Air Plan Approval; Montana; Missoula, Montana, Air Rule Revisions, 76013-76016 [2024-20997]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 180 / Tuesday, September 17, 2024 / Proposed Rules
compensation for services under this
paragraph (e).
(ii) Example 2: Benefits for cultural or
ceremonial activities not compensation
for services. Tribe C operates a language
preservation center in which Individual
3, a Tribal Member of C, who speaks the
traditional language that is common to
C and other regional Tribes, volunteers
to come in every Saturday to discuss
and teach the traditional language of C
to other Tribal Members of C. The
Indian Tribal Government of C (ITG–C),
reimburses Individual 3 for travel
expenses and teaching supplies used in
Individual 3’s language lessons. The
reimbursement of costs that Individual
3 receives from ITG–C is not
compensation for services under this
paragraph (e).
(f) Audit suspension. After [date of
publication of the final regulations in
the Federal Register], the Department of
the Treasury and the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) will, in consultation with
the Treasury Tribal Advisory
Committee, establish and require the
education and training prescribed in
section 3(b)(2) of the Act. The temporary
suspension of audits and examinations
described in section 4(a) of the Act will
not be lifted until the education and
training prescribed by section 3(b)(2) of
the Act is completed.
(g) Applicability date. This section
applies to taxable years of Tribal
Program Participants that begin on or
after [date of publication of the final
regulations in the Federal Register].
§ 1.139E–2
[Reserved]
Douglas W. O’Donnell,
Deputy Commissioner.
[FR Doc. 2024–20826 Filed 9–13–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA–R08–OAR–2023–0472; FRL–12252–
01–R8]
Air Plan Approval; Montana; Missoula,
Montana, Air Rule Revisions
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a
State Implementation Plan (SIP)
revision submitted by the State of
Montana on January 30, 2024, that
incorporates revisions to the Missoula,
Montana City-County Air Pollution
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:52 Sep 16, 2024
Jkt 262001
Control (MCCAPC) program rules into
the Montana SIP. The EPA is taking this
action pursuant to the Clean Air Act
(CAA).
Written comments must be
received on or before October 17, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R08–
OAR–2023–0472, to the Federal
Rulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
Once submitted, comments cannot be
edited or removed from https://
www.regulations.gov. The EPA may
publish any comment received to its
public docket. Do not submit
electronically any information you
consider to be Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Multimedia submissions (audio, video,
etc.) must be accompanied by a written
comment. The written comment is
considered the official comment and
should include discussion of all points
you wish to make. The EPA will
generally not consider comments or
comment contents located outside of the
primary submission (i.e., on the web,
cloud, or other file sharing system). For
additional submission methods, the full
EPA public comment policy,
information about CBI or multimedia
submissions, and general guidance on
making effective comments, please visit
https://www2.epa.gov/dockets/
commenting-epa-dockets.
Docket: All documents in the docket
are listed in the https://
www.regulations.gov index. Although
listed in the index, some information is
not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other
information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Certain other
material, such as copyrighted material,
will be publicly available only in hard
copy. Publicly available docket
materials are available electronically in
https://www.regulations.gov. For this
action we do not plan to offer hard copy
review of the docket. Please email or
call the person listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section if you
need to make alternative arrangements
for access to the docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Joseph Stein, Air and Radiation
Division, EPA, Region 8, Mailcode
8ARD–IO, 1595 Wynkoop Street,
Denver, Colorado 80202–1129,
telephone number: (303) 312–7078,
email address: stein.joseph@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Throughout this document wherever
‘‘we,’’ ‘‘us,’’ or ‘‘our’’ is used, we mean
the EPA.
DATES:
PO 00000
Frm 00037
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
76013
I. Background
On January 30, 2024, the State of
Montana submitted proposed revisions
to the MCCAPC rules for incorporation
into the Montana SIP.1 The MCCAPC
rules address open burning, industrial
and household combustors, and other
activities that generate particulate
matter emissions. The submittal was
signed by the governor and went
through a 30-day public comment
period starting on Thursday, September
7, 2023, and ending on Monday,
October 9, 2023.2 Montana received no
requests for public hearing and all
comments received were in favor of the
revised MCCACP rules and their
incorporation into the Montana SIP. In
this action, we are proposing to approve
certain revisions and to take no action
on certain revisions, as described in
greater detail below.
