Air Plan Approval; West Virginia; Redesignation of the Marshall Sulfur Dioxide Nonattainment Area to Attainment and Approval of the Area's Maintenance Plan, 39505-39517 [2020-13585]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 127 / Wednesday, July 1, 2020 / Proposed Rules
national Government and the States, or
on the distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
levels of government.
For the reasons discussed above, I
certify this proposed regulation:
(1) Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory
action’’ under Executive Order 12866,
(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation
in Alaska, and
(3) Will not have a significant
economic impact, positive or negative,
on a substantial number of small entities
under the criteria of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation
safety, Incorporation by reference,
Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority
delegated to me by the Administrator,
the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part
39 as follows:
PART 39—AIRWORTHINESS
DIRECTIVES
1. The authority citation for part 39
continues to read as follows:
■
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
§ 39.13
[Amended]
2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding
the following new airworthiness
directive (AD):
■
Airbus SAS: Docket No. FAA–2020–0576;
Product Identifier 2020–NM–068–AD.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments by
August 17, 2020.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to Airbus SAS Model
A350–941 and -1041 airplanes, certificated in
any category, with an original airworthiness
certificate or original export certificate of
airworthiness issued on or before June 7,
2019.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of
America Code 05, Time Limits/Maintenance
Checks.
(e) Reason
This AD was prompted by a determination
that new or more restrictive airworthiness
limitations are necessary. The FAA is issuing
this AD to address the potential failure of
certain life-limited parts, which could result
in reduced structural integrity of the
airplane.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the
compliance times specified, unless already
done.
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(g) Requirements
Except as specified in paragraph (h) of this
AD: Comply with all required actions and
compliance times specified in, and in
accordance with, European Union Aviation
Safety Agency (EASA) AD 2020–0091, dated
April 22, 2020 (‘‘EASA AD 2020–0091’’).
(h) Exceptions to EASA AD 2020–0091
(1) The requirements specified in
paragraph (1) of EASA AD 2020–0091 do not
apply to this AD.
(2) Paragraph (2) of EASA AD 2020–0091
specifies revising ‘‘the approved AMP’’
within 12 months after its effective date, but
this AD requires revising the existing
maintenance or inspection program, as
applicable, to incorporate the ‘‘limitations’’
specified in paragraph (2) of EASA 2020–
0091 within 90 days after the effective date
of this AD.
(3) The initial compliance time for
complying with the limitations specified in
paragraph (2) of EASA AD 2020–0091 is at
the applicable ‘‘limitations’’ specified in
paragraph (2) of EASA AD 2020–0091, or
within 90 days after the effective date of this
AD, whichever occurs later.
(4) The provisions specified in paragraphs
(3) and (4) of EASA AD 2020–0091 do not
apply to this AD.
(5) The ‘‘Remarks’’ section of EASA AD
2020–0091 does not apply to this AD.
(i) Provisions for Alternative Actions and
Intervals
After the existing maintenance or
inspection program has been revised as
required by paragraph (g) of this AD, no
alternative actions (e.g., inspections) and
intervals are allowed unless they are
approved as specified in the provisions of the
‘‘Ref. Publications’’ section of EASA AD
2020–0091.
(j) Other FAA AD Provisions
The following provisions also apply to this
AD:
(1) Alternative Methods of Compliance
(AMOCs): The Manager, Large Aircraft
Section, International Validation Branch,
FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs
for this AD, if requested using the procedures
found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with
14 CFR 39.19, send your request to your
principal inspector or local Flight Standards
District Office, as appropriate. If sending
information directly to the Large Aircraft
Section, International Validation Branch,
send it to the attention of the person
identified in paragraph (k)(2) of this AD.
Information may be emailed to: 9-ANM-116AMOC-REQUESTS@faa.gov. Before using
any approved AMOC, notify your appropriate
principal inspector, or lacking a principal
inspector, the manager of the local flight
standards district office/certificate holding
district office.
(2) Contacting the Manufacturer: For any
requirement in this AD to obtain instructions
from a manufacturer, the instructions must
be accomplished using a method approved
by the Manager, Large Aircraft Section,
International Validation Branch, FAA; or
EASA; or Airbus SAS’s EASA Design
Organization Approval (DOA). If approved by
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39505
the DOA, the approval must include the
DOA-authorized signature.
(3) Required for Compliance (RC): For any
service information referenced in EASA AD
2020–0091 that contains RC procedures and
tests: Except as required by paragraph (j)(2)
of this AD, RC procedures and tests must be
done to comply with this AD; any procedures
or tests that are not identified as RC are
recommended. Those procedures and tests
that are not identified as RC may be deviated
from using accepted methods in accordance
with the operator’s maintenance or
inspection program without obtaining
approval of an AMOC, provided the
procedures and tests identified as RC can be
done and the airplane can be put back in an
airworthy condition. Any substitutions or
changes to procedures or tests identified as
RC require approval of an AMOC.
(k) Related Information
(1) For information about EASA AD 2020–
0091, contact the EASA, Konrad-AdenauerUfer 3, 50668 Cologne, Germany; telephone
+49 221 89990 6017; email ADs@
easa.europa.eu; internet
www.easa.europa.eu. You may find this
EASA AD on the EASA website at https://
ad.easa.europa.eu. You may view this
material at the FAA, Airworthiness Products
Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For
information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195. This
material may be found in the AD docket on
the internet at https://www.regulations.gov
by searching for and locating Docket No.
FAA–2020–0576.
(2) For more information about this AD,
contact Vladimir Ulyanov, Aerospace
Engineer, Large Aircraft Section,
International Validation Branch, FAA, 2200
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198;
telephone and fax 206–231–3229; email
vladimir.ulyanov@faa.gov.
Issued on June 25, 2020.
Gaetano A. Sciortino,
Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives,
Compliance & Airworthiness Division,
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–14075 Filed 6–30–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 52 and 81
[EPA–R03–OAR–2020–0171; FRL–10010–
86–Region 3]
Air Plan Approval; West Virginia;
Redesignation of the Marshall Sulfur
Dioxide Nonattainment Area to
Attainment and Approval of the Area’s
Maintenance Plan
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 127 / Wednesday, July 1, 2020 / Proposed Rules
redesignation request and state
implementation plan (SIP) revisions
submitted by the State of West Virginia
related to the national ambient air
quality standard (NAAQS or Standard)
for the 2010 1-hour sulfur dioxide (SO2)
NAAQS (2010 SO2 NAAQS). On March
18, 2020, West Virginia, through the
West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection (WVDEP),
submitted a redesignation request for
the Marshall, West Virginia SO2
Nonattainment Area (Marshall Area or
Area). In conjunction with its request,
WVDEP submitted SIP revisions
comprised of a maintenance plan
providing for continued attainment of
the SO2 NAAQS for a period of ten years
following redesignation of the Area, SO2
emissions limits for the Mitchell Power
Plant (Mitchell), and a modeling
analysis demonstrating that the Mitchell
limits provide for attainment in the
Area. The effect of this proposal, if
finalized, would change the designation
of the Marshall Area from
nonattainment to attainment of the 2010
SO2 NAAQS. This action is being taken
under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R03–
OAR–2020–0171 at https://
www.regulations.gov, or via email to
spielberger.susan@epa.gov. For
comments submitted at Regulations.gov,
follow the online instructions for
submitting comments. Once submitted,
comments cannot be edited or removed
from Regulations.gov. For either manner
of submission, EPA may publish any
comment received to its public docket.
Do not submit electronically any
information you consider to be
confidential business information (CBI)
or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Multimedia
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be
accompanied by a written comment.
The written comment is considered the
official comment and should include
discussion of all points you wish to
make. EPA will generally not consider
comments or comment contents located
outside of the primary submission (i.e.,
on the web, cloud, or other file sharing
system). For additional submission
methods, please contact the person
identified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section. For the
full EPA public comment policy,
information about CBI or multimedia
submissions, and general guidance on
making effective comments, please visit
https://www.epa.gov/dockets/
commenting-epa-dockets.
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I. Background
II. Criteria for Redesignation to Attainment
III. EPA’s Analysis of West Virginia’s
Redesignation Request for the Marshall
Area
A. The Marshall Area Has attained the
2010 SO2 NAAQS
1. Attainment Demonstration and Longer
Term Averaging
2. Modeling Analysis
B. West Virginia Has Met All Applicable
Requirements of Section 110 and Part D
of the CAA for the Marshall Area and
EPA Has Fully Approved the Applicable
Implementation Plan Under Section
110(k) of the CAA
a. Section 110 General Requirements for
SIPs
b. Part D Requirements
i. Subpart 1 Requirements
(1) Section 172 Requirements
(2) Section 173
(3) Section 175A
(4) Section 176 Requirements
ii. Subpart 5 Requirements
C. The Air Quality Improvements in the
Marshall Area Are Due to Permanent and
Enforceable Emissions Reductions
D. West Virginia Has a Fully Approvable
Maintenance Plan for the Marshall Area
IV. The Effect of EPA’s Proposed Actions
V. Proposed Actions
VI. Incorporation by Reference
VII. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. Background
On June 22, 2010 (75 FR 35520), EPA
published a new 1-hour primary SO2
NAAQS of 75 parts per billion (ppb),
which is met at an ambient air quality
monitoring site when the 3-year average
1 On March 18, 2016, EPA made a finding of
failure to submit nonattainment area SIPs for 19
nonattainment areas, including the Marshall Area.
EPA’s letter to West Virginia dated September 27,
2017 confirmed that West Virginia’s March 17, 2017
submittal corrected the deficiency identified in the
finding.
Marilyn Powers, Planning &
Implementation Branch (3AD30), Air &
Radiation Division, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Region III, 1650
Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
19103. The telephone number is (215)
814–2308. Ms. Powers can also be
reached via electronic mail at
powers.marilyn@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA is
proposing to take the following actions:
(1) Approve and incorporate into the
SIP the SO2 limits and associated
compliance and monitoring parameters
in consent order CO–SIP–C–2019–13 for
Mitchell; (2) determine that the air
quality modeling submitted by the
WVDEP demonstrates that the Marshall
Area has attained the 2010 SO2 NAAQS
as a result of compliance with the
consent order limits for Mitchell; (3)
approve and incorporate into the SIP
West Virginia’s plan for maintaining the
2010 SO2 NAAQS in the Marshall Area
through 2030 pursuant to section 175A
of the CAA; and (4) redesignate the
Marshall Area to attainment for the 2010
SO2 NAAQS.
Table of Contents
Written comments must be
received on or before July 31, 2020.
DATES:
ADDRESSES:
of the annual 99th percentile of daily
maximum 1-hour average
concentrations does not exceed 75 ppb,
as determined in accordance with
appendix T of 40 CFR part 50. On
August 5, 2013 (78 FR 47191), EPA
designated 29 areas of the country as
nonattainment for the 2010 SO2
NAAQS, including the Marshall Area in
West Virginia. These designations are
referred to as ‘‘round one’’ SO2 area
designations which were effective on
October 4, 2013. In that action, the
Marshall Area was designated
nonattainment for the 2010 SO2 NAAQS
based on data collected at the
Moundsville, West Virginia ambient air
quality monitoring station for calendar
years 2009 through 2011. The Marshall
Area is comprised of the Clay, Franklin,
and Washington Tax Districts of
Marshall County, West Virginia.
Under CAA section 191(a), attainment
plan SIPs were due for areas designated
nonattainment in round one 18 months
after the effective date of designation, or
April 4, 2015. Such SIPs were required
by CAA section 192(a) to provide for
attainment of the NAAQS as
expeditiously as practicable, but no later
than five years from the effective date of
nonattainment designation, or October
4, 2018. West Virginia submitted an
attainment SIP on March 17, 2017 (2017
SIP).1 The SIP addressed the required
elements of an attainment SIP under
CAA section 172(c), including an
attainment demonstration that the State
asserted showed attainment of the 2010
SO2 Standard, SO2 emissions limits for
the Mitchell Power Plant, reasonably
available control measures including
reasonably available control technology
(RACM/RACT), reasonable further
progress (RFP), contingency measures,
and certification that nonattainment
new source review (NNSR) permit
program requirements were being met.
The 2017 SIP included a West Virginia
Compliance Order on Consent (2016
consent order) that required Kentucky
Power Company, the operator of
American Electric Power’s (AEP)
Mitchell Power Plant, to comply with an
SO2 maximum emissions limit from
Units 1 and 2, of 6,175 pounds per hour
(lbs/hr) on a 30-day rolling average,
along with associated monitoring,
recordkeeping, and reporting
requirements, starting on January 1,
2017. The March 18, 2020 submittal
requesting redesignation included a
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 127 / Wednesday, July 1, 2020 / Proposed Rules
demonstration showing attainment, a
maintenance plan, contingency
measures, and a December 2, 2019
consent order (2019 consent order) with
Kentucky Power for Mitchell with lower
SO2 emissions limits based on modeling
with a changed stack height.
Specifically, the 2019 consent order
establishes an SO2 emissions limit for
Mitchell Units 1 and 2 as a maximum
of 3,149 lbs/hr on a 30-day rolling
average, with compliance parameters
including continuous emissions
monitoring, recordkeeping including a
calculation of the daily 30-day average,
reporting of deviations from the
requirements and semi-annual
compliance reporting. Compliance with
the limits and other provisions in the
2019 consent order were required
starting on January 1, 2020.
Under CAA section 110(k)(2) through
(4), EPA was required to take action to
approve or disapprove West Virginia’s
2017 SIP within 12 months of
determining it to be complete, but EPA
did not take timely action.
Subsequently, the Center for Biological
Diversity and other plaintiffs (CBD)
sued EPA in the U.S. District Court for
the Northern District of California
seeking a court order to compel EPA’s
action on West Virginia’s 2017 SIP and
several other SIPs for other areas in the
nation. Center for Biological Diversity, et
al., v. Wheeler, No. 4:18–cv–03544–
YGR. That lawsuit resulted in the
plaintiffs and EPA agreeing to a
schedule, entered by the court as an
order, for EPA to take action on the
covered SIPs by certain deadlines.
October 30, 2020 was the court ordered
deadline given for EPA to take action on
West Virginia’s 2017 SIP. The order also
provided that if EPA issues a
redesignation to attainment for any area
for which the order required EPA action
on a submitted SIP covered by the order,
then EPA’s obligation to take action on
that SIP’s CAA section 172(c) elements
would be automatically terminated.
Consequently, if EPA takes final action
to redesignate the Marshall, West
Virginia nonattainment area to
attainment before October 30, 2020, EPA
will not be required to take action on
the 2017 SIP.
II. Criteria for Redesignation to
Attainment
Under CAA section 107(d)(3)(E), there
are five criteria which must be met
before a nonattainment area may be
redesignated to attainment:
1. EPA has determined that the
relevant NAAQS has been attained in
the area;
2. The applicable implementation
plan has been fully approved by EPA
under section 110(k);
3. EPA has determined that
improvement in air quality is due to
permanent and enforceable reductions
in emissions resulting from the SIP,
Federal regulations, and other
permanent and enforceable reductions;
4. EPA has fully approved a
maintenance plan, including a
contingency plan, for the area under
section 175A of the CAA; and,
5. The state has met all applicable
requirements for the area under section
110 and part D.
III. EPA’s Analysis of West Virginia’s
Redesignation Request for the Marshall
Area
A. The Marshall Area Has Attained the
2010 SO2 NAAQS
EPA’s 2014 Guidance 2 for areas
designated nonattainment explains that
there are generally two components
needed to support an attainment
determination, which should be
considered interdependently. First, to
demonstrate that it is meeting the
Standard, an SO2 nonattainment area
which was designated based on air
quality monitoring data would need to
have three consecutive calendar years of
39507
air quality monitoring data showing that
the area is meeting the Standard. The
data would need to be complete and
quality-assured, consistent with 40 CFR
part 58 requirements, and other relevant
EPA guidance, and properly submitted
to the Air Quality System (AQS)
database of the EPA’s Aerometric
Information Retrieval System (AIRS).
Areas relying on monitoring data alone
to support a determination of attainment
are also expected to provide a
demonstration (via air quality modeling)
that the affected monitor(s) is or are
located in the area of maximum
concentration. If there are air quality
monitors located in the area, but none
are located in the area of predicted
maximum concentration, then air
quality dispersion modeling will
generally be needed to estimate SO2
concentrations in the area for purposes
of determining attainment. If both
monitoring and modeling evidence is
available, EPA will consider all
available evidence.
Under EPA regulations at 40 CFR
50.17, the SO2 Standard is met at an
ambient air quality monitoring site
when the three-year average of the
annual 99th percentile of daily
maximum one-hour average
concentrations is less than or equal to
75 ppb, as determined in accordance
with appendix T of 40 CFR part 50. The
Standard must be met at all relevant
monitoring sites in the subject area.
There is only one monitor in the
Marshall Area, which is located at the
Moundsville National Guard Armory in
Marshall County. The data from this
monitor has been certified and uploaded
to EPA’s AQS website, through
December 31, 2019, and shows an
attaining design value for the most
recent three-year period (2017 through
2019) of 8 ppb. The 2019 AQS design
value report is included in the docket
for this rulemaking action and is
summarized in Table 1.
TABLE 1—MARSHALL AREA 99TH PERCENTILE OF 1-HOUR DAILY MAXIMUM SO2 CONCENTRATIONS (ppb), AND 2017–
2019 DESIGN VALUE
Monitor
Monitor ID
2017
2018
2019
2017–2019
design value
Moundsville National Guard Armory ....................................
54–051–1002
7
9
9
8
1. Attainment Demonstration and
Longer Term Averaging
CAA section 172(c)(1) directs states
with areas designated as nonattainment
to demonstrate that the submitted plan
provides for attainment of the NAAQS.
The control strategy requirements that
SIPs must meet are further delineated in
40 CFR part 51 subpart G. EPA has long
required that all SIPs and control
strategies reflect four fundamental
principles of quantification,
enforceability, replicability, and
accountability. General Preamble for
2 Guidance for 1-Hour Sulfur Dioxide
Nonattainment Area SIP Submissions, April 23,
2014, page 62.
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Implementation of title I of the CAA. 57
FR 13498, April 16, 1992, at 13567–68.
