attainment Date,
Determinations of Failure To Attain by
the Attainment Date and Extensions of
the Attainment Date
I. Proposed Actions
A. Proposed Determinations of Attainment
by the Attainment Date, Determinations
of Failure To Attain by the Attainment
Date and Extensions of the Attainment
Date
B. Proposed Serious Area SIP Submission
Due Dates and RACT Implementation
Deadlines
II. Significant Events Following EPA’s
November 2018 Proposal
III. Final Actions
A. Determinations of Attainment by the
Attainment Date
B. Extension of Moderate Area Attainment
Date
C. Determinations of Failure To Attain and
Reclassification
D. Serious Area SIP Revision Submission
Deadlines and RACT Implementation
Deadlines
IV. Environmental Justice Considerations
On November 14, 2018, the EPA
proposed actions to fulfill its statutory
obligation under Clean Air Act (CAA or
the Act) section 181 to determine
whether 11 Moderate ozone
nonattainment areas attained the 2008
ozone NAAQS by July 20, 2018, the
applicable attainment date for such
areas.1
First, the EPA proposed to find that
two areas—Baltimore, Maryland, and
Mariposa County, California—attained
the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the
applicable attainment date based on
complete, quality-assured and certified
ozone air quality monitoring data for the
2015–2017 calendar years.
Second, the EPA proposed to grant
state requests for a 1-year extension of
the attainment date from July 20, 2018,
44239
to July 20, 2019, for two areas—DenverBoulder-Greeley-Ft. Collins-Loveland,
Colorado, and Sheboygan County,
Wisconsin. The proposed extensions
were based on the states’ specific
requests for such extensions and
compliance with the criteria under CAA
section 181(a)(5)(B) and 40 CFR
51.1107,2 i.e., the fourth highest daily
maximum 8-hour average ozone
concentration recorded in each area
during the attainment year (2017
calendar year) did not exceed the 2008
ozone NAAQS level of 0.075 parts per
million (ppm), and the states certified
that they were in compliance with all
requirements and commitments
pertaining to the areas in their
respective applicable implementation
plans. The EPA proposed that upon the
effective date of a final reclassification
action, the attainment date for these
areas would be extended to July 20,
2019.
Third, the EPA proposed to find that
seven areas failed to attain the 2008
ozone NAAQS by the applicable
attainment date and did not qualify for
a 1-year attainment date extension:
Chicago-Naperville, Illinois-IndianaWisconsin; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas;
Greater Connecticut, Connecticut;
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, Texas;
Nevada County (Western part),
California; New York-North New JerseyLong Island, New York-New JerseyConnecticut; and San Diego County,
California. The proposed determination
for each of these areas was based upon
complete, quality-assured and certified
ozone air quality monitoring data that
showed that the 8-hour ozone design
value for the area exceeded 0.075 ppm
for the period 2015–2017. The EPA
proposed that these seven areas would
be reclassified as Serious nonattainment
areas by operation of law on the
effective date of a final action finding
that these areas failed to attain the 2008
ozone NAAQS by the applicable
attainment date for Moderate areas.3 A
summary of the actions proposed for the
11 areas in the November 14, 2018,
document is provided in Table 1.
TABLE 1—SUMMARY OF NOVEMBER 2018 PROPOSAL FOR 2008 OZONE NAAQS MODERATE NONATTAINMENT AREAS
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2008 Ozone NAAQS
Moderate Nonattainment
Area
2015–2017
design value
(ppm)
Baltimore, MD ........................
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ............
0.075
0.078
0.079
1 83 FR 56781, November 14, 2018 (FR is the
Federal Register).
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Attained the 2008 ozone
NAAQS by the moderate
attainment date?
2017 4th highest daily
maximum 8-hr average
(ppm)
Attained ..................................
Failed to attain .......................
Failed to attain .......................
Not applicable ........................
0.079 ......................................
0.077 ......................................
2 CFR
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is Code of Federal Regulations.
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3 See
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Area failed to attain 2008
ozone NAAQS but eligible for
1-year attainment date
extension
Not applicable.
No.
No.
CAA section 181(b)(2)(A).
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TABLE 1—SUMMARY OF NOVEMBER 2018 PROPOSAL FOR 2008 OZONE NAAQS MODERATE NONATTAINMENT AREAS—
Continued
2008 Ozone NAAQS
Moderate Nonattainment
Area
2015–2017
design value
(ppm)
Denver-Boulder-Greeley-Ft.
Collins-Loveland, CO.
Greater Connecticut, CT ........
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria,
TX.
Mariposa County, CA .............
Nevada County (Western
part), CA.
New York-N. New JerseyLong Island, NY-NJ-CT.
San Diego County, CA ...........
Sheboygan County, WI ..........
2017 4th highest daily
maximum 8-hr average
(ppm)
0.079
Failed to attain .......................
0.075 ......................................
Yes.
0.076
0.081
Failed to attain .......................
Failed to attain .......................
0.078 ......................................
0.079 ......................................
No.
No.
0.075
0.087
Attained ..................................
Failed to attain .......................
Not applicable ........................
0.090 ......................................
Not applicable.
No.
0.083
Failed to attain .......................
0.086 ......................................
No.
0.084
0.080
Failed to attain .......................
Failed to attain .......................
0.090 ......................................
0.075 ......................................
No.
Yes.
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B. Proposed Serious Area SIP
Submission Due Dates and RACT
Implementation Deadlines
In the November 2018 proposal, the
EPA also solicited comment on
adjusting the due dates, in accordance
with CAA section 182(i), for SIP
submissions and setting deadlines for
implementation of reasonably available
control technology (RACT) for ozone
nonattainment areas that would be
reclassified to Serious. Under CAA
section 181(b)(2), Moderate
nonattainment areas that fail to attain
the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the
applicable attainment date for such
areas will be reclassified as Serious by
operation of law upon the effective date
of the final reclassification action. Each
responsible state air agency must
subsequently submit a SIP revision that
satisfies the air quality planning
requirements for a Serious area under
CAA section 182(c).
On July 20, 2012, when final
nonattainment designations became
effective for the 2008 ozone NAAQS,
states responsible for areas initially
classified as Serious were required to
submit SIP revisions by due dates
relative to that effective date. For those
areas, the SIP submission due dates
ranged from 2 to 4 years after July 20,
2012, depending on the required SIP
‘‘element’’ (e.g., 2 years, or July 20,
2014, for the RACT SIP, and 4 years, or
July 20, 2016, for the attainment
demonstration). Since those dates have
passed, the EPA proposed in its
November 2018 proposal to apply the
Administrator’s discretion provided in
CAA section 182(i) to adjust the Serious
area SIP due dates and certain
implementation deadlines for newly
reclassified areas. CAA section 182(i)
requires that reclassified areas meet the
applicable plan submission
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Area failed to attain 2008
ozone NAAQS but eligible for
1-year attainment date
extension
Attained the 2008 ozone
NAAQS by the moderate
attainment date?
requirements ‘‘according to the
schedules prescribed in connection with
such requirements, except that the
Administrator may adjust any
applicable deadlines (other than
attainment dates) to the extent such
adjustment is necessary or appropriate
to assure consistency among the
required submissions.’’ With regard to
RACT, the November 2018 proposal
made a distinction between RACT
measures that would be needed for
purposes of meeting reasonable further
progress (RFP) requirements or for
attaining the NAAQS expeditiously, and
the possible set of RACT measures that
nevertheless are required to be adopted
and implemented under the CAA but
would not necessarily be needed for a
state to meet RFP or demonstrate timely
attainment in a particular
nonattainment area.4 In this final action,
these two ‘‘categories’’ of RACT
measures are referred to as ‘‘RACT
measures tied to attainment’’ and
‘‘RACT measures not tied to
attainment,’’ respectively.
First, the EPA proposed that states
submit Serious area SIP revisions
(including RACT measures tied to
attainment) and implement those RACT
measures no later than 12 months from
the effective date of the final
reclassification action. Second, the EPA
proposed the date for submitting SIP
revisions addressing RACT measures
not tied to attainment and implementing
those measures as August 3, 2020,
which is the deadline for areas
classified Moderate and higher for the
2015 ozone NAAQS to submit RACT
SIP revisions.5 At the time of proposal,
the EPA estimated that August 3, 2020
4 See 83 FR 62998, December 6, 2018; 40 CFR
51.1312(a)(2).
5 See 83 FR 62998, December 6, 2018; 40 CFR
51.1312(a)(2).
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would be approximately 18 months after
the effective date of its final
reclassification action.6 In the proposal,
the EPA requested comment on an
alternative that would allow states to
submit SIP revisions addressing RACT
measures not tied to attainment no later
than 24 months from the effective date
of the final reclassification action. The
EPA also requested comment on
whether a longer timeframe for
implementing RACT measures not tied
to attainment (but no later than January
1, 2024, i.e., providing 5 years from the
anticipated date of reclassification,)
would result in significant emission
reductions and improvement in air
quality. The EPA’s rationale supporting
its proposed due dates and deadlines is
summarized in the following sections.
1. Proposed due date for Serious-area
SIP revisions (including RACT measures
tied to attainment), and Proposed
implementation deadline for RACT
measures tied to attainment. The EPA
proposed that states submit all Seriousarea SIP revisions—with the exception
of any RACT measures not tied to
attainment—by no later than 12 months
after the effective date of the final
reclassification action.7 The state
6 See
83 FR 56781, November 14, 2018.
EPA has long taken the position that the
statutory requirement for states to assess and adopt
RACT for sources in ozone nonattainment areas
classified Moderate and higher generally exists
independently from the attainment planning
requirements for such areas. See Memo from John
Seitz, ‘‘Reasonable Further Progress, Attainment
Demonstration, and Related Requirements for
Ozone Nonattainment Areas Meeting the Ozone
National Ambient Air Quality Standard’’ (1995), at
5 (explaining that Subpart 2 requirements linked to
the attainment demonstration are suspended by a
finding that a nonattainment area is attaining but
that requirements such as RACT must be met
whether or not an area has attained the standard);
see also 40 CFR 51.1118 (suspending attainment
demonstrations, RACM, RFP, contingency
measures, and other attainment planning SIPs with
a finding of attainment). In addition to the
7 The
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submittal requirements for
nonattainment areas, in general, are
provided under CAA section 172(c); the
SIP requirements that apply specifically
to Serious areas are listed under CAA
section 182(c) and include: (1)
Enhanced monitoring; (2) an attainment
demonstration and RFP; (3) an
enhanced vehicle inspection and
maintenance program, if applicable; (4)
clean-fuel vehicle programs and
transportation control measures; (5)
nonattainment New Source Review
(NSR) program revisions; and (6)
contingency measures. States must also
provide an analysis of—and adopt all—
reasonably available control measures
(RACM), including RACT needed for
purposes of meeting RFP or timely
attaining the NAAQS. In the case of
areas that are reclassified from Moderate
to Serious for the 2008 ozone NAAQS,
such an analysis should include: (1) An
evaluation of controls for sources
emitting 100 tons per year (tpy) or more
that may have become reasonably
available since the January 1, 2017,
Moderate area deadline for adopting and
implementing RACT, and (2) an
evaluation of controls for sources
emitting 50 tpy or more that are
currently reasonably available,
consistent with the definition of ‘‘major
source’’ or ‘‘major stationary source’’ for
areas classified as Serious.8
In CAA section 182(c), the schedule
for submitting attainment planning
requirements for Serious areas is 4 years
from the effective date of nonattainment
designation.9 As such, in accordance
with CAA section 182(i), EPA believed
it was necessary to establish a shorter
deadline for all areas being reclassified
to Serious, given that a due date 4 years
beyond reclassification would well
surpass the Serious area attainment date
of July 20, 2021. EPA therefore proposed
a 12-month deadline for the Serious area
attainment planning requirements
believing this timeframe to be
appropriate for all the newly reclassified
areas, given that these areas are being
independent RACT requirement, states have a
statutory obligation to apply RACM (including such
reductions in emissions from existing sources in the
area as may be obtained through implementation of
RACT) to meet RFP requirements and to
demonstrate attainment as expeditiously as
practicable. Therefore, to the extent that a state
adopts new or additional RACT controls to meet
RFP requirements or to demonstrate attainment as
expeditiously as practicable, those states must
include such RACT revisions with the other SIP
elements due as part of the attainment plan
required under CAA sections 172(c) and 182(c) and
must implement them by the same date as
explained further in Section III.D.3 of this
preamble.
8 See CAA section 182(c).
9 See CAA section 182(c)(2) and (i) for SIP
submissions and requirements.
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reclassified rather than newly
designated, classified as Serious and
have therefore been adopting and
implementing control measures to attain
the 2008 ozone NAAQS for many years.
The EPA considered the proposed
timeframe to be consistent with how the
EPA handled setting SIP submission
deadlines for other nonattainment areas
that were reclassified from Moderate to
Serious for past ozone NAAQS.
Examples include Dallas-Ft. Worth,
Texas,10 an area reclassified in 2010 as
Serious for the 1997 8-hour ozone
NAAQS, and the Beaumont-Port Arthur,
Texas,11 and St. Louis, Missouri,12
nonattainment areas, reclassified in
2003 and 2004, respectively, from
Moderate to Serious for the 1979 1-hour
ozone NAAQS. Based on these
examples, the EPA considered that 12
months would generally provide the
time necessary for states and local air
districts to finish reviews of available
control measures, adopt revisions to
necessary attainment strategies, address
other SIP requirements and complete
the public notice process necessary to
adopt and submit timely SIP revisions.13
The EPA also proposed that any
RACT that states determine is needed
for meeting RFP or timely attainment of
the 2008 ozone NAAQS would need to
be implemented by the date that the
attainment plan is due, i.e., no later than
12 months after the effective date of the
final reclassification action. As a general
matter, the Act requires implementation
of those requirements needed for timely
attainment ‘‘as expeditiously as
practicable.’’ 14 The EPA considered an
implementation deadline of 12 months
from the anticipated effective date of the
final reclassification action to be
consistent with the requirement to act
expeditiously. Moreover, at the time of
the November 2018 proposal, EPA
anticipated that a 12-month deadline
would be generally consistent with the
start of the attainment year ozone season
for all 2008 ozone NAAQS Serious areas
(early 2020). Ideally, all emissions
control strategies designed to help areas
attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the
applicable Serious area attainment date
of July 20, 2021, or to qualify for a 1year extension of that attainment date,
would be in place and in effect for the
10 See 75 FR 79302, December 20, 2010, DallasFt. Worth, Texas, reclassification to Serious for the
1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS.
11 See 69 FR 16483, March 30, 2004, BeaumontPort Arthur, Texas, reclassification to Serious for
the 1979 1-hour ozone NAAQS.
12 See 68 FR 4836, January 30, 2003, St. Louis,
Missouri, reclassification to Serious for the 1979 1hour ozone NAAQS.
13 Cf. CAA section 179(d)(1).
14 See CAA section 172(c)(1).
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44241
start of the final full ozone season
preceding the attainment date, as that is
the last ozone season of air quality
monitoring data that could affect the
area’s design value as of the attainment
date or would decide whether the area
met the 1-year extension air quality
eligibility criterion.15
Due dates for SIP submission often
precede the deadline for
implementation of control strategies
contained in those SIP submissions.
However, given the compressed
timeframe available for states to meet
the July 20, 2021, attainment date for
Serious areas, the EPA considered that,
at the very least, it would be appropriate
to align the due date for RACT SIP
submissions with the deadline for
implementation of any new control
measures contained in that RACT SIP.
2. Proposed due date for Serious-area
SIP revisions for RACT measures not
tied to attainment. The EPA proposed
that states submit their SIP revisions by
August 3, 2020, for any RACT not
otherwise needed for attainment
purposes, which was based on our
prediction that such a due date would
be approximately 18 months after the
effective date of the final reclassification
action. The proposed August 3, 2020,
due date would have aligned the 2008
ozone Serious area SIP due date for
RACT measures not tied to attainment
with the SIP revision due dates for
RACT (areas classified Moderate or
higher) and certain other
implementation plan elements required
for 2015 ozone NAAQS nonattainment
areas.16
As provided for in CAA section
182(i), the Administrator may adjust
deadlines for reclassified areas ‘‘to the
extent such adjustment is necessary or
appropriate to assure consistency among
the required submissions.’’ In the
November 2018 proposal, the EPA
interpreted ‘‘consistency among the
required submissions’’ to allow for
consideration of ‘‘required submissions’’
for various ozone NAAQS that are being
implemented simultaneously. Since all
the areas that are subject to
reclassification to Serious upon the
effective date of this final
reclassification action are also
designated nonattainment for the 2015
ozone NAAQS or are in the Ozone
Transport Region (OTR), the same state
air agencies are required under CAA
section 182 to submit SIP revisions for
certain SIP elements for the 2015 ozone
15 See
40 CFR 51.1108(d).
the areas reclassified because of this final
rule are among those designated nonattainment for
the 2015 ozone NAAQS, effective August 3, 2018
(see 83 FR 25776, June 4, 2018).
16 All
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NAAQS within 2 years of the effective
date of the nonattainment area
designations. The effective date of
nonattainment area designations for the
2015 ozone NAAQS was August 3,
2018, and therefore the due date for
submitting nonattainment SIP revisions
associated with that standard is August
3, 2020. Consistent with CAA section
182(i), the EPA considered coordinating
the SIP due dates related to the 2008
and 2015 ozone NAAQS for these
nonattainment areas to be ‘‘appropriate’’
and could result in more effective
implementation of the NAAQS.
Under CAA section 182(i), reclassified
areas generally are required to submit
SIP revisions associated with their new
classification ‘‘according to the
schedules prescribed in connection with
such requirements.’’ CAA section
182(b)(2), which establishes the RACT
requirement for ozone nonattainment
areas classified as Moderate or above,
and CAA section 184(b), which
establishes RACT requirements for
states in the ozone transport region,
provide a 24-month schedule for
compliance with those requirements.17
Although the proposed due date of
August 3, 2020, would have provided
states with less than 24 months to
submit their SIP revisions for RACT
measures not tied to attainment, the
EPA considered the anticipated
timeframe to be ‘‘appropriate’’ given
coordination with the 2015 ozone
NAAQS SIP due dates and the nature of
the submission, i.e., because states with
newly reclassified Serious areas should
recently have addressed RACT
requirements commensurate with the
Moderate area classification, such that
their Serious area RACT SIP submittal
should primarily only have to address
sources emitting between 50–100 tpy.
The EPA also requested comment on an
alternative approach that would have
allowed states a full 24 months from the
effective date of the final reclassification
action to submit SIP revisions for RACT
not otherwise needed for attainment, if
such additional time would yield
significant emission reductions and
improvement in air quality.