The EPA has reviewed the revisions
to Chapters 1 through 9, and Chapters
13 and 14 of the MCCAPC rules. The
bulk of the changes are administrative
in nature, including formatting and
grammatical corrections, conforming
edits to create consistency across the
MCCAPC, deletions of extraneous or
repetitive content, removal of outdated
references to a retired outdoor burn
hotline, and similar edits. Additionally,
there are several revisions that are
substantive in nature, including new
definitions for outdoor burning air
pollution control technologies,
provisions for the use of such control
technologies, new limits on outdoor
recreational fires, and the extension of
wood stove rules to new areas around
Missoula, among others. The EPA has
determined that both the administrative
and substantive revisions are consistent
with the requirements of the CAA.
These substantive revisions either have
no effect on, or further restrict,
particulate matter emissions.
The EPA will not be acting on the
rules submitted for revision in MCCAPC
Chapter 10: Fuels rules 10.102(1),
10.105(1), 10.109(1), 10.110, 10.111,
10.111(2). The EPA is proposing to act
on the revisions in Chapter 10 in a
separate action.
II. Proposed Action
In this action, the EPA is proposing to
approve the revisions to the MCCACP
rules submitted by the State of Montana
on January 30, 2024, listed below in
table 1, Chapters 1 through 9 and
Chapters 13 and 14.
In the table below, the key is as
follows:
1 See MDEQ Missoula Submission Receipt—
01.30.24 in docket.
2 See Montana January 30, 2024, submittal, p. 98.
E:\FR\FM\17SEP1.SGM
17SEP1
76014
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 180 / Tuesday, September 17, 2024 / Proposed Rules
A—Approve.
N—No action.
TABLE 1—SUMMARY OF REVISIONS TO THE MISSOULA CITY-COUNTY AIR POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAM, PROPOSED
FOR APPROVAL
Revisions to the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program (MCCAPC) 1
MCCAPC rule(s): description of revision(s)
Chapter 1: Program Authority and
Administration.
Chapter 2: Definitions ......................
1.105(5): Grammatical correction ...............................................................................................
A
2.101(22): Update hazardous waste definition, consistency with state rule ..............................
2.101(23): Removes Flathead Reservation from Impact Zone M definition (no MCCAC program jurisdiction on Flathead Reservation).
2.101(49): Grammatical correction.
3.101: Corrected wording ...........................................................................................................
A
Chapter 3: Failure to Attain Standards.
Chapter 4: Missoula County, Air
Stagnation and Emergency Episode Avoidance Plan.
Chapter 5: General Provisions ........
Chapter 6: Standards for Stationary
(Industrial) Sources.
Chapter 7: Outdoor Burning ............
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
EPA
proposal
MCCAPC chapter
Chapter 8: Fugitive Particulate ........
Chapter 9: Solid Fuel Burning Devices (Wood Burning Stoves).
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:52 Sep 16, 2024
3.103: Reference correction.
4.104(1–4): Formatting and spelling correction .........................................................................
4.108(1): Grammatical correction ...............................................................................................
4.108(2)(a): Corrected wording ..................................................................................................
4.108(2)(d): Rule addition, requires recreational fires to comply with Chapter 7 applicable requirements and restrict fires in certain areas during air alerts.
4.109(2)(d): Rule addition, requires recreational fires to comply with Chapter 7 applicable requirements and restrict fires in certain areas during air warnings.
4.109(4): Formatting correction.
4.113: Grammatical correction.
5.108(1): MCCAPC board fee change clarification ....................................................................
5.108(2): Removes extraneous content.
5.111(1): Adds Montana state requirements for local air program rules into MCCAPC rules.