Attainment plans for the SO2 NAAQS
must consist of two components: (1)
Emission limits and other control
measures that assure implementation of
permanent, enforceable and necessary
emission controls, and (2) a modeling
analysis which meets the requirements
of 40 CFR part 51, appendix W, which
demonstrates that these emission limits
and control measures provide for timely
attainment of the primary SO2 NAAQS
as expeditiously as practicable, but by
no later than the attainment date for the
affected area. In all cases, the emission
limits and control measures must be
accompanied by appropriate methods
and conditions to determine compliance
with the respective emission limits and
control measures and must be
quantifiable (i.e., a specific amount of
emission reduction can be ascribed to
the measures), fully enforceable
(specifying clear, unambiguous and
measurable requirements for which
compliance can be practicably
determined), replicable (the procedures
for determining compliance are
sufficiently specific and non-subjective
so that two independent entities
applying the procedures would obtain
the same result), and accountable
(source specific limits must be
permanent and must reflect the
assumptions used in the SIP
demonstrations).
EPA’s April 2014 guidance
recommends that the emission limits be
expressed as short-term average limits
(e.g., addressing emissions averaged
over one or three hours), but also
describes the option to utilize emission
limits with longer averaging times of up
to 30 days, so long as the state meets
various suggested criteria. See April
2014 guidance, pages 22 to 39. The
April 2014 Guidance recommends
that—should states and sources utilize
longer averaging times—the longer term
average limit should be set at an
adjusted level that reflects a stringency
comparable to the 1-hour average limit
at the critical emission value (CEV)
shown to provide for attainment that the
plan otherwise would have set.
The April 2014 guidance provides an
extensive discussion of EPA’s rationale
for concluding that appropriately set,
comparably stringent limitations based
on averaging times for periods as long
as 30 days can be found to provide for
attainment of the 2010 SO2 NAAQS. In
evaluating this option, EPA considered
the nature of the Standard, conducted
detailed analyses of the impact of use of
30-day average limits on the prospects
for attaining the Standard, and carefully
reviewed how best to achieve an
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appropriate balance among the various
factors that warrant consideration in
judging whether a state’s plan provides
for attainment. Id. at pages 22 to 39. See
also Id. at appendices B, C, and D.
As specified in 40 CFR 50.17(b), the
1-hour primary SO2 NAAQS is met at an
ambient air quality monitoring site
when the 3-year average of the annual
99th percentile of daily maximum 1hour average concentrations is less than
or equal to 75 ppb. In a year with 365
days of valid monitoring data, the 99th
percentile would be the fourth highest
daily maximum 1-hour value. The 2010
SO2 NAAQS, including this form of
determining compliance with the
Standard, was upheld by the U.S. Court
of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit in Nat’l Envt’l Dev. Ass’n’s Clean
Air Project v. EPA, 686 F.3d 803 (D.C.
Cir. 2012). Because the Standard has
this form, a single exceedance of the
NAAQS’s 75 ppb level does not create
a violation of the Standard. Instead, at
issue is whether a source operating in
compliance with a properly set emission
limit with a longer term average could
cause exceedances of 75 ppb, and if so
the resulting frequency and magnitude
of such exceedances, and in particular
whether EPA can have reasonable
confidence that a properly set longer
term average limit will provide that the
3-year average of the annual fourth
highest daily maximum 1-hour average
value will be at or below 75 ppb. A
synopsis of how EPA judges whether
such plans ‘‘provide for attainment,’’
based on modeling of projected
allowable emissions and in light of the
NAAQS’s form for determining
attainment at monitoring sites, follows.
For SO2 attainment demonstrations
based on 1-hour emission limits, the
standard approach is to conduct
modeling using fixed emission rates.
The maximum emission rate that would
be modeled to result in attainment (i.e.,
in an ‘‘average year’’ 3 shows three, not
four days with maximum hourly levels
exceeding 75 ppb) is labeled the
‘‘critical emission value.’’ The modeling
process for identifying this CEV
inherently considers the numerous
variables that affect ambient
concentrations of SO2, such as
meteorological data, background
concentrations, and topography. In the
standard approach, the state would then
3 An ‘‘average year’’ is used to mean a year with
average air quality. While 40 CFR part 50 appendix
T provides for averaging three years of 99th
percentile daily maximum 1-hour values (e.g., the
fourth highest daily maximum 1-hour concentration
in a year with 365 days with valid data), this
discussion and an example below uses a single
‘‘average year’’ in order to simplify the illustration
of relevant principles.
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provide for attainment by setting a
continuously applicable 1-hour
emission limit at this CEV.
EPA recognizes that some sources
have highly variable emissions, for
example due to variations in fuel sulfur
content and operating rate, that can
make it extremely difficult, even with a
well-designed control strategy, to ensure
in practice that emissions for any given
hour do not exceed the CEV. EPA also
acknowledges the concern that longer
term emission limits can allow short
periods with emissions above the CEV
which, if coincident with
meteorological conditions conducive to
high SO2 concentrations, could in turn
create the possibility of an exceedance
of the NAAQS level occurring on a day
when an exceedance would not have
occurred if emissions were continuously
controlled at the level corresponding to
the CEV. However, for several reasons,
EPA believes that the approach
recommended in its April 2014
Guidance document suitably addresses
this concern. First, from a practical
perspective, EPA expects the actual
emission profile of a source subject to
an appropriately set longer term average
limit to be similar to the emission
profile of a source subject to an
analogous 1-hour average limit. EPA
expects this similarity because it has
recommended that the longer term
average limit be set at a level that is
comparably stringent to the otherwise
applicable 1-hour limit, reflecting a
downward adjustment from the CEV
that is proportionate to the anticipated
variability in the source’s emissions
profile. As a result, EPA expects either
form of emission limit to yield a
comparable reduction in SO2 emissions
and comparable air quality.
Second, from a more theoretical
perspective, EPA has compared the
likely air quality with a source having
maximum allowable emissions under an
appropriately set longer term limit, as
compared to the likely air quality with
the source having maximum allowable
emissions under the comparable 1-hour
limit. In this comparison, in the 1-hour
average limit scenario, the source is
presumed at all times to emit at the
critical emission level, and in the longer
term average limit scenario, the source
is presumed occasionally to emit at
levels higher than the CEV but on
average, and presumably at most times,
to emit well below the CEV. In an
‘‘average year,’’ compliance with the 1hour limit is expected to result in three
exceedance days (i.e., three days with
maximum hourly values above 75 ppb)
and a fourth day with a maximum
hourly value at 75 ppb. By comparison,
with the source complying with a longer
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term limit, it is possible that additional
exceedances of 75 ppb would occur that
would not occur in the 1-hour limit
scenario (if emissions exceed the CEV at
times when meteorology is conducive to
poor air quality). However, this
comparison must also factor in the
likelihood that exceedances of 75 ppb
that would be expected in the 1-hour
limit scenario would not occur in the
longer term limit scenario. This result
arises because the longer term limit
requires lower emissions most of the
time (because the limit is set well below
the CEV), so a source complying with an
appropriately set longer term limit is
likely to have lower emissions at critical
times than would be the case if the
source were emitting as allowed with a
1-hour limit.
As a hypothetical example to
illustrate these points, suppose a source
that always emits 1,000 pounds of SO2
per hour, which results in air quality at
the level of the NAAQS (i.e., results in
a design value of 75 ppb). Suppose
further that in an ‘‘average year,’’ these
emissions cause the five highest
maximum daily average 1-hour
concentrations to be 100 ppb, 90 ppb, 80
ppb, 75 ppb, and 70 ppb. Then suppose
that the source becomes subject to a 30day average emission limit of 700
pounds per hour. It is theoretically
possible for a source meeting this limit
to have emissions that occasionally
exceed 1,000 pounds per hour, but with
a typical emissions profile, emissions
would much more commonly be
between 600 and 800 pounds per hour.
In this simplified example, assume a
zero background concentration, which
allows one to assume a linear
relationship between emissions and air
quality. (A nonzero background
concentration would make the
mathematics more difficult but would
give similar results.) Air quality will
depend on what emissions happen on
what critical hours, but suppose that
emissions at the relevant times on these
5 days are 800 pounds per hour, 1,100
pounds per hour, 500 pounds per hour,
900 pounds per hour, and 1,200 pounds
per hour, respectively. (This is a
conservative example because the
average of these emissions, 900 pounds
per hour, is well over the 30-day average
emission limit.) These emissions would
result in daily maximum 1-hour
concentrations of 80 ppb, 99 ppb, 40
ppb, 67.5 ppb, and 84 ppb. In this
example, the fifth day would have an
exceedance of 75 ppb that would not
otherwise have occurred, but the third
day would not have exceedances that
otherwise would have occurred, and the
fourth day would be below rather than
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at 75 ppb. In this example, the fourth
highest maximum daily 1-hour
concentration under the 30-day average
would be 67.5 ppb.
This simplified example illustrates
the findings of a more complicated
statistical analysis that EPA conducted
using a range of scenarios using actual
plant data. As described in appendix B
of EPA’s April 2014 Guidance, EPA
found that the requirement for lower
average emissions over a longer
averaging period is highly likely to yield
better air quality than is required with
a comparably stringent 1-hour limit.
Based on analyses described in
appendix B of its 2014 guidance, EPA
expects that an emission profile with
maximum allowable emissions under an
appropriately set comparably stringent
30-day average limit is likely to have the
net effect of having a lower number of
exceedances of 75 ppb and better air
quality than an emission profile with
maximum allowable emissions under a
1-hour emission limit at the CEV. This
result provides a compelling policy
rationale for allowing the use of a longer
averaging period, in appropriate
circumstances where the facts indicate
this result can be expected to occur.
The question then becomes whether
this approach—which is likely to
produce a lower number of overall
exceedances even though it may
produce some unexpected exceedances
above the CEV—meets the requirement
in section 110(a)(1) and 172(c)(1) for
state implementation plans to ‘‘provide
for attainment’’ of the NAAQS. For SO2,
as for other pollutants, it is generally
impossible to design a nonattainment
area plan in the present that will
guarantee that attainment will occur in
the future. A variety of factors can cause
a well-designed attainment plan to fail
and unexpectedly not result in
attainment, for example if meteorology
occurs that is more conducive to poor
air quality than was anticipated in the
plan. Therefore, in determining whether
a plan meets the requirement to provide
for attainment, EPA’s task is commonly
to judge not whether the plan provides
absolute certainty that attainment will
in fact occur, but rather whether the
plan provides an adequate level of
confidence of prospective NAAQS
attainment. From this perspective, in
evaluating use of a 30-day average limit,
EPA must weigh the likely net effect on
air quality. Such an evaluation must
consider the risk that occasions with
meteorology conducive to high
concentrations will have elevated
emissions leading to exceedances that
would not otherwise have occurred and
must also weigh the likelihood that the
requirement for lower emissions on
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39509
average will result in days not having
exceedances that would have been
expected with emissions at the CEV.
Additional policy considerations, such
as in this case the desirability of
accommodating real world emissions
variability without significant risk of
violations, are also appropriate factors
for EPA to weigh in judging whether a
plan provides a reasonable degree of
confidence that the plan will lead to
attainment. Based on these
considerations, especially given the
high likelihood that a continuously
enforceable limit averaged over as long
as 30 days, determined in accordance
with EPA’s guidance, will result in
attainment, EPA believes as a general
matter that such limits, if appropriately
determined, can reasonably be
considered to provide for attainment of
the 2010 SO2 NAAQS.
The April 2014 Guidance offers
specific recommendations for
determining an appropriate longer term
average limit. The recommended
method starts with determination of the
1-hour emission limit that would
provide for attainment (i.e., the CEV),
and applies an adjustment factor to
determine the (lower) level of the longer
term average emission limit that would
be estimated to have a stringency
comparable to the otherwise necessary
1-hour emission limit. This method uses
a database of continuous emission data
reflecting the type of control that the
source will be using to comply with the
SIP emission limits, which (if
compliance requires new controls) may
require use of an emission database
from another source. The recommended
method involves using these data to
compute a complete set of emission
averages, computed according to the
averaging time and averaging
procedures of the prospective emission
limitation. In this recommended
method, the ratio of the 99th percentile
among these long term averages to the
99th percentile of the 1-hour values
represents an adjustment factor that may
be multiplied by the candidate 1-hour
emission limit to determine a longer
term average emission limit that may be
considered comparably stringent.4 The
guidance provided extensive
recommendations regarding the
calculation of the adjustment factor, for
example to derive the adjustment factor
from long term average versus 1-hour
emissions statistics computed in
accordance with the compliance
4 For example, if the CEV is 1,000 pounds of SO
2
per hour, and a suitable adjustment factor is
determined to be 70 percent, the recommended
longer term average limit would be 700 pounds per
hour.
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determination procedures that the state
is applying. These recommendations are
intended to yield the most pertinent
estimate of the impact of applying a
longer term average limit on the
stringency of the limit in the relevant
context. The April 2014 Guidance also
addresses a variety of related topics,
such as the potential utility of setting
supplemental emission limits, such as
mass-based limits, to reduce the
likelihood and/or magnitude of elevated
emission levels that might occur under
the longer term emission rate limit.
Preferred air quality models for use in
regulatory applications are described in
appendix A of EPA’s Guideline on Air
Quality Models (40 CFR part 51,
appendix W).5 In 2005, EPA
promulgated AERMOD as the Agency’s
preferred near-field dispersion modeling
for a wide range of regulatory
applications addressing stationary
sources (for example in estimating SO2
concentrations) in all types of terrain
based on extensive developmental and
performance evaluation. Supplemental
guidance on modeling for purposes of
demonstrating attainment of the SO2
Standard is provided in appendix A to
the April 2014 SO2 Guidance document
referenced above. Appendix A provides
extensive guidance on the modeling
domain, the source inputs, assorted
types of meteorological data, and
background concentrations. Consistency
with the recommendations in this
guidance is generally necessary for the
attainment demonstration to offer
adequately reliable assurance that the
plan provides for attainment.
As stated previously, attainment
demonstrations for the 2010 1-hour
primary SO2 NAAQS must demonstrate
attainment and maintenance of the
NAAQS in the entire area designated as
nonattainment (i.e., not just at the
violating monitor) by using air quality
dispersion modeling (See appendix W
to 40 CFR part 51) to show that the mix
of sources and enforceable control
measures and emission rates in an
identified area will not lead to a
violation of the SO2 NAAQS. For a
short-term (i.e., 1-hour) Standard, EPA
believes that dispersion modeling, using
allowable emissions and addressing
stationary sources in the affected area
(and in some cases those sources located
outside the nonattainment area which
may affect attainment in the area) is
technically appropriate, efficient and
effective in demonstrating attainment in
nonattainment areas because it takes
into consideration combinations of
5 EPA published revisions to the Guideline on Air
Quality Models (40 CFR part 51, appendix W) on
January 17, 2017.
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meteorological and emission source
operating conditions that may
contribute to peak ground-level
concentrations of SO2.
The meteorological data used in the
analysis should generally be processed
with the most recent version of
AERMET. Estimated concentrations
should include ambient background
concentrations, should follow the form
of the Standard, and should be
calculated as described in section
2.6.1.2 of the August 23, 2010
clarification memo on ‘‘Applicability of
appendix W Modeling Guidance for the
1-hr SO2 National Ambient Air Quality
Standard’’ (U.S. EPA, 2010a).
In the modeling analysis for Marshall,
attainment was demonstrated at an
hourly SO2 emission rate of 0.31 pounds
per million British thermal units (lb/
MMBtu) from both generating units at
the Mitchell Power Plant, which equates
to a 1-hour modeled CEV of 5,222.08
lbs/hr (both units combined). West
Virginia submitted an analysis of
emissions from October 1, 2011 through
September 30, 2016 to determine a
rolling 30-day average emission rate that
would be of comparable stringency to a
1-hour limit at the modeled emission
rate, as suggested in the April 2014
Guidance. West Virginia followed the
steps established by Appendix C,
Example Determination of Longer Term
Average Emission Limits of the April
2014 Guidance, including the
evaluation of five years of historical data
and the distribution of the hourly and
30-day averages. The 99th percentile
value among the hourly data and the
99th percentile value among the 30
operating-day period averages were each
computed. In order to calculate the 30day average, only operating days were
included in the average. An operating
day is a day in which one or both of
units had at least one hour of emissions
data reported. The ratio of these two
values was an adjustment factor of 60.3
percent. Multiplying this adjustment
factor by the CEV serves to estimate the
30-day average limit that is comparably
stringent to a 1-hour limit at the CEV.
By this means, West Virginia calculated
a 30-day average limit of 3,149 pounds
of SO2 per hour on a 30-day rolling
average basis (both units combined).
EPA agrees that West Virginia
appropriately determined the CEV, the
adjustment factor, and the resulting 30day average limit.
2. Modeling Analysis
The Moundsville Armory monitor
was sited to assess the SO2 impacts
caused by the major SO2 sources located
along the Ohio River Valley in Marshall
County. These facilities have had
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significant contributions of SO2
emissions to the area and impacted the
Moundsville monitoring site for over
three decades. During the 2009–2011
time frame upon which the
nonattainment designation was based,
the sources included the R.E. Burger
Power Plant in Belmont County, Ohio,
the Kammer Power Plant, and the Rain
CII Carbon Plant, which have all
permanently shut down, and the Eagle
Natrium, LLC plant, which now burns
natural gas, and the Mitchell Power
Plant. Mitchell Power Plant is the
remaining primary source of SO2 in the
Area that contributes to the Moundsville
monitor, which is located
approximately 11 kilometers northeast
of Mitchell. However, the attainment
modeling submitted in the 2017 SIP
showed that the maximum SO2
concentration within the Area is located
0.75 kilometers east-northeast of the
Mitchell Power Plant.
Because the Moundsville Armory
monitor is not at the location of
maximum concentration, a modeling
demonstration is required to show that
SO2 concentrations throughout the Area
show attainment. West Virginia’s March
18, 2020, SIP submittal includes a
modeling analysis to show that the Area
will attain the 2010 SO2 NAAQS based
on the SO2 emission limit established
for Mitchell Power Plant in a 2019
consent order with WVDEQ. EPA’s
analysis of the West Virginia modeling
is more fully described in a Modeling
Technical Support Document (TSD) that
is provided in the docket for this
rulemaking action and summarized
below.
The modeling protocol was developed
by West Virginia in September of 2016
and periodically revised throughout the
development of the 2017 attainment SIP
modeling demonstration. Final revisions
to the protocol were made in December
of 2016 and reflect the procedures that
were used in the submitted 2017
attainment SIP modeling analysis.