3. Implementation deadline for
Serious-area RACT measures not tied to
attainment. CAA section 182(b)(2)
establishes the RACT area requirements
for ozone areas designated and
classified Moderate and higher.18 That
17 See
40 CFR 51.1112(a)(2).
Section 182(b)(2) sets the RACT
requirement for Moderate areas, and the Act
requires other higher-classified areas to fulfill the
CAA section 182(b) requirements. See CAA sections
182(c), (d), and (e) (requiring states with Serious,
Severe, and Extreme nonattainment areas,
18 CAA
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15:55 Aug 22, 2019
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provision, which was written for the 1hour ozone NAAQS, established a
RACT implementation deadline of
approximately 5 years from November
15, 1990. In the 2008 ozone NAAQS SIP
Requirements Rule, the EPA interpreted
this statutory deadline for the 2008
ozone standard by establishing a RACT
implementation deadline of January 1 of
the fifth year after the effective date of
nonattainment designation, and
explained that this was consistent with
the maximum timeframe provided
under the CAA for implementing RACT
in nonattainment areas classified
Moderate or higher.19 For
nonattainment areas initially classified
as Moderate or higher for the 2008
ozone NAAQS and for OTR states,
RACT measures were required to be
implemented by January 1, 2017.
Because that date has now passed and
cannot be applied to the areas that are
subject to reclassification to Serious, the
EPA proposed to set a new deadline of
August 3, 2020, for implementation of
any new RACT requirements not
otherwise needed for RFP or timely
attainment purposes.
This proposed deadline of August 3,
2020, was based on EPA’s estimation at
proposal that the date would be
approximately 18 months after the
anticipated effective date of the final
reclassification action. EPA also
proposed the same date for the
submission due date for related SIP
revisions for RACT measures not tied to
attainment discussed in Section I.B.2 of
this final reclassification action.
Areas originally classified as
Moderate and higher for the 2008 ozone
NAAQS had just under 5 years to
implement ozone RACT requirements
(by January 1 of the fifth year after the
effective date of designation, i.e.,
January 1, 2017). By contrast, areas
reclassified in 2016 from Marginal to
Moderate for the 2008 ozone NAAQS
became subject to the RACT
requirement less than seven months
(and in two cases significantly less than
seven months) before the RACT
implementation deadline.20 21 22 In some
reclassified Moderate areas, states may
have been able to adopt additional
controls as RACT had there been
additional time to implement them. In
respectively, to also fulfill the obligations required
of lower-classified areas).
19 See 40 CFR 51.1112(a)(3); 80 FR 12264, 12280,
March 6, 2015.
20 See 81 FR 26697, May 4, 2016.
21 See 81 FR 90207, December 14, 2016, HoustonGalveston-Brazoria, Texas, reclassification to
Moderate for the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS.
22 See 81 FR 91841, December 19, 2016.
Reclassification of the Sheboygan, Wisconsin,
nonattainment area to Moderate Nonattainment for
the 2008 ozone NAAQS.
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their proposal the EPA, therefore, also
solicited comment on whether an
extended RACT implementation
deadline—beyond August 3, 2020, but
no later than January 1 of the fifth year
after the effective date of reclassification
to Serious (i.e., January 1, 2024)—would
yield additional and substantial
emission reductions in newlyreclassified Serious areas beyond what
could be achieved by the due date of
August 3, 2020.
II. Significant Events Following EPA’s
November 2018 Proposal
Following EPA’s issuance of the
November 2018 proposal, two
significant events occurred which have
bearing on this final rule. First, on
March 26, 2019, the State of Colorado’s
Governor Jared Polis sent a letter to EPA
to withdraw the state’s request for a 1year attainment date extension.23 As
stated in the Act’s attainment date
extension provision for ozone
nonattainment areas, section 181(a)(5),
‘‘[u]pon application by any State,’’ the
EPA may extend an area’s attainment
date by 1 year provided certain criteria
are met. The EPA interprets a state’s
application to be a necessary
prerequisite to granting the 1-year
extension.24 Because the Governor has
withdrawn the request, this rulemaking
does not finalize the 1-year extension
for the Denver-Greeley-Ft. CollinsLoveland, CO, nonattainment area for
the 2008 ozone NAAQS.
Second, since the EPA issued its
November 2018 proposal, the agency
has taken final action to approve a
request from the State of Wisconsin to
revise the designation for the Sheboygan
County nonattainment area for the 1997
and 2008 primary and secondary ozone
NAAQS, by splitting the historic
nonattainment area into two distinct
nonattainment areas that together cover
the identical geographic area of
Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.25 For
purposes of this action, the former
Sheboygan County 2008 ozone moderate
nonattainment area is now the ‘‘Inland
Sheboygan County, WI,’’ nonattainment
area and the ‘‘Shoreline Sheboygan
County, WI,’’ area. Because the
boundary of the two nonattainment
areas together covers the entire historic
nonattainment area, for which EPA
23 See docket item EPA–HQ–OAR–2018–0226–
0059, ‘‘GOV Letter Attainment Extension
withdrawal 3.26.2019.’’
24 Cf. Del. Dep’t of Natural Res. and Envtl. Control
v. EPA, 895 F.3d 90 (D.C. Cir. 2018) (interpreting
section 181(a)(5)’s reference to ‘‘any’’ state literally
to provide EPA with authority to grant an extension
to a multi-state nonattainment area based on the
extension request of only one state in that area).
25 See 84 FR 33699, July 15, 2019; effective July
15, 2019.
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proposed a 1-year extension of the
attainment date for the 2008 ozone
NAAQS in November 2018, the EPA is
taking final action to grant a 1-year
extension of the Moderate area
attainment date to July 20, 2019 for both
areas.26 The EPA may grant a 1-year
attainment date extension for the two
areas because air quality data for each
area, evaluated independently, shows
the 2017 fourth-highest 8-hour ozone
value for the Inland Sheboygan County,
WI, nonattainment area was 0.070 ppm,
and the corresponding value for the
Shoreline Sheboygan County, WI,
nonattainment area was 0.075 ppm.
Furthermore, the other statutory criteria
for qualifying for a 1-year attainment
date extension for an ozone
nonattainment area are met.27
III. Final Actions
The public comment period for EPA’s
November 2018 proposal closed on
December 14, 2018. To accommodate a
request for a public hearing, the
comment period was subsequently
reopened on February 8, 2019, a public
hearing was held on February 15, 2019,
and the comment period closed on
February 22, 2019.
All comments received during these
two public comment periods may be
found in the electronic docket for this
final action. In this section describing
EPA’s final actions, certain key
comments and the agency’s responses
are included. A Response to Comments
document including all significant
comments received on the EPA’s
proposal and the agency’s responses to
those comments is also included in the
docket for this rulemaking. To access
the full set of comments received and
44243
the Response to Comments document,
please go to https://www.regulations.gov
and search for Docket No. EPA–HQ–
OAR–2018–0226, or contact the person
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section.
Due to the withdrawal of Colorado’s
request for a 1-year attainment date
extension, EPA is not taking final action
for the Denver-Boulder-Greeley-Ft.
Collins-Loveland, CO, nonattainment
area in this final rule. However, EPA is
finalizing the attainment date extension
for both portions of the historic
Sheboygan, Wisconsin, nonattainment
area (i.e., Inland Sheboygan County, WI,
and Shoreline Sheboygan County, WI),
which now counts as two
nonattainment areas. A summary of
EPA’s final actions for the 11 Moderate
nonattainment areas in provided in
Table 2.
TABLE 2—2008 OZONE MODERATE NONATTAINMENT AREA FINAL ACTION SUMMARY
2008 NAAQS nonattainment area
Attained by the
attainment date
Failed to attain by
the attainment
date
Extension of the
moderate area
attainment date to
July 20, 2019
Baltimore, MD ............................................................................................................
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI .....................................................................................
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX ................................................................................................
Greater Connecticut, CT ............................................................................................
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX ...............................................................................
Mariposa County, CA .................................................................................................
Nevada County (Western part), CA ...........................................................................
New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island, CT-NJ-NY ....................................................
San Diego County, CA ...............................................................................................
Inland Sheboygan County, WI ...................................................................................
Shoreline Sheboygan County, WI ..............................................................................
X
..............................
..............................
..............................
..............................
X
..............................
..............................
..............................
..............................
..............................
..............................
X
X
X
X
..............................
X
X
X
..............................
..............................
..............................
..............................
..............................
..............................
..............................
..............................
..............................
..............................
..............................
X
X
A. Determinations of Attainment by the
Attainment Date
Pursuant to section 181(b)(2)(A) of the
CAA and 40 CFR 51.1103, the EPA is
making final determinations that the
Baltimore, MD, and Mariposa County,
CA, Moderate nonattainment areas
listed in Table 2 attained the 2008 ozone
NAAQS by the applicable attainment
date of July 20, 2018. Once effective,
this final action satisfies the EPA’s
obligation pursuant to CAA section
181(b)(2)(A) to determine, based on an
area’s air quality as of the attainment
date, whether the area attained the
standard by the applicable attainment
date. The effect of a final determination
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with RULES
26 See
Section III.B of this preamble.
Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources requested an extension for the Sheboygan
County, WI, nonattainment area and certified its
implementation plan applicable for the entire
historic geographic area.
28 It is worth noting that EPA issued Clean Data
Determinations, which suspend certain attainment
27 The
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of attainment by an area’s attainment
date is to discharge the EPA’s obligation
under CAA section 181(b)(2)(A), and to
establish that, in accordance with CAA
section 181(b)(2)(A), the area will not be
reclassified for failure to attain by the
applicable attainment date.
These determinations of attainment
do not constitute a redesignation to
attainment as provided for under CAA
section 107(d)(3). Redesignations
require states to meet additional
statutory criteria, including the EPA
approval of a state plan demonstrating
maintenance of the air quality standard
for 10 years after redesignation, as
required under CAA section 175A. As
for all NAAQS, the EPA is committed to
working with states that choose to
submit redesignation requests for the
2008 ozone NAAQS.28
Comment: One commenter suggested
that the record supporting the
Baltimore, Maryland, reclassification
action was incomplete because it
appeared that the state relied on two
exceptional events claims for Canadian
wildfires impacting air quality in
Baltimore in May and July 2016.29 The
commenter claimed that the EPA failed
to clearly identify the basis for its action
in the docket. The commenter also
suggested that Maryland appears to be
the only state to claim that the July 2016
wildfires justified exclusion of any air
quality data, indicating that Maryland’s
planning requirements, for both the Baltimore,
Maryland, and Mariposa, California, 2008 ozone
NAAQS nonattainment areas. For Baltimore,
Maryland, the final 2008 ozone NAAQS Clean Data
Determination was effective on July 1, 2015 (80 FR
30941, June 1, 2015). For Mariposa, California, EPA
issued a final 2008 ozone NAAQS Clean Data
Determination that was initially effective on
February 21, 2017 (81 FR 93624, December 21,
2016) and was delayed until March 21, 2017, due
to a Presidential Directive (82 FR 8499, January 26,
2017). More information about the Clean Data
Policy and redesignation guidance is available at
https://www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution/
redesignation-and-clean-data-policy-cdp.
29 See comments from Earthjustice, docket item
EPA–HQ–OAR–2018–0226–0050.
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demonstration and the EPA’s
acceptance of the data exclusion were
arbitrary and not valid.
Response: The EPA acknowledges
that it inadvertently omitted from the
record for this proposed action the
supporting information received from
Maryland regarding these exceptional
events claims. The EPA therefore issued
a supplemental proposal in the Federal
Register on May 7, 2019.30 This
supplemental proposal made available
the exceptional events demonstration
relied upon by Maryland to support the
exclusion of air quality data for the
Baltimore area due to Canadian wildfire
impacts in May and July 2016.
Comments were solicited for a 15-day
period through May 22, 2019. No
substantive comments requiring a
response were received.
B. Extension of the Moderate Area
Attainment Date
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Pursuant to CAA section 181(a)(5), the
EPA is taking final action to grant a 1year extension of the applicable
attainment date from July 20, 2018, to
July 20, 2019, for the two nonattainment
areas in Sheboygan County,
Wisconsin—Inland Sheboygan County,
WI, and Shoreline Sheboygan County,
WI.31
The EPA is not taking final action to
grant a 1-year extension for the Denver
area because the State withdrew its
request for an extension, and the EPA
interprets that request to be a necessary
prerequisite to an extension of the
attainment date under CAA section
181(a)(5). The EPA is therefore
addressing whether the Denver area
attained the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the
July 20, 2018 attainment date and any
associated reclassification in a separate
action.
Comment: One commenter opposed
an attainment date extension for the
Sheboygan area. The commenter
claimed that because the ‘‘extension
year’’ runs from July 2018 to July 2019,
and the year preceding the Extension
Year runs from July 2017 to July 2018,
then the relevant monitoring data for
making the CAA section 181(a)(5)(B)
extension determination should be from
the July 2017 to July 2018 period. The
commenter noted that during this
period, one of the Sheboygan County
monitors recorded a fourth-highest daily
30 See 84 FR 19893, May 7, 2019; and docket item
EPA–HQ–OAR–2018–0226–0061.
31 Subsequent to EPA’s proposal to extend the
2008 ozone Moderate area attainment deadline for
the Sheboygan County nonattainment area, the EPA
approved Wisconsin’s request to split the area into
two distinct nonattainment areas. See 84 FR 33699,
July 15, 2019; effective July 15, 2019. See also
Section II of this preamble.
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15:55 Aug 22, 2019
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maximum 8-hour average of 0.081 ppm,
and they claimed that for this reason the
area does not qualify for a 1-year
attainment date extension.
Response: The EPA does not agree
with the commenter because a 1-year
attainment date extension for an ozone
nonattainment area is based on air
quality data for the most recent calendar
year prior to the attainment date. This
interpretation of CAA section
181(a)(5)(B) is explained in the SIP
requirements rule for the 2008 ozone
NAAQS.32 As noted in Table 1, the
fourth-highest 8-hour ozone value
during 2017 for the historic Sheboygan
County nonattainment area was below
the level of the standard. Furthermore,
as noted in Section II of this preamble,
when analyzed separately, the fourthhighest 8-hour ozone value during 2017
for each of the ‘‘new’’ attainment areas
in Sheboygan County (i.e., Inland
Sheboygan County,WI, and Shoreline
Sheboygan County, WI), was below the
level of the standard, and thus
Sheboygan County, now separated into
two nonattainment areas, qualifies for a
1-year attainment date extension.
C. Determinations of Failure To Attain
and Reclassification
Pursuant to CAA section 181(b)(2),
the EPA is finalizing its proposed
determinations that the seven Moderate
nonattainment areas listed in Table 2
have failed to attain the 2008 ozone
NAAQS by the applicable attainment
date of July 20, 2018. Therefore, upon
the effective date of this final action,
these seven areas will be reclassified, by
operation of law, to Serious for the 2008
ozone NAAQS. Once reclassified to
Serious, these areas will be required to
attain the standard ‘‘as expeditiously as
practicable’’ but no later than 9 years
after the initial designation as
nonattainment, which in this case
would be no later than July 20, 2021. If
any of these areas attains the 2008 ozone
NAAQS prior to the Serious area
attainment date, the relevant state may
request redesignation to attainment,
provided the state can demonstrate that
the criteria under CAA section
107(d)(3)(E) are met.33
Following the November 2018
proposal, the California Air Resources
Board submitted a request under CAA
section 181(b)(3) to voluntarily
reclassify the Nevada County (Western
part) nonattainment area from Moderate
to Serious nonattainment for the 2008
32 See 80 FR 12292 (March 6, 2015) and 40 CFR
51.1107.
33 See more information about the Clean Data
Policy and redesignation guidance is available at
https://www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution/
redesignation-and-clean-data-policy-cdp.
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ozone standards.34 The State’s request
for voluntary reclassification was
accompanied by a SIP revision that
addresses Serious area attainment, RFP,
RACM and other planning
requirements.35 The State previously
submitted a SIP revision to address the
Serious-area RACT requirements on
June 7, 2018,36 and a SIP revision to
address NSR requirements for the 2008
ozone standard on September 6, 2016.37
In this final action, the EPA is finding
that the Nevada County (western part),
California area failed to attain the 2008
ozone standard by the applicable
attainment date, which means the area
will be reclassified to Serious by
operation of law. The EPA notes that
there is no need for the EPA to act on
the request for voluntary reclassification
because the EPA’s final determination
here results in the same outcome as
would occur with an approval of that
request—in either scenario, the area
would be reclassified to Serious, and
subject to the Serious area requirements
described in CAA section 182(c).
The EPA received some adverse
comments on its proposal to determine
that certain areas failed to attain by the
applicable attainment date and to
reclassify those areas to Serious
nonattainment. For a discussion of
additional comments received on the
proposal and responses to those
comments, please see the Response to
Comments document in the docket for
this action.
Comment: Several commenters noted
that when the Chicago area was
designated as nonattainment for the
34 See the December 2, 2018, letter from California
Air Resources Board (CARB) Executive Officer
Richard W. Corey to EPA Region 9 Regional
Administrator Michael Stoker, transmitting CARB
Resolution 18–36, and November 14, 2018 letter
from Northern Sierra Air Quality Management
District (NSAQMD) Executive Director Gretchen
Bennitt to CARB Executive Officer Richard W.
Corey, transmitting NSAQMD Resolution 2018–07.
35 The Northern Sierra Air Quality Management
District, which has local jurisdiction over the area,
adopted the Ozone Attainment Plan for Western
Nevada County on October 22, 2018. The California
Air Resources Board adopted the plan as a revision
to the California SIP on November 15, 2018.
36 The Northern Sierra Air Quality Management
District adopted the Reasonably Available Control
Technology (RACT) State Implementation Plan
(SIP) Revision for Western Nevada County 8-hour
Ozone Nonattainment Area on March 26, 2018. The
California Air Resources Board Executive Officer
adopted the Plan as a revision to the California SIP
on June 7, 2018.
37 The Northern Sierra Air Quality Management
District adopted District Rule 428: New Source
Review Requirements for New and Modified Major
Sources in Federally Designated Nonattainment
Areas on June 27, 2016. The California Air
Resources Board Executive Officer adopted the rule
as a revision to the California SIP on September 6,
2016.
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more stringent 2015 ozone NAAQS,38 a
portion of Lake County, Indiana, and all
of Porter County, Indiana, were
designated as attainment rather than
being included as part of the Chicago,
IL-IL-WI, nonattainment area for the
more stringent 2015 ozone NAAQS. For
this reason, the commenters oppose the
inclusion of these Indiana counties in
the reclassification of the Chicago
nonattainment area to Serious for the
2008 ozone NAAQS.
Response: Although the Chicago, ILIN-WI, nonattainment area for the 2015
ozone NAAQS consists of a smaller
geographic area than the ChicagoNaperville, IL-IN-WI, nonattainment
area for the 2008 ozone NAAQS, the
differences in the geographic extent of
the nonattainment areas does not
constitute a revision to the
nonattainment area boundary for the
2008 ozone NAAQS. Under CAA
section 181(b)(2), when the EPA
determines that an area has failed to
attain a standard by the applicable
attainment date, that area is reclassified
by operation of law to the next higher
classification for the area or the
classification applicable to the area’s
design value as of the date EPA
determines the area failed to attain.
Because the Chicago-Naperville, IL-INWI, nonattainment area for the 2008
ozone NAAQS failed to attain the
standard by its Moderate attainment
date, the EPA is required by the CAA to
reclassify the area, not a portion of the
area, to Serious. The boundary of the
nonattainment area for a different
NAAQS, in this case the 2015 ozone
NAAQS, has no relevance on the EPA’s
duties with respect to the 2008 ozone
NAAQS.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that the Houston, Texas, area should not
be reclassified to Serious for the 2008
ozone NAAQS because certain days in
2018 were impacted by exceptional
events, and if such events were taken
into account, the area would attain the
standard based on 2016–2018 data.