5.111(2): Revision to create consistency with rule 5.111(1).
6.103(4): Revision allows for up to two, 12-month extensions on air quality permit when construction, installation or alteration was not completed within 36 months of initial issuance
of air quality permit.
6.107(1): Punctuation correction.
6.505(2): Formatting correction.
6.604: Correction for consistency with state rules.
7.101(1–13): Renumbering to 7.101(3–15) ................................................................................
7.101(1): Definition added for air curtain burners.
7.101(2): Definition added for air curtain destructors.
7.101(4): Removes references to outdoor burning hotline, department outdoor burning restrictions requirement remains.
7.101(11): Clarification that recreational fires burning gaseous fuel are not considered outdoor burning.
7.101(13): Punctuation correction.
7.102(1): Pronoun correction.
7.104(1): Removes wildland burning from year-round activities list and updates letters for
consistency with the removal of point (a).
7.104(4): Clarification and specification when prescribed woodland burning can be done.
7.104(5): Renumbering.
7.105(1): Formatting correction.
7.105(2): Removes redundant language.
7.105(3): Replaces outdoor burning hotline as departmental mechanism to announce burn
restrictions with the departmental website.
7.106(2)(b): Language update.
7.107(3)(c): Removes reference to outdoor burn hotline.
7.107(6): Specifies process major burners may use to conduct wildland outdoor burning, includes requirement for written request to department in winter months.
7.110(1)(d): Revision allows for outdoor burning of natural vegetation generated offsite to be
granted a conditional outdoor burning permit if burning occurs with temporary use of air
curtain burner or air curtain destructor.
7.110(2)(c): Revision allows for exception for conditional outdoor burning permits to be
issued inside the air stagnation zone if the burning takes place with an air curtain burner
or air curtain destructor.
7.110(6)(c): Revision specifies that permits issued under rule for natural vegetation burning
in air curtain burner or air curtain destructor is valid for up to one year.
7.116: Rule added to limit recreational fires during air pollution alerts, warnings, emergencies and crises.
8.203(3)(b–c): Reference correction ..........................................................................................
8.203(3)(e): Removal of an extra word.
8.208(1): Revision allows health department to approve alternative areas for paving the
same size and usage as an area required to be paved by other sections of chapter 8.
9.102(3): Defines ‘central heater’ ...............................................................................................
9.102(6): Revision changes ‘EPA method’ definition to include all parts of subpart AAA and
adds 40 CFR part 60, subpart QQQQ.
Jkt 262001
PO 00000
Frm 00038
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
E:\FR\FM\17SEP1.SGM
17SEP1
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
76015
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 180 / Tuesday, September 17, 2024 / Proposed Rules
TABLE 1—SUMMARY OF REVISIONS TO THE MISSOULA CITY-COUNTY AIR POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAM, PROPOSED
FOR APPROVAL—Continued
Revisions to the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program (MCCAPC) 1
MCCAPC chapter
EPA
proposal
MCCAPC rule(s): description of revision(s)
Chapter 10: Fuels 2 ..........................
Chapter 13: Variances .....................
Chapter 14: Enforcement and Administrative Procedures.
9.102(10): Addition of Seeley Lake Wood Stove Zone definition.
9.102(11): Addition of word ‘disposal’ to solid fuel burning device definition.
9.102(4–10): Renumbering.
9.102(12–14): Renumbering.
9.201(1): Word addition for clarification.
9.203(1): Addition that wood pellet boilers can be installed in air stagnation zone.
9.203(2): Spelling correction.
9.204: Addition of rules that specifies which solid fuel burning devices may be installed in
the Seeley Lake Wood Stove Zone.
9.205: Renumbered rule, updated for consistency with 2015 New Source Performance
Standards for wood stoves, does not apply to new solid fuel burning devices installed in
the Missoula air stagnation zone and, or the Seeley Lake Wood Stove Zone.
9.205(4): Edited for clarification.
9.206–9.212: Renumbering.