Although WVDEP did not subsequently
alter the modeling protocol, WVDEP
revised the attainment SIP modeling
inputs in July 2019 to change the
Mitchell stack height used in the
modeling analysis to determine the
lower limits needed to attain the SO2
Standard. The modeling analysis was
submitted as part of West Virginia’s
2020 redesignation request and was
conducted in accordance with appendix
A of EPA’s April 2014 Guidance and
appendix W to 40 CFR part 51—
Guideline on Air Quality Models, that
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was published on January 17, 2017 6 and
became effective May 22, 2017.
West Virginia developed its modeling
analysis for the Marshall, West Virginia
SO2 redesignation request in July 2019
using AERMOD version 18081, which
was the most current version of the
model available when the modeling was
being performed. AERMOD is a refined,
steady-state (both emissions and
meteorology over a 1-hour time step),
multiple source, air-dispersion model
that was originally promulgated by the
EPA as part of its December 2005
revision to the Guideline on Air Quality
Models, and is the preferred model to
use for industrial sources in this type of
air quality analysis. At the time West
Virginia was preparing the 2017 SO2
attainment SIP, the available version of
AERMOD was version 15181, which
was made available by EPA’s Support
Center for Air Quality Models 7 on July
24, 2015. On April 24, 2018, EPA
released AERMOD version 18081. For
the March 18, 2020 redesignation
request, West Virginia re-ran the model
using AERMOD 18081. The most
notable changes between version 18081
and version 15181 of the model was the
inclusion of an alternate surface friction
option (‘‘ADJ_U*’’) and the allowance
for the use of prognostic meteorological
data as regulatory default options
according to the final modeling
guideline (40 CFR part 51 appendix W),
released on December 20, 2016. The
ADJ_U* option was used in the latest
modeling.
The AERMOD system used in the
modeling demonstration is comprised of
several preprocessors that are needed to
develop the files necessary to run the
air-dispersion model. These
preprocessors include the
meteorological preprocessors AERMET 8
and AERSURFACE,9 as well as the
building preprocessor, BPIPPRM, to
calculate building downwash
parameters and the terrain preprocessor,
AERMAP,10 to determine emission
source and receptor elevations used in
the final SIP modeling analysis. The
primary SO2 emitting facility remaining
in operation and impacting the Marshall
6 https://www3.epa.gov/ttn/scram/appendix_w/
2016/AppendixW_2017.pdf.
7 https://www.epa.gov/scram/air-qualitydispersion-modeling-preferred-and-recommendedmodels#aermod.
8 American Meteorological Society/
Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Model
Meteorological Processor.
9 American Meteorological Society/
Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Model
Land Cover Processor.
10 American Meteorological Society/
Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Model
Terrain Preprocessor.
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Area is the Mitchell Power Plant.11 To
ensure maintenance of the 2010 SO2
NAAQS in the Marshall Area, air
dispersion modeling was conducted for
the SO2 emissions from the Mitchell
Plant to show that the Marshall Area
will continue to attain the 2010 SO2
NAAQS. The Mitchell Plant consists of
two coal-fired electric generating units
(EGU) rated at 800 megawatts (MW) net
each, equipped with an electrostatic
precipitator for particulate control,
selective catalytic reduction (SCR) for
nitrogen oxide and mercury control, and
a limestone-based flue gas
desulfurization system for SO2 control.
The plant is located in the Ohio River
Valley in Marshall County, West
Virginia, approximately 11 kilometers
southwest of Moundsville, West
Virginia. The units were modeled as
point sources and a load analysis was
performed at full load, 75% load, and
50% load.
The meteorological inputs used were
developed for the period 2011 through
2015 using Version 18081 of AERMET
using Wheeling Airport surface data
along with one minute and five minute
data from the Automated Surface
Observing System (ASOS) located at the
site. Upper Air Data was sourced from
the Greater Pittsburgh International
Airport (KPIT) site through the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Earth System Research
Laboratory Radiosonde Database.
The modeled design concentration is
the combination of the appropriate
background concentration (section 8.3
of appendix W—Guideline on Air
Quality Models) and the estimated
modeled impact of the Mitchell Plant
and any other identified nearby sources,
which in this case was none. A
comparison of the modeled design
concentrations for each load case to the
2010 SO2 NAAQS is shown on Table 2.
TABLE 2—SUMMARY OF WEST VIRGINIA SO2 MODELING DEMONSTRATION RESULTS, IN MICROGRAMS PER
CUBIC METER (μg/m3)
West Virginia
1-hour SO2
concentration
(μg/m3)
Case
Full Load .............
75% Load ............
50% Load ............
1-hour SO2
NAAQS
(μg/m3)
196.2
187.9
175.5
196.4
196.4
196.4
The West Virginia modeling
demonstration generally follows
11 See Round 1 SO designations TSD for West
2
Virginia for EPA’s analysis of emissions and
boundaries for the Marshall Area, at https://
www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-03/
documents/wv-tsd.pdf.
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39511
guidance included in appendix A of
EPA’s 2014 Guidance and EPA’s revised
‘‘Guideline on Air Quality Models’’
published on January 17, 2017 (82 FR
5182). Peak model concentrations from
the compliance run were 196.2 mg/m3.
The modeled emission rates reflect
emission rates contained in the 2019
consent order between West Virginia
and Kentucky Power that are part of the
SIP submittal, and which became
enforceable at the state level on January
1, 2020, and which will become
Federally enforceable if this proposed
rulemaking is finalized. The modeling
demonstration properly characterized
source limits, local meteorological data,
background concentrations and
provided an adequate model receptor
grid to capture maximum modeled
concentrations. The modeling
simulations show that even at the worstcase scenario, with the Mitchell facility
operating at full capacity at the
allowable emission limits, the design
value would be below the NAAQS,
demonstrating that the modeled
emission limits will allow the Marshall
Area to comply with the 2010 SO2
NAAQS for the maintenance period.
EPA’s April 2014 Guidance 12
explains that EPA may also make
determinations of attainment based on
the modeling from the attainment
demonstration for the applicable SIP for
the affected area, eliminating the need
for separate actuals-based modeling to
support a redesignation request. A
demonstration that the control strategy
in the SIP has been fully implemented
(compliance records demonstrating that
the control measures have been
implemented as required by the
approved SIP) would also be relevant
for making this determination. An
additional SIP submittal from the air
agency would not be required by the
CAA, and if the air agency has
previously submitted a modeled
attainment demonstration, using
allowable emissions, no further
modeling would be needed as long as
the source characteristics (e.g., factors
affecting plume height) are still
reasonably represented.
The modeling submitted by West
Virginia as part of its 2020 redesignation
request is based on emission limits
established in the 2019 consent order.
The 2019 consent order requires
Kentucky Power, the operator of the
Mitchell Power Plant, to comply with
SO2 limits at the Mitchell Power Plant
and associated compliance parameters
starting on January 1, 2020. The air
quality modeling submitted with the
state’s request used allowable emissions
12 See
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(i.e., the SO2 limits effective January 1,
2020), and so long as Mitchell is
meeting its allowable limits, and the
source characteristics are consistent
with the demonstration, such modeling
is likely conservative given that the
actual emissions from Mitchell are well
below the emission used in the
modeling. First quarter 2020 emissions
data for Mitchell Power Plant shows
compliance with the SO2 emissions
limit established under the 2019
consent order.13 In addition, West
Virginia’s submittal includes a chart of
the last ten years of Mitchell’s actual
emissions, as compared to the new
limits in the consent order. In that chart,
shown in figure 4 of the submittal, the
combined actual emissions from the
stacks at Mitchell are well below the 30day average rolling limit of 3,149
pounds of SO2 per hour that took effect
on January 1, 2020.
Based upon the modeling submitted
as part of the maintenance plan for the
redesignation request submitted on
March 18, 2020, EPA is proposing to
find that West Virginia has shown that
the Marshall Area is attaining the 2010
SO2 NAAQS.
B. West Virginia Has Met All Applicable
Requirements of Section 110 and Part D
of the CAA for the Marshall Area and
EPA Has Fully Approved the Applicable
Implementation Plan Under Section
110(k) of the CAA
In accordance with section
107(d)(3)(E)(v) of the CAA, in order to
redesignate the Marshall Area to
attainment, West Virginia must meet all
requirements applicable to the Marshall
Area under CAA section 110 (general
SIP requirements) and part D of title I
of the CAA (SIP requirements for
nonattainment areas), and in accordance
with section 107(d)(3)(E)(ii) of the CAA,
those requirements must be fully
approved into the West Virginia SIP
under CAA section 110(k).
EPA is proposing to determine that, in
accordance with section 107(d)(3)(E)(v),
West Virginia has met all SIP
requirements under section 110 of the
CAA and part D of title I of the CAA
applicable for purposes of this
redesignation. In making these
determinations, EPA identified the
requirements that are applicable to the
Area for purposes of redesignation and
determined that these requirements are
fully approved under section 110(k) of
13 See graph entitled ‘‘2020Q1 Historical AEP
Mitchell Combined Units 1 & 2 30-Day Rolling
Average Emissions of SO2’’ available in the docket
for this rulemaking action. The first quarter SO2
emissions data for Mitchell Power Plant is publicly
available at EPA’s Air Markets Program Data at
https://ampd.epa.gov//ampd/QueryToolie.html.
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the CAA. EPA’s rationale is discussed in
more detail in sections III.B.1 and
III.B.1.a of the preamble for this
proposed rulemaking.
a. Section 110 General Requirements for
SIPs
Pursuant to CAA section 110(a)(1),
whenever new or revised NAAQS are
promulgated, the CAA requires states to
submit a plan (i.e., ‘‘SIP’’) for the
implementation, maintenance and
enforcement of such NAAQS. Section
110(a)(2) of title I of the CAA contains
the general requirements for a SIP, also
known as ‘‘infrastructure’’ requirements.
The infrastructure requirements of
section 110(a)(2) include the
requirements in subsections 110(a)(2)(A)
through (M). However, not every
requirement of section 110(a)(2) is an
applicable requirement for the purposes
of redesignating the Marshall Area to
attainment for the SO2 NAAQS. For
example, section 110(a)(2)(D) requires
that SIPs contain certain measures to
prevent sources in a state from
significantly contributing to air quality
problems in another state. When such
issues have been identified, EPA has
required certain states to establish
programs to address transport of air
pollutants. See Nitrogen Oxides (NOX)
SIP Call and amendments to the NOX
SIP Call (64 FR 26298, May 14, 1999
and 65 FR 11222, March 2, 2000), and
the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule
(CSAPR) Update (81 FR 74504, October
26, 2016). However, the section
110(a)(2)(D) SIP requirements are not
linked with a particular area’s SO2
designation. That is, the section
110(a)(2)(D) requirement continues to
apply to a state regardless of the
attainment designation (or
redesignation) of an area. EPA has
concluded that the SIP requirements
linked to an area’s SO2 designation for
a particular NAAQS are the relevant
(applicable) measures when reviewing a
redesignation request for an area, and
therefore the general requirements of
section 110(a)(2), such as section
110(a)(2)(D), are not applicable
requirements for the purposes of a SO2
redesignation.
Similarly, other section 110(a)(2)
elements that are neither connected
with attainment plan submissions nor
linked with an area’s SO2 designation
are not applicable requirements for
purposes of redesignation. An area
redesignated from SO2 nonattainment to
attainment will remain subject to these
requirements after redesignation to
attainment. This approach is consistent
with EPA’s existing policy on the
applicability for the purpose of
redesignations of conformity and
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oxygenated fuels requirements, as well
as CAA section 184 ozone transport
requirements. See Reading,
Pennsylvania, proposed and final
rulemakings (61 FR 53174, October 10,
1996; 62 FR 24826, May 7, 2008);
Cleveland-Akron-Loraine, Ohio, final
rulemaking (61 FR 20458, May 7, 1996);
and Tampa, Florida, final rulemaking
(60 FR 62748, December 7, 1995). See
also the discussion on this issue in the
Cincinnati, Ohio, redesignation (65 FR
37890, June 19, 2000), and in the
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, redesignation
(66 FR 50399, October 19, 2001).
Nonetheless, EPA approved elements
of West Virginia’s July 1, 2013, and June
1, 2015, SO2 infrastructure SIP
submittals on November 17, 2014 (79 FR
62022) and August 11, 2016 (81 FR
53008), respectively.14 As explained
previously, the general requirements of
CAA section 110(a)(2) are statewide
requirements that are not linked to the
nonattainment status of the Marshall
Area and are therefore not ‘‘applicable
requirements’’ for the purpose of
reviewing West Virginia’s redesignation
request. Because West Virginia satisfies
the general SIP elements and
requirements set forth in CAA section
110(a)(2) applicable to and necessary for
SO2 redesignation, EPA proposes to
conclude that West Virginia has
satisfied the criterion of section
107(d)(3)(E)(v) related to section
110(a)(2) of the CAA.
b. Part D Requirements
In addition to the CAA section 110
requirements, section 107(d)(3)(E)(v)
requires that the state meet all the
requirements applicable to the
nonattainment area ‘‘under part D of
this subchapter’’ in order for the
nonattainment area to be redesignated.
Both section 107 and part D are within
subchapter 1 of the CAA. Part D,
entitled ‘‘Plan Requirements for
Nonattainment Areas,’’ consists of six
subparts, of which only subparts 1 and
5 are applicable to SO2 nonattainment
areas. Subpart 1 (sections 171 through
179B) contains provisions that can
apply to all nonattainment areas for all
criteria pollutants, while subpart 5
(sections 191 through 192) contains
additional provisions for SO2, NOX, or
lead nonattainment areas. The
requirements applicable to this
redesignation are discussed below.
14 West Virginia’s SO infrastructure SIP
2
submittals did not address the interstate transport
element of CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)(i). As
explained previously, the interstate transport
element of CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)(i) is not an
applicable requirement for redesignation of the
Marshall Area.
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i. Subpart 1 Requirements
(1) Section 172 Requirements
CAA section 172 requires states with
nonattainment areas to submit plans
that provide for timely attainment of the
NAAQS. More specifically, CAA section
172(c) contains general requirements for
nonattainment plans. A thorough
discussion of these requirements is
found in the General Preamble for
Implementation of title I. 57 FR 13498,
April 16, 1992.
As noted in the General Preamble,
certain attainment-related planning
requirements under section 172(c) no
longer have meaning for an area that is
already attaining the NAAQS, and
therefore are not applicable for purposes
of redesignation. For example, for an
area that is already attaining the
NAAQS, there would be nothing for the
state to provide in order to show
reasonable further progress to
attainment in that area. Similarly, the
CAA section 172 requirements for the
attainment demonstration,
implementation of reasonably available
control measures, including reasonably
available control technology, and
contingency measures that are triggered
if an area fails to meet RFP or fails to
attain also are not applicable for
purposes of redesignation.
With respect to the CAA section
172(c)(3) requirement to submit an
actual current emissions inventory,
WVDEP submitted a 2011 base year
emissions inventory for the Marshall
Area on May 6, 2015. On July 31, 2015
(80 FR 45613), EPA approved the base
year inventory into the West Virginia
SIP.
(2) Section 173
Section 173 of the CAA includes
requirements for permit programs that
are required in a nonattainment area for
new sources as required by section
172(c)(5), known as nonattainment new
source review (NNSR). However, EPA
has a longstanding interpretation that
because the NNSR permit program is
replaced by the prevention of significant
deterioration (PSD) permit program
upon an area’s redesignation to
attainment, nonattainment areas seeking
redesignation to attainment do not need
a fully approved part D NNSR program
in order to be redesignated. A more
detailed rationale for this view is
described in a memorandum from Mary
Nichols, Assistant Administrator for Air
and Radiation, dated October 14, 1994,
entitled, ‘‘Part D New Source Review
Requirements for Areas Requesting
Redesignation to Attainment.’’
Nevertheless, EPA notes that West
Virginia has SIP-approved NNSR and
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PSD programs, found at 45CSR13,
45CSR19, and 45CSR14. See 40 CFR
52.2520(c). West Virginia’s PSD program
will become applicable for SO2 in the
Marshall Area upon redesignation to
attainment.
(3) Section 175A
CAA section 175A requires that states
seeking redesignation of an area to
attainment submit a ‘‘maintenance
plan’’ containing certain elements. West
Virginia included a maintenance plan
for the Marshall Area with its March 18,
2020 redesignation request, which EPA
is proposing to approve in conjunction
with the redesignation, and it is
discussed in detail in section III.D of the
preamble of this proposed rulemaking.
(4) Section 176 Requirements
Section 176(c) of the CAA requires
Federal actions conform to the air
quality planning goals in the applicable
SIP. The requirement to determine
conformity applies to transportation
plans, programs, and projects that are
developed, funded, or approved under
title 23 of the United States Code and
the Federal Transit Act (transportation
conformity) as well as to all other
Federally-supported or funded projects
(general conformity). Section 176(c) of
the CAA also requires that states
establish criteria and procedures to
ensure that Federally-supported or
funded transportation plans,
transportation improvement programs
(TIPs) and projects conform to the goals
of the applicable SIP. This is referred to
as a transportation conformity SIP. In
the preamble to the January 1993
proposed transportation conformity
rule, EPA stated that, ‘‘Based on
available emissions information, EPA
believes highway and transit motor
vehicles are not significant sources of
lead or sulfur dioxide. Therefore,
transportation plans, TIPs, and projects
are presumed to conform to the
applicable implementation plans for
these pollutants.’’ (See 58 FR 3776,
January 11, 1993.) In November 1993,
EPA finalized its transportation
conformity regulations. One section of
those regulations addressed the
geographic applicability of the
transportation conformity regulations.
The regulation stated at that time that,
‘‘The provisions of this subpart apply
with respect to emissions of the
following criteria pollutants: Ozone,
carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and
particles with an aerodynamic diameter
less than or equal to a nominal 10
micrometers (PM10).’’ 15 Based on this
15 This
provision has been revised to include
particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than or
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39513
provision, transportation conformity
does not apply in nonattainment or
maintenance areas for SO2. Therefore, a
transportation conformity SIP is not
required for SO2 nonattainment and
maintenance areas and is not necessary
in order for an SO2 nonattainment area
to be redesignated to attainment, and
EPA’s transportation conformity rules
do not apply to SO2 for the Marshall
Area.
ii. Subpart 5 Requirements
The subpart 5 requirements, which
consist of sections 191 and 192 of the
CAA, are specific provisions applicable
to SO2, NO2 or lead nonattainment
areas. Section 191 of the CAA requires
states with areas designated
nonattainment for SO2, NO2 or lead after
November 15, 1990, to submit within 18
months of the designation an
implementation plan meeting the
requirements of part D. The substance of
the required plans is established by
section 172(c). Section 192 sets forth
attainment dates for nonattainment
areas under section 191.