Response: The CAA section
181(b)(2)(A) requires the EPA
Administrator to determine whether an
area attained the 2008 ozone 8-hour
NAAQS based on the area’s 2015–2017
design value as of the attainment date,
July 20, 2018. Based on these data, the
Houston area is being reclassified to
Serious as of the effective date of this
final action. The EPA will review any
exceptional events demonstrations that
may be provided by Texas in the future,
and the EPA will determine if it concurs
with such demonstrations. If Houston or
38 See 83 FR 25776, June 4, 2018; final rule
effective August 3, 2018.
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any other area that has been reclassified
to Serious provides the EPA with
quality-assured, certified air quality data
for 2016–2018 that demonstrates
attainment of the 2008 ozone NAAQS,
the area could be eligible for a clean
data determination,39 which would
suspend the obligation to submit the
attainment planning elements so long as
the area continues to attain the
standard. Such areas would also be able
to submit a request for redesignation
provided they meet the statutory criteria
for redesignation, including an
approved maintenance plan.
Comment: One commenter claimed
that Connecticut has failed to attain the
2008 ozone NAAQS by the applicable
attainment date due to emissions it does
not have authority to control, either
because such emissions originate out of
state or are from mobile sources
regulated by EPA. The commenter
believes that EPA failed to adequately
address interstate transport of air
pollution under CAA section
110(a)(2)(D) for the 2008 ozone NAAQS
when it finalized the 2016 Cross-State
Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) Update.
They claimed that the underlying logic
of this rule was flawed because the EPA
limited its assessment of control
strategies to those that were feasible to
implement only as late as the 2017
ozone season. The commenter
recommends that the EPA revisit this
transport rule to address longer term
control strategies that could be feasible
to implement beyond 2017 to benefit air
quality in areas reclassified to Serious
and beyond.
Response: The agency’s mandatory
duty to make determinations of
attainment or failure to attain the
NAAQS is contained in CAA section
182(b)(2), which does not reference or
make any exclusions based on the
nature or effect of transported emissions
on monitored air quality data in a given
nonattainment area.40 Moreover, to the
extent the comment is raising issues
related to the EPA’s separate action, the
CSAPR Update, to address the
requirements of CAA section
110(a)(2)(D), or the ‘‘good neighbor’’
provision, with respect to the 2008
ozone NAAQS, they are outside the
scope of this final determination and
should be addressed in the context of
39 More information about the Clean Data Policy
and redesignation guidance is available at https://
www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution/redesignation-andclean-data-policy-cdp.
40 See Sierra Club v. EPA, 294 F.3d 155, 160–62
(D.C. Cir. 2002). The Court held that the EPA is not
permitted to relax mandatory statutory
requirements for downwind areas on the basis of
interstate transport.
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44245
those EPA actions.41 Nevertheless, the
EPA acknowledges the role interstate
transport of precursors to ozone
pollution plays in the efforts of
downwind areas to attain and maintain
the NAAQS. The EPA finalized a
determination in December 2018, the
‘‘CSAPR Close Out,’’ that fulfilled its
statutory obligations under CAA section
110(a)(2)(D), or the ‘‘good neighbor’’
provision, with respect to the 2008
ozone NAAQS.42 In that determination,
the EPA’s air quality modeling projected
that all monitors in the Eastern United
States, including those air quality
monitors in Connecticut, would be
attaining and maintaining the NAAQS
by 2023, the analytic year used by the
agency.43 Id.
D. Serious Area SIP Submission
Deadlines and RACT Implementation
Deadlines
The EPA received comments on the
proposed alternatives for the Serious
area deadlines for submitting SIP and
RACT revisions, and on the deadlines
for implementation of RACT. After full
consideration of those comments, and
pursuant to CAA section 182(i), the EPA
is finalizing the SIP submission due
dates and RACT implementation
deadlines.
1. Due date for Serious area SIP
revisions (including RACT measures
tied to attainment), and implementation
deadline for RACT measures tied to
attainment. The EPA is finalizing
August 3, 2020, as the due date for
Serious area SIP revisions, including
RACT measures tied to attainment. The
EPA is also finalizing August 3, 2020, as
the implementation deadline for RACT
measures tied to attainment.
The EPA’s decision to finalize the
date of August 3, 2020, for these
deadlines was informed by several
factors. The EPA proposed a due date of
12 months from the effective date of a
final action for these SIP elements and
the implementation deadline for RACT
measures tied to attainment in its
November 2018 proposal. At the time of
proposal, the agency had hoped to issue
a timely final action—by January 2019.
Under such a scenario, the actual due
dates for Serious area SIP submissions
and deadlines for implementation of
RACT measures tied to attainment
41 As of the date of signature of this final action,
litigation over the CSAPR Update is pending in the
D.C. Circuit. State of Wisconsin, et al., v. EPA, No.
16–1406 (D.C. Cir.). Connecticut is not a petitioner
or intervenor in this litigation.
42 See 83 FR 65878, December 21, 2018.
43 As of the date of signature of this final action,
litigation over the CSAPR Close Out is pending in
the D.C. Circuit. State of New York, et al., v. EPA,
No. 19–1019 (D.C. Cir.). Connecticut is a petitioner
in this litigation.
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would have been January 2020, the
beginning of the final year of the 3-year
period (2018–2020) that would be
evaluated to determine whether an area
attains the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the
July 20, 2021, Serious-area attainment
date. This intended schedule would
have enabled the state to implement
controls by the beginning of 2020, the
last year for which air quality data could
impact an area’s ability to timely attain
the NAAQS or to achieve qualifying air
quality for a 1-year extension of the
attainment deadline from July 20, 2021,
to July 20, 2022.
The timeliness of the final action was
delayed when the EPA received a
request to schedule a public hearing on
the proposal around the time of the
lapse in government appropriations,
otherwise referred to as the Federal
Government shutdown, occurred
beginning on December 22, 2018, and
ended January 25, 2019. Consequently,
while the original public comment
period for the November 2018 proposal
closed on December 14, 2018, the EPA
was unable to hold a public hearing in
December. As quickly as possible after
the shutdown ended, and the
Government resumed normal
operations, the EPA reopened the public
comment period on February 8, 2019,
held the public hearing on February 15,
2019,44 and closed the public comment
period on February 22, 2019. After
considering the time that it would take
to finalize the rule after the lapse in
federal government appropriations, the
EPA determined that finalizing the
Serious area SIP due date and
implementation deadline for RACT
measures tied to attainment at 12
months from the effective date of a final
rule would result in deadlines falling on
a date close to August 3, 2020. Based on
this revised timing scenario, and
considering comments supporting the
alignment of SIP due dates and
deadlines for the 2008 and 2015 ozone
NAAQS, the EPA determined that it
would be appropriate in this case to
finalize a due date for Serious Area SIP
revisions, including RACT measures
tied to attainment, and deadline for
implementation of those RACT
measures of August 3, 2020, in order to
ensure greater consistency among the
submissions and implementation for
both NAAQS.
More specifically, although the EPA
did not propose August 3, 2020, as a
due date for these particular SIP
submissions, the date was proposed as
the due date for SIP revisions
44 EPA is required under the Administrative
Procedure Act (APA) to provide adequate notice of
a public hearing (see 5 U.S.C. 553).
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addressing RACT measures not tied to
attainment and proposed for the
deadline for implementation of those
RACT measures. In the November 2018
proposal, the EPA provided its rationale
for proposing August 3, 2020, to provide
for ‘‘consistency among submissions’’
that may be due from a nonattainment
area for more than one NAAQS. For the
reasons provided to proposing the
August 3, 2020, due date for SIP
submissions and the deadline for
implementation of RACT measures not
tied to attainment, the EPA believes that
establishing August 3, 2020, as the due
date for Serious-area SIP submissions
(including RACT measures tied to
attainment) and the implementation
deadline of those RACT measures,
would more effectively meet the
objective of having consistency among
submissions pursuant to CAA section
182(i), rather than a deadline that is 12
months from the effective date of this
final rule.
Comment: Some commenters opposed
the proposed deadline of 12 months
from the effective date of the final action
for SIP submissions and implementation
of RACT measures tied to attainment
because it would not provide a
reasonable amount of time to evaluate
control options, conduct rulemaking,
and give affected sources sufficient time
to implement control requirements.
These commenters preferred a period of
18 months or more for Serious Area SIP
submission due dates and
implementation deadlines for RACT
measures tied to attainment. Other
commenters supported the proposed 12month due date for SIP submissions and
implementation deadline for RACT
measures tied to attainment because
they claimed that any additional delay
would only extend the duration of
unnecessary adverse health impacts on
nonattainment area residents. One
commenter stated that, because the EPA
is directed to streamline SIP submittals
when it considers appropriate due dates
after reclassification, the EPA should set
a due date for Serious area SIP
submittals under the 2008 ozone
NAAQS that is consistent with the
August 3, 2020, deadline for the
Moderate area SIP submittals that will
be due under the 2015 ozone NAAQS.
The commenter indicated that states
could realize significant savings of
limited state resources if these 2015
ozone Moderate area and 2008 ozone
Serious area SIP due dates were
coordinated.
Response: As discussed earlier, CAA
section 182(i) provides authority to the
Administrator to adjust SIP submission
due dates as necessary or appropriate to
assure consistency among SIP
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Sfmt 4700
submissions. Although the specific date
of August 3, 2020 was not included as
an option in the November 2018
proposal, the EPA is persuaded by
comments received supporting this date
because setting such a due date
pursuant to the authority of CAA
section 182(i) could allow states to save
limited resources by consolidating two
SIPs into a single submission. In
addition, given the timing of this final
action, the August 3, 2020 SIP
submission due date will be relatively
close in time to 12 months after this
final action becomes effective,
consistent with due dates established by
EPA in past ozone reclassification
actions from Moderate to Serious, which
was discussed in the proposal. With
regard to commenters seeking an 18month period or longer for developing
SIP revisions, the EPA notes that states
with areas that were proposed for
reclassification in November 2018 have
known with a reasonable amount of
certainty that revised implementation
plans would be due in the near future
to provide for expeditious attainment of
the 2008 ozone NAAQS, and have had
the opportunity to make progress on
plan development activities before
issuance of this final action.
Nonetheless, the EPA recognizes the
challenges posed by these due dates and
deadlines and is committed to working
closely with states to help them as they
prepare SIP revisions in a timely
manner.
2. Due date for submitting SIP
revisions for RACT measures not tied to
attainment. For SIP revisions for RACT
measures not tied to attainment, the
EPA proposed a due date of August 3,
2020, which would have been about 18
months from the anticipated effective
date of the final action (anticipated in
early 2019). The EPA also requested
comment on an alternative due date for
submitting SIP revisions for RACT
measures not tied to attainment that
would have been 24 months from the
effective date of the final action, i.e.,
‘‘according to the schedule[ ] prescribed
in connection with such
requirement[ ].’’ 45 Taking in to account
several comments on these proposed
dates and the circumstances
surrounding the timing of this final
action, the EPA is finalizing a due date
for SIP revisions for RACT measures not
tied to attainment of 18 months from the
effective date of this final action, as
explained further below.
The proposal’s due date of August 3,
2020, for RACT submissions not tied to
attainment was expected to be roughly
18 months from the effective date of the
45 See
E:\FR\FM\23AUR1.SGM
CAA section 182(i).
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anticipated final action. By proposing
such a date, the EPA recognized that
these measures could reasonably be
submitted after the attainment year
ozone season (2020) relevant to the
Serious area attainment date, because
these measures were explicitly not tied
to the area’s ability to achieve timely
attainment. In taking comment on
providing a due date that accounted for
a full 24 months to prepare a RACT
submission, the EPA suggested that
such additional time could yield a more
desirable end result in terms of
emissions reductions and air quality
benefits, reducing state processing and
resource burdens, and/or burden on
emissions sources.
While EPA is not electing to finalize
a due date of 24 months from the
effective date of this action
(approximately August 2021), we are
also electing not to finalize a due date
of August 3, 2020, given that such a date
would provide just under 12 months
from the effective date. Because the
measures that states identify as
‘‘reasonably available’’ are directly tied
to the time provided by the EPA in
establishing such a due date, providing
a slightly longer timeframe (i.e., 18
months rather than 12 months) to
identify and submit RACT measures not
tied to attainment for newly reclassified
Serious areas for the 2008 standards
could lead states to determine that
additional controls are reasonable, thus
helping areas attain both the 2008 and
2015 standards more expeditiously.
Areas subject to this newer due date
should have already implemented
RACT for sources emitting 100 tpy or
more of volatile organic compounds
(VOC) or nitrogen oxides (NOX) under
their Moderate area requirements.
Therefore, at this stage, states should be
primarily focused on identifying and
adopting new RACT measures required
to control sources emitting between 50
to 100 tpy of VOC or NOX. The EPA
believes that 18 months would provide
adequate time to adopt any new controls
determined to be RACT for this group of
sources and submit a SIP to the EPA
accordingly.
Comment: Several commenters
supported either the proposed August
2020 due date or a due date of 18
months from the effective date of this
final action. One commenter stated that
a period of at least 18 months is needed
to properly identify and evaluate
potential controls and conduct
necessary rulemaking at the state level.
Another commenter believed that there
was no justification for a due date any
earlier than the July 2021 Serious-area
attainment date because this SIP
submission would be for RACT not
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15:55 Aug 22, 2019
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needed for the area to attain. A third
commenter supported the August 2020
due date because it would provide for
aligned SIP submittal due dates for 2008
ozone Serious areas and for 2015 ozone
Moderate areas.
Response: Section 182(i) of the CAA
provides that states shall meet
requirements for reclassified Moderate,
Serious and Severe ozone areas
‘‘according to the schedules prescribed
in connection with such requirements,
except that the Administrator may
adjust any applicable deadlines (other
than attainment dates) to the extent
such adjustment is necessary or
appropriate to assure consistency among
the required submissions.’’
The EPA notes that the notion
embodied in this provision is consistent
with several other CAA provisions to
establish a SIP submission due date for
an area that has failed to attain a
NAAQS by the relevant attainment date
that may be shorter than the SIP
submission due date for the first plan
due after an area is initially designated
as nonattainment.46 In this case, the
areas that are being reclassified to
Serious are identifying and adopting
RACT measures not tied to attainment
for a subset of sources emitting between
50–100 tpy of VOC or NOX, because as
Moderate areas they were already
required to address RACT and submit
SIPs for sources emitting over 100 tpy.
Therefore, the EPA does not agree with
the commenter that it is appropriate or
necessary to extend the due date out to
the July 2021 attainment date (which
would be nearly 24 months) for
submitting SIPs addressing RACT
measures not tied to attainment. The
EPA is generally in agreement with the
commenter who stated that aligning
deadlines between submissions required
for the 2015 ozone NAAQS and the
2008 ozone NAAQS addresses section
182(i)’s call for ‘‘consistency among
submissions’’ and creates efficiencies
for states in preparing submissions.
However, a SIP revision submission due
date of August 3, 2020, for RACT
measures not tied to attainment would
at this point provide the states with less
than 12 months from the effective date
of this final action to identify and
evaluate such RACT, and prepare and
46 For
example, CAA section 179(d) requires a
state that failed to attain a NAAQS by the
attainment date to submit a revised implementation
plan within 12 months of an EPA finding of failure
to attain. In addition, the requirements for PM10 and
PM2.5 nonattainment areas in CAA section 189(d)
require a Serious area to submit a revised
implementation plan within 12 months of a failure
to attain the standard.
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44247
approve those RACT SIPs at the state
level.
Finally, the EPA is cognizant and in
agreement with the commenter who
stated that a due date of 18 months
(which was the expected amount of time
the EPA anticipated with an August 3,
2020, due date) could allow states to
identify additional controls as
‘‘reasonably available’’ in comparison
with the shorter deadline.47 Therefore,
the EPA believes a due date 18-months
from the effective date of this final
action for submission of certain RACT
measures not tied to attainment is
appropriate.
3. Implementation deadline for RACT
measures not tied to attainment. The
EPA proposed two options for the
implementation deadline for RACT
measures not tied to attainment: (1)
August 3, 2020 or (2) up through the full
5 years provided by the statute for
RACT implementation, i.e., January 1,
2024. In proposing the two dates, the
EPA made several observations. We
noted at the time that ‘‘[i]deally, SIP
submission deadlines would precede
the implementation of control strategies
contained in those SIP submissions.’’ 48
We also noted, in the context of taking
comment on a providing a deadline past
August 3, 2020, but no later than
January 1, 2024, that additional time
provided for implementation of control
measures ‘‘could lead states to
determine that additional controls are
reasonable, thus helping areas attain
both the 2008 and 2015 standards more
expeditiously.’’ Id. In particular, we
noted that in reclassifying areas from
Marginal to Moderate in 2016 for the
2008 ozone NAAQS after findings of
failure to attain, states were provided
less than seven months to implement
RACT. We acknowledged that a more
generous timeframe for implementing
RACT may have allowed states to adopt
additional controls.
Thus, the EPA is finalizing July 20,
2021, the Serious area attainment date,
as the deadline for implementation of
RACT measures not tied to attainment.
Given the intervening time between
proposed and final rules, an August 3,
2020, deadline for implementation of
RACT measures not tied to attainment
would limit the controls that states
could consider implementing. As noted
47 Moreover, the EPA notes that CAA section
110(k)(5), which provides the EPA with authority
to ‘‘establish reasonable deadlines’’ for the
submission of SIP revisions to address substantial
inadequacies in the SIP identified by the EPA,
states that the EPA may not establish such deadline
‘‘to exceed 18 months after the date of such notice.’’
While this provision is not directly applicable here,
the EPA believes it is informative.
48 See 83 FR 56781, November 14, 2018.
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in the proposal, the EPA believes that
there is a direct relationship between
the amount of time provided for
implementation of RACT measures not
tied to attainment and the actual
measures that will be available to states
to install or implement. We also
continue to believe that a slightly longer
timeframe for measures that are not
directly tied to the area’s attainment can
be appropriate, especially where an area
is simultaneously implementing two
ozone standards, such that additional
controls will help the area attain both
standards more expeditiously. On the
other hand, the outside timeframe
proposed by the EPA for
implementation of RACT measures not
tied to attainment, January 1, 2024, was
well beyond the Serious area attainment
date and we received feedback during
the public comment period suggesting
that any implementation deadline
beyond the attainment date would not
serve timely attainment. We are
therefore finalizing July 20, 2021, the
Serious Area attainment date, as the
deadline for implementing RACT
measures not needed for attainment.
The EPA believes this date is reasonable
and appropriate when considering the
comments received on this issue and the
timing of this final action. We also note
that because the EPA is finalizing the
SIP submission date for RACT measures
not tied to attainment as 18 months
from the effective date of this final
action, this implementation approach
will provide at least some window of
time between the SIP revision
submission due date and the deadline
for implementation of RACT measures
not tied to attainment, which, as we
noted at proposal, is preferable to direct
alignment of the SIP submission due
date and implementation deadline,
where possible.
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IV. Environmental Justice
Considerations
15:55 Aug 22, 2019
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory
Planning and Review and Executive
Order 13563: Improving Regulation and
Regulatory Review
This action is not a significant
regulatory action and was therefore not
submitted to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for review.