9.207(3): Word addition for clarification.
9.207(7): Word addition for clarification.
9.401(3): Update to list of applicable rules.
9.501(1): Revision requires removal of solid fuels burning devices when property is sold,
transferred or conveyed, applies to inherited property and other changes of ownership.
9.501(2): Revision replaces word ‘sold’ with words ‘sold, transferred or conveyed’, removes
grandfathering of class I wood stoves installed between 1986 and 1994.
9.501(3–8): Deleted, form no longer required when property is sold, transferred or conveyed
in the Missoula air stagnation zone.
9.601: Grammatical correction.
.....................................................................................................................................................
13.104: Spelling correction .........................................................................................................
14.107(1): Revision specifics 15-day time limit for hearing request of control board if there is
a disagreement on administrative conclusion, decision.
14.107(2): Spelling correction ....................................................................................................
N
A
A
1 See
Montana January 30, 2024, submittal, pp. 145–148 for additional detail on rule revision descriptions.
EPA will not be acting on the rules submitted for revision in MCCAPC Chapter 10: Fuels and is proposing to act on revisions in Chapter
10 of the MCCACP rules in a separate action. See Montana January 30, 2024, submittal, pp. 147–148 for additional detail on Chapter 10 rule revision descriptions.
2 The
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
III. Environmental Justice
Considerations
This is a proposed action to
incorporate revisions to the MCCAPC
program rules into the Montana SIP.
Due to the nature of the action being
taken here, this action is expected to
have a neutral to positive impact on the
air quality of the affected area. At a
minimum, this action will not worsen
any existing air quality and is expected
to ensure the area is meeting
requirements to attain and/or maintain
air quality standards. Further, there is
no information in the record indicating
that this action is expected to have
disproportionately high or adverse
human health or environmental effects
on a particular group of people.
IV. Incorporation by Reference
In this document, the EPA is
proposing to include regulatory text in
an EPA final rule that includes
incorporation by reference. In
accordance with requirements of 1 CFR
51.5, the EPA is proposing to
incorporate by reference the MCCAPC
rules in Montana’s January 30, 2024,
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:52 Sep 16, 2024
Jkt 262001
submission; Chapters 1 through 9 and
Chapters 13 and 14 into the Montana
SIP, as discussed in sections I. and II. of
this preamble. The EPA has made, and
will continue to make, these materials
generally available through https://
www.regulations.gov and at the EPA
Region 8 Office (please contact the
person identified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
preamble for more information).
V. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
Under the CAA, the Administrator is
required to approve a SIP submission
that complies with the provisions of the
Act and applicable Federal regulations.
42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a).
Thus, in reviewing SIP submissions, the
EPA’s role is to approve state choices,
provided they meet the criteria of the
CAA. Accordingly, this action merely
proposes to approve state law as
meeting Federal requirements and does
not impose additional requirements
beyond those imposed by state law. For
that reason, this action:
PO 00000
Frm 00039
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
• 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);
• 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\17SEP1.SGM
17SEP1
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with PROPOSALS1
76016
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 180 / Tuesday, September 17, 2024 / 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
In addition, the SIP is not approved
to apply on any Indian reservation land
or in any other area where EPA or an
Indian Tribe has demonstrated that a
Tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of
Indian country, the proposed rule does
not have Tribal implications and will
not impose substantial direct costs on
Tribal governments or preempt Tribal
law as specified by Executive Order
13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000).
Executive Order 12898 (Federal
Actions to Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and
Low-Income Populations, 59 FR 7629,
Feb. 16, 1994) directs Federal agencies
to identify and address
‘‘disproportionately high and adverse
human health or environmental effects’’
of their actions on minority populations
and low-income populations to the
greatest extent practicable and
permitted by law. EPA defines
environmental justice (EJ) as ‘‘the fair
treatment and meaningful involvement
of all people regardless of race, color,
national origin, or income with respect
to the development, implementation,
and enforcement of environmental laws,
regulations, and policies.’’ EPA further
defines the term fair treatment to mean
that ‘‘no group of people should bear a
disproportionate burden of
environmental harms and risks,
including those resulting from the
negative environmental consequences of
industrial, governmental, and
commercial operations or programs and
policies.’’