For SO2, section 192(a) requires that
attainment plans provide for attainment
of the primary Standard as
expeditiously as possible, but no later
than five years from the date of the
nonattainment designation. EPA
designated the Marshall Area as
nonattainment on August 5, 2013, with
an attainment date of October 4, 2018.
However, because EPA is reviewing a
redesignation request under section
107(d)(3)(E), rather than a determination
of attainment under section 179(c), the
determination of whether the Area
attained by the attainment date set forth
in section 192 is not applicable to this
action proposing approval of West
Virginia’s redesignation request.
Based on the above, EPA is proposing
to find that West Virginia has satisfied
the applicable requirements for the
redesignation of the Marshall Area
under section 110 and part D of title I
of the CAA.
C. The Air Quality Improvements in the
Marshall Area Are Due to Permanent
and Enforceable Emission Reductions
For an area to be redesignated, the
state must be able to reasonably
attribute the improvement in air quality
to emission reductions which are
permanent and enforceable.16 The
Marshall Area was designated
nonattainment on August 5, 2013 based
on monitored data from 2009–2011.
Since the Area was designated, several
equal to a nominal 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5). See 40
CFR 93.102(b)(1).
16 See April 2014 Guidance, page 64.
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large SO2 emitting facilities in the
Marshall Area have permanently shut
down, and one facility has switched to
a cleaner fuel. On June 1, 2015 and
October 9, 2015, the AEP’s Kammer
Power Plant (Kammer) and the Rain CII
Carbon facility (Rain CII), respectively,
closed permanently. On November 12,
2015 and June 10, 2016, the Eagle
Natrium, LLC plant implemented a fuel
switch from burning coal to burning
natural gas on boiler #6 and boiler #5,
respectively.17 The Mitchell Power
Plant is therefore the remaining primary
source of SO2 emissions in the Marshall
Area. Mitchell has significantly reduced
its SO2 emissions since the Area was
designated, and these emission
reductions are being made permanent
and enforceable by the limits contained
in West Virginia consent order CO–SIP–
C–2019–13. West Virginia requested
that the 2019 consent order be
incorporated into the West Virginia SIP.
If this action is finalized, the emission
limits and associated parameters in the
2019 consent order will become
permanent and Federally-enforceable.
The 2019 consent order requires that
combined SO2 emissions from Mitchell
Units 1 and 2 be limited to a total
maximum of 3,149 lbs/hr on a 30operating day rolling average basis, and
includes monitoring, recordkeeping,
and reporting provisions to show
compliance with the limits. Compliance
with the 2019 consent order was
required starting on January 1, 2020.
At the time of the Marshall Area’s
nonattainment designation, the
monitored SO2 design value at the
Moundsville monitor for 2009–2011 was
80 ppb. These monitored values
occurred before the permanent closure
of the two facilities and the switch to
burning natural gas at another facility
mentioned in the preceding paragraph
as well as the emission reductions at
Mitchell. More recent monitoring data
indicate that ambient SO2 levels have
improved significantly at the monitor.
The 2019 data shows the 99th percentile
value at 9 ppb. The monitored design
value for the Marshall Area for 2017–
2019 is 8 ppb, which is well below the
SO2 NAAQS of 75 ppb. This air quality
improvement is attributable to the
substantial SO2 emission reductions
noted above, and therefore EPA
proposes to find that the improvement
in air quality in the Marshall Area can
be attributed to permanent and
enforceable emission reductions, and
17 Appendix D of the March 18, 2020 West
Virginia redesignation request includes
documentation showing the permanent closure of
the Kammer and Rain CII facilities, and the fuel
switch at the Eagle Natrium facility, included in the
docket for this rulemaking action.
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that CAA section 107(d)(3)(E)(iii) has
been satisfied by West Virginia.
D. West Virginia Has a Fully Approvable
Maintenance Plan for the Marshall Area
CAA section 175A sets forth the
elements of a maintenance plan for
areas seeking redesignation from
nonattainment to attainment. Under
section 175A, the plan must
demonstrate continued attainment of
the applicable NAAQS for at least ten
years after the nonattainment area is
redesignated to attainment. Eight years
after the redesignation, the state must
submit a revised maintenance plan
demonstrating that attainment will
continue to be maintained for the ten
years following the initial ten-year
period. To address the possibility of
future NAAQS violations, the
maintenance plan must also contain
contingency measures as EPA deems
necessary to assure prompt correction of
any future violations. Specifically, the
maintenance plan should address five
requirements: (1) An attainment
emissions inventory; (2) a maintenance
demonstration; (3) a commitment for
continued air quality monitoring; (4) the
verification of continued attainment;
and (5) a contingency plan.18
In conjunction with its request to
redesignate the Marshall Area, West
Virginia submitted, as a revision to its
SIP, a plan to provide for maintenance
of the SO2 NAAQS through 2030 in the
Area, which is 10 years after the
expected effective date of the
redesignation to attainment. West
Virginia has committed to review the
maintenance plan for the Area eight
years after redesignation. The
maintenance plan includes the five
components noted previously in this
section.
In a maintenance plan, states are
required to submit an inventory used for
the year of attainment, which is called
the attainment year inventory. This
inventory is used as the basis for future,
projected emission inventories that are
used to show the area will remain in
attainment. West Virginia submitted a
2016 SO2 emissions inventory as the
attainment year inventory. The year
2016 was selected because it is one of
the three years of monitoring data from
2016 through 2018 for which the design
value showed compliance with the SO2
NAAQS.
For the 2016 attainment year
inventory for point sources, West
Virginia used actual emissions reported
18 See Memorandum from John Calcagni,
Director, Air Quality Management Division, EPA,
‘‘Procedures for Processing Requests to Redesignate
Areas to Attainment’’ September 4, 1992.
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by each facility. Eagle Natrium switched
its fuel source from coal to natural gas
between 2015 and 2016, resulting in
lower SO2 emissions in 2016. The
Kammer Power Plant and Rain CII
Carbon plant both closed in 2015 and
therefore there were no emissions from
these plants in 2016. The point source
emissions for the Marshall Area were
verified against EPA’s emissions
inventory system (EIS) and EPA found
them to be acceptable.
Nonroad and onroad emissions for
2016 were calculated by West Virginia
using EPA’s Motor Vehicle Emissions
Simulator (MOVES) 2014a model.
NONROAD is a component of the
MOVES model that is run within the
model. Monthly results were summed to
get the yearly emissions.
Emissions for the nonpoint or area
source category for 2016 were not
available at the time of the attainment
plan submittal, and so emissions for
these sources were calculated using
projections from the Mid Atlantic
Regional Air Management Association’s
(MARAMA) 2017 Beta Modeling
Inventory 19 found in the emissions
modeling framework (EMF). The EMF is
a tool that supports the management
and quality assurance of emissions
inventories and emissions modelingrelated data, and the running of the
Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel
Emissions Model (SMOKE) to develop
air quality model inputs. West Virginia
stated that 2017 is a reasonable
substitution since the MARAMA model
used a ‘‘no-growth’’ assumption for fuel
usage, population, and employment
between 2016 and 2017. The 2017
projected nonpoint emissions for
Marshall County are 49.66 tpy, while
the nonpoint emissions in the National
Emissions Inventory (NEI) 2014
version2 for Marshall County is 30 tpy,
therefore the 2017 projected nonpoint
emissions is conservative compared to
the 2014 version2 NEI.
Oil and gas emissions for 2016 were
calculated using EPA’s Oil and Gas Tool
version 2.2 with local data from West
Virginia’s Geological and Economic
Survey. These emissions represent the
sum of SO2 generated by oil and gas
production and exploration activities.
Projection inventories are used to
show that the area will remain in
attainment. West Virginia, with the
assistance of MARAMA, developed
2023 and 2030 emission projections for
the interim and maintenance plan end
year, respectively. The Mitchell Power
Plant is the primary point source still in
19 MARAMA emissions inventories: https://
www.marama.org/technical-center/emissionsinventory/2011-inventory-and-projections.
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operation within the nonattainment
area. The projection inventory for the
Mitchell Power Plant is based on actual
emission trends over the last five years.
Onroad and nonroad emissions were
calculated using the same
methodologies as the 2016 attainment
year inventory. For the nonpoint
emission projections, West Virginia
submitted emissions from MARAMA’s
Emissions Inventory Development for
2011 and 2017 Beta2 Modeling
Inventory, which projected emissions
for 2023.20 The emissions for 2030 were
‘‘grown’’ using the emission factors used
to calculate the 2023 emissions. Oil and
gas emissions for 2023 and 2030 were
developed using Annual Energy
Outlook (AEO) 2017 future year
production projections and growth
factors and following the methodologies
documented in EPA’s ‘‘TSD for
Additional Updates to Emissions
Inventories for the Version 6.3, 2011
Emissions Modeling Platform for Year
2023.’’
EPA reviewed all the files and the
emission results provided by West
Virginia for both the attainment year
inventory and the projected inventories
and found them to be acceptable. The
detailed inventory information for the
Marshall Area is contained in appendix
B of the March 18, 2020 SIP submittal.
Appendix B, as well as EPA’s Emissions
Inventory TSD, is included in the
docket for this rulemaking action. The
inventories are shown in Table 3.
TABLE 3—EMISSIONS INVENTORIES FOR THE MARSHALL NONATTAINMENT AREA, IN TONS PER YEAR (tpy)
2016 actuals a
(attainment)
2011 actuals
(base)
Sector
2023 projected
(interim)
2030 projected
(maintenance)
EGU .................................................................................................
Non-EGU .........................................................................................
Oil & Gas .........................................................................................
Area (non-point) ...............................................................................
Non-Road .........................................................................................
On-Road ..........................................................................................
21,231
12,792
6.1001
51.19
0.02
2.10
3,605
2,556
10.55
49.66
0.01
2.03
2,900
12
12.76
45.58
0.01
0.81
2,900
12
13.46
45.05
0.01
0.76
Total ..........................................................................................
34,082.41
6,223.25
2,971.16
2,971.28
a With
the exception of non-point sources as explained previously.
A state may generally demonstrate
maintenance of the NAAQS by either
showing that future emissions of a
pollutant or its precursors will not
exceed the level of the attainment
inventory, or by modeling to show that
the future mix of sources and emission
rates will not cause a violation of the
NAAQS.21 West Virginia’s projected
actual emissions for the interim year of
2023 and for the maintenance year of
2030 are both below the total attainment
year inventory, which is acceptable for
showing maintenance in the Marshall
Area.
West Virginia has committed to
continue monitoring SO2 levels at the
Moundsville monitor, and will consult
with EPA prior to making changes to the
existing monitoring network, should
changes be needed in the future. West
Virginia has committed to enter all data
into AQS on a timely basis in
accordance with Federal guidelines, and
to continue to quality assure the
monitoring data to meet the
requirements of 40 CFR part 58 and all
other Federal requirements.
The closures of Kammer and Rain CII,
and the fuel switch to natural gas at
Eagle Natrium LLC, has resulted in
significant reductions of SO2 emissions
in the Marshall Area. The only
significant SO2 emitting facility
remaining in the Marshall Area is the
Mitchell Power Plant.
The new, permanent and enforceable
SO2 emission limits for the Mitchell
Power Plant described above, which
were shown to be comparably stringent
to the CEV established by the March 18,
2020 modeling, ensure that the Marshall
Area will continue attain the NAAQS.
For the Marshall Area and SO2 in
general, ‘‘attainment revolves around
compliance of a single source or a small
set of sources with emission limits
shown to provide for attainment,’’ 22
specifically the Mitchell Power Plant.
West Virginia has committed to track
the SO2 emissions and compliance
status of the Mitchell Power Plant in
order to verify that the plant complies
with the emission limit in the 2019
consent order, so that modeling using
the corresponding 1-hour CEV may be
considered to demonstrate that the Area
is maintaining the Standard. To
demonstrate compliance with the SO2
emission limitations of the 2019 consent
order, Kentucky Power is required to
use the continuous emissions
monitoring system (CEMS) installed,
certified, operated, and maintained in
accordance with 40 CFR part 75, and is
required to calculate and record a 30operating day rolling average SO2
emission rate, updated after each new
boiler operating day. Each 30-operating
day rolling average emission rate is the
average of all of the valid hourly SO2
emission rates in the 30-operating day
20 Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management
Association emissions inventories: https://
www.marama.org/technical-center/emissionsinventory/2011-inventory-and-projections.
21 See April 2014 Guidance, page 67.
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period. The 2019 consent order also
requires the reporting of any exceedance
of the 30-operating day rolling average
SO2 emission limit to WVDEP within
five business days after the exceedance
occurs, and must include information
related to any deviations from the 30operating day rolling average limit, if
any, the duration of the deviation, and
the cause of the deviation. Kentucky
Power must also submit semiannual
compliance reports to WVDEP on
emissions from Mitchell Units 1 and 2.
All major sources in West Virginia are
required to submit annual emissions
data, which the State uses to update its
emission inventories as required by the
CAA, and West Virginia has committed
to provide updates to future inventories
in accordance with EPA’s AERR rule
every three years. West Virginia has also
committed to assure that existing
control measures will remain in effect,
that any changes to its rules or
emissions applicable to SO2 as required
for maintenance of the 2010 SO2
Standard will be submitted to EPA for
approval as a SIP revision, and that it
intends to continue enforcing all rules
that relate to the emission of SO2
precursors in the Marshall Area.23
The April 2014 Guidance, pages 65–
69, states that the requirement to submit
contingency measures in accordance
with section 175A(d) can be adequately
addressed for SO2 by having a
22 See
April 2014 Guidance, page 69.
March 18, 2020 West Virginia
redesignation request submittal, page 28.
23 See
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comprehensive enforcement program
which can quickly identify and address
sources that might be causing
exceedances of the NAAQS. To do so,
West Virginia has committed to adopt
and expeditiously implement necessary
corrective actions as follows. A warning
level response shall be triggered
whenever the 99th percentile of the 1hour daily SO2 maximum concentration
of 75.5 ppb occurs in a single calendar
year within the maintenance area (i.e.,
the Marshall Area). A warning level
response will consist of a study to
determine whether SO2 values indicate
a trend toward higher ambient SO2
values or whether SO2 source emissions
appear to be increasing.
The study will evaluate whether the
trend, if any, is likely to continue and,
if so, the control measures necessary to
reverse the trend, taking into
consideration ease and timing for
implementation as well as economic
and social considerations.
Implementation of necessary controls in
response to a warning level response
trigger will take place as expeditiously
as possible, but in no event later than 12
months from the conclusion of the most
recent calendar year. If the 2-year
average of the 99th percentile of the 1hour daily SO2 maximum
concentrations is 75 ppb or greater, or
a violation of the SO2 NAAQS occurs
within the maintenance area, an ‘‘action
level response’’ will be triggered. If the
exceedance is found to not be caused by
an exceptional event, malfunction, or
noncompliance with a permit condition
or rule requirement, the West Virginia
Division of Air Quality (DAQ), in
conjunction with the metropolitan
planning organization (MPO) or regional
council of governments, will determine
additional control measures needed to
assure continued attainment of the 2010
SO2 NAAQS. Any selected measures
will be those that can be implemented
within 18 months from the close of the
calendar year that prompted the action
level response.24 If additional control
measures are required, West Virginia
commits to adopt the measures in
accordance with the State’s
administrative process for rulemaking
and submit an analysis to EPA to
demonstrate the proposed measures are
adequate to return the area to
attainment.
Based on EPA’s findings, the Agency
proposes to find that West Virginia’s
submitted maintenance plan adequately
addresses the five basic components
necessary to maintain the SO2 NAAQS
in the Marshall Area. EPA is proposing
24 See March 18, 2020 West Virginia
redesignation request submittal, page 29.
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to find that West Virginia’s maintenance
plan for the Marshall Area is approvable
per the CAA, including CAA section
175A and EPA guidance, and is
proposing to approve the maintenance
plan as a revision to the West Virginia
SIP.
IV. The Effect of EPA’s Proposed
Actions
The effect of this proposal, if
finalized, would change the
classification of the Marshall Area from
nonattainment to attainment of the 2010
SO2 NAAQS, incorporate the emissions
limits contained in the 2019 consent
order for Mitchell into the West Virginia
SIP, and incorporate the maintenance
plan into the West Virginia SIP. In
addition, if finalized before October 30,
2020, the redesignation would terminate
EPA’s obligation to act by that date on
the 2017 SIP submitted for the Marshall
Area, under the terms of the court order
entered in Center for Biological Diversity
v. Wheeler.
V. Proposed Actions
EPA is proposing to find that the
Marshall Area has attained the 2010 SO2
NAAQS, as demonstrated by a modeling
analysis reflecting a new SO2 emission
limit for the Mitchell Power Plant. EPA
is also proposing that West Virginia has
met the planning requirements
necessary for EPA to redesignate the
Marshall Area from nonattainment to
attainment of the 2010 SO2 NAAQS,
including the requirements for
permanent and enforceable measures,
submission of an approvable
maintenance plan that will assure
attainment for ten years after
redesignation, and that all other CAA
requirements under section 110 and part
D, as discussed in this rulemaking, have
been met. EPA is also proposing to
approve the Marshall Area
redesignation request, maintenance
plan, SO2 emission limits and
associated compliance parameters for
Mitchell in the 2019 consent order, and
the modeling demonstration showing
that the limits provide for maintenance.
EPA is proposing these actions under
the CAA.
VI. Incorporation by Reference
In this document, EPA is proposing to
include in a final EPA rule regulatory
text that includes incorporation by
reference. In accordance with
requirements of 1 CFR 51.5, EPA is
proposing to incorporate by reference
West Virginia consent order CO–SIP–C–
2019–13. EPA has made, and will
continue to make, these materials
generally available through https://
www.regulations.gov and at the EPA
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Region III Office (please contact the
person identified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
preamble for more information).
VII. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
Under the CAA, the redesignation of
an area to attainment and the
accompanying approval of the
maintenance plan under CAA section
107(d)(3)(E) are actions that affect the
status of a geographical area and do not
impose any additional regulatory
requirements on sources beyond those
required by state law. A redesignation to
attainment does not in and of itself
impose any new requirements, but
rather results in the application of
requirements contained in the CAA for
areas that have been redesignated to
attainment. Moreover, the Administrator
is required to approve a SIP submission
that complies with the provisions of the
Act and applicable Federal regulations.