B. Executive Order 13771: Reducing
Regulations and Controlling Regulatory
Costs
This action is not an Executive Order
13771 regulatory action because this
action is not significant under Executive
Order 12866.
C. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
This rule does not impose any new
information collection burden under the
PRA not already approved by the Office
of Management and Budget.49 This
action does not contain any information
collection activities and serves only to
make final: (1) Determinations that
certain Moderate nonattainment areas
listed in Table 2 attained the 2008 ozone
standards by the July 20, 2018,
attainment date; (2) approval to grant
certain Moderate nonattainment areas
listed in Table 2 a 1-year attainment
date extension from the July 20, 2018,
attainment date to July 20, 2019; (3)
determinations that certain Moderate
nonattainment areas listed in Table 2
failed to attain the 2008 ozone standards
by the July 20, 2018, attainment date
where such areas will be reclassified as
Serious nonattainment for the 2008
ozone standards by operation of law
upon the effective date of the final
reclassification action; and (4)
establishment of adjusted due dates for
SIP revisions, including RACT SIP
revisions, and RACT implementation
deadlines.
D. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
The CAA requires that states with
areas designated as nonattainment
submit to the Administrator the
appropriate SIP revisions and
implement specified control measures
by certain dates applicable to the area’s
classification. By requiring additional
planning and implementation
requirements for the seven
nonattainment areas that the EPA
determined failed to attain the 2008
ozone NAAQS standards, the part of
this action reclassifying those seven
areas from Moderate to Serious will
protect all those residing, working,
attending school, or otherwise present
in those areas regardless of minority or
economic status.
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V. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
Jkt 247001
I certify that this action will not have
a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities
under the RFA. This action will not
impose any requirements on small
entities. The determinations of
attainment and failure to attain the 2008
ozone standards (and resulting
reclassifications), and the final approval
to grant 1-year attainment date
extensions do not in and of themselves
49 On April 30, 2018, the OMB approved EPA’s
request for renewal of the previously approved
information collection request (ICR). The renewed
request expires on April 30, 2021, 3 years after the
approval date (see OMB Control Number 2060–0695
and ICR Reference Number 201801–2060–003 for
EPA ICR No. 2347.03).
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create any new requirements beyond
what is mandated by the CAA. Instead,
this rulemaking only makes factual
determinations, and does not directly
regulate any entities.
E. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
(UMRA)
This action does not contain any
unfunded mandate as described in
UMRA, 2 U.S.C. 1531–1538,50 and does
not significantly or uniquely affect small
governments. This action imposes no
enforceable duty on any state, local or
tribal governments or the private sector.
F. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
This action does not have federalism
implications. It will not have substantial
direct effects on the states, on the
relationship between the national
government and the states, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
levels of government.
G. Executive Order 13175: Consultation
and Coordination With Indian Tribal
Governments
This action has tribal implications.
However, it will neither impose
substantial direct compliance costs on
federally recognized tribal governments,
nor preempt tribal law. The EPA has
identified a few tribal areas that exist
within certain Moderate nonattainment
areas for which the EPA is making final
determinations of attainment for the
2008 ozone NAAQS. The EPA regional
offices consulted with tribal officials
under the EPA policy on Consultation
and Coordination with Indian Tribes
early in the process of developing this
regulation to permit them to have
meaningful and timely input into its
development. Documentation of the
consultation is provided in docket items
EPA–HQ–OAR–2018–0226–0041 and
0043.
H. Executive Order 13045: Protection of
Children From Environmental Health
and Safety Risks
The EPA interprets Executive Order
13045 as applying only to those
regulatory actions that concern
environmental health or safety risks that
the EPA has reason to believe may
disproportionately affect children, per
the definition of ‘‘covered regulatory
action’’ in section 2–202 of the
Executive Order. This action is not
subject to Executive Order 13045
because it does not concern an
environmental health risk or safety risk.
50 U.S.C.
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is United States Code.
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 164 / Friday, August 23, 2019 / Rules and Regulations
I. Executive Order 13211: Actions That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution, or Use
This action is not subject to Executive
Order 13211, because it is not a
significant regulatory action under
Executive Order 12866.
J. National Technology Transfer
Advancement Act (NTTAA)
This rulemaking does not involve
technical standards.
K. Executive Order 12898: Federal
Actions To Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and
Low-Income Populations
The EPA believes that this action does
not have disproportionately high and
adverse human health or environmental
effects on minority, low-income
populations and/or indigenous peoples,
as specified in Executive Order 12898
(59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994). The
documentation for this decision is
contained in the section of the preamble
titled, ‘‘Environmental Justice
Considerations.’’
L. Congressional Review Act (CRA)
This rule is exempt from the CRA
because it is a rule of particular
applicability. The rule makes factual
determinations for specific entities and
does not directly regulate any entities.
The determinations of attainment and
failure to attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS
(and resulting reclassifications), and the
approval to grant 1-year attainment date
extensions do not in themselves create
any new requirements beyond what is
mandated by the CAA.
M. Judicial Review
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Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA,
petitions for judicial review of final
actions that are locally and regionally
applicable may be filed only in the
United States Court of Appeals for the
appropriate circuit. However, the statute
also provides that notwithstanding that
general rule, ‘‘a petition for review of
any action . . . may be filed only in the
United States Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia if such action is
based on a determination of nationwide
scope or effect and if in taking such
action the Administrator finds and
publishes that such action is based on
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15:55 Aug 22, 2019
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such a determination.’’ 51 Because this
final action makes findings regarding
nonattainment areas across the country,
interprets the CAA and applies such
interpretations to states and
nonattainment areas across the country,
and establishes SIP deadlines for newly
reclassified areas in different states in a
consistent fashion, the Administrator
finds that this action has nationwide
scope and effect. Therefore, in
accordance with CAA section 307(b)(1),
petitions for review of this final action
may be filed only in the United States
Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia Circuit by October 22, 2019.
Note, under CAA section 307(b)(2), the
requirements established by this final
rule may not be challenged separately in
any civil or criminal proceedings for
enforcement.
40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection,
Administrative practice and procedure,
Air pollution control, Designations and
classifications, Incorporation by
reference, Intergovernmental relations,
Nitrogen oxides, Ozone, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Volatile
organic compounds.
40 CFR Part 81
Environmental protection,
Administrative practice and procedure,
Air pollution control, Designations and
classifications, Intergovernmental
relations, Nitrogen oxides, Ozone,
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Volatile organic
compounds.
2. Section 52.282 is amended by
adding paragraph (k) to read as follows:
■
§ 52.282
Ozone.
Control strategy and regulations:
*
*
*
*
*
(k) Determination of attainment by the
attainment date. Effective September
23, 2019. The EPA has determined that
the Mariposa County Moderate
nonattainment area in California
attained the 2008 8-hour ozone National
Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS) by the applicable attainment
date of July 20, 2018, based upon
complete quality-assured and certified
data for the calendar years 2015–2017.
1. The authority citation for part 52
continues to read as follows:
■
42 U.S.C. 7607(b)(1); see also Dalton
Trucking v. EPA, 808 F.3d 875 (D.C. Circuit 2015).
Sfmt 4700
§ 52.1076 Control strategy plans for
attainment and rate-of-progress: Ozone.
*
*
*
*
*
(ff) The EPA has determined that the
Baltimore, Maryland Moderate
nonattainment area attained the 2008 8hour ozone National Ambient Air
Quality Standards by the applicable
attainment date of July 20, 2018, based
upon complete quality-assured and
certified data for the calendar years
2015–2017.
PART 81—DESIGNATION OF AREAS
FOR AIR QUALITY PLANNING
PURPOSES
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401, et seq.
PART 52—APPROVAL AND
PROMULGATION OF
IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
51 See
3. Section 52.1076 is amended by
adding paragraph (ff) to read as follows:
■
4. The authority citation for part 81
continues to read as follows:
For the reasons stated in the
preamble, parts 52 and 81, title 40,
chapter 1 of the Code of Federal
Regulations are amended as follows:
Fmt 4700
Subpart F—California
■
Dated: August 7, 2019.
Andrew R. Wheeler,
Administrator.
Frm 00027
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
Subpart V—Maryland
List of Subjects
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Subpart C—Section 107 Attainment
Status Designations
5. Section 81.305 is amended by
revising the entries for ‘‘Nevada County
(Western part), CA:’’ and ‘‘San Diego
County, CA:’’ in the table entitled
‘‘California—2008 8-Hour Ozone
NAAQS (Primary and secondary)’’ to
read as follows:
■
§ 81.305
*
E:\FR\FM\23AUR1.SGM
*
California.
*
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*
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CALIFORNIA—2008 8-HOUR OZONE NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
Designation
Classification
Designated area
Date 1
*
*
*
Nevada County (Western part), CA: 2 ..........................
Nevada County (part):
That portion of Nevada County, which lies
west of a line, described as follows: Beginning at the Nevada-Placer County boundary and running north along the western
boundaries of Sections 24, 13, 12, 1,
Township 17 North, Range 14 East, Mount
Diablo Base and Meridian, and Sections
36, 25, 24, 13, 12, Township 18 North,
Range 14 East to the Nevada-Sierra
County boundary.
*
*
*
San Diego County, CA: 2 ..............................................
San Diego County: 2
Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band of
Mission Indians of the Barona Reservation 3.
Campo Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of
the Campo Indian Reservation 3.
Capitan Grande Band of Diegueno Mission
Indians of California 3.
Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumayaay Indians 3.
Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel 3.
Inaja Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of
the Inaja and Cosmit Reservation 3.
Jamul Indian Village of California 3.
La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians 3.
La Posta Band of Diegueno Mission Indians
of the La Posta Indian Reservation 3.
Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno
Indians 3.
Manzanita Band of Diegueno Mission Indians
of the Manzanita Reservation 3.
Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Mesa Grande Reservation 3.
Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the
Pala Reservation 3.
Pauma Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of
the Pauma and Yuima Reservation 3.
Rincon Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of
the Rincon Reservation 3.
San Pasqual Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of California 3.
Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation 3.
Viejas (Baron Long) Group of Capitan
Grande Band of Mission Indians 3.
*
*
Type
Date 1
Type
*
*
Nonattainment
*
9/23/2019
*
Serious.
*
*
Nonattainment
*
9/23/2019
*
Serious.
*
*
*
........................
........................
*
*
1 This
date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
3 Includes Indian country of the tribe listed in this table located in the identified area. Information pertaining to areas of Indian country in this
table is intended for CAA planning purposes only and is not an EPA determination of Indian country status or any Indian country boundary. EPA
lacks the authority to establish Indian country land status, and is making no determination of Indian country boundaries, in this table.
2 Excludes
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with RULES
*
*
*
*
*
6. Section 81.307 is amended by
revising the table entitled
■
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‘‘Connecticut—2008 8-Hour Ozone
NAAQS [Primary and secondary]’’ to
read as follows:
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*
E:\FR\FM\23AUR1.SGM
*
Connecticut.
*
23AUR1
*
*
44251
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 164 / Friday, August 23, 2019 / Rules and Regulations
CONNECTICUT—2008 8-HOUR OZONE NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
Designation
Classification
Designated area
Greater Connecticut, CT: 2 ...........................................
Hartford County.
Litchfield County.
New London County.
Tolland County.
Windham County.
Mashantucket Pequot Tribe of Connecticut 3.
Mohegan Indian Tribe of Connecticut 3.
New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT: 2 ...
Fairfield County.
Middlesex County.
New Haven County.
Date 1
Type
Date 1
Type
........................
Nonattainment
9/23/2019
Serious.
........................
Nonattainment
9/23/2019
Serious.
1 This
date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
Indian country of the tribe listed in this table located in the identified area. Information pertaining to areas of Indian country in this
table is intended for CAA planning purposes only and is not an EPA determination of Indian country status or any Indian country boundary. EPA
lacks the authority to establish Indian country land status, and is making no determination of Indian country boundaries, in this table.
2 Excludes
3 Includes
*
*
*
*
*
7. Section 81.314 is amended by
revising the entry for ‘‘Chicago-
■
Naperville, IL–IN–WI:’’ in the table
entitled ‘‘Illinois—2008 8-Hour Ozone
NAAQS (Primary and secondary)’’ to
read as follows:
§ 81.314
*
*
Illinois.
*
*
*
ILLINOIS—2008 8-HOUR OZONE NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
Designation
Classification
Designated area
IL–IN–WI: 2
Chicago-Naperville,
...................................
Cook County.
DuPage County.
Grundy County (part).
Aux Sable Township.
Goose Lake Township.
Kane County.
Kendall County (part).
Oswego Township.
Lake County.
McHenry County.
Will County.
*
1 This
*
Date 1
........................
*
Type
Date 1
Type
Nonattainment
9/23/2019
Serious.
*
*
*
*
date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
2 Excludes
*
*
*
*
*
8. Section 81.315 is amended by
revising the entry for ‘‘Chicago-
■
Naperville, IL–IN–WI:’’ in the table
entitled ‘‘Indiana—2008 8-Hour Ozone
NAAQS (Primary and secondary)’’ to
read as follows:
§ 81.315
*
*
Indiana.
*
*
*
INDIANA—2008 8-HOUR OZONE NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
Designation
Classification
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with RULES
Designated area
Chicago-Naperville, IL–IN–WI: 2 ...................................
Lake County.
Porter County.
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........................
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Date 1
Type
Nonattainment
9/23/2019
Serious.
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44252
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 164 / Friday, August 23, 2019 / Rules and Regulations
INDIANA—2008 8-HOUR OZONE NAAQS—Continued
[Primary and secondary]
Designation
Classification
Designated area
Date 1
*
*
*
Date 1
Type
*
*
Type
*
*
1 This
date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
2 Excludes Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
*
*
*
*
*
9. Section 81.331 is amended by
revising the entry for ‘‘New York-N.
■
New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT:’’ in
the table entitled ‘‘New Jersey—2008 8Hour Ozone NAAQS [Primary and
secondary]’’ to read as follows:
§ 81.331
*
*
New Jersey.
*
*
*
NEW JERSEY—2008 8-HOUR OZONE NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
Designation
Classification
Designated area
New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT: 2 ...
Bergen County.
Essex County.
Hudson County.
Hunterdon County.
Middlesex County.
Monmouth County.
Morris County.
Passaic County.
Somerset County.
Sussex County.
Union County.
Warren County.
*
*
Date 1
........................
*
Type
Date 1
Type
Nonattainment
9/23/2019
Serious.
*
*
*
*
1 This
date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
2 Excludes Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
*
*
*
*
*
10. Section 81.333 is amended by
revising the entry for ‘‘New York-N.
■
New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT:’’ in
the table entitled ‘‘New York—2008 8Hour Ozone NAAQS (Primary and
secondary)’’ to read as follows:
§ 81.333
*
*
New York.
*
*
*
NEW YORK—2008 8-HOUR OZONE NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
Designation
Classification
Designated area
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with RULES
Date 1
*
*
*
New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT: 2 ...
Bronx County.
Kings County.
Nassau County.
New York County.
Queens County.
Richmond County.
Rockland County.
Suffolk County.
Westchester County.
Shinnecock Indian Nation 3.
*
1 This
*
Type
Date 1
Type
*
*
Nonattainment
*
9/23/2019
*
Serious.
*
*
*
........................
*
date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
2 Excludes
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*
44253
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 164 / Friday, August 23, 2019 / Rules and Regulations
3 Includes Indian country of the tribe listed in this table located in the identified area. Information pertaining to areas of Indian country in this
table is intended for CAA planning purposes only and is not an EPA determination of Indian country status or any Indian country boundary. EPA
lacks the authority to establish Indian country land status, and is making no determination of Indian country boundaries, in this table.
*
*
*
*
*
11. Section 81.344 is amended by
revising the entries for ‘‘Dallas-Fort
Worth, TX:’’ and ‘‘Houston-Galveston-
■
§ 81.344
Brazoria, TX:’’ in the table entitled
‘‘Texas—2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS
(Primary and secondary)’’ to read as
follows:
*
*
Texas.
*
*
*
TEXAS—2008 8-HOUR OZONE NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
Designation
Classification
Designated area
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX: 2 ................................................
Collin County.
Dallas County.
Denton County.
Ellis County.
Johnson County.
Kaufman County.
Parker County.
Rockwall County.
Tarrant County.
Wise County.
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX: 2 .......................
Brazoria County.
Chambers County.
Fort Bend County.
Galveston County.
Harris County.
Liberty County.
Montgomery County.
Waller County.
*
1 This
*
Date 1
Type
Date 1
Type
........................
Nonattainment
9/23/2019
Serious.
........................
Nonattainment
9/23/2019
Serious.
*
*
*
*
*
date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
2 Excludes
*
*
*
*
*
12. Section 81.350 is amended by
revising the entries for ‘‘ChicagoNaperville, IL–IN–WI:,’’ ‘‘Inland
■
Sheboygan County, WI,’’ and ‘‘Shoreline
Sheboygan County, WI’’ and adding
footnote 5 in the table entitled
‘‘Wisconsin—2008 8-Hour Ozone
NAAQS (Primary and secondary)’’ to
read as follows:
§ 81.350
*
*
Wisconsin.
*
*
*
WISCONSIN—2008 8-HOUR OZONE NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
Designation
Classification
Designated area
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with RULES
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI: 2 .....................................
Kenosha County (part):
The portion of Kenosha County bounded by
the Lake Michigan shoreline on the East,
the Kenosha County boundary on the
North, the Kenosha County boundary on
the South, and the I–94 corridor (including
the entire corridor) on the West.
Inland Sheboygan County, WI 2 5 .................................
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Type
Date 1
Type
........................
Nonattainment
9/23/2019
Serious.
7/15/2019
Nonattainment
12/19/2016
Moderate.
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 164 / Friday, August 23, 2019 / Rules and Regulations
WISCONSIN—2008 8-HOUR OZONE NAAQS—Continued
[Primary and secondary]
Designation
Classification
Designated area
Date 1
Sheboygan County (part):
Exclusive and west of the following roadways
going from the northern county boundary
to the southern county boundary: Highway
43, Wilson Lima Road, Minderhaud Road,
County Road KK/Town Line Road, N 10th
Street, County Road A S/Center Avenue,
Gibbons Road, Hoftiezer Road, Highway
32, Palmer Road/Smies Road/Palmer
Road, Amsterdam Road/County Road RR,
Termaat Road.
Shoreline Sheboygan County, WI 2 5 ............................
Sheboygan County (part):
Inclusive and east of the following roadways
going from the northern county boundary
to the southern county boundary: Highway
43, Wilson Lima Road, Minderhaud Road,
County Road KK/Town Line Road, N 10th
Street, County Road A S/Center Avenue,
Gibbons Road, Hoftiezer Road, Highway
32, Palmer Road/Smies Road/Palmer
Road, Amsterdam Road/County Road RR,
Termaat Road.
*
*
7/15/2019
*
Type
Date 1
Type
Nonattainment
12/19/2016
Moderate.
*
*
*
*
1 This
date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
2 Excludes Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
5 Attainment date is extended to July 20, 2019 for both Inland Sheboygan County, WI, and Shoreline Sheboygan County, WI, nonattainment
areas.