42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a).
Thus, in reviewing SIP submissions,
EPA’s role is to approve state choices,
provided that they meet the criteria of
the CAA. Accordingly, this action
merely approves state law as meeting
Federal requirements and does not
impose additional requirements beyond
those imposed by state law. For these
reasons, this proposed action:
• Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory
action’’ subject to review by the Office
of Management and Budget under
Executive Orders 12866 (58 FR 51735,
October 4, 1993) and 13563 (76 FR 3821,
January 21, 2011);
• Is not an Executive Order 13771 (82
FR 9339, February 2, 2017) regulatory
action because it is not a significant
regulatory action under Executive Order
12866.
• Does not impose an information
collection burden under the provisions
of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
• Is certified as not having a
significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities
under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
• Does not contain any unfunded
mandate or significantly or uniquely
affect small governments, as described
in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–4);
• Does not have federalism
implications as specified in Executive
Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10,
1999);
• Is not an economically significant
regulatory action based on health or
safety risks subject to Executive Order
13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997);
E:\FR\FM\01JYP1.SGM
01JYP1
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 127 / Wednesday, July 1, 2020 / Proposed Rules
• Is not a significant regulatory action
subject to Executive Order 13211 (66 FR
28355, May 22, 2001);
• Is not subject to requirements of
Section 12(d) of the National
Technology Transfer and Advancement
Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) because
application of those requirements would
be inconsistent with the CAA; and
• Does not provide EPA with the
discretionary authority to address, as
appropriate, disproportionate human
health or environmental effects, using
practicable and legally permissible
methods, under Executive Order 12898
(59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).
In addition, this proposed rulemaking
redesignating the Marshall Area,
approving the Marshall Area
maintenance plan, and approving other
related SIP revisions, does not have
tribal implications as specified by
Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249,
November 9, 2000), because the SIP is
not approved to apply in Indian country
located in the state, and EPA notes that
it will not impose substantial direct
costs on tribal governments or preempt
tribal law.
List of Subjects
40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air
pollution control, Carbon monoxide,
Incorporation by reference,
Intergovernmental relations, Lead,
Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Particulate
matter, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Sulfur oxides, Volatile
organic compounds.
40 CFR Part 81
Environmental protection, Air
pollution control, Carbon monoxide,
Incorporation by reference,
Intergovernmental relations, Lead,
Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Particulate
matter, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Sulfur oxides, Volatile
organic compounds.
Dated: June 18, 2020.
Cosmo Servidio,
Regional Administrator, Region III.
[FR Doc. 2020–13585 Filed 6–30–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:21 Jun 30, 2020
Jkt 250001
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 281
[EPA–R04–UST–2020–0248; FRL–10009–
90–Region 4]
Commonwealth of Kentucky: Tentative
Approval of State Underground
Storage Tank Program
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of
tentative determination on application
of the Commonwealth of Kentucky for
final approval, public hearing
opportunity, and public comment
period.
AGENCY:
The Commonwealth of
Kentucky (Commonwealth or State) has
applied for final approval of its
Underground Storage Tank (UST)
Program under Subtitle I of the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA
or Act). The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) has reviewed the
Commonwealth’s application and made
the tentative decision that the State’s
UST Program application satisfies all
the requirements necessary to qualify
for final approval. The State’s UST
Program application is available for
public review and comment. A public
hearing will be held to solicit comments
on the application if sufficient public
interest is expressed. This Federal
Register notice solicits requests for a
public hearing and comments on the
State’s application.
DATES: Comments and/or request for a
public hearing on this tentative
determination must be received on or
before July 31, 2020. A public hearing
will be held no earlier than August 31,
2020 if sufficient public interest is
expressed. The EPA will determine by
August 17, 2020, whether there is
sufficient interest to warrant a public
hearing. The Commonwealth will be
invited to participate in any public
hearing held by the EPA on this action.
Please see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION,
Item C, for details.
ADDRESSES: For detailed instructions
and additional information on the
rulemaking process, please see
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, Item C.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben
Singh, RCRA Programs and Cleanup
Branch, Land, Chemicals and
Redevelopment Division, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 4, Atlanta Federal Center, 61
Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, Georgia
30303–8960; Phone number: (404) 562–
8922; email address: singh.ben@epa.gov.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00023
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
39517
Please contact Ben Singh by phone or
email for further information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
Section 9004 of RCRA, 42 U.S.C.
6991c, authorizes the EPA to approve
state UST programs to operate in lieu of
the Federal UST program. Pursuant to
RCRA section 9004(b), approval may be
granted if the state program: Provides
for adequate enforcement of compliance
with the UST standards of RCRA section
9004(a); is ‘‘no less stringent’’ than the
Federal program for the seven elements
set forth at RCRA section 9004(a)(1)
through (7); and includes the
notification requirements of RCRA
section 9004(a)(8).
B. Commonwealth of Kentucky
The Kentucky Department for
Environmental Protection (KYDEP)
within the Energy and Environment
Cabinet is the lead implementing agency
for the UST Program in the State. On
October 7, 2019, in accordance with 40
CFR 281.50, the State submitted an
application seeking Federal approval of
the State UST Program. The application
was determined complete by the EPA on
March 13, 2020. Per the application, the
most recent amendments to the KYDEP
UST regulations became effective April
5, 2019 and include revisions which
correspond to the EPA final rule
published on July 15, 2015 (80 FR
41566), which revised the 1988 UST
regulations and the 1988 state program
approval (SPA) regulations. The KYDEP
has broad statutory and regulatory
authority to regulate the installation,
operation, maintenance, and closure of
USTs, as well as UST releases, pursuant
to Title XVIII of the Kentucky Revised
Statutes (KRS), Chapter 224, Subchapter
60, and Title 401 of the Kentucky
Administrative Regulations (KAR),
Chapter 42 (2019). In accordance with
the requirements of 40 CFR 281.50(b),
the State provided an opportunity for
public notice and comment during the
development of its UST regulations.
C. Public Participation
Submit comments and requests for
public hearings, identified by Docket ID
No. EPA–R04–UST–2020–0248, at
https://www.regulations.gov (our
preferred method). Follow the online
instructions for submission. Once
submitted, comments cannot be edited
or removed from the docket. The EPA
may publish any comment received to
its public docket without change. Do not
submit electronically any information
you consider to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is
E:\FR\FM\01JYP1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 1, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 39505-39517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13585]
=======================================================================
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 52 and 81
[EPA-R03-OAR-2020-0171; FRL-10010-86-Region 3]
Air Plan Approval; West Virginia; Redesignation of the Marshall
Sulfur Dioxide Nonattainment Area to Attainment and Approval of the
Area's Maintenance Plan
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to
approve a
[[Page 39506]]
redesignation request and state implementation plan (SIP) revisions
submitted by the State of West Virginia related to the national ambient
air quality standard (NAAQS or Standard) for the 2010 1-hour sulfur
dioxide (SO2) NAAQS (2010 SO2 NAAQS). On March
18, 2020, West Virginia, through the West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection (WVDEP), submitted a redesignation request for
the Marshall, West Virginia SO2 Nonattainment Area (Marshall
Area or Area). In conjunction with its request, WVDEP submitted SIP
revisions comprised of a maintenance plan providing for continued
attainment of the SO2 NAAQS for a period of ten years
following redesignation of the Area, SO2 emissions limits
for the Mitchell Power Plant (Mitchell), and a modeling analysis
demonstrating that the Mitchell limits provide for attainment in the
Area. The effect of this proposal, if finalized, would change the
designation of the Marshall Area from nonattainment to attainment of
the 2010 SO2 NAAQS. This action is being taken under the
Clean Air Act (CAA).
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 31, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R03-
OAR-2020-0171 at https://www.regulations.gov, or via email to
[email protected]. For comments submitted at Regulations.gov,
follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted,
comments cannot be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. For either
manner of submission, EPA may publish any comment received to its
public docket. Do not submit electronically any information you
consider to be confidential business information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written
comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and
should include discussion of all points you wish to make. EPA will
generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of
the primary submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or other file sharing
system). For additional submission methods, please contact the person
identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. For the full
EPA public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia
submissions, and general guidance on making effective comments, please
visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marilyn Powers, Planning &
Implementation Branch (3AD30), Air & Radiation Division, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. The telephone number is (215) 814-
2308. Ms. Powers can also be reached via electronic mail at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA is proposing to take the following
actions: (1) Approve and incorporate into the SIP the SO2
limits and associated compliance and monitoring parameters in consent
order CO-SIP-C-2019-13 for Mitchell; (2) determine that the air quality
modeling submitted by the WVDEP demonstrates that the Marshall Area has
attained the 2010 SO2 NAAQS as a result of compliance with
the consent order limits for Mitchell; (3) approve and incorporate into
the SIP West Virginia's plan for maintaining the 2010 SO2
NAAQS in the Marshall Area through 2030 pursuant to section 175A of the
CAA; and (4) redesignate the Marshall Area to attainment for the 2010
SO2 NAAQS.
Table of Contents
I. Background
II. Criteria for Redesignation to Attainment
III. EPA's Analysis of West Virginia's Redesignation Request for the
Marshall Area
A. The Marshall Area Has attained the 2010 SO2 NAAQS
1. Attainment Demonstration and Longer Term Averaging
2. Modeling Analysis
B. West Virginia Has Met All Applicable Requirements of Section
110 and Part D of the CAA for the Marshall Area and EPA Has Fully
Approved the Applicable Implementation Plan Under Section 110(k) of
the CAA
a. Section 110 General Requirements for SIPs
b. Part D Requirements
i. Subpart 1 Requirements
(1) Section 172 Requirements
(2) Section 173
(3) Section 175A
(4) Section 176 Requirements
ii. Subpart 5 Requirements
C. The Air Quality Improvements in the Marshall Area Are Due to
Permanent and Enforceable Emissions Reductions
D. West Virginia Has a Fully Approvable Maintenance Plan for the
Marshall Area
IV. The Effect of EPA's Proposed Actions
V. Proposed Actions
VI. Incorporation by Reference
VII. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. Background
On June 22, 2010 (75 FR 35520), EPA published a new 1-hour primary
SO2 NAAQS of 75 parts per billion (ppb), which is met at an
ambient air quality monitoring site when the 3-year average of the
annual 99th percentile of daily maximum 1-hour average concentrations
does not exceed 75 ppb, as determined in accordance with appendix T of
40 CFR part 50. On August 5, 2013 (78 FR 47191), EPA designated 29
areas of the country as nonattainment for the 2010 SO2
NAAQS, including the Marshall Area in West Virginia. These designations
are referred to as ``round one'' SO2 area designations which
were effective on October 4, 2013. In that action, the Marshall Area
was designated nonattainment for the 2010 SO2 NAAQS based on
data collected at the Moundsville, West Virginia ambient air quality
monitoring station for calendar years 2009 through 2011. The Marshall
Area is comprised of the Clay, Franklin, and Washington Tax Districts
of Marshall County, West Virginia.
Under CAA section 191(a), attainment plan SIPs were due for areas
designated nonattainment in round one 18 months after the effective
date of designation, or April 4, 2015. Such SIPs were required by CAA
section 192(a) to provide for attainment of the NAAQS as expeditiously
as practicable, but no later than five years from the effective date of
nonattainment designation, or October 4, 2018. West Virginia submitted
an attainment SIP on March 17, 2017 (2017 SIP).\1\ The SIP addressed
the required elements of an attainment SIP under CAA section 172(c),
including an attainment demonstration that the State asserted showed
attainment of the 2010 SO2 Standard, SO2
emissions limits for the Mitchell Power Plant, reasonably available
control measures including reasonably available control technology
(RACM/RACT), reasonable further progress (RFP), contingency measures,
and certification that nonattainment new source review (NNSR) permit
program requirements were being met. The 2017 SIP included a West
Virginia Compliance Order on Consent (2016 consent order) that required
Kentucky Power Company, the operator of American Electric Power's (AEP)
Mitchell Power Plant, to comply with an SO2 maximum
emissions limit from Units 1 and 2, of 6,175 pounds per hour (lbs/hr)
on a 30-day rolling average, along with associated monitoring,
recordkeeping, and reporting requirements, starting on January 1, 2017.
The March 18, 2020 submittal requesting redesignation included a
[[Page 39507]]
demonstration showing attainment, a maintenance plan, contingency
measures, and a December 2, 2019 consent order (2019 consent order)
with Kentucky Power for Mitchell with lower SO2 emissions
limits based on modeling with a changed stack height. Specifically, the
2019 consent order establishes an SO2 emissions limit for
Mitchell Units 1 and 2 as a maximum of 3,149 lbs/hr on a 30-day rolling
average, with compliance parameters including continuous emissions
monitoring, recordkeeping including a calculation of the daily 30-day
average, reporting of deviations from the requirements and semi-annual
compliance reporting. Compliance with the limits and other provisions
in the 2019 consent order were required starting on January 1, 2020.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ On March 18, 2016, EPA made a finding of failure to submit
nonattainment area SIPs for 19 nonattainment areas, including the
Marshall Area. EPA's letter to West Virginia dated September 27,
2017 confirmed that West Virginia's March 17, 2017 submittal
corrected the deficiency identified in the finding.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under CAA section 110(k)(2) through (4), EPA was required to take
action to approve or disapprove West Virginia's 2017 SIP within 12
months of determining it to be complete, but EPA did not take timely
action. Subsequently, the Center for Biological Diversity and other
plaintiffs (CBD) sued EPA in the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of California seeking a court order to compel EPA's action on
West Virginia's 2017 SIP and several other SIPs for other areas in the
nation. Center for Biological Diversity, et al., v. Wheeler, No. 4:18-
cv-03544-YGR. That lawsuit resulted in the plaintiffs and EPA agreeing
to a schedule, entered by the court as an order, for EPA to take action
on the covered SIPs by certain deadlines. October 30, 2020 was the
court ordered deadline given for EPA to take action on West Virginia's
2017 SIP. The order also provided that if EPA issues a redesignation to
attainment for any area for which the order required EPA action on a
submitted SIP covered by the order, then EPA's obligation to take
action on that SIP's CAA section 172(c) elements would be automatically
terminated. Consequently, if EPA takes final action to redesignate the
Marshall, West Virginia nonattainment area to attainment before October
30, 2020, EPA will not be required to take action on the 2017 SIP.
II. Criteria for Redesignation to Attainment
Under CAA section 107(d)(3)(E), there are five criteria which must
be met before a nonattainment area may be redesignated to attainment:
1. EPA has determined that the relevant NAAQS has been attained in
the area;
2. The applicable implementation plan has been fully approved by
EPA under section 110(k);
3. EPA has determined that improvement in air quality is due to
permanent and enforceable reductions in emissions resulting from the
SIP, Federal regulations, and other permanent and enforceable
reductions;
4. EPA has fully approved a maintenance plan, including a
contingency plan, for the area under section 175A of the CAA; and,
5. The state has met all applicable requirements for the area under
section 110 and part D.
III. EPA's Analysis of West Virginia's Redesignation Request for the
Marshall Area
A. The Marshall Area Has Attained the 2010 SO2 NAAQS
EPA's 2014 Guidance \2\ for areas designated nonattainment explains
that there are generally two components needed to support an attainment
determination, which should be considered interdependently. First, to
demonstrate that it is meeting the Standard, an SO2
nonattainment area which was designated based on air quality monitoring
data would need to have three consecutive calendar years of air quality
monitoring data showing that the area is meeting the Standard. The data
would need to be complete and quality-assured, consistent with 40 CFR
part 58 requirements, and other relevant EPA guidance, and properly
submitted to the Air Quality System (AQS) database of the EPA's
Aerometric Information Retrieval System (AIRS). Areas relying on
monitoring data alone to support a determination of attainment are also
expected to provide a demonstration (via air quality modeling) that the
affected monitor(s) is or are located in the area of maximum
concentration. If there are air quality monitors located in the area,
but none are located in the area of predicted maximum concentration,
then air quality dispersion modeling will generally be needed to
estimate SO2 concentrations in the area for purposes of
determining attainment. If both monitoring and modeling evidence is
available, EPA will consider all available evidence.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ Guidance for 1-Hour Sulfur Dioxide Nonattainment Area SIP
Submissions, April 23, 2014, page 62.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under EPA regulations at 40 CFR 50.17, the SO2 Standard
is met at an ambient air quality monitoring site when the three-year
average of the annual 99th percentile of daily maximum one-hour average
concentrations is less than or equal to 75 ppb, as determined in
accordance with appendix T of 40 CFR part 50. The Standard must be met
at all relevant monitoring sites in the subject area. There is only one
monitor in the Marshall Area, which is located at the Moundsville
National Guard Armory in Marshall County. The data from this monitor
has been certified and uploaded to EPA's AQS website, through December
31, 2019, and shows an attaining design value for the most recent
three-year period (2017 through 2019) of 8 ppb. The 2019 AQS design
value report is included in the docket for this rulemaking action and
is summarized in Table 1.
Table 1--Marshall Area 99th Percentile of 1-Hour Daily Maximum SO2 Concentrations (ppb), and 2017-2019 Design Value
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2017-2019
Monitor Monitor ID 2017 2018 2019 design value
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moundsville National Guard Armory.................................. 54-051-1002 7 9 9 8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Attainment Demonstration and Longer Term Averaging
CAA section 172(c)(1) directs states with areas designated as
nonattainment to demonstrate that the submitted plan provides for
attainment of the NAAQS. The control strategy requirements that SIPs
must meet are further delineated in 40 CFR part 51 subpart G. EPA has
long required that all SIPs and control strategies reflect four
fundamental principles of quantification, enforceability,
replicability, and accountability. General Preamble for
[[Page 39508]]
Implementation of title I of the CAA. 57 FR 13498, April 16, 1992, at
13567-68. Attainment plans for the SO2 NAAQS must consist of
two components: (1) Emission limits and other control measures that
assure implementation of permanent, enforceable and necessary emission
controls, and (2) a modeling analysis which meets the requirements of
40 CFR part 51, appendix W, which demonstrates that these emission
limits and control measures provide for timely attainment of the
primary SO2 NAAQS as expeditiously as practicable, but by no
later than the attainment date for the affected area. In all cases, the
emission limits and control measures must be accompanied by appropriate
methods and conditions to determine compliance with the respective
emission limits and control measures and must be quantifiable (i.e., a
specific amount of emission reduction can be ascribed to the measures),
fully enforceable (specifying clear, unambiguous and measurable
requirements for which compliance can be practicably determined),
replicable (the procedures for determining compliance are sufficiently
specific and non-subjective so that two independent entities applying
the procedures would obtain the same result), and accountable (source
specific limits must be permanent and must reflect the assumptions used
in the SIP demonstrations).
EPA's April 2014 guidance recommends that the emission limits be
expressed as short-term average limits (e.g., addressing emissions
averaged over one or three hours), but also describes the option to
utilize emission limits with longer averaging times of up to 30 days,
so long as the state meets various suggested criteria. See April 2014
guidance, pages 22 to 39. The April 2014 Guidance recommends that--
should states and sources utilize longer averaging times--the longer
term average limit should be set at an adjusted level that reflects a
stringency comparable to the 1-hour average limit at the critical
emission value (CEV) shown to provide for attainment that the plan
otherwise would have set.
The April 2014 guidance provides an extensive discussion of EPA's
rationale for concluding that appropriately set, comparably stringent
limitations based on averaging times for periods as long as 30 days can
be found to provide for attainment of the 2010 SO2 NAAQS. In
evaluating this option, EPA considered the nature of the Standard,
conducted detailed analyses of the impact of use of 30-day average
limits on the prospects for attaining the Standard, and carefully
reviewed how best to achieve an appropriate balance among the various
factors that warrant consideration in judging whether a state's plan
provides for attainment. Id. at pages 22 to 39. See also Id. at
appendices B, C, and D.
As specified in 40 CFR 50.17(b), the 1-hour primary SO2
NAAQS is met at an ambient air quality monitoring site when the 3-year
average of the annual 99th percentile of daily maximum 1-hour average
concentrations is less than or equal to 75 ppb. In a year with 365 days
of valid monitoring data, the 99th percentile would be the fourth
highest daily maximum 1-hour value. The 2010 SO2 NAAQS,
including this form of determining compliance with the Standard, was
upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
Circuit in Nat'l Envt'l Dev. Ass'n's Clean Air Project v. EPA, 686 F.3d
803 (D.C. Cir. 2012). Because the Standard has this form, a single
exceedance of the NAAQS's 75 ppb level does not create a violation of
the Standard. Instead, at issue is whether a source operating in
compliance with a properly set emission limit with a longer term
average could cause exceedances of 75 ppb, and if so the resulting
frequency and magnitude of such exceedances, and in particular whether
EPA can have reasonable confidence that a properly set longer term
average limit will provide that the 3-year average of the annual fourth
highest daily maximum 1-hour average value will be at or below 75 ppb.
A synopsis of how EPA judges whether such plans ``provide for
attainment,'' based on modeling of projected allowable emissions and in
light of the NAAQS's form for determining attainment at monitoring
sites, follows.
For SO2 attainment demonstrations based on 1-hour
emission limits, the standard approach is to conduct modeling using
fixed emission rates. The maximum emission rate that would be modeled
to result in attainment (i.e., in an ``average year'' \3\ shows three,
not four days with maximum hourly levels exceeding 75 ppb) is labeled
the ``critical emission value.'' The modeling process for identifying
this CEV inherently considers the numerous variables that affect
ambient concentrations of SO2, such as meteorological data,
background concentrations, and topography. In the standard approach,
the state would then provide for attainment by setting a continuously
applicable 1-hour emission limit at this CEV.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ An ``average year'' is used to mean a year with average air
quality. While 40 CFR part 50 appendix T provides for averaging
three years of 99th percentile daily maximum 1-hour values (e.g.,
the fourth highest daily maximum 1-hour concentration in a year with
365 days with valid data), this discussion and an example below uses
a single ``average year'' in order to simplify the illustration of
relevant principles.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
EPA recognizes that some sources have highly variable emissions,
for example due to variations in fuel sulfur content and operating
rate, that can make it extremely difficult, even with a well-designed
control strategy, to ensure in practice that emissions for any given
hour do not exceed the CEV. EPA also acknowledges the concern that
longer term emission limits can allow short periods with emissions
above the CEV which, if coincident with meteorological conditions
conducive to high SO2 concentrations, could in turn create
the possibility of an exceedance of the NAAQS level occurring on a day
when an exceedance would not have occurred if emissions were
continuously controlled at the level corresponding to the CEV. However,
for several reasons, EPA believes that the approach recommended in its
April 2014 Guidance document suitably addresses this concern. First,
from a practical perspective, EPA expects the actual emission profile
of a source subject to an appropriately set longer term average limit
to be similar to the emission profile of a source subject to an
analogous 1-hour average limit. EPA expects this similarity because it
has recommended that the longer term average limit be set at a level
that is comparably stringent to the otherwise applicable 1-hour limit,
reflecting a downward adjustment from the CEV that is proportionate to
the anticipated variability in the source's emissions profile. As a
result, EPA expects either form of emission limit to yield a comparable
reduction in SO2 emissions and comparable air quality.
Second, from a more theoretical perspective, EPA has compared the
likely air quality with a source having maximum allowable emissions
under an appropriately set longer term limit, as compared to the likely
air quality with the source having maximum allowable emissions under
the comparable 1-hour limit. In this comparison, in the 1-hour average
limit scenario, the source is presumed at all times to emit at the
critical emission level, and in the longer term average limit scenario,
the source is presumed occasionally to emit at levels higher than the
CEV but on average, and presumably at most times, to emit well below
the CEV. In an ``average year,'' compliance with the 1-hour limit is
expected to result in three exceedance days (i.e., three days with
maximum hourly values above 75 ppb) and a fourth day with a maximum
hourly value at 75 ppb. By comparison, with the source complying with a
longer
[[Page 39509]]
term limit, it is possible that additional exceedances of 75 ppb would
occur that would not occur in the 1-hour limit scenario (if emissions
exceed the CEV at times when meteorology is conducive to poor air
quality). However, this comparison must also factor in the likelihood
that exceedances of 75 ppb that would be expected in the 1-hour limit
scenario would not occur in the longer term limit scenario. This result
arises because the longer term limit requires lower emissions most of
the time (because the limit is set well below the CEV), so a source
complying with an appropriately set longer term limit is likely to have
lower emissions at critical times than would be the case if the source
were emitting as allowed with a 1-hour limit.
As a hypothetical example to illustrate these points, suppose a
source that always emits 1,000 pounds of SO2 per hour, which
results in air quality at the level of the NAAQS (i.e., results in a
design value of 75 ppb). Suppose further that in an ``average year,''
these emissions cause the five highest maximum daily average 1-hour
concentrations to be 100 ppb, 90 ppb, 80 ppb, 75 ppb, and 70 ppb. Then
suppose that the source becomes subject to a 30-day average emission
limit of 700 pounds per hour. It is theoretically possible for a source
meeting this limit to have emissions that occasionally exceed 1,000
pounds per hour, but with a typical emissions profile, emissions would
much more commonly be between 600 and 800 pounds per hour. In this
simplified example, assume a zero background concentration, which
allows one to assume a linear relationship between emissions and air
quality. (A nonzero background concentration would make the mathematics
more difficult but would give similar results.) Air quality will depend
on what emissions happen on what critical hours, but suppose that
emissions at the relevant times on these 5 days are 800 pounds per
hour, 1,100 pounds per hour, 500 pounds per hour, 900 pounds per hour,
and 1,200 pounds per hour, respectively. (This is a conservative
example because the average of these emissions, 900 pounds per hour, is
well over the 30-day average emission limit.) These emissions would
result in daily maximum 1-hour concentrations of 80 ppb, 99 ppb, 40
ppb, 67.5 ppb, and 84 ppb. In this example, the fifth day would have an
exceedance of 75 ppb that would not otherwise have occurred, but the
third day would not have exceedances that otherwise would have
occurred, and the fourth day would be below rather than at 75 ppb. In
this example, the fourth highest maximum daily 1-hour concentration
under the 30-day average would be 67.5 ppb.
This simplified example illustrates the findings of a more
complicated statistical analysis that EPA conducted using a range of
scenarios using actual plant data. As described in appendix B of EPA's
April 2014 Guidance, EPA found that the requirement for lower average
emissions over a longer averaging period is highly likely to yield
better air quality than is required with a comparably stringent 1-hour
limit. Based on analyses described in appendix B of its 2014 guidance,
EPA expects that an emission profile with maximum allowable emissions
under an appropriately set comparably stringent 30-day average limit is
likely to have the net effect of having a lower number of exceedances
of 75 ppb and better air quality than an emission profile with maximum
allowable emissions under a 1-hour emission limit at the CEV. This
result provides a compelling policy rationale for allowing the use of a
longer averaging period, in appropriate circumstances where the facts
indicate this result can be expected to occur.
The question then becomes whether this approach--which is likely to
produce a lower number of overall exceedances even though it may
produce some unexpected exceedances above the CEV--meets the
requirement in section 110(a)(1) and 172(c)(1) for state implementation
plans to ``provide for attainment'' of the NAAQS. For SO2,
as for other pollutants, it is generally impossible to design a
nonattainment area plan in the present that will guarantee that
attainment will occur in the future. A variety of factors can cause a
well-designed attainment plan to fail and unexpectedly not result in
attainment, for example if meteorology occurs that is more conducive to
poor air quality than was anticipated in the plan. Therefore, in
determining whether a plan meets the requirement to provide for
attainment, EPA's task is commonly to judge not whether the plan
provides absolute certainty that attainment will in fact occur, but
rather whether the plan provides an adequate level of confidence of
prospective NAAQS attainment. From this perspective, in evaluating use
of a 30-day average limit, EPA must weigh the likely net effect on air
quality. Such an evaluation must consider the risk that occasions with
meteorology conducive to high concentrations will have elevated
emissions leading to exceedances that would not otherwise have occurred
and must also weigh the likelihood that the requirement for lower
emissions on average will result in days not having exceedances that
would have been expected with emissions at the CEV. Additional policy
considerations, such as in this case the desirability of accommodating
real world emissions variability without significant risk of
violations, are also appropriate factors for EPA to weigh in judging
whether a plan provides a reasonable degree of confidence that the plan
will lead to attainment. Based on these considerations, especially
given the high likelihood that a continuously enforceable limit
averaged over as long as 30 days, determined in accordance with EPA's
guidance, will result in attainment, EPA believes as a general matter
that such limits, if appropriately determined, can reasonably be
considered to provide for attainment of the 2010 SO2 NAAQS.
The April 2014 Guidance offers specific recommendations for
determining an appropriate longer term average limit. The recommended
method starts with determination of the 1-hour emission limit that
would provide for attainment (i.e., the CEV), and applies an adjustment
factor to determine the (lower) level of the longer term average
emission limit that would be estimated to have a stringency comparable
to the otherwise necessary 1-hour emission limit. This method uses a
database of continuous emission data reflecting the type of control
that the source will be using to comply with the SIP emission limits,
which (if compliance requires new controls) may require use of an
emission database from another source. The recommended method involves
using these data to compute a complete set of emission averages,
computed according to the averaging time and averaging procedures of
the prospective emission limitation. In this recommended method, the
ratio of the 99th percentile among these long term averages to the 99th
percentile of the 1-hour values represents an adjustment factor that
may be multiplied by the candidate 1-hour emission limit to determine a
longer term average emission limit that may be considered comparably
stringent.\4\ The guidance provided extensive recommendations regarding
the calculation of the adjustment factor, for example to derive the
adjustment factor from long term average versus 1-hour emissions
statistics computed in accordance with the compliance
[[Page 39510]]
determination procedures that the state is applying. These
recommendations are intended to yield the most pertinent estimate of
the impact of applying a longer term average limit on the stringency of
the limit in the relevant context. The April 2014 Guidance also
addresses a variety of related topics, such as the potential utility of
setting supplemental emission limits, such as mass-based limits, to
reduce the likelihood and/or magnitude of elevated emission levels that
might occur under the longer term emission rate limit.
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\4\ For example, if the CEV is 1,000 pounds of SO2
per hour, and a suitable adjustment factor is determined to be 70
percent, the recommended longer term average limit would be 700
pounds per hour.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Preferred air quality models for use in regulatory applications are
described in appendix A of EPA's Guideline on Air Quality Models (40
CFR part 51, appendix W).\5\ In 2005, EPA promulgated AERMOD as the
Agency's preferred near-field dispersion modeling for a wide range of
regulatory applications addressing stationary sources (for example in
estimating SO2 concentrations) in all types of terrain based
on extensive developmental and performance evaluation. Supplemental
guidance on modeling for purposes of demonstrating attainment of the
SO2 Standard is provided in appendix A to the April 2014
SO2 Guidance document referenced above. Appendix A provides
extensive guidance on the modeling domain, the source inputs, assorted
types of meteorological data, and background concentrations.
Consistency with the recommendations in this guidance is generally
necessary for the attainment demonstration to offer adequately reliable
assurance that the plan provides for attainment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ EPA published revisions to the Guideline on Air Quality
Models (40 CFR part 51, appendix W) on January 17, 2017.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
As stated previously, attainment demonstrations for the 2010 1-hour
primary SO2 NAAQS must demonstrate attainment and
maintenance of the NAAQS in the entire area designated as nonattainment
(i.e., not just at the violating monitor) by using air quality
dispersion modeling (See appendix W to 40 CFR part 51) to show that the
mix of sources and enforceable control measures and emission rates in
an identified area will not lead to a violation of the SO2
NAAQS. For a short-term (i.e., 1-hour) Standard, EPA believes that
dispersion modeling, using allowable emissions and addressing
stationary sources in the affected area (and in some cases those
sources located outside the nonattainment area which may affect
attainment in the area) is technically appropriate, efficient and
effective in demonstrating attainment in nonattainment areas because it
takes into consideration combinations of meteorological and emission
source operating conditions that may contribute to peak ground-level
concentrations of SO2.
The meteorological data used in the analysis should generally be
processed with the most recent version of AERMET. Estimated
concentrations should include ambient background concentrations, should
follow the form of the Standard, and should be calculated as described
in section 2.6.1.2 of the August 23, 2010 clarification memo on
``Applicability of appendix W Modeling Guidance for the 1-hr
SO2 National Ambient Air Quality Standard'' (U.S. EPA,
2010a).
In the modeling analysis for Marshall, attainment was demonstrated
at an hourly SO2 emission rate of 0.31 pounds per million
British thermal units (lb/MMBtu) from both generating units at the
Mitchell Power Plant, which equates to a 1-hour modeled CEV of 5,222.08
lbs/hr (both units combined). West Virginia submitted an analysis of
emissions from October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2016 to determine
a rolling 30-day average emission rate that would be of comparable
stringency to a 1-hour limit at the modeled emission rate, as suggested
in the April 2014 Guidance. West Virginia followed the steps
established by Appendix C, Example Determination of Longer Term Average
Emission Limits of the April 2014 Guidance, including the evaluation of
five years of historical data and the distribution of the hourly and
30-day averages. The 99th percentile value among the hourly data and
the 99th percentile value among the 30 operating-day period averages
were each computed. In order to calculate the 30-day average, only
operating days were included in the average. An operating day is a day
in which one or both of units had at least one hour of emissions data
reported. The ratio of these two values was an adjustment factor of
60.3 percent. Multiplying this adjustment factor by the CEV serves to
estimate the 30-day average limit that is comparably stringent to a 1-
hour limit at the CEV. By this means, West Virginia calculated a 30-day
average limit of 3,149 pounds of SO2 per hour on a 30-day
rolling average basis (both units combined). EPA agrees that West
Virginia appropriately determined the CEV, the adjustment factor, and
the resulting 30-day average limit.
2. Modeling Analysis
The Moundsville Armory monitor was sited to assess the
SO2 impacts caused by the major SO2 sources
located along the Ohio River Valley in Marshall County. These
facilities have had significant contributions of SO2
emissions to the area and impacted the Moundsville monitoring site for
over three decades. During the 2009-2011 time frame upon which the
nonattainment designation was based, the sources included the R.E.
Burger Power Plant in Belmont County, Ohio, the Kammer Power Plant, and
the Rain CII Carbon Plant, which have all permanently shut down, and
the Eagle Natrium, LLC plant, which now burns natural gas, and the
Mitchell Power Plant. Mitchell Power Plant is the remaining primary
source of SO2 in the Area that contributes to the
Moundsville monitor, which is located approximately 11 kilometers
northeast of Mitchell. However, the attainment modeling submitted in
the 2017 SIP showed that the maximum SO2 concentration
within the Area is located 0.75 kilometers east-northeast of the
Mitchell Power Plant.
Because the Moundsville Armory monitor is not at the location of
maximum concentration, a modeling demonstration is required to show
that SO2 concentrations throughout the Area show attainment.
West Virginia's March 18, 2020, SIP submittal includes a modeling
analysis to show that the Area will attain the 2010 SO2
NAAQS based on the SO2 emission limit established for
Mitchell Power Plant in a 2019 consent order with WVDEQ. EPA's analysis
of the West Virginia modeling is more fully described in a Modeling
Technical Support Document (TSD) that is provided in the docket for
this rulemaking action and summarized below.
The modeling protocol was developed by West Virginia in September
of 2016 and periodically revised throughout the development of the 2017
attainment SIP modeling demonstration. Final revisions to the protocol
were made in December of 2016 and reflect the procedures that were used
in the submitted 2017 attainment SIP modeling analysis. Although WVDEP
did not subsequently alter the modeling protocol, WVDEP revised the
attainment SIP modeling inputs in July 2019 to change the Mitchell
stack height used in the modeling analysis to determine the lower
limits needed to attain the SO2 Standard. The modeling
analysis was submitted as part of West Virginia's 2020 redesignation
request and was conducted in accordance with appendix A of EPA's April
2014 Guidance and appendix W to 40 CFR part 51--Guideline on Air
Quality Models, that
[[Page 39511]]
was published on January 17, 2017 \6\ and became effective May 22,
2017.