*
*
*
*
*
[FR Doc. 2019–17796 Filed 8–22–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
49 CFR Part 571
[Docket No. NHTSA–2019–0009]
RIN 2127–AM10
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards; Electric-Powered Vehicles:
Electrolyte Spillage and Electrical
Shock Protection
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
This final rule clarifies the
direct contact protection requirements
for high voltage connectors in Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS)
No. 305, ‘‘Electric-powered vehicles:
electrolyte spillage and electrical shock
protection.’’ It amends the standard to
make clear the allowance of high voltage
connectors that require the use of a tool
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with RULES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:08 Aug 22, 2019
Jkt 247001
to separate from their mating
component. This final rule also makes
three minor technical corrections to
FMVSS No. 305.
DATES:
Effective date: This final rule is
effective August 23, 2019.
Compliance date: The compliance
date for the amendments in this final
rule is August 24, 2020. Optional early
compliance is permitted.
Petitions for reconsideration: Petitions
for reconsideration of this final rule
must be received not later than October
7, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Petitions for reconsideration
of this final rule must refer to the docket
and notice number set forth above and
be submitted to the Administrator,
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
Note that all petitions received will be
posted without change to https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided.
Privacy Act: Please see the Privacy
Act heading under Rulemaking
Analyses and Notices.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: You
may contact Ms. Shashi Kuppa, Office
of Crashworthiness Standards;
PO 00000
Frm 00032
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
telephone: 202–366–3827; facsimile:
202–493–2990, or Mr. Daniel Koblenz,
Office of Chief Counsel; telephone: 202–
366–2992; facsimile: 202–366–3820.
The mailing address of these officials is:
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Alliance Comment to the NPRM
III. Final Rule
IV. Regulatory Notices and Analyses
I. Introduction
On February 28, 2019, NHTSA
published a notice of proposed
rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to amend
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
(FMVSS) No. 305, ‘‘Electric-powered
vehicles: electrolyte spillage and
electrical shock protection.’’ 84 FR
6758. The NPRM proposed to amend the
regulatory text of FMVSS No. 305 to
explicitly permit high-voltage
connectors that provide direct contact
protection when connected to their
mating component and that require the
use of a tool to separate from their
mating component. The regulatory text
that was the subject of the NPRM was
E:\FR\FM\23AUR1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 164 (Friday, August 23, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 44238-44254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-17796]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 52 and 81
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0226; FRL-9998-28-OAR]
RIN 2060-AT97
Determinations of Attainment by the Attainment Date, Extensions
of the Attainment Date, and Reclassification of Several Areas
Classified as Moderate for the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality
Standards
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final
action for 11 ozone nonattainment areas that are classified as
``Moderate'' for the 2008 ozone national ambient air quality standards
(NAAQS). First, the agency is determining that two Moderate areas--
Baltimore, Maryland, and Mariposa County, California--attained the
standards by the July 20, 2018, applicable attainment date. Second, the
agency is granting a 1-year attainment date extension for the two
Moderate areas in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin--Inland Sheboygan County,
Wisconsin, and Shoreline Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. Third, the agency
is determining that seven Moderate areas failed to attain the standards
by the applicable attainment date--Chicago-Naperville, Illinois-
Indiana-Wisconsin; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Greater Connecticut,
Connecticut; Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, Texas; Nevada County (Western
part), California; New York-North New Jersey-Long Island, New York-New
Jersey-Connecticut; and San Diego County, California. The effect of
failing to attain by the applicable attainment date is that these areas
will be reclassified by operation of law to ``Serious'' nonattainment
for the 2008 ozone NAAQS on September 23, 2019, the effective date of
this final rule. Accordingly, the responsible state air agencies must
submit State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions and implement controls
to satisfy the statutory and regulatory requirements for Serious areas
for the 2008 ozone
[[Page 44239]]
NAAQS according to the deadlines established in this final rule.
DATES: This rule is effective on September 23, 2019.
ADDRESSES: The EPA established Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0226 for
this action. All documents on the docket are listed at https://www.regulations.gov. Although listed in the docket index, some
information may not be publicly available, e.g., Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information for which disclosure is
restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted
material, is not placed on the internet and will be publicly available
only in hard copy form. Docket materials are available electronically
to the public through https://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further general information on
this final rule, contact Ms. Virginia Raps, Air Quality Policy
Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: C539-01, Research Triangle
Park, NC 27711, telephone (919) 541-4383; fax number: (919) 541-5315;
email address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Proposed Actions
A. Proposed Determinations of Attainment by the Attainment Date,
Determinations of Failure To Attain by the Attainment Date and
Extensions of the Attainment Date
B. Proposed Serious Area SIP Submission Due Dates and RACT
Implementation Deadlines
II. Significant Events Following EPA's November 2018 Proposal
III. Final Actions
A. Determinations of Attainment by the Attainment Date
B. Extension of Moderate Area Attainment Date
C. Determinations of Failure To Attain and Reclassification
D. Serious Area SIP Revision Submission Deadlines and RACT
Implementation Deadlines
IV. Environmental Justice Considerations
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review and
Executive Order 13563: Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review
B. Executive Order 13771: Reducing Regulations and Controlling
Regulatory Costs
C. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
D. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
E. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
F. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
G. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With
Indian Tribal Governments
H. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From
Environmental Health and Safety Risks
I. Executive Order 13211: Actions That Significantly Affect
Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use
J. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA)
K. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions To Address
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income
Populations
L. Congressional Review Act (CRA)
M. Judicial Review
I. Proposed Actions
A. Proposed Determinations of Attainment by the Attainment Date,
Determinations of Failure To Attain by the Attainment Date and
Extensions of the Attainment Date
On November 14, 2018, the EPA proposed actions to fulfill its
statutory obligation under Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act) section 181
to determine whether 11 Moderate ozone nonattainment areas attained the
2008 ozone NAAQS by July 20, 2018, the applicable attainment date for
such areas.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 83 FR 56781, November 14, 2018 (FR is the Federal Register).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
First, the EPA proposed to find that two areas--Baltimore,
Maryland, and Mariposa County, California--attained the 2008 ozone
NAAQS by the applicable attainment date based on complete, quality-
assured and certified ozone air quality monitoring data for the 2015-
2017 calendar years.
Second, the EPA proposed to grant state requests for a 1-year
extension of the attainment date from July 20, 2018, to July 20, 2019,
for two areas--Denver-Boulder-Greeley-Ft. Collins-Loveland, Colorado,
and Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. The proposed extensions were based on
the states' specific requests for such extensions and compliance with
the criteria under CAA section 181(a)(5)(B) and 40 CFR 51.1107,\2\
i.e., the fourth highest daily maximum 8-hour average ozone
concentration recorded in each area during the attainment year (2017
calendar year) did not exceed the 2008 ozone NAAQS level of 0.075 parts
per million (ppm), and the states certified that they were in
compliance with all requirements and commitments pertaining to the
areas in their respective applicable implementation plans. The EPA
proposed that upon the effective date of a final reclassification
action, the attainment date for these areas would be extended to July
20, 2019.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ CFR is Code of Federal Regulations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Third, the EPA proposed to find that seven areas failed to attain
the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the applicable attainment date and did not
qualify for a 1-year attainment date extension: Chicago-Naperville,
Illinois-Indiana-Wisconsin; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Greater
Connecticut, Connecticut; Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, Texas; Nevada
County (Western part), California; New York-North New Jersey-Long
Island, New York-New Jersey-Connecticut; and San Diego County,
California. The proposed determination for each of these areas was
based upon complete, quality-assured and certified ozone air quality
monitoring data that showed that the 8-hour ozone design value for the
area exceeded 0.075 ppm for the period 2015-2017. The EPA proposed that
these seven areas would be reclassified as Serious nonattainment areas
by operation of law on the effective date of a final action finding
that these areas failed to attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the
applicable attainment date for Moderate areas.\3\ A summary of the
actions proposed for the 11 areas in the November 14, 2018, document is
provided in Table 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ See CAA section 181(b)(2)(A).
Table 1--Summary of November 2018 Proposal for 2008 Ozone NAAQS Moderate Nonattainment Areas
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Area failed to
Attained the 2008 attain 2008 ozone
2008 Ozone NAAQS Moderate 2015-2017 ozone NAAQS by the 2017 4th highest NAAQS but eligible
Nonattainment Area design value moderate attainment daily maximum 8-hr for 1-year
(ppm) date? average (ppm) attainment date
extension
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Baltimore, MD.................... 0.075 Attained........... Not applicable..... Not applicable.
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI..... 0.078 Failed to attain... 0.079.............. No.
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX............ 0.079 Failed to attain... 0.077.............. No.
[[Page 44240]]
Denver-Boulder-Greeley-Ft. 0.079 Failed to attain... 0.075.............. Yes.
Collins-Loveland, CO.
Greater Connecticut, CT.......... 0.076 Failed to attain... 0.078.............. No.
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX... 0.081 Failed to attain... 0.079.............. No.
Mariposa County, CA.............. 0.075 Attained........... Not applicable..... Not applicable.
Nevada County (Western part), CA. 0.087 Failed to attain... 0.090.............. No.
New York-N. New Jersey-Long 0.083 Failed to attain... 0.086.............. No.
Island, NY-NJ-CT.
San Diego County, CA............. 0.084 Failed to attain... 0.090.............. No.
Sheboygan County, WI............. 0.080 Failed to attain... 0.075.............. Yes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Proposed Serious Area SIP Submission Due Dates and RACT
Implementation Deadlines
In the November 2018 proposal, the EPA also solicited comment on
adjusting the due dates, in accordance with CAA section 182(i), for SIP
submissions and setting deadlines for implementation of reasonably
available control technology (RACT) for ozone nonattainment areas that
would be reclassified to Serious. Under CAA section 181(b)(2), Moderate
nonattainment areas that fail to attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the
applicable attainment date for such areas will be reclassified as
Serious by operation of law upon the effective date of the final
reclassification action. Each responsible state air agency must
subsequently submit a SIP revision that satisfies the air quality
planning requirements for a Serious area under CAA section 182(c).
On July 20, 2012, when final nonattainment designations became
effective for the 2008 ozone NAAQS, states responsible for areas
initially classified as Serious were required to submit SIP revisions
by due dates relative to that effective date. For those areas, the SIP
submission due dates ranged from 2 to 4 years after July 20, 2012,
depending on the required SIP ``element'' (e.g., 2 years, or July 20,
2014, for the RACT SIP, and 4 years, or July 20, 2016, for the
attainment demonstration). Since those dates have passed, the EPA
proposed in its November 2018 proposal to apply the Administrator's
discretion provided in CAA section 182(i) to adjust the Serious area
SIP due dates and certain implementation deadlines for newly
reclassified areas. CAA section 182(i) requires that reclassified areas
meet the applicable plan submission requirements ``according to the
schedules prescribed in connection with such requirements, except that
the Administrator may adjust any applicable deadlines (other than
attainment dates) to the extent such adjustment is necessary or
appropriate to assure consistency among the required submissions.''
With regard to RACT, the November 2018 proposal made a distinction
between RACT measures that would be needed for purposes of meeting
reasonable further progress (RFP) requirements or for attaining the
NAAQS expeditiously, and the possible set of RACT measures that
nevertheless are required to be adopted and implemented under the CAA
but would not necessarily be needed for a state to meet RFP or
demonstrate timely attainment in a particular nonattainment area.\4\ In
this final action, these two ``categories'' of RACT measures are
referred to as ``RACT measures tied to attainment'' and ``RACT measures
not tied to attainment,'' respectively.
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\4\ See 83 FR 62998, December 6, 2018; 40 CFR 51.1312(a)(2).
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First, the EPA proposed that states submit Serious area SIP
revisions (including RACT measures tied to attainment) and implement
those RACT measures no later than 12 months from the effective date of
the final reclassification action. Second, the EPA proposed the date
for submitting SIP revisions addressing RACT measures not tied to
attainment and implementing those measures as August 3, 2020, which is
the deadline for areas classified Moderate and higher for the 2015
ozone NAAQS to submit RACT SIP revisions.\5\ At the time of proposal,
the EPA estimated that August 3, 2020 would be approximately 18 months
after the effective date of its final reclassification action.\6\ In
the proposal, the EPA requested comment on an alternative that would
allow states to submit SIP revisions addressing RACT measures not tied
to attainment no later than 24 months from the effective date of the
final reclassification action. The EPA also requested comment on
whether a longer timeframe for implementing RACT measures not tied to
attainment (but no later than January 1, 2024, i.e., providing 5 years
from the anticipated date of reclassification,) would result in
significant emission reductions and improvement in air quality. The
EPA's rationale supporting its proposed due dates and deadlines is
summarized in the following sections.
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\5\ See 83 FR 62998, December 6, 2018; 40 CFR 51.1312(a)(2).
\6\ See 83 FR 56781, November 14, 2018.
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1. Proposed due date for Serious-area SIP revisions (including RACT
measures tied to attainment), and Proposed implementation deadline for
RACT measures tied to attainment. The EPA proposed that states submit
all Serious-area SIP revisions--with the exception of any RACT measures
not tied to attainment--by no later than 12 months after the effective
date of the final reclassification action.\7\ The state
[[Page 44241]]
submittal requirements for nonattainment areas, in general, are
provided under CAA section 172(c); the SIP requirements that apply
specifically to Serious areas are listed under CAA section 182(c) and
include: (1) Enhanced monitoring; (2) an attainment demonstration and
RFP; (3) an enhanced vehicle inspection and maintenance program, if
applicable; (4) clean-fuel vehicle programs and transportation control
measures; (5) nonattainment New Source Review (NSR) program revisions;
and (6) contingency measures. States must also provide an analysis of--
and adopt all--reasonably available control measures (RACM), including
RACT needed for purposes of meeting RFP or timely attaining the NAAQS.
In the case of areas that are reclassified from Moderate to Serious for
the 2008 ozone NAAQS, such an analysis should include: (1) An
evaluation of controls for sources emitting 100 tons per year (tpy) or
more that may have become reasonably available since the January 1,
2017, Moderate area deadline for adopting and implementing RACT, and
(2) an evaluation of controls for sources emitting 50 tpy or more that
are currently reasonably available, consistent with the definition of
``major source'' or ``major stationary source'' for areas classified as
Serious.\8\
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\7\ The EPA has long taken the position that the statutory
requirement for states to assess and adopt RACT for sources in ozone
nonattainment areas classified Moderate and higher generally exists
independently from the attainment planning requirements for such
areas. See Memo from John Seitz, ``Reasonable Further Progress,
Attainment Demonstration, and Related Requirements for Ozone
Nonattainment Areas Meeting the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality
Standard'' (1995), at 5 (explaining that Subpart 2 requirements
linked to the attainment demonstration are suspended by a finding
that a nonattainment area is attaining but that requirements such as
RACT must be met whether or not an area has attained the standard);
see also 40 CFR 51.1118 (suspending attainment demonstrations, RACM,
RFP, contingency measures, and other attainment planning SIPs with a
finding of attainment). In addition to the independent RACT
requirement, states have a statutory obligation to apply RACM
(including such reductions in emissions from existing sources in the
area as may be obtained through implementation of RACT) to meet RFP
requirements and to demonstrate attainment as expeditiously as
practicable. Therefore, to the extent that a state adopts new or
additional RACT controls to meet RFP requirements or to demonstrate
attainment as expeditiously as practicable, those states must
include such RACT revisions with the other SIP elements due as part
of the attainment plan required under CAA sections 172(c) and 182(c)
and must implement them by the same date as explained further in
Section III.D.3 of this preamble.
\8\ See CAA section 182(c).
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In CAA section 182(c), the schedule for submitting attainment
planning requirements for Serious areas is 4 years from the effective
date of nonattainment designation.\9\ As such, in accordance with CAA
section 182(i), EPA believed it was necessary to establish a shorter
deadline for all areas being reclassified to Serious, given that a due
date 4 years beyond reclassification would well surpass the Serious
area attainment date of July 20, 2021. EPA therefore proposed a 12-
month deadline for the Serious area attainment planning requirements
believing this timeframe to be appropriate for all the newly
reclassified areas, given that these areas are being reclassified
rather than newly designated, classified as Serious and have therefore
been adopting and implementing control measures to attain the 2008
ozone NAAQS for many years. The EPA considered the proposed timeframe
to be consistent with how the EPA handled setting SIP submission
deadlines for other nonattainment areas that were reclassified from
Moderate to Serious for past ozone NAAQS. Examples include Dallas-Ft.
Worth, Texas,\10\ an area reclassified in 2010 as Serious for the 1997
8-hour ozone NAAQS, and the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas,\11\ and St.
Louis, Missouri,\12\ nonattainment areas, reclassified in 2003 and
2004, respectively, from Moderate to Serious for the 1979 1-hour ozone
NAAQS. Based on these examples, the EPA considered that 12 months would
generally provide the time necessary for states and local air districts
to finish reviews of available control measures, adopt revisions to
necessary attainment strategies, address other SIP requirements and
complete the public notice process necessary to adopt and submit timely
SIP revisions.\13\
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\9\ See CAA section 182(c)(2) and (i) for SIP submissions and
requirements.
\10\ See 75 FR 79302, December 20, 2010, Dallas-Ft. Worth,
Texas, reclassification to Serious for the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS.
\11\ See 69 FR 16483, March 30, 2004, Beaumont-Port Arthur,
Texas, reclassification to Serious for the 1979 1-hour ozone NAAQS.
\12\ See 68 FR 4836, January 30, 2003, St. Louis, Missouri,
reclassification to Serious for the 1979 1-hour ozone NAAQS.
\13\ Cf. CAA section 179(d)(1).
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The EPA also proposed that any RACT that states determine is needed
for meeting RFP or timely attainment of the 2008 ozone NAAQS would need
to be implemented by the date that the attainment plan is due, i.e., no
later than 12 months after the effective date of the final
reclassification action. As a general matter, the Act requires
implementation of those requirements needed for timely attainment ``as
expeditiously as practicable.'' \14\ The EPA considered an
implementation deadline of 12 months from the anticipated effective
date of the final reclassification action to be consistent with the
requirement to act expeditiously. Moreover, at the time of the November
2018 proposal, EPA anticipated that a 12-month deadline would be
generally consistent with the start of the attainment year ozone season
for all 2008 ozone NAAQS Serious areas (early 2020). Ideally, all
emissions control strategies designed to help areas attain the 2008
ozone NAAQS by the applicable Serious area attainment date of July 20,
2021, or to qualify for a 1-year extension of that attainment date,
would be in place and in effect for the start of the final full ozone
season preceding the attainment date, as that is the last ozone season
of air quality monitoring data that could affect the area's design
value as of the attainment date or would decide whether the area met
the 1-year extension air quality eligibility criterion.\15\
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\14\ See CAA section 172(c)(1).
\15\ See 40 CFR 51.1108(d).
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Due dates for SIP submission often precede the deadline for
implementation of control strategies contained in those SIP
submissions. However, given the compressed timeframe available for
states to meet the July 20, 2021, attainment date for Serious areas,
the EPA considered that, at the very least, it would be appropriate to
align the due date for RACT SIP submissions with the deadline for
implementation of any new control measures contained in that RACT SIP.