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\6\ https://www3.epa.gov/ttn/scram/appendix_w/2016/AppendixW_2017.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
West Virginia developed its modeling analysis for the Marshall,
West Virginia SO2 redesignation request in July 2019 using
AERMOD version 18081, which was the most current version of the model
available when the modeling was being performed. AERMOD is a refined,
steady-state (both emissions and meteorology over a 1-hour time step),
multiple source, air-dispersion model that was originally promulgated
by the EPA as part of its December 2005 revision to the Guideline on
Air Quality Models, and is the preferred model to use for industrial
sources in this type of air quality analysis. At the time West Virginia
was preparing the 2017 SO2 attainment SIP, the available
version of AERMOD was version 15181, which was made available by EPA's
Support Center for Air Quality Models \7\ on July 24, 2015. On April
24, 2018, EPA released AERMOD version 18081. For the March 18, 2020
redesignation request, West Virginia re-ran the model using AERMOD
18081. The most notable changes between version 18081 and version 15181
of the model was the inclusion of an alternate surface friction option
(``ADJ_U*'') and the allowance for the use of prognostic meteorological
data as regulatory default options according to the final modeling
guideline (40 CFR part 51 appendix W), released on December 20, 2016.
The ADJ_U* option was used in the latest modeling.
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\7\ https://www.epa.gov/scram/air-quality-dispersion-modeling-preferred-and-recommended-models#aermod.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The AERMOD system used in the modeling demonstration is comprised
of several preprocessors that are needed to develop the files necessary
to run the air-dispersion model. These preprocessors include the
meteorological preprocessors AERMET \8\ and AERSURFACE,\9\ as well as
the building preprocessor, BPIPPRM, to calculate building downwash
parameters and the terrain preprocessor, AERMAP,\10\ to determine
emission source and receptor elevations used in the final SIP modeling
analysis. The primary SO2 emitting facility remaining in
operation and impacting the Marshall Area is the Mitchell Power
Plant.\11\ To ensure maintenance of the 2010 SO2 NAAQS in
the Marshall Area, air dispersion modeling was conducted for the
SO2 emissions from the Mitchell Plant to show that the
Marshall Area will continue to attain the 2010 SO2 NAAQS.
The Mitchell Plant consists of two coal-fired electric generating units
(EGU) rated at 800 megawatts (MW) net each, equipped with an
electrostatic precipitator for particulate control, selective catalytic
reduction (SCR) for nitrogen oxide and mercury control, and a
limestone-based flue gas desulfurization system for SO2
control. The plant is located in the Ohio River Valley in Marshall
County, West Virginia, approximately 11 kilometers southwest of
Moundsville, West Virginia. The units were modeled as point sources and
a load analysis was performed at full load, 75% load, and 50% load.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ American Meteorological Society/Environmental Protection
Agency Regulatory Model Meteorological Processor.
\9\ American Meteorological Society/Environmental Protection
Agency Regulatory Model Land Cover Processor.
\10\ American Meteorological Society/Environmental Protection
Agency Regulatory Model Terrain Preprocessor.
\11\ See Round 1 SO2 designations TSD for West
Virginia for EPA's analysis of emissions and boundaries for the
Marshall Area, at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-03/documents/wv-tsd.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The meteorological inputs used were developed for the period 2011
through 2015 using Version 18081 of AERMET using Wheeling Airport
surface data along with one minute and five minute data from the
Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) located at the site. Upper
Air Data was sourced from the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport
(KPIT) site through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Earth System Research Laboratory Radiosonde Database.
The modeled design concentration is the combination of the
appropriate background concentration (section 8.3 of appendix W--
Guideline on Air Quality Models) and the estimated modeled impact of
the Mitchell Plant and any other identified nearby sources, which in
this case was none. A comparison of the modeled design concentrations
for each load case to the 2010 SO2 NAAQS is shown on Table
2.
Table 2--Summary of West Virginia SO2 Modeling Demonstration Results, in
Micrograms per Cubic Meter ([mu]g/m\3\)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
West Virginia
1-hour SO2 1-hour SO2
Case concentration NAAQS ([mu]g/
([mu]g/m\3\) m\3\)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Full Load............................... 196.2 196.4
75% Load................................ 187.9 196.4
50% Load................................ 175.5 196.4
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The West Virginia modeling demonstration generally follows guidance
included in appendix A of EPA's 2014 Guidance and EPA's revised
``Guideline on Air Quality Models'' published on January 17, 2017 (82
FR 5182). Peak model concentrations from the compliance run were 196.2
[mu]g/m\3\. The modeled emission rates reflect emission rates contained
in the 2019 consent order between West Virginia and Kentucky Power that
are part of the SIP submittal, and which became enforceable at the
state level on January 1, 2020, and which will become Federally
enforceable if this proposed rulemaking is finalized. The modeling
demonstration properly characterized source limits, local
meteorological data, background concentrations and provided an adequate
model receptor grid to capture maximum modeled concentrations. The
modeling simulations show that even at the worst-case scenario, with
the Mitchell facility operating at full capacity at the allowable
emission limits, the design value would be below the NAAQS,
demonstrating that the modeled emission limits will allow the Marshall
Area to comply with the 2010 SO2 NAAQS for the maintenance
period.
EPA's April 2014 Guidance \12\ explains that EPA may also make
determinations of attainment based on the modeling from the attainment
demonstration for the applicable SIP for the affected area, eliminating
the need for separate actuals-based modeling to support a redesignation
request. A demonstration that the control strategy in the SIP has been
fully implemented (compliance records demonstrating that the control
measures have been implemented as required by the approved SIP) would
also be relevant for making this determination. An additional SIP
submittal from the air agency would not be required by the CAA, and if
the air agency has previously submitted a modeled attainment
demonstration, using allowable emissions, no further modeling would be
needed as long as the source characteristics (e.g., factors affecting
plume height) are still reasonably represented.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ See page 63.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The modeling submitted by West Virginia as part of its 2020
redesignation request is based on emission limits established in the
2019 consent order. The 2019 consent order requires Kentucky Power, the
operator of the Mitchell Power Plant, to comply with SO2
limits at the Mitchell Power Plant and associated compliance parameters
starting on January 1, 2020. The air quality modeling submitted with
the state's request used allowable emissions
[[Page 39512]]
(i.e., the SO2 limits effective January 1, 2020), and so
long as Mitchell is meeting its allowable limits, and the source
characteristics are consistent with the demonstration, such modeling is
likely conservative given that the actual emissions from Mitchell are
well below the emission used in the modeling. First quarter 2020
emissions data for Mitchell Power Plant shows compliance with the
SO2 emissions limit established under the 2019 consent
order.\13\ In addition, West Virginia's submittal includes a chart of
the last ten years of Mitchell's actual emissions, as compared to the
new limits in the consent order. In that chart, shown in figure 4 of
the submittal, the combined actual emissions from the stacks at
Mitchell are well below the 30-day average rolling limit of 3,149
pounds of SO2 per hour that took effect on January 1, 2020.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ See graph entitled ``2020Q1 Historical AEP Mitchell
Combined Units 1 & 2 30-Day Rolling Average Emissions of
SO2'' available in the docket for this rulemaking action.
The first quarter SO2 emissions data for Mitchell Power
Plant is publicly available at EPA's Air Markets Program Data at
https://ampd.epa.gov//ampd/QueryToolie.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Based upon the modeling submitted as part of the maintenance plan
for the redesignation request submitted on March 18, 2020, EPA is
proposing to find that West Virginia has shown that the Marshall Area
is attaining the 2010 SO2 NAAQS.
B. West Virginia Has Met All Applicable Requirements of Section 110 and
Part D of the CAA for the Marshall Area and EPA Has Fully Approved the
Applicable Implementation Plan Under Section 110(k) of the CAA
In accordance with section 107(d)(3)(E)(v) of the CAA, in order to
redesignate the Marshall Area to attainment, West Virginia must meet
all requirements applicable to the Marshall Area under CAA section 110
(general SIP requirements) and part D of title I of the CAA (SIP
requirements for nonattainment areas), and in accordance with section
107(d)(3)(E)(ii) of the CAA, those requirements must be fully approved
into the West Virginia SIP under CAA section 110(k).
EPA is proposing to determine that, in accordance with section
107(d)(3)(E)(v), West Virginia has met all SIP requirements under
section 110 of the CAA and part D of title I of the CAA applicable for
purposes of this redesignation. In making these determinations, EPA
identified the requirements that are applicable to the Area for
purposes of redesignation and determined that these requirements are
fully approved under section 110(k) of the CAA. EPA's rationale is
discussed in more detail in sections III.B.1 and III.B.1.a of the
preamble for this proposed rulemaking.
a. Section 110 General Requirements for SIPs
Pursuant to CAA section 110(a)(1), whenever new or revised NAAQS
are promulgated, the CAA requires states to submit a plan (i.e.,
``SIP'') for the implementation, maintenance and enforcement of such
NAAQS. Section 110(a)(2) of title I of the CAA contains the general
requirements for a SIP, also known as ``infrastructure'' requirements.
The infrastructure requirements of section 110(a)(2) include the
requirements in subsections 110(a)(2)(A) through (M). However, not
every requirement of section 110(a)(2) is an applicable requirement for
the purposes of redesignating the Marshall Area to attainment for the
SO2 NAAQS. For example, section 110(a)(2)(D) requires that
SIPs contain certain measures to prevent sources in a state from
significantly contributing to air quality problems in another state.
When such issues have been identified, EPA has required certain states
to establish programs to address transport of air pollutants. See
Nitrogen Oxides (NOX) SIP Call and amendments to the
NOX SIP Call (64 FR 26298, May 14, 1999 and 65 FR 11222,
March 2, 2000), and the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) Update
(81 FR 74504, October 26, 2016). However, the section 110(a)(2)(D) SIP
requirements are not linked with a particular area's SO2
designation. That is, the section 110(a)(2)(D) requirement continues to
apply to a state regardless of the attainment designation (or
redesignation) of an area. EPA has concluded that the SIP requirements
linked to an area's SO2 designation for a particular NAAQS
are the relevant (applicable) measures when reviewing a redesignation
request for an area, and therefore the general requirements of section
110(a)(2), such as section 110(a)(2)(D), are not applicable
requirements for the purposes of a SO2 redesignation.
Similarly, other section 110(a)(2) elements that are neither
connected with attainment plan submissions nor linked with an area's
SO2 designation are not applicable requirements for purposes
of redesignation. An area redesignated from SO2
nonattainment to attainment will remain subject to these requirements
after redesignation to attainment. This approach is consistent with
EPA's existing policy on the applicability for the purpose of
redesignations of conformity and oxygenated fuels requirements, as well
as CAA section 184 ozone transport requirements. See Reading,
Pennsylvania, proposed and final rulemakings (61 FR 53174, October 10,
1996; 62 FR 24826, May 7, 2008); Cleveland-Akron-Loraine, Ohio, final
rulemaking (61 FR 20458, May 7, 1996); and Tampa, Florida, final
rulemaking (60 FR 62748, December 7, 1995). See also the discussion on
this issue in the Cincinnati, Ohio, redesignation (65 FR 37890, June
19, 2000), and in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, redesignation (66 FR
50399, October 19, 2001).
Nonetheless, EPA approved elements of West Virginia's July 1, 2013,
and June 1, 2015, SO2 infrastructure SIP submittals on
November 17, 2014 (79 FR 62022) and August 11, 2016 (81 FR 53008),
respectively.\14\ As explained previously, the general requirements of
CAA section 110(a)(2) are statewide requirements that are not linked to
the nonattainment status of the Marshall Area and are therefore not
``applicable requirements'' for the purpose of reviewing West
Virginia's redesignation request. Because West Virginia satisfies the
general SIP elements and requirements set forth in CAA section
110(a)(2) applicable to and necessary for SO2 redesignation,
EPA proposes to conclude that West Virginia has satisfied the criterion
of section 107(d)(3)(E)(v) related to section 110(a)(2) of the CAA.
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\14\ West Virginia's SO2 infrastructure SIP
submittals did not address the interstate transport element of CAA
section 110(a)(2)(D)(i). As explained previously, the interstate
transport element of CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)(i) is not an
applicable requirement for redesignation of the Marshall Area.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
b. Part D Requirements
In addition to the CAA section 110 requirements, section
107(d)(3)(E)(v) requires that the state meet all the requirements
applicable to the nonattainment area ``under part D of this
subchapter'' in order for the nonattainment area to be redesignated.
Both section 107 and part D are within subchapter 1 of the CAA. Part D,
entitled ``Plan Requirements for Nonattainment Areas,'' consists of six
subparts, of which only subparts 1 and 5 are applicable to
SO2 nonattainment areas. Subpart 1 (sections 171 through
179B) contains provisions that can apply to all nonattainment areas for
all criteria pollutants, while subpart 5 (sections 191 through 192)
contains additional provisions for SO2, NOX, or
lead nonattainment areas. The requirements applicable to this
redesignation are discussed below.
[[Page 39513]]
i. Subpart 1 Requirements
(1) Section 172 Requirements
CAA section 172 requires states with nonattainment areas to submit
plans that provide for timely attainment of the NAAQS. More
specifically, CAA section 172(c) contains general requirements for
nonattainment plans. A thorough discussion of these requirements is
found in the General Preamble for Implementation of title I. 57 FR
13498, April 16, 1992.
As noted in the General Preamble, certain attainment-related
planning requirements under section 172(c) no longer have meaning for
an area that is already attaining the NAAQS, and therefore are not
applicable for purposes of redesignation. For example, for an area that
is already attaining the NAAQS, there would be nothing for the state to
provide in order to show reasonable further progress to attainment in
that area. Similarly, the CAA section 172 requirements for the
attainment demonstration, implementation of reasonably available
control measures, including reasonably available control technology,
and contingency measures that are triggered if an area fails to meet
RFP or fails to attain also are not applicable for purposes of
redesignation.
With respect to the CAA section 172(c)(3) requirement to submit an
actual current emissions inventory, WVDEP submitted a 2011 base year
emissions inventory for the Marshall Area on May 6, 2015. On July 31,
2015 (80 FR 45613), EPA approved the base year inventory into the West
Virginia SIP.
(2) Section 173
Section 173 of the CAA includes requirements for permit programs
that are required in a nonattainment area for new sources as required
by section 172(c)(5), known as nonattainment new source review (NNSR).
However, EPA has a longstanding interpretation that because the NNSR
permit program is replaced by the prevention of significant
deterioration (PSD) permit program upon an area's redesignation to
attainment, nonattainment areas seeking redesignation to attainment do
not need a fully approved part D NNSR program in order to be
redesignated. A more detailed rationale for this view is described in a
memorandum from Mary Nichols, Assistant Administrator for Air and
Radiation, dated October 14, 1994, entitled, ``Part D New Source Review
Requirements for Areas Requesting Redesignation to Attainment.''
Nevertheless, EPA notes that West Virginia has SIP-approved NNSR and
PSD programs, found at 45CSR13, 45CSR19, and 45CSR14. See 40 CFR
52.2520(c). West Virginia's PSD program will become applicable for
SO2 in the Marshall Area upon redesignation to attainment.
(3) Section 175A
CAA section 175A requires that states seeking redesignation of an
area to attainment submit a ``maintenance plan'' containing certain
elements. West Virginia included a maintenance plan for the Marshall
Area with its March 18, 2020 redesignation request, which EPA is
proposing to approve in conjunction with the redesignation, and it is
discussed in detail in section III.D of the preamble of this proposed
rulemaking.
(4) Section 176 Requirements
Section 176(c) of the CAA requires Federal actions conform to the
air quality planning goals in the applicable SIP. The requirement to
determine conformity applies to transportation plans, programs, and
projects that are developed, funded, or approved under title 23 of the
United States Code and the Federal Transit Act (transportation
conformity) as well as to all other Federally-supported or funded
projects (general conformity). Section 176(c) of the CAA also requires
that states establish criteria and procedures to ensure that Federally-
supported or funded transportation plans, transportation improvement
programs (TIPs) and projects conform to the goals of the applicable
SIP. This is referred to as a transportation conformity SIP. In the
preamble to the January 1993 proposed transportation conformity rule,
EPA stated that, ``Based on available emissions information, EPA
believes highway and transit motor vehicles are not significant sources
of lead or sulfur dioxide. Therefore, transportation plans, TIPs, and
projects are presumed to conform to the applicable implementation plans
for these pollutants.'' (See 58 FR 3776, January 11, 1993.) In November
1993, EPA finalized its transportation conformity regulations. One
section of those regulations addressed the geographic applicability of
the transportation conformity regulations. The regulation stated at
that time that, ``The provisions of this subpart apply with respect to
emissions of the following criteria pollutants: Ozone, carbon monoxide,
nitrogen dioxide, and particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than
or equal to a nominal 10 micrometers (PM10).'' \15\ Based on
this provision, transportation conformity does not apply in
nonattainment or maintenance areas for SO2. Therefore, a
transportation conformity SIP is not required for SO2
nonattainment and maintenance areas and is not necessary in order for
an SO2 nonattainment area to be redesignated to attainment,
and EPA's transportation conformity rules do not apply to
SO2 for the Marshall Area.
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\15\ This provision has been revised to include particles with
an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 2.5
micrometers (PM2.5). See 40 CFR 93.102(b)(1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ii. Subpart 5 Requirements
The subpart 5 requirements, which consist of sections 191 and 192
of the CAA, are specific provisions applicable to SO2,
NO2 or lead nonattainment areas. Section 191 of the CAA
requires states with areas designated nonattainment for SO2,
NO2 or lead after November 15, 1990, to submit within 18
months of the designation an implementation plan meeting the
requirements of part D. The substance of the required plans is
established by section 172(c). Section 192 sets forth attainment dates
for nonattainment areas under section 191.
For SO2, section 192(a) requires that attainment plans
provide for attainment of the primary Standard as expeditiously as
possible, but no later than five years from the date of the
nonattainment designation. EPA designated the Marshall Area as
nonattainment on August 5, 2013, with an attainment date of October 4,
2018. However, because EPA is reviewing a redesignation request under
section 107(d)(3)(E), rather than a determination of attainment under
section 179(c), the determination of whether the Area attained by the
attainment date set forth in section 192 is not applicable to this
action proposing approval of West Virginia's redesignation request.
Based on the above, EPA is proposing to find that West Virginia has
satisfied the applicable requirements for the redesignation of the
Marshall Area under section 110 and part D of title I of the CAA.
C. The Air Quality Improvements in the Marshall Area Are Due to
Permanent and Enforceable Emission Reductions
For an area to be redesignated, the state must be able to
reasonably attribute the improvement in air quality to emission
reductions which are permanent and enforceable.\16\ The Marshall Area
was designated nonattainment on August 5, 2013 based on monitored data
from 2009-2011. Since the Area was designated, several
[[Page 39514]]
large SO2 emitting facilities in the Marshall Area have
permanently shut down, and one facility has switched to a cleaner fuel.