2. Proposed due date for Serious-area SIP revisions for RACT
measures not tied to attainment. The EPA proposed that states submit
their SIP revisions by August 3, 2020, for any RACT not otherwise
needed for attainment purposes, which was based on our prediction that
such a due date would be approximately 18 months after the effective
date of the final reclassification action. The proposed August 3, 2020,
due date would have aligned the 2008 ozone Serious area SIP due date
for RACT measures not tied to attainment with the SIP revision due
dates for RACT (areas classified Moderate or higher) and certain other
implementation plan elements required for 2015 ozone NAAQS
nonattainment areas.\16\
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\16\ All the areas reclassified because of this final rule are
among those designated nonattainment for the 2015 ozone NAAQS,
effective August 3, 2018 (see 83 FR 25776, June 4, 2018).
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As provided for in CAA section 182(i), the Administrator may adjust
deadlines for reclassified areas ``to the extent such adjustment is
necessary or appropriate to assure consistency among the required
submissions.'' In the November 2018 proposal, the EPA interpreted
``consistency among the required submissions'' to allow for
consideration of ``required submissions'' for various ozone NAAQS that
are being implemented simultaneously. Since all the areas that are
subject to reclassification to Serious upon the effective date of this
final reclassification action are also designated nonattainment for the
2015 ozone NAAQS or are in the Ozone Transport Region (OTR), the same
state air agencies are required under CAA section 182 to submit SIP
revisions for certain SIP elements for the 2015 ozone
[[Page 44242]]
NAAQS within 2 years of the effective date of the nonattainment area
designations. The effective date of nonattainment area designations for
the 2015 ozone NAAQS was August 3, 2018, and therefore the due date for
submitting nonattainment SIP revisions associated with that standard is
August 3, 2020. Consistent with CAA section 182(i), the EPA considered
coordinating the SIP due dates related to the 2008 and 2015 ozone NAAQS
for these nonattainment areas to be ``appropriate'' and could result in
more effective implementation of the NAAQS.
Under CAA section 182(i), reclassified areas generally are required
to submit SIP revisions associated with their new classification
``according to the schedules prescribed in connection with such
requirements.'' CAA section 182(b)(2), which establishes the RACT
requirement for ozone nonattainment areas classified as Moderate or
above, and CAA section 184(b), which establishes RACT requirements for
states in the ozone transport region, provide a 24-month schedule for
compliance with those requirements.\17\ Although the proposed due date
of August 3, 2020, would have provided states with less than 24 months
to submit their SIP revisions for RACT measures not tied to attainment,
the EPA considered the anticipated timeframe to be ``appropriate''
given coordination with the 2015 ozone NAAQS SIP due dates and the
nature of the submission, i.e., because states with newly reclassified
Serious areas should recently have addressed RACT requirements
commensurate with the Moderate area classification, such that their
Serious area RACT SIP submittal should primarily only have to address
sources emitting between 50-100 tpy. The EPA also requested comment on
an alternative approach that would have allowed states a full 24 months
from the effective date of the final reclassification action to submit
SIP revisions for RACT not otherwise needed for attainment, if such
additional time would yield significant emission reductions and
improvement in air quality.
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\17\ See 40 CFR 51.1112(a)(2).
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3. Implementation deadline for Serious-area RACT measures not tied
to attainment. CAA section 182(b)(2) establishes the RACT area
requirements for ozone areas designated and classified Moderate and
higher.\18\ That provision, which was written for the 1-hour ozone
NAAQS, established a RACT implementation deadline of approximately 5
years from November 15, 1990. In the 2008 ozone NAAQS SIP Requirements
Rule, the EPA interpreted this statutory deadline for the 2008 ozone
standard by establishing a RACT implementation deadline of January 1 of
the fifth year after the effective date of nonattainment designation,
and explained that this was consistent with the maximum timeframe
provided under the CAA for implementing RACT in nonattainment areas
classified Moderate or higher.\19\ For nonattainment areas initially
classified as Moderate or higher for the 2008 ozone NAAQS and for OTR
states, RACT measures were required to be implemented by January 1,
2017. Because that date has now passed and cannot be applied to the
areas that are subject to reclassification to Serious, the EPA proposed
to set a new deadline of August 3, 2020, for implementation of any new
RACT requirements not otherwise needed for RFP or timely attainment
purposes.
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\18\ CAA Section 182(b)(2) sets the RACT requirement for
Moderate areas, and the Act requires other higher-classified areas
to fulfill the CAA section 182(b) requirements. See CAA sections
182(c), (d), and (e) (requiring states with Serious, Severe, and
Extreme nonattainment areas, respectively, to also fulfill the
obligations required of lower-classified areas).
\19\ See 40 CFR 51.1112(a)(3); 80 FR 12264, 12280, March 6,
2015.
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This proposed deadline of August 3, 2020, was based on EPA's
estimation at proposal that the date would be approximately 18 months
after the anticipated effective date of the final reclassification
action. EPA also proposed the same date for the submission due date for
related SIP revisions for RACT measures not tied to attainment
discussed in Section I.B.2 of this final reclassification action.
Areas originally classified as Moderate and higher for the 2008
ozone NAAQS had just under 5 years to implement ozone RACT requirements
(by January 1 of the fifth year after the effective date of
designation, i.e., January 1, 2017). By contrast, areas reclassified in
2016 from Marginal to Moderate for the 2008 ozone NAAQS became subject
to the RACT requirement less than seven months (and in two cases
significantly less than seven months) before the RACT implementation
deadline.20 21 22 In some reclassified Moderate areas,
states may have been able to adopt additional controls as RACT had
there been additional time to implement them. In their proposal the
EPA, therefore, also solicited comment on whether an extended RACT
implementation deadline--beyond August 3, 2020, but no later than
January 1 of the fifth year after the effective date of
reclassification to Serious (i.e., January 1, 2024)--would yield
additional and substantial emission reductions in newly-reclassified
Serious areas beyond what could be achieved by the due date of August
3, 2020.
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\20\ See 81 FR 26697, May 4, 2016.
\21\ See 81 FR 90207, December 14, 2016, Houston-Galveston-
Brazoria, Texas, reclassification to Moderate for the 2008 8-hour
ozone NAAQS.
\22\ See 81 FR 91841, December 19, 2016. Reclassification of the
Sheboygan, Wisconsin, nonattainment area to Moderate Nonattainment
for the 2008 ozone NAAQS.
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II. Significant Events Following EPA's November 2018 Proposal
Following EPA's issuance of the November 2018 proposal, two
significant events occurred which have bearing on this final rule.
First, on March 26, 2019, the State of Colorado's Governor Jared Polis
sent a letter to EPA to withdraw the state's request for a 1-year
attainment date extension.\23\ As stated in the Act's attainment date
extension provision for ozone nonattainment areas, section 181(a)(5),
``[u]pon application by any State,'' the EPA may extend an area's
attainment date by 1 year provided certain criteria are met. The EPA
interprets a state's application to be a necessary prerequisite to
granting the 1-year extension.\24\ Because the Governor has withdrawn
the request, this rulemaking does not finalize the 1-year extension for
the Denver-Greeley-Ft. Collins-Loveland, CO, nonattainment area for the
2008 ozone NAAQS.
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\23\ See docket item EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0226-0059, ``GOV Letter
Attainment Extension withdrawal 3.26.2019.''
\24\ Cf. Del. Dep't of Natural Res. and Envtl. Control v. EPA,
895 F.3d 90 (D.C. Cir. 2018) (interpreting section 181(a)(5)'s
reference to ``any'' state literally to provide EPA with authority
to grant an extension to a multi-state nonattainment area based on
the extension request of only one state in that area).
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Second, since the EPA issued its November 2018 proposal, the agency
has taken final action to approve a request from the State of Wisconsin
to revise the designation for the Sheboygan County nonattainment area
for the 1997 and 2008 primary and secondary ozone NAAQS, by splitting
the historic nonattainment area into two distinct nonattainment areas
that together cover the identical geographic area of Sheboygan County,
Wisconsin.\25\ For purposes of this action, the former Sheboygan County
2008 ozone moderate nonattainment area is now the ``Inland Sheboygan
County, WI,'' nonattainment area and the ``Shoreline Sheboygan County,
WI,'' area. Because the boundary of the two nonattainment areas
together covers the entire historic nonattainment area, for which EPA
[[Page 44243]]
proposed a 1-year extension of the attainment date for the 2008 ozone
NAAQS in November 2018, the EPA is taking final action to grant a 1-
year extension of the Moderate area attainment date to July 20, 2019
for both areas.\26\ The EPA may grant a 1-year attainment date
extension for the two areas because air quality data for each area,
evaluated independently, shows the 2017 fourth-highest 8-hour ozone
value for the Inland Sheboygan County, WI, nonattainment area was 0.070
ppm, and the corresponding value for the Shoreline Sheboygan County,
WI, nonattainment area was 0.075 ppm. Furthermore, the other statutory
criteria for qualifying for a 1-year attainment date extension for an
ozone nonattainment area are met.\27\
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\25\ See 84 FR 33699, July 15, 2019; effective July 15, 2019.
\26\ See Section III.B of this preamble.
\27\ The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources requested an
extension for the Sheboygan County, WI, nonattainment area and
certified its implementation plan applicable for the entire historic
geographic area.
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III. Final Actions
The public comment period for EPA's November 2018 proposal closed
on December 14, 2018. To accommodate a request for a public hearing,
the comment period was subsequently reopened on February 8, 2019, a
public hearing was held on February 15, 2019, and the comment period
closed on February 22, 2019.
All comments received during these two public comment periods may
be found in the electronic docket for this final action. In this
section describing EPA's final actions, certain key comments and the
agency's responses are included. A Response to Comments document
including all significant comments received on the EPA's proposal and
the agency's responses to those comments is also included in the docket
for this rulemaking. To access the full set of comments received and
the Response to Comments document, please go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0226, or
contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section.
Due to the withdrawal of Colorado's request for a 1-year attainment
date extension, EPA is not taking final action for the Denver-Boulder-
Greeley-Ft. Collins-Loveland, CO, nonattainment area in this final
rule. However, EPA is finalizing the attainment date extension for both
portions of the historic Sheboygan, Wisconsin, nonattainment area
(i.e., Inland Sheboygan County, WI, and Shoreline Sheboygan County,
WI), which now counts as two nonattainment areas. A summary of EPA's
final actions for the 11 Moderate nonattainment areas in provided in
Table 2.
Table 2--2008 Ozone Moderate Nonattainment Area Final Action Summary
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extension of the
Attained by the Failed to attain moderate area
2008 NAAQS nonattainment area attainment date by the attainment attainment date to
date July 20, 2019
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Baltimore, MD....................................... X .................. ..................
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI........................ .................. X ..................
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX............................... .................. X ..................
Greater Connecticut, CT............................. .................. X ..................
Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX...................... .................. X ..................
Mariposa County, CA................................. X .................. ..................
Nevada County (Western part), CA.................... .................. X ..................
New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island, CT-NJ-NY........ .................. X ..................
San Diego County, CA................................ .................. X ..................
Inland Sheboygan County, WI......................... .................. .................. X
Shoreline Sheboygan County, WI...................... .................. .................. X
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Determinations of Attainment by the Attainment Date
Pursuant to section 181(b)(2)(A) of the CAA and 40 CFR 51.1103, the
EPA is making final determinations that the Baltimore, MD, and Mariposa
County, CA, Moderate nonattainment areas listed in Table 2 attained the
2008 ozone NAAQS by the applicable attainment date of July 20, 2018.
Once effective, this final action satisfies the EPA's obligation
pursuant to CAA section 181(b)(2)(A) to determine, based on an area's
air quality as of the attainment date, whether the area attained the
standard by the applicable attainment date. The effect of a final
determination of attainment by an area's attainment date is to
discharge the EPA's obligation under CAA section 181(b)(2)(A), and to
establish that, in accordance with CAA section 181(b)(2)(A), the area
will not be reclassified for failure to attain by the applicable
attainment date.
These determinations of attainment do not constitute a
redesignation to attainment as provided for under CAA section
107(d)(3). Redesignations require states to meet additional statutory
criteria, including the EPA approval of a state plan demonstrating
maintenance of the air quality standard for 10 years after
redesignation, as required under CAA section 175A. As for all NAAQS,
the EPA is committed to working with states that choose to submit
redesignation requests for the 2008 ozone NAAQS.\28\
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\28\ It is worth noting that EPA issued Clean Data
Determinations, which suspend certain attainment planning
requirements, for both the Baltimore, Maryland, and Mariposa,
California, 2008 ozone NAAQS nonattainment areas. For Baltimore,
Maryland, the final 2008 ozone NAAQS Clean Data Determination was
effective on July 1, 2015 (80 FR 30941, June 1, 2015). For Mariposa,
California, EPA issued a final 2008 ozone NAAQS Clean Data
Determination that was initially effective on February 21, 2017 (81
FR 93624, December 21, 2016) and was delayed until March 21, 2017,
due to a Presidential Directive (82 FR 8499, January 26, 2017). More
information about the Clean Data Policy and redesignation guidance
is available at https://www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution/redesignation-and-clean-data-policy-cdp.
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Comment: One commenter suggested that the record supporting the
Baltimore, Maryland, reclassification action was incomplete because it
appeared that the state relied on two exceptional events claims for
Canadian wildfires impacting air quality in Baltimore in May and July
2016.\29\ The commenter claimed that the EPA failed to clearly identify
the basis for its action in the docket. The commenter also suggested
that Maryland appears to be the only state to claim that the July 2016
wildfires justified exclusion of any air quality data, indicating that
Maryland's
[[Page 44244]]
demonstration and the EPA's acceptance of the data exclusion were
arbitrary and not valid.
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\29\ See comments from Earthjustice, docket item EPA-HQ-OAR-
2018-0226-0050.
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Response: The EPA acknowledges that it inadvertently omitted from
the record for this proposed action the supporting information received
from Maryland regarding these exceptional events claims. The EPA
therefore issued a supplemental proposal in the Federal Register on May
7, 2019.\30\ This supplemental proposal made available the exceptional
events demonstration relied upon by Maryland to support the exclusion
of air quality data for the Baltimore area due to Canadian wildfire
impacts in May and July 2016. Comments were solicited for a 15-day
period through May 22, 2019. No substantive comments requiring a
response were received.
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\30\ See 84 FR 19893, May 7, 2019; and docket item EPA-HQ-OAR-
2018-0226-0061.
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B. Extension of the Moderate Area Attainment Date
Pursuant to CAA section 181(a)(5), the EPA is taking final action
to grant a 1-year extension of the applicable attainment date from July
20, 2018, to July 20, 2019, for the two nonattainment areas in
Sheboygan County, Wisconsin--Inland Sheboygan County, WI, and Shoreline
Sheboygan County, WI.\31\
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\31\ Subsequent to EPA's proposal to extend the 2008 ozone
Moderate area attainment deadline for the Sheboygan County
nonattainment area, the EPA approved Wisconsin's request to split
the area into two distinct nonattainment areas. See 84 FR 33699,
July 15, 2019; effective July 15, 2019. See also Section II of this
preamble.
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The EPA is not taking final action to grant a 1-year extension for
the Denver area because the State withdrew its request for an
extension, and the EPA interprets that request to be a necessary
prerequisite to an extension of the attainment date under CAA section
181(a)(5). The EPA is therefore addressing whether the Denver area
attained the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the July 20, 2018 attainment date and
any associated reclassification in a separate action.
Comment: One commenter opposed an attainment date extension for the
Sheboygan area. The commenter claimed that because the ``extension
year'' runs from July 2018 to July 2019, and the year preceding the
Extension Year runs from July 2017 to July 2018, then the relevant
monitoring data for making the CAA section 181(a)(5)(B) extension
determination should be from the July 2017 to July 2018 period. The
commenter noted that during this period, one of the Sheboygan County
monitors recorded a fourth-highest daily maximum 8-hour average of
0.081 ppm, and they claimed that for this reason the area does not
qualify for a 1-year attainment date extension.
Response: The EPA does not agree with the commenter because a 1-
year attainment date extension for an ozone nonattainment area is based
on air quality data for the most recent calendar year prior to the
attainment date. This interpretation of CAA section 181(a)(5)(B) is
explained in the SIP requirements rule for the 2008 ozone NAAQS.\32\ As
noted in Table 1, the fourth-highest 8-hour ozone value during 2017 for
the historic Sheboygan County nonattainment area was below the level of
the standard. Furthermore, as noted in Section II of this preamble,
when analyzed separately, the fourth-highest 8-hour ozone value during
2017 for each of the ``new'' attainment areas in Sheboygan County
(i.e., Inland Sheboygan County,WI, and Shoreline Sheboygan County, WI),
was below the level of the standard, and thus Sheboygan County, now
separated into two nonattainment areas, qualifies for a 1-year
attainment date extension.
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\32\ See 80 FR 12292 (March 6, 2015) and 40 CFR 51.1107.
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C. Determinations of Failure To Attain and Reclassification
Pursuant to CAA section 181(b)(2), the EPA is finalizing its
proposed determinations that the seven Moderate nonattainment areas
listed in Table 2 have failed to attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the
applicable attainment date of July 20, 2018. Therefore, upon the
effective date of this final action, these seven areas will be
reclassified, by operation of law, to Serious for the 2008 ozone NAAQS.
Once reclassified to Serious, these areas will be required to attain
the standard ``as expeditiously as practicable'' but no later than 9
years after the initial designation as nonattainment, which in this
case would be no later than July 20, 2021. If any of these areas
attains the 2008 ozone NAAQS prior to the Serious area attainment date,
the relevant state may request redesignation to attainment, provided
the state can demonstrate that the criteria under CAA section
107(d)(3)(E) are met.\33\
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\33\ See more information about the Clean Data Policy and
redesignation guidance is available at https://www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution/redesignation-and-clean-data-policy-cdp.
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Following the November 2018 proposal, the California Air Resources
Board submitted a request under CAA section 181(b)(3) to voluntarily
reclassify the Nevada County (Western part) nonattainment area from
Moderate to Serious nonattainment for the 2008 ozone standards.\34\ The
State's request for voluntary reclassification was accompanied by a SIP
revision that addresses Serious area attainment, RFP, RACM and other
planning requirements.\35\ The State previously submitted a SIP
revision to address the Serious-area RACT requirements on June 7,
2018,\36\ and a SIP revision to address NSR requirements for the 2008
ozone standard on September 6, 2016.\37\ In this final action, the EPA
is finding that the Nevada County (western part), California area
failed to attain the 2008 ozone standard by the applicable attainment
date, which means the area will be reclassified to Serious by operation
of law. The EPA notes that there is no need for the EPA to act on the
request for voluntary reclassification because the EPA's final
determination here results in the same outcome as would occur with an
approval of that request--in either scenario, the area would be
reclassified to Serious, and subject to the Serious area requirements
described in CAA section 182(c).
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\34\ See the December 2, 2018, letter from California Air
Resources Board (CARB) Executive Officer Richard W. Corey to EPA
Region 9 Regional Administrator Michael Stoker, transmitting CARB
Resolution 18-36, and November 14, 2018 letter from Northern Sierra
Air Quality Management District (NSAQMD) Executive Director Gretchen
Bennitt to CARB Executive Officer Richard W. Corey, transmitting
NSAQMD Resolution 2018-07.
\35\ The Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District, which
has local jurisdiction over the area, adopted the Ozone Attainment
Plan for Western Nevada County on October 22, 2018. The California
Air Resources Board adopted the plan as a revision to the California
SIP on November 15, 2018.
\36\ The Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District adopted
the Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) State
Implementation Plan (SIP) Revision for Western Nevada County 8-hour
Ozone Nonattainment Area on March 26, 2018. The California Air
Resources Board Executive Officer adopted the Plan as a revision to
the California SIP on June 7, 2018.
\37\ The Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District adopted
District Rule 428: New Source Review Requirements for New and
Modified Major Sources in Federally Designated Nonattainment Areas
on June 27, 2016. The California Air Resources Board Executive
Officer adopted the rule as a revision to the California SIP on
September 6, 2016.
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The EPA received some adverse comments on its proposal to determine
that certain areas failed to attain by the applicable attainment date
and to reclassify those areas to Serious nonattainment. For a
discussion of additional comments received on the proposal and
responses to those comments, please see the Response to Comments
document in the docket for this action.
Comment: Several commenters noted that when the Chicago area was
designated as nonattainment for the
[[Page 44245]]
more stringent 2015 ozone NAAQS,\38\ a portion of Lake County, Indiana,
and all of Porter County, Indiana, were designated as attainment rather
than being included as part of the Chicago, IL-IL-WI, nonattainment
area for the more stringent 2015 ozone NAAQS. For this reason, the
commenters oppose the inclusion of these Indiana counties in the
reclassification of the Chicago nonattainment area to Serious for the
2008 ozone NAAQS.
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\38\ See 83 FR 25776, June 4, 2018; final rule effective August
3, 2018.
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Response: Although the Chicago, IL-IN-WI, nonattainment area for
the 2015 ozone NAAQS consists of a smaller geographic area than the
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI, nonattainment area for the 2008 ozone
NAAQS, the differences in the geographic extent of the nonattainment
areas does not constitute a revision to the nonattainment area boundary
for the 2008 ozone NAAQS. Under CAA section 181(b)(2), when the EPA
determines that an area has failed to attain a standard by the
applicable attainment date, that area is reclassified by operation of
law to the next higher classification for the area or the
classification applicable to the area's design value as of the date EPA
determines the area failed to attain. Because the Chicago-Naperville,
IL-IN-WI, nonattainment area for the 2008 ozone NAAQS failed to attain
the standard by its Moderate attainment date, the EPA is required by
the CAA to reclassify the area, not a portion of the area, to Serious.
The boundary of the nonattainment area for a different NAAQS, in this
case the 2015 ozone NAAQS, has no relevance on the EPA's duties with
respect to the 2008 ozone NAAQS.
Comment: One commenter suggested that the Houston, Texas, area
should not be reclassified to Serious for the 2008 ozone NAAQS because
certain days in 2018 were impacted by exceptional events, and if such
events were taken into account, the area would attain the standard
based on 2016-2018 data.
Response: The CAA section 181(b)(2)(A) requires the EPA
Administrator to determine whether an area attained the 2008 ozone 8-
hour NAAQS based on the area's 2015-2017 design value as of the
attainment date, July 20, 2018. Based on these data, the Houston area
is being reclassified to Serious as of the effective date of this final
action. The EPA will review any exceptional events demonstrations that
may be provided by Texas in the future, and the EPA will determine if
it concurs with such demonstrations. If Houston or any other area that
has been reclassified to Serious provides the EPA with quality-assured,
certified air quality data for 2016-2018 that demonstrates attainment
of the 2008 ozone NAAQS, the area could be eligible for a clean data
determination,\39\ which would suspend the obligation to submit the
attainment planning elements so long as the area continues to attain
the standard. Such areas would also be able to submit a request for
redesignation provided they meet the statutory criteria for
redesignation, including an approved maintenance plan.
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\39\ More information about the Clean Data Policy and
redesignation guidance is available at https://www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution/redesignation-and-clean-data-policy-cdp.
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Comment: One commenter claimed that Connecticut has failed to
attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the applicable attainment date due to
emissions it does not have authority to control, either because such
emissions originate out of state or are from mobile sources regulated
by EPA. The commenter believes that EPA failed to adequately address
interstate transport of air pollution under CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)
for the 2008 ozone NAAQS when it finalized the 2016 Cross-State Air
Pollution Rule (CSAPR) Update. They claimed that the underlying logic
of this rule was flawed because the EPA limited its assessment of
control strategies to those that were feasible to implement only as
late as the 2017 ozone season. The commenter recommends that the EPA
revisit this transport rule to address longer term control strategies
that could be feasible to implement beyond 2017 to benefit air quality
in areas reclassified to Serious and beyond.
Response: The agency's mandatory duty to make determinations of
attainment or failure to attain the NAAQS is contained in CAA section
182(b)(2), which does not reference or make any exclusions based on the
nature or effect of transported emissions on monitored air quality data
in a given nonattainment area.\40\ Moreover, to the extent the comment
is raising issues related to the EPA's separate action, the CSAPR
Update, to address the requirements of CAA section 110(a)(2)(D), or the
``good neighbor'' provision, with respect to the 2008 ozone NAAQS, they
are outside the scope of this final determination and should be
addressed in the context of those EPA actions.\41\ Nevertheless, the
EPA acknowledges the role interstate transport of precursors to ozone
pollution plays in the efforts of downwind areas to attain and maintain
the NAAQS. The EPA finalized a determination in December 2018, the
``CSAPR Close Out,'' that fulfilled its statutory obligations under CAA
section 110(a)(2)(D), or the ``good neighbor'' provision, with respect
to the 2008 ozone NAAQS.\42\ In that determination, the EPA's air
quality modeling projected that all monitors in the Eastern United
States, including those air quality monitors in Connecticut, would be
attaining and maintaining the NAAQS by 2023, the analytic year used by
the agency.\43\ Id.
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\40\ See Sierra Club v. EPA, 294 F.3d 155, 160-62 (D.C. Cir.
2002). The Court held that the EPA is not permitted to relax
mandatory statutory requirements for downwind areas on the basis of
interstate transport.
\41\ As of the date of signature of this final action,
litigation over the CSAPR Update is pending in the D.C. Circuit.
State of Wisconsin, et al., v. EPA, No. 16-1406 (D.C. Cir.).
Connecticut is not a petitioner or intervenor in this litigation.
\42\ See 83 FR 65878, December 21, 2018.
\43\ As of the date of signature of this final action,
litigation over the CSAPR Close Out is pending in the D.C. Circuit.
State of New York, et al., v. EPA, No. 19-1019 (D.C. Cir.).
Connecticut is a petitioner in this litigation.
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D. Serious Area SIP Submission Deadlines and RACT Implementation
Deadlines
The EPA received comments on the proposed alternatives for the
Serious area deadlines for submitting SIP and RACT revisions, and on
the deadlines for implementation of RACT. After full consideration of
those comments, and pursuant to CAA section 182(i), the EPA is
finalizing the SIP submission due dates and RACT implementation
deadlines.
1. Due date for Serious area SIP revisions (including RACT measures
tied to attainment), and implementation deadline for RACT measures tied
to attainment. The EPA is finalizing August 3, 2020, as the due date
for Serious area SIP revisions, including RACT measures tied to
attainment. The EPA is also finalizing August 3, 2020, as the
implementation deadline for RACT measures tied to attainment.
The EPA's decision to finalize the date of August 3, 2020, for
these deadlines was informed by several factors. The EPA proposed a due
date of 12 months from the effective date of a final action for these
SIP elements and the implementation deadline for RACT measures tied to
attainment in its November 2018 proposal. At the time of proposal, the
agency had hoped to issue a timely final action--by January 2019. Under
such a scenario, the actual due dates for Serious area SIP submissions
and deadlines for implementation of RACT measures tied to attainment
[[Page 44246]]
would have been January 2020, the beginning of the final year of the 3-
year period (2018-2020) that would be evaluated to determine whether an
area attains the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the July 20, 2021, Serious-area
attainment date. This intended schedule would have enabled the state to
implement controls by the beginning of 2020, the last year for which
air quality data could impact an area's ability to timely attain the
NAAQS or to achieve qualifying air quality for a 1-year extension of
the attainment deadline from July 20, 2021, to July 20, 2022.
The timeliness of the final action was delayed when the EPA
received a request to schedule a public hearing on the proposal around
the time of the lapse in government appropriations, otherwise referred
to as the Federal Government shutdown, occurred beginning on December
22, 2018, and ended January 25, 2019. Consequently, while the original
public comment period for the November 2018 proposal closed on December
14, 2018, the EPA was unable to hold a public hearing in December. As
quickly as possible after the shutdown ended, and the Government
resumed normal operations, the EPA reopened the public comment period
on February 8, 2019, held the public hearing on February 15, 2019,\44\
and closed the public comment period on February 22, 2019. After
considering the time that it would take to finalize the rule after the
lapse in federal government appropriations, the EPA determined that
finalizing the Serious area SIP due date and implementation deadline
for RACT measures tied to attainment at 12 months from the effective
date of a final rule would result in deadlines falling on a date close
to August 3, 2020. Based on this revised timing scenario, and
considering comments supporting the alignment of SIP due dates and
deadlines for the 2008 and 2015 ozone NAAQS, the EPA determined that it
would be appropriate in this case to finalize a due date for Serious
Area SIP revisions, including RACT measures tied to attainment, and
deadline for implementation of those RACT measures of August 3, 2020,
in order to ensure greater consistency among the submissions and
implementation for both NAAQS.
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\44\ EPA is required under the Administrative Procedure Act
(APA) to provide adequate notice of a public hearing (see 5 U.S.C.
553).
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More specifically, although the EPA did not propose August 3, 2020,
as a due date for these particular SIP submissions, the date was
proposed as the due date for SIP revisions addressing RACT measures not
tied to attainment and proposed for the deadline for implementation of
those RACT measures. In the November 2018 proposal, the EPA provided
its rationale for proposing August 3, 2020, to provide for
``consistency among submissions'' that may be due from a nonattainment
area for more than one NAAQS. For the reasons provided to proposing the
August 3, 2020, due date for SIP submissions and the deadline for
implementation of RACT measures not tied to attainment, the EPA
believes that establishing August 3, 2020, as the due date for Serious-
area SIP submissions (including RACT measures tied to attainment) and
the implementation deadline of those RACT measures, would more
effectively meet the objective of having consistency among submissions
pursuant to CAA section 182(i), rather than a deadline that is 12
months from the effective date of this final rule.
Comment: Some commenters opposed the proposed deadline of 12 months
from the effective date of the final action for SIP submissions and
implementation of RACT measures tied to attainment because it would not
provide a reasonable amount of time to evaluate control options,
conduct rulemaking, and give affected sources sufficient time to
implement control requirements. These commenters preferred a period of
18 months or more for Serious Area SIP submission due dates and
implementation deadlines for RACT measures tied to attainment. Other
commenters supported the proposed 12-month due date for SIP submissions
and implementation deadline for RACT measures tied to attainment
because they claimed that any additional delay would only extend the
duration of unnecessary adverse health impacts on nonattainment area
residents. One commenter stated that, because the EPA is directed to
streamline SIP submittals when it considers appropriate due dates after
reclassification, the EPA should set a due date for Serious area SIP
submittals under the 2008 ozone NAAQS that is consistent with the
August 3, 2020, deadline for the Moderate area SIP submittals that will
be due under the 2015 ozone NAAQS. The commenter indicated that states
could realize significant savings of limited state resources if these
2015 ozone Moderate area and 2008 ozone Serious area SIP due dates were
coordinated.
Response: As discussed earlier, CAA section 182(i) provides
authority to the Administrator to adjust SIP submission due dates as
necessary or appropriate to assure consistency among SIP submissions.
Although the specific date of August 3, 2020 was not included as an
option in the November 2018 proposal, the EPA is persuaded by comments
received supporting this date because setting such a due date pursuant
to the authority of CAA section 182(i) could allow states to save
limited resources by consolidating two SIPs into a single submission.
In addition, given the timing of this final action, the August 3, 2020
SIP submission due date will be relatively close in time to 12 months
after this final action becomes effective, consistent with due dates
established by EPA in past ozone reclassification actions from Moderate
to Serious, which was discussed in the proposal. With regard to
commenters seeking an 18-month period or longer for developing SIP
revisions, the EPA notes that states with areas that were proposed for
reclassification in November 2018 have known with a reasonable amount
of certainty that revised implementation plans would be due in the near
future to provide for expeditious attainment of the 2008 ozone NAAQS,
and have had the opportunity to make progress on plan development
activities before issuance of this final action. Nonetheless, the EPA
recognizes the challenges posed by these due dates and deadlines and is
committed to working closely with states to help them as they prepare
SIP revisions in a timely manner.
2. Due date for submitting SIP revisions for RACT measures not tied
to attainment. For SIP revisions for RACT measures not tied to
attainment, the EPA proposed a due date of August 3, 2020, which would
have been about 18 months from the anticipated effective date of the
final action (anticipated in early 2019). The EPA also requested
comment on an alternative due date for submitting SIP revisions for
RACT measures not tied to attainment that would have been 24 months
from the effective date of the final action, i.e., ``according to the
schedule[ ] prescribed in connection with such requirement[ ].'' \45\
Taking in to account several comments on these proposed dates and the
circumstances surrounding the timing of this final action, the EPA is
finalizing a due date for SIP revisions for RACT measures not tied to
attainment of 18 months from the effective date of this final action,
as explained further below.
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\45\ See CAA section 182(i).
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The proposal's due date of August 3, 2020, for RACT submissions not
tied to attainment was expected to be roughly 18 months from the
effective date of the
[[Page 44247]]
anticipated final action. By proposing such a date, the EPA recognized
that these measures could reasonably be submitted after the attainment
year ozone season (2020) relevant to the Serious area attainment date,
because these measures were explicitly not tied to the area's ability
to achieve timely attainment. In taking comment on providing a due date
that accounted for a full 24 months to prepare a RACT submission, the
EPA suggested that such additional time could yield a more desirable
end result in terms of emissions reductions and air quality benefits,
reducing state processing and resource burdens, and/or burden on
emissions sources.
While EPA is not electing to finalize a due date of 24 months from
the effective date of this action (approximately August 2021), we are
also electing not to finalize a due date of August 3, 2020, given that
such a date would provide just under 12 months from the effective date.
Because the measures that states identify as ``reasonably available''
are directly tied to the time provided by the EPA in establishing such
a due date, providing a slightly longer timeframe (i.e., 18 months
rather than 12 months) to identify and submit RACT measures not tied to
attainment for newly reclassified Serious areas for the 2008 standards
could lead states to determine that additional controls are reasonable,
thus helping areas attain both the 2008 and 2015 standards more
expeditiously. Areas subject to this newer due date should have already
implemented RACT for sources emitting 100 tpy or more of volatile
organic compounds (VOC) or nitrogen oxides (NOX) under their
Moderate area requirements. Therefore, at this stage, states should be
primarily focused on identifying and adopting new RACT measures
required to control sources emitting between 50 to 100 tpy of VOC or
NOX. The EPA believes that 18 months would provide adequate
time to adopt any new controls determined to be RACT for this group of
sources and submit a SIP to the EPA accordingly.
Comment: Several commenters supported either the proposed August
2020 due date or a due date of 18 months from the effective date of
this final action. One commenter stated that a period of at least 18
months is needed to properly identify and evaluate potential controls
and conduct necessary rulemaking at the state level. Another commenter
believed that there was no justification for a due date any earlier
than the July 2021 Serious-area attainment date because this SIP
submission would be for RACT not needed for the area to attain. A third
commenter supported the August 2020 due date because it would provide
for aligned SIP submittal due dates for 2008 ozone Serious areas and
for 2015 ozone Moderate areas.
Response: Section 182(i) of the CAA provides that states shall meet
requirements for reclassified Moderate, Serious and Severe ozone areas
``according to the schedules prescribed in connection with such
requirements, except that the Administrator may adjust any applicable
deadlines (other than attainment dates) to the extent such adjustment
is necessary or appropriate to assure consistency among the required
submissions.''
The EPA notes that the notion embodied in this provision is
consistent with several other CAA provisions to establish a SIP
submission due date for an area that has failed to attain a NAAQS by
the relevant attainment date that may be shorter than the SIP
submission due date for the first plan due after an area is initially
designated as nonattainment.\46\ In this case, the areas that are being
reclassified to Serious are identifying and adopting RACT measures not
tied to attainment for a subset of sources emitting between 50-100 tpy
of VOC or NOX, because as Moderate areas they were already
required to address RACT and submit SIPs for sources emitting over 100
tpy. Therefore, the EPA does not agree with the commenter that it is
appropriate or necessary to extend the due date out to the July 2021
attainment date (which would be nearly 24 months) for submitting SIPs
addressing RACT measures not tied to attainment. The EPA is generally
in agreement with the commenter who stated that aligning deadlines
between submissions required for the 2015 ozone NAAQS and the 2008
ozone NAAQS addresses section 182(i)'s call for ``consistency among
submissions'' and creates efficiencies for states in preparing
submissions. However, a SIP revision submission due date of August 3,
2020, for RACT measures not tied to attainment would at this point
provide the states with less than 12 months from the effective date of
this final action to identify and evaluate such RACT, and prepare and
approve those RACT SIPs at the state level.
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\46\ For example, CAA section 179(d) requires a state that
failed to attain a NAAQS by the attainment date to submit a revised
implementation plan within 12 months of an EPA finding of failure to
attain. In addition, the requirements for PM10 and
PM2.5 nonattainment areas in CAA section 189(d) require a
Serious area to submit a revised implementation plan within 12
months of a failure to attain the standard.
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Finally, the EPA is cognizant and in agreement with the commenter
who stated that a due date of 18 months (which was the expected amount
of time the EPA anticipated with an August 3, 2020, due date) could
allow states to identify additional controls as ``reasonably
available'' in comparison with the shorter deadline.\47\ Therefore, the
EPA believes a due date 18-months from the effective date of this final
action for submission of certain RACT measures not tied to attainment
is appropriate.
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\47\ Moreover, the EPA notes that CAA section 110(k)(5), which
provides the EPA with authority to ``establish reasonable
deadlines'' for the submission of SIP revisions to address
substantial inadequacies in the SIP identified by the EPA, states
that the EPA may not establish such deadline ``to exceed 18 months
after the date of such notice.'' While this provision is not
directly applicable here, the EPA believes it is informative.
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3. Implementation deadline for RACT measures not tied to
attainment. The EPA proposed two options for the implementation
deadline for RACT measures not tied to attainment: (1) August 3, 2020
or (2) up through the full 5 years provided by the statute for RACT
implementation, i.e., January 1, 2024. In proposing the two dates, the
EPA made several observations. We noted at the time that ``[i]deally,
SIP submission deadlines would precede the implementation of control
strategies contained in those SIP submissions.'' \48\ We also noted, in
the context of taking comment on a providing a deadline past August 3,
2020, but no later than January 1, 2024, that additional time provided
for implementation of control measures ``could lead states to determine
that additional controls are reasonable, thus helping areas attain both
the 2008 and 2015 standards more expeditiously.'' Id. In particular, we
noted that in reclassifying areas from Marginal to Moderate in 2016 for
the 2008 ozone NAAQS after findings of failure to attain, states were
provided less than seven months to implement RACT. We acknowledged that
a more generous timeframe for implementing RACT may have allowed states
to adopt additional controls.