On June 1, 2015 and October 9, 2015, the AEP's Kammer Power Plant
(Kammer) and the Rain CII Carbon facility (Rain CII), respectively,
closed permanently. On November 12, 2015 and June 10, 2016, the Eagle
Natrium, LLC plant implemented a fuel switch from burning coal to
burning natural gas on boiler #6 and boiler #5, respectively.\17\ The
Mitchell Power Plant is therefore the remaining primary source of
SO2 emissions in the Marshall Area. Mitchell has
significantly reduced its SO2 emissions since the Area was
designated, and these emission reductions are being made permanent and
enforceable by the limits contained in West Virginia consent order CO-
SIP-C-2019-13. West Virginia requested that the 2019 consent order be
incorporated into the West Virginia SIP. If this action is finalized,
the emission limits and associated parameters in the 2019 consent order
will become permanent and Federally-enforceable. The 2019 consent order
requires that combined SO2 emissions from Mitchell Units 1
and 2 be limited to a total maximum of 3,149 lbs/hr on a 30-operating
day rolling average basis, and includes monitoring, recordkeeping, and
reporting provisions to show compliance with the limits. Compliance
with the 2019 consent order was required starting on January 1, 2020.
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\16\ See April 2014 Guidance, page 64.
\17\ Appendix D of the March 18, 2020 West Virginia
redesignation request includes documentation showing the permanent
closure of the Kammer and Rain CII facilities, and the fuel switch
at the Eagle Natrium facility, included in the docket for this
rulemaking action.
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At the time of the Marshall Area's nonattainment designation, the
monitored SO2 design value at the Moundsville monitor for
2009-2011 was 80 ppb. These monitored values occurred before the
permanent closure of the two facilities and the switch to burning
natural gas at another facility mentioned in the preceding paragraph as
well as the emission reductions at Mitchell. More recent monitoring
data indicate that ambient SO2 levels have improved
significantly at the monitor. The 2019 data shows the 99th percentile
value at 9 ppb. The monitored design value for the Marshall Area for
2017-2019 is 8 ppb, which is well below the SO2 NAAQS of 75
ppb. This air quality improvement is attributable to the substantial
SO2 emission reductions noted above, and therefore EPA
proposes to find that the improvement in air quality in the Marshall
Area can be attributed to permanent and enforceable emission
reductions, and that CAA section 107(d)(3)(E)(iii) has been satisfied
by West Virginia.
D. West Virginia Has a Fully Approvable Maintenance Plan for the
Marshall Area
CAA section 175A sets forth the elements of a maintenance plan for
areas seeking redesignation from nonattainment to attainment. Under
section 175A, the plan must demonstrate continued attainment of the
applicable NAAQS for at least ten years after the nonattainment area is
redesignated to attainment. Eight years after the redesignation, the
state must submit a revised maintenance plan demonstrating that
attainment will continue to be maintained for the ten years following
the initial ten-year period. To address the possibility of future NAAQS
violations, the maintenance plan must also contain contingency measures
as EPA deems necessary to assure prompt correction of any future
violations. Specifically, the maintenance plan should address five
requirements: (1) An attainment emissions inventory; (2) a maintenance
demonstration; (3) a commitment for continued air quality monitoring;
(4) the verification of continued attainment; and (5) a contingency
plan.\18\
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\18\ See Memorandum from John Calcagni, Director, Air Quality
Management Division, EPA, ``Procedures for Processing Requests to
Redesignate Areas to Attainment'' September 4, 1992.
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In conjunction with its request to redesignate the Marshall Area,
West Virginia submitted, as a revision to its SIP, a plan to provide
for maintenance of the SO2 NAAQS through 2030 in the Area,
which is 10 years after the expected effective date of the
redesignation to attainment. West Virginia has committed to review the
maintenance plan for the Area eight years after redesignation. The
maintenance plan includes the five components noted previously in this
section.
In a maintenance plan, states are required to submit an inventory
used for the year of attainment, which is called the attainment year
inventory. This inventory is used as the basis for future, projected
emission inventories that are used to show the area will remain in
attainment. West Virginia submitted a 2016 SO2 emissions
inventory as the attainment year inventory. The year 2016 was selected
because it is one of the three years of monitoring data from 2016
through 2018 for which the design value showed compliance with the
SO2 NAAQS.
For the 2016 attainment year inventory for point sources, West
Virginia used actual emissions reported by each facility. Eagle Natrium
switched its fuel source from coal to natural gas between 2015 and
2016, resulting in lower SO2 emissions in 2016. The Kammer
Power Plant and Rain CII Carbon plant both closed in 2015 and therefore
there were no emissions from these plants in 2016. The point source
emissions for the Marshall Area were verified against EPA's emissions
inventory system (EIS) and EPA found them to be acceptable.
Nonroad and onroad emissions for 2016 were calculated by West
Virginia using EPA's Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) 2014a
model. NONROAD is a component of the MOVES model that is run within the
model. Monthly results were summed to get the yearly emissions.
Emissions for the nonpoint or area source category for 2016 were
not available at the time of the attainment plan submittal, and so
emissions for these sources were calculated using projections from the
Mid Atlantic Regional Air Management Association's (MARAMA) 2017 Beta
Modeling Inventory \19\ found in the emissions modeling framework
(EMF). The EMF is a tool that supports the management and quality
assurance of emissions inventories and emissions modeling-related data,
and the running of the Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions Model
(SMOKE) to develop air quality model inputs. West Virginia stated that
2017 is a reasonable substitution since the MARAMA model used a ``no-
growth'' assumption for fuel usage, population, and employment between
2016 and 2017. The 2017 projected nonpoint emissions for Marshall
County are 49.66 tpy, while the nonpoint emissions in the National
Emissions Inventory (NEI) 2014 version2 for Marshall County is 30 tpy,
therefore the 2017 projected nonpoint emissions is conservative
compared to the 2014 version2 NEI.
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\19\ MARAMA emissions inventories: https://www.marama.org/technical-center/emissions-inventory/2011-inventory-and-projections.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oil and gas emissions for 2016 were calculated using EPA's Oil and
Gas Tool version 2.2 with local data from West Virginia's Geological
and Economic Survey. These emissions represent the sum of
SO2 generated by oil and gas production and exploration
activities.
Projection inventories are used to show that the area will remain
in attainment. West Virginia, with the assistance of MARAMA, developed
2023 and 2030 emission projections for the interim and maintenance plan
end year, respectively. The Mitchell Power Plant is the primary point
source still in
[[Page 39515]]
operation within the nonattainment area. The projection inventory for
the Mitchell Power Plant is based on actual emission trends over the
last five years. Onroad and nonroad emissions were calculated using the
same methodologies as the 2016 attainment year inventory. For the
nonpoint emission projections, West Virginia submitted emissions from
MARAMA's Emissions Inventory Development for 2011 and 2017 Beta2
Modeling Inventory, which projected emissions for 2023.\20\ The
emissions for 2030 were ``grown'' using the emission factors used to
calculate the 2023 emissions. Oil and gas emissions for 2023 and 2030
were developed using Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) 2017 future year
production projections and growth factors and following the
methodologies documented in EPA's ``TSD for Additional Updates to
Emissions Inventories for the Version 6.3, 2011 Emissions Modeling
Platform for Year 2023.''
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\20\ Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association emissions
inventories: https://www.marama.org/technical-center/emissions-inventory/2011-inventory-and-projections.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
EPA reviewed all the files and the emission results provided by
West Virginia for both the attainment year inventory and the projected
inventories and found them to be acceptable. The detailed inventory
information for the Marshall Area is contained in appendix B of the
March 18, 2020 SIP submittal. Appendix B, as well as EPA's Emissions
Inventory TSD, is included in the docket for this rulemaking action.
The inventories are shown in Table 3.
Table 3--Emissions Inventories for the Marshall Nonattainment Area, in Tons per Year (tpy)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011 actuals 2016 actuals \a\ 2023 projected 2030 projected
Sector (base) (attainment) (interim) (maintenance)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EGU..................................... 21,231 3,605 2,900 2,900
Non-EGU................................. 12,792 2,556 12 12
Oil & Gas............................... 6.1001 10.55 12.76 13.46
Area (non-point)........................ 51.19 49.66 45.58 45.05
Non-Road................................ 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01
On-Road................................. 2.10 2.03 0.81 0.76
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Total............................... 34,082.41 6,223.25 2,971.16 2,971.28
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\a\ With the exception of non-point sources as explained previously.
A state may generally demonstrate maintenance of the NAAQS by
either showing that future emissions of a pollutant or its precursors
will not exceed the level of the attainment inventory, or by modeling
to show that the future mix of sources and emission rates will not
cause a violation of the NAAQS.\21\ West Virginia's projected actual
emissions for the interim year of 2023 and for the maintenance year of
2030 are both below the total attainment year inventory, which is
acceptable for showing maintenance in the Marshall Area.
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\21\ See April 2014 Guidance, page 67.
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West Virginia has committed to continue monitoring SO2
levels at the Moundsville monitor, and will consult with EPA prior to
making changes to the existing monitoring network, should changes be
needed in the future. West Virginia has committed to enter all data
into AQS on a timely basis in accordance with Federal guidelines, and
to continue to quality assure the monitoring data to meet the
requirements of 40 CFR part 58 and all other Federal requirements.
The closures of Kammer and Rain CII, and the fuel switch to natural
gas at Eagle Natrium LLC, has resulted in significant reductions of
SO2 emissions in the Marshall Area. The only significant
SO2 emitting facility remaining in the Marshall Area is the
Mitchell Power Plant.
The new, permanent and enforceable SO2 emission limits
for the Mitchell Power Plant described above, which were shown to be
comparably stringent to the CEV established by the March 18, 2020
modeling, ensure that the Marshall Area will continue attain the NAAQS.
For the Marshall Area and SO2 in general, ``attainment
revolves around compliance of a single source or a small set of sources
with emission limits shown to provide for attainment,'' \22\
specifically the Mitchell Power Plant. West Virginia has committed to
track the SO2 emissions and compliance status of the
Mitchell Power Plant in order to verify that the plant complies with
the emission limit in the 2019 consent order, so that modeling using
the corresponding 1-hour CEV may be considered to demonstrate that the
Area is maintaining the Standard. To demonstrate compliance with the
SO2 emission limitations of the 2019 consent order, Kentucky
Power is required to use the continuous emissions monitoring system
(CEMS) installed, certified, operated, and maintained in accordance
with 40 CFR part 75, and is required to calculate and record a 30-
operating day rolling average SO2 emission rate, updated
after each new boiler operating day. Each 30-operating day rolling
average emission rate is the average of all of the valid hourly
SO2 emission rates in the 30-operating day period. The 2019
consent order also requires the reporting of any exceedance of the 30-
operating day rolling average SO2 emission limit to WVDEP
within five business days after the exceedance occurs, and must include
information related to any deviations from the 30-operating day rolling
average limit, if any, the duration of the deviation, and the cause of
the deviation. Kentucky Power must also submit semiannual compliance
reports to WVDEP on emissions from Mitchell Units 1 and 2. All major
sources in West Virginia are required to submit annual emissions data,
which the State uses to update its emission inventories as required by
the CAA, and West Virginia has committed to provide updates to future
inventories in accordance with EPA's AERR rule every three years. West
Virginia has also committed to assure that existing control measures
will remain in effect, that any changes to its rules or emissions
applicable to SO2 as required for maintenance of the 2010
SO2 Standard will be submitted to EPA for approval as a SIP
revision, and that it intends to continue enforcing all rules that
relate to the emission of SO2 precursors in the Marshall
Area.\23\
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\22\ See April 2014 Guidance, page 69.
\23\ See March 18, 2020 West Virginia redesignation request
submittal, page 28.
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The April 2014 Guidance, pages 65-69, states that the requirement
to submit contingency measures in accordance with section 175A(d) can
be adequately addressed for SO2 by having a
[[Page 39516]]
comprehensive enforcement program which can quickly identify and
address sources that might be causing exceedances of the NAAQS. To do
so, West Virginia has committed to adopt and expeditiously implement
necessary corrective actions as follows. A warning level response shall
be triggered whenever the 99th percentile of the 1-hour daily
SO2 maximum concentration of 75.5 ppb occurs in a single
calendar year within the maintenance area (i.e., the Marshall Area). A
warning level response will consist of a study to determine whether
SO2 values indicate a trend toward higher ambient
SO2 values or whether SO2 source emissions appear
to be increasing.
The study will evaluate whether the trend, if any, is likely to
continue and, if so, the control measures necessary to reverse the
trend, taking into consideration ease and timing for implementation as
well as economic and social considerations. Implementation of necessary
controls in response to a warning level response trigger will take
place as expeditiously as possible, but in no event later than 12
months from the conclusion of the most recent calendar year. If the 2-
year average of the 99th percentile of the 1-hour daily SO2
maximum concentrations is 75 ppb or greater, or a violation of the
SO2 NAAQS occurs within the maintenance area, an ``action
level response'' will be triggered. If the exceedance is found to not
be caused by an exceptional event, malfunction, or noncompliance with a
permit condition or rule requirement, the West Virginia Division of Air
Quality (DAQ), in conjunction with the metropolitan planning
organization (MPO) or regional council of governments, will determine
additional control measures needed to assure continued attainment of
the 2010 SO2 NAAQS. Any selected measures will be those that
can be implemented within 18 months from the close of the calendar year
that prompted the action level response.\24\ If additional control
measures are required, West Virginia commits to adopt the measures in
accordance with the State's administrative process for rulemaking and
submit an analysis to EPA to demonstrate the proposed measures are
adequate to return the area to attainment.
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\24\ See March 18, 2020 West Virginia redesignation request
submittal, page 29.
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Based on EPA's findings, the Agency proposes to find that West
Virginia's submitted maintenance plan adequately addresses the five
basic components necessary to maintain the SO2 NAAQS in the
Marshall Area. EPA is proposing to find that West Virginia's
maintenance plan for the Marshall Area is approvable per the CAA,
including CAA section 175A and EPA guidance, and is proposing to
approve the maintenance plan as a revision to the West Virginia SIP.
IV. The Effect of EPA's Proposed Actions
The effect of this proposal, if finalized, would change the
classification of the Marshall Area from nonattainment to attainment of
the 2010 SO2 NAAQS, incorporate the emissions limits
contained in the 2019 consent order for Mitchell into the West Virginia
SIP, and incorporate the maintenance plan into the West Virginia SIP.
In addition, if finalized before October 30, 2020, the redesignation
would terminate EPA's obligation to act by that date on the 2017 SIP
submitted for the Marshall Area, under the terms of the court order
entered in Center for Biological Diversity v. Wheeler.
V. Proposed Actions
EPA is proposing to find that the Marshall Area has attained the
2010 SO2 NAAQS, as demonstrated by a modeling analysis
reflecting a new SO2 emission limit for the Mitchell Power
Plant. EPA is also proposing that West Virginia has met the planning
requirements necessary for EPA to redesignate the Marshall Area from
nonattainment to attainment of the 2010 SO2 NAAQS, including
the requirements for permanent and enforceable measures, submission of
an approvable maintenance plan that will assure attainment for ten
years after redesignation, and that all other CAA requirements under
section 110 and part D, as discussed in this rulemaking, have been met.
EPA is also proposing to approve the Marshall Area redesignation
request, maintenance plan, SO2 emission limits and
associated compliance parameters for Mitchell in the 2019 consent
order, and the modeling demonstration showing that the limits provide
for maintenance. EPA is proposing these actions under the CAA.
VI. Incorporation by Reference
In this document, EPA is proposing to include in a final EPA rule
regulatory text that includes incorporation by reference. In accordance
with requirements of 1 CFR 51.5, EPA is proposing to incorporate by
reference West Virginia consent order CO-SIP-C-2019-13. EPA has made,
and will continue to make, these materials generally available through
https://www.regulations.gov and at the EPA Region III Office (please
contact the person identified in the For Further Information Contact
section of this preamble for more information).
VII. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
Under the CAA, the redesignation of an area to attainment and the
accompanying approval of the maintenance plan under CAA section
107(d)(3)(E) are actions that affect the status of a geographical area
and do not impose any additional regulatory requirements on sources
beyond those required by state law. A redesignation to attainment does
not in and of itself impose any new requirements, but rather results in
the application of requirements contained in the CAA for areas that
have been redesignated to attainment. Moreover, the Administrator is
required to approve a SIP submission that complies with the provisions
of the Act and applicable Federal regulations. 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40
CFR 52.02(a). Thus, in reviewing SIP submissions, EPA's role is to
approve state choices, provided that they meet the criteria of the CAA.
Accordingly, this action merely approves state law as meeting Federal
requirements and does not impose additional requirements beyond those
imposed by state law. For these reasons, this proposed action:
Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' subject to
review by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Orders
12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993) and 13563 (76 FR 3821, January 21,
2011);
Is not an Executive Order 13771 (82 FR 9339, February 2,
2017) regulatory action because it is not a significant regulatory
action under Executive Order 12866.
Does not impose an information collection burden under the
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
Is certified as not having a significant economic impact
on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
Does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or
uniquely affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4);
Does not have federalism implications as specified in
Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999);
Is not an economically significant regulatory action based
on health or safety risks subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR
19885, April 23, 1997);
[[Page 39517]]
Is not a significant regulatory action subject to
Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001);
Is not subject to requirements of Section 12(d) of the
National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272
note) because application of those requirements would be inconsistent
with the CAA; and
Does not provide EPA with the discretionary authority to
address, as appropriate, disproportionate human health or environmental
effects, using practicable and legally permissible methods, under
Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).
In addition, this proposed rulemaking redesignating the Marshall
Area, approving the Marshall Area maintenance plan, and approving other
related SIP revisions, does not have tribal implications as specified
by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000), because the
SIP is not approved to apply in Indian country located in the state,
and EPA notes that it will not impose substantial direct costs on
tribal governments or preempt tribal law.
List of Subjects
40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Carbon monoxide,
Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental relations, Lead, Nitrogen
dioxide, Ozone, Particulate matter, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Sulfur oxides, Volatile organic compounds.
40 CFR Part 81
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Carbon monoxide,
Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental relations, Lead, Nitrogen
dioxide, Ozone, Particulate matter, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Sulfur oxides, Volatile organic compounds.
Dated: June 18, 2020.
Cosmo Servidio,
Regional Administrator, Region III.
[FR Doc. 2020-13585 Filed 6-30-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P