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\48\ See 83 FR 56781, November 14, 2018.
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Thus, the EPA is finalizing July 20, 2021, the Serious area
attainment date, as the deadline for implementation of RACT measures
not tied to attainment. Given the intervening time between proposed and
final rules, an August 3, 2020, deadline for implementation of RACT
measures not tied to attainment would limit the controls that states
could consider implementing. As noted
[[Page 44248]]
in the proposal, the EPA believes that there is a direct relationship
between the amount of time provided for implementation of RACT measures
not tied to attainment and the actual measures that will be available
to states to install or implement. We also continue to believe that a
slightly longer timeframe for measures that are not directly tied to
the area's attainment can be appropriate, especially where an area is
simultaneously implementing two ozone standards, such that additional
controls will help the area attain both standards more expeditiously.
On the other hand, the outside timeframe proposed by the EPA for
implementation of RACT measures not tied to attainment, January 1,
2024, was well beyond the Serious area attainment date and we received
feedback during the public comment period suggesting that any
implementation deadline beyond the attainment date would not serve
timely attainment. We are therefore finalizing July 20, 2021, the
Serious Area attainment date, as the deadline for implementing RACT
measures not needed for attainment. The EPA believes this date is
reasonable and appropriate when considering the comments received on
this issue and the timing of this final action. We also note that
because the EPA is finalizing the SIP submission date for RACT measures
not tied to attainment as 18 months from the effective date of this
final action, this implementation approach will provide at least some
window of time between the SIP revision submission due date and the
deadline for implementation of RACT measures not tied to attainment,
which, as we noted at proposal, is preferable to direct alignment of
the SIP submission due date and implementation deadline, where
possible.
IV. Environmental Justice Considerations
The CAA requires that states with areas designated as nonattainment
submit to the Administrator the appropriate SIP revisions and implement
specified control measures by certain dates applicable to the area's
classification. By requiring additional planning and implementation
requirements for the seven nonattainment areas that the EPA determined
failed to attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS standards, the part of this
action reclassifying those seven areas from Moderate to Serious will
protect all those residing, working, attending school, or otherwise
present in those areas regardless of minority or economic status.
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review and Executive
Order 13563: Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review
This action is not a significant regulatory action and was
therefore not submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
for review.
B. Executive Order 13771: Reducing Regulations and Controlling
Regulatory Costs
This action is not an Executive Order 13771 regulatory action
because this action is not significant under Executive Order 12866.
C. Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)
This rule does not impose any new information collection burden
under the PRA not already approved by the Office of Management and
Budget.\49\ This action does not contain any information collection
activities and serves only to make final: (1) Determinations that
certain Moderate nonattainment areas listed in Table 2 attained the
2008 ozone standards by the July 20, 2018, attainment date; (2)
approval to grant certain Moderate nonattainment areas listed in Table
2 a 1-year attainment date extension from the July 20, 2018, attainment
date to July 20, 2019; (3) determinations that certain Moderate
nonattainment areas listed in Table 2 failed to attain the 2008 ozone
standards by the July 20, 2018, attainment date where such areas will
be reclassified as Serious nonattainment for the 2008 ozone standards
by operation of law upon the effective date of the final
reclassification action; and (4) establishment of adjusted due dates
for SIP revisions, including RACT SIP revisions, and RACT
implementation deadlines.
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\49\ On April 30, 2018, the OMB approved EPA's request for
renewal of the previously approved information collection request
(ICR). The renewed request expires on April 30, 2021, 3 years after
the approval date (see OMB Control Number 2060-0695 and ICR
Reference Number 201801-2060-003 for EPA ICR No. 2347.03).
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D. Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA)
I certify that this action will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small entities under the RFA. This
action will not impose any requirements on small entities. The
determinations of attainment and failure to attain the 2008 ozone
standards (and resulting reclassifications), and the final approval to
grant 1-year attainment date extensions do not in and of themselves
create any new requirements beyond what is mandated by the CAA.
Instead, this rulemaking only makes factual determinations, and does
not directly regulate any entities.
E. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA)
This action does not contain any unfunded mandate as described in
UMRA, 2 U.S.C. 1531-1538,\50\ and does not significantly or uniquely
affect small governments. This action imposes no enforceable duty on
any state, local or tribal governments or the private sector.
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\50\ U.S.C. is United States Code.
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F. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
This action does not have federalism implications. It will not have
substantial direct effects on the states, on the relationship between
the national government and the states, or on the distribution of power
and responsibilities among the various levels of government.
G. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With Indian
Tribal Governments
This action has tribal implications. However, it will neither
impose substantial direct compliance costs on federally recognized
tribal governments, nor preempt tribal law. The EPA has identified a
few tribal areas that exist within certain Moderate nonattainment areas
for which the EPA is making final determinations of attainment for the
2008 ozone NAAQS. The EPA regional offices consulted with tribal
officials under the EPA policy on Consultation and Coordination with
Indian Tribes early in the process of developing this regulation to
permit them to have meaningful and timely input into its development.
Documentation of the consultation is provided in docket items EPA-HQ-
OAR-2018-0226-0041 and 0043.
H. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From Environmental
Health and Safety Risks
The EPA interprets Executive Order 13045 as applying only to those
regulatory actions that concern environmental health or safety risks
that the EPA has reason to believe may disproportionately affect
children, per the definition of ``covered regulatory action'' in
section 2-202 of the Executive Order. This action is not subject to
Executive Order 13045 because it does not concern an environmental
health risk or safety risk.
[[Page 44249]]
I. Executive Order 13211: Actions That Significantly Affect Energy
Supply, Distribution, or Use
This action is not subject to Executive Order 13211, because it is
not a significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866.
J. National Technology Transfer Advancement Act (NTTAA)
This rulemaking does not involve technical standards.
K. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions To Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations
The EPA believes that this action does not have disproportionately
high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority,
low-income populations and/or indigenous peoples, as specified in
Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994). The
documentation for this decision is contained in the section of the
preamble titled, ``Environmental Justice Considerations.''
L. Congressional Review Act (CRA)
This rule is exempt from the CRA because it is a rule of particular
applicability. The rule makes factual determinations for specific
entities and does not directly regulate any entities. The
determinations of attainment and failure to attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS
(and resulting reclassifications), and the approval to grant 1-year
attainment date extensions do not in themselves create any new
requirements beyond what is mandated by the CAA.
M. Judicial Review
Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA, petitions for judicial review
of final actions that are locally and regionally applicable may be
filed only in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate
circuit. However, the statute also provides that notwithstanding that
general rule, ``a petition for review of any action . . . may be filed
only in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
if such action is based on a determination of nationwide scope or
effect and if in taking such action the Administrator finds and
publishes that such action is based on such a determination.'' \51\
Because this final action makes findings regarding nonattainment areas
across the country, interprets the CAA and applies such interpretations
to states and nonattainment areas across the country, and establishes
SIP deadlines for newly reclassified areas in different states in a
consistent fashion, the Administrator finds that this action has
nationwide scope and effect. Therefore, in accordance with CAA section
307(b)(1), petitions for review of this final action may be filed only
in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit by October 22, 2019. Note, under CAA section 307(b)(2), the
requirements established by this final rule may not be challenged
separately in any civil or criminal proceedings for enforcement.
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\51\ See 42 U.S.C. 7607(b)(1); see also Dalton Trucking v. EPA,
808 F.3d 875 (D.C. Circuit 2015).
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List of Subjects
40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure,
Air pollution control, Designations and classifications, Incorporation
by reference, Intergovernmental relations, Nitrogen oxides, Ozone,
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Volatile organic compounds.
40 CFR Part 81
Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure,
Air pollution control, Designations and classifications,
Intergovernmental relations, Nitrogen oxides, Ozone, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Volatile organic compounds.
Dated: August 7, 2019.
Andrew R. Wheeler,
Administrator.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, parts 52 and 81, title 40,
chapter 1 of the Code of Federal Regulations are amended as follows:
PART 52--APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
0
1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
Subpart F--California
0
2. Section 52.282 is amended by adding paragraph (k) to read as
follows:
Sec. 52.282 Control strategy and regulations: Ozone.
* * * * *
(k) Determination of attainment by the attainment date. Effective
September 23, 2019. The EPA has determined that the Mariposa County
Moderate nonattainment area in California attained the 2008 8-hour
ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) by the applicable
attainment date of July 20, 2018, based upon complete quality-assured
and certified data for the calendar years 2015-2017.
Subpart V--Maryland
0
3. Section 52.1076 is amended by adding paragraph (ff) to read as
follows:
Sec. 52.1076 Control strategy plans for attainment and rate-of-
progress: Ozone.
* * * * *
(ff) The EPA has determined that the Baltimore, Maryland Moderate
nonattainment area attained the 2008 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air
Quality Standards by the applicable attainment date of July 20, 2018,
based upon complete quality-assured and certified data for the calendar
years 2015-2017.
PART 81--DESIGNATION OF AREAS FOR AIR QUALITY PLANNING PURPOSES
0
4. The authority citation for part 81 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401, et seq.
Subpart C--Section 107 Attainment Status Designations
0
5. Section 81.305 is amended by revising the entries for ``Nevada
County (Western part), CA:'' and ``San Diego County, CA:'' in the table
entitled ``California--2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS (Primary and
secondary)'' to read as follows:
Sec. 81.305 California.
* * * * *
[[Page 44250]]
California--2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Designation Classification
Designated area ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date \1\ Type Date \1\ Type
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * *
Nevada County (Western part), .............. Nonattainment... 9/23/2019 Serious.
CA: \2\.
Nevada County (part):
That portion of
Nevada County, which
lies west of a line,
described as
follows: Beginning
at the Nevada-Placer
County boundary and
running north along
the western
boundaries of
Sections 24, 13, 12,
1, Township 17
North, Range 14
East, Mount Diablo
Base and Meridian,
and Sections 36, 25,
24, 13, 12, Township
18 North, Range 14
East to the Nevada-
Sierra County
boundary.
* * * * * * *
San Diego County, CA: \2\.... .............. Nonattainment... 9/23/2019 Serious.
San Diego County: \2\
Barona Group of
Capitan Grande Band
of Mission Indians
of the Barona
Reservation \3\.
Campo Band of
Diegueno Mission
Indians of the Campo
Indian Reservation
\3\.
Capitan Grande Band
of Diegueno Mission
Indians of
California \3\.
Ewiiaapaayp Band of
Kumayaay Indians \3\.
Iipay Nation of Santa
Ysabel \3\.
Inaja Band of
Diegueno Mission
Indians of the Inaja
and Cosmit
Reservation \3\.
Jamul Indian Village
of California \3\.
La Jolla Band of
Luiseno Indians \3\.
La Posta Band of
Diegueno Mission
Indians of the La
Posta Indian
Reservation \3\.
Los Coyotes Band of
Cahuilla and Cupeno
Indians \3\.
Manzanita Band of
Diegueno Mission
Indians of the
Manzanita
Reservation \3\.
Mesa Grande Band of
Diegueno Mission
Indians of the Mesa
Grande Reservation
\3\.
Pala Band of Luiseno
Mission Indians of
the Pala Reservation
\3\.
Pauma Band of Luiseno
Mission Indians of
the Pauma and Yuima
Reservation \3\.
Rincon Band of
Luiseno Mission
Indians of the
Rincon Reservation
\3\.
San Pasqual Band of
Diegueno Mission
Indians of
California \3\.
Sycuan Band of the
Kumeyaay Nation \3\.
Viejas (Baron Long)
Group of Capitan
Grande Band of
Mission Indians \3\.
* * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
\2\ Excludes Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
\3\ Includes Indian country of the tribe listed in this table located in the identified area. Information
pertaining to areas of Indian country in this table is intended for CAA planning purposes only and is not an
EPA determination of Indian country status or any Indian country boundary. EPA lacks the authority to
establish Indian country land status, and is making no determination of Indian country boundaries, in this
table.
* * * * *
0
6. Section 81.307 is amended by revising the table entitled
``Connecticut--2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS [Primary and secondary]'' to
read as follows:
Sec. 81.307 Connecticut.
* * * * *
[[Page 44251]]
Connecticut--2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Designation Classification
Designated area ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date \1\ Type Date \1\ Type
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greater Connecticut, CT: \2\. .............. Nonattainment... 9/23/2019 Serious.
Hartford County..........
Litchfield County........
New London County........
Tolland County...........
Windham County...........
Mashantucket Pequot Tribe
of Connecticut \3\.
Mohegan Indian Tribe of
Connecticut \3\.
New York-N. New Jersey-Long .............. Nonattainment... 9/23/2019 Serious.
Island, NY-NJ-CT: \2\.
Fairfield County.........
Middlesex County.........
New Haven County.........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
\2\ Excludes Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
\3\ Includes Indian country of the tribe listed in this table located in the identified area. Information
pertaining to areas of Indian country in this table is intended for CAA planning purposes only and is not an
EPA determination of Indian country status or any Indian country boundary. EPA lacks the authority to
establish Indian country land status, and is making no determination of Indian country boundaries, in this
table.
* * * * *
0
7. Section 81.314 is amended by revising the entry for ``Chicago-
Naperville, IL-IN-WI:'' in the table entitled ``Illinois--2008 8-Hour
Ozone NAAQS (Primary and secondary)'' to read as follows:
Sec. 81.314 Illinois.
* * * * *
Illinois--2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Designation Classification
Designated area ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date \1\ Type Date \1\ Type
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI: .............. Nonattainment... 9/23/2019 Serious.
\2\.
Cook County..............
DuPage County............
Grundy County (part).....
Aux Sable Township...
Goose Lake Township..
Kane County..............
Kendall County (part)....
Oswego Township......
Lake County..............
McHenry County...........
Will County..............
* * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
\2\ Excludes Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
* * * * *
0
8. Section 81.315 is amended by revising the entry for ``Chicago-
Naperville, IL-IN-WI:'' in the table entitled ``Indiana--2008 8-Hour
Ozone NAAQS (Primary and secondary)'' to read as follows:
Sec. 81.315 Indiana.
* * * * *
Indiana--2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Designation Classification
Designated area ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date \1\ Type Date \1\ Type
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI: .............. Nonattainment... 9/23/2019 Serious.
\2\.
Lake County..............
Porter County............
[[Page 44252]]
* * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
\2\ Excludes Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
* * * * *
0
9. Section 81.331 is amended by revising the entry for ``New York-N.
New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT:'' in the table entitled ``New
Jersey--2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS [Primary and secondary]'' to read as
follows:
Sec. 81.331 New Jersey.
* * * * *
New Jersey--2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Designation Classification
Designated area ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date \1\ Type Date \1\ Type
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New York-N. New Jersey-Long .............. Nonattainment... 9/23/2019 Serious.
Island, NY-NJ-CT: \2\.
Bergen County............
Essex County.............
Hudson County............
Hunterdon County.........
Middlesex County.........
Monmouth County..........
Morris County............
Passaic County...........
Somerset County..........
Sussex County............
Union County.............
Warren County............
* * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
\2\ Excludes Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
* * * * *
0
10. Section 81.333 is amended by revising the entry for ``New York-N.
New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT:'' in the table entitled ``New York--
2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS (Primary and secondary)'' to read as follows:
Sec. 81.333 New York.
* * * * *
New York--2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Designation Classification
Designated area ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date \1\ Type Date \1\ Type
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
* * * * * * *
New York-N. New Jersey-Long .............. Nonattainment... 9/23/2019 Serious.
Island, NY-NJ-CT: \2\.
Bronx County.............
Kings County.............
Nassau County............
New York County..........
Queens County............
Richmond County..........
Rockland County..........
Suffolk County...........
Westchester County.......
Shinnecock Indian Nation
\3\.
* * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
\2\ Excludes Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
[[Page 44253]]
\3\ Includes Indian country of the tribe listed in this table located in the identified area. Information
pertaining to areas of Indian country in this table is intended for CAA planning purposes only and is not an
EPA determination of Indian country status or any Indian country boundary. EPA lacks the authority to
establish Indian country land status, and is making no determination of Indian country boundaries, in this
table.
* * * * *
0
11. Section 81.344 is amended by revising the entries for ``Dallas-Fort
Worth, TX:'' and ``Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX:'' in the table
entitled ``Texas--2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS (Primary and secondary)'' to
read as follows:
Sec. 81.344 Texas.
* * * * *
Texas--2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Designation Classification
Designated area ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date \1\ Type Date \1\ Type
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX: \2\... .............. Nonattainment... 9/23/2019 Serious.
Collin County............
Dallas County............
Denton County............
Ellis County.............
Johnson County...........
Kaufman County...........
Parker County............
Rockwall County..........
Tarrant County...........
Wise County..............
Houston-Galveston- .............. Nonattainment... 9/23/2019 Serious.
Brazoria, TX: \2\.
Brazoria County..........
Chambers County..........
Fort Bend County.........
Galveston County.........
Harris County............
Liberty County...........
Montgomery County........
Waller County............
* * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
\2\ Excludes Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
* * * * *
0
12. Section 81.350 is amended by revising the entries for ``Chicago-
Naperville, IL-IN-WI:,'' ``Inland Sheboygan County, WI,'' and
``Shoreline Sheboygan County, WI'' and adding footnote 5 in the table
entitled ``Wisconsin--2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS (Primary and secondary)''
to read as follows:
Sec. 81.350 Wisconsin.
* * * * *
Wisconsin--2008 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS
[Primary and secondary]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Designation Classification
Designated area ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date \1\ Type Date \1\ Type
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI: .............. Nonattainment... 9/23/2019 Serious.
\2\.
Kenosha County (part):
The portion of
Kenosha County
bounded by the Lake
Michigan shoreline
on the East, the
Kenosha County
boundary on the
North, the Kenosha
County boundary on
the South, and the I-
94 corridor
(including the
entire corridor) on
the West.
Inland Sheboygan County, WI 7/15/2019 Nonattainment... 12/19/2016 Moderate.
\2\ \5\.
[[Page 44254]]
Sheboygan County (part):
Exclusive and west of
the following
roadways going from
the northern county
boundary to the
southern county
boundary: Highway
43, Wilson Lima
Road, Minderhaud
Road, County Road KK/
Town Line Road, N
10th Street, County
Road A S/Center
Avenue, Gibbons
Road, Hoftiezer
Road, Highway 32,
Palmer Road/Smies
Road/Palmer Road,
Amsterdam Road/
County Road RR,
Termaat Road.
Shoreline Sheboygan County, 7/15/2019 Nonattainment... 12/19/2016 Moderate.
WI \2\ \5\.
Sheboygan County (part):
Inclusive and east of
the following
roadways going from
the northern county
boundary to the
southern county
boundary: Highway
43, Wilson Lima
Road, Minderhaud
Road, County Road KK/
Town Line Road, N
10th Street, County
Road A S/Center
Avenue, Gibbons
Road, Hoftiezer
Road, Highway 32,
Palmer Road/Smies
Road/Palmer Road,
Amsterdam Road/
County Road RR,
Termaat Road.
* * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ This date is July 20, 2012, unless otherwise noted.
\2\ Excludes Indian country located in each area, unless otherwise noted.
* * * * * * *
\5\ Attainment date is extended to July 20, 2019 for both Inland Sheboygan County, WI, and Shoreline Sheboygan
County, WI, nonattainment areas.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2019-17796 Filed 8-22-19; 8:45 am]
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