The Montana Department of
Environmental Quality did not evaluate
environmental justice considerations as
part of its SIP submittal; the CAA and
applicable implementing regulations
neither prohibit nor require such an
evaluation. EPA did not perform an EJ
analysis and did not consider EJ in this
action. Due to the nature of the action
being taken here, this action is expected
to have a neutral to positive impact on
the air quality of the affected area.
Consideration of EJ is not required as
part of this action, and there is no
information in the record inconsistent
with the stated goal of E.O. 12898 of
achieving environmental justice for
people of color, low-income
populations, and Indigenous peoples.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:52 Sep 16, 2024
Jkt 262001
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air
pollution control, Carbon monoxide,
Greenhouse gases, Incorporation by
reference, Intergovernmental relations,
Lead, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone,
Particulate matter, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur
oxides, Volatile organic compounds.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
Dated: September 11, 2024.
KC Becker,
Regional Administrator, Region 8.
[FR Doc. 2024–20997 Filed 9–16–24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 54
[GN Docket No. 20–32; FCC 24–89; FR ID
243903]
Establishing a 5G Fund for Rural
America
Federal Communications
Commission.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
In this document, the Federal
Communications Commission
(Commission or FCC) seeks comment on
whether to require a winning bidder in
the 5G Fund Phase I auction to
demonstrate during the long-form
application process that it has obtained
the consent of the relevant Tribal
government(s) for any necessary access
to deploy network facilities using its 5G
Fund support on Tribal lands within the
area(s) of its winning bid(s).
DATES: Comments are due on or before
October 17, 2024; reply comments are
due on or before November 1, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Pursuant to §§ 1.415 and
1.419 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR
1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file
comments and reply comments on or
before the dates indicated on the first
page of this document. You may submit
comments, identified by GN Docket No.
20–32, by any of the following methods:
• Electronic Filers: Comments may be
filed electronically using the internet by
accessing the ECFS: https://
www.fcc.gov/ecfs/.
• Paper Filers: Parties who choose to
file by paper must file an original and
one copy of each filing.
• Filings can be sent by hand or
messenger delivery, by commercial
courier, or by the U.S. Postal Service
Express Mail. All filings must be
addressed to the Secretary, Federal
Communications Commission.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00040
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
• Hand-delivered or messengerdelivered paper filings for the
Commission’s Secretary are accepted
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. by the
FCC’s mailing contractor at 9050
Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD
20701. All hand deliveries must be held
together with rubber bands or fasteners.
Any envelopes and boxes must be
disposed of before entering the building.
• Commercial courier deliveries (any
deliveries not by the U.S. Postal Service)
must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive,
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. Filings
sent by U.S. Postal Service First-Class
Mail, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail
Express must be sent to 45 L Street NE,
Washington, DC 20554.
• People With Disabilities: To request
materials in accessible formats for
people with disabilities (braille, large
print, electronic files, audio format)
send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call
the Consumer & Governmental Affairs
Bureau at (202) 418–0530.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kelly Quinn of the Office of Economics
and Analytics, Auction Division, at
(202) 418–0660 or Kelly.Quinn@fcc.gov,
or Valerie Barrish of the Office of
Economics and Analytics, Auction
Division, at (202) 418–0354 or
Valerie.Barrish@fcc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a
summary of the Commission’s Second
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(Second FNPRM) in GN Docket No. 20–
32, FCC 24–89, adopted on August 14,
2024 and released on August 29, 2024.
The full text of this document is
available for public inspection at the
following internet address: https://
docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC24-89A1.pdf.
Providing Accountability Through
Transparency Act. Consistent with the
Providing Accountability Through
Transparency Act, Public Law 118–9, a
summary of this Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking will be available on https://
www.fcc.gov/proposed-rulemakings.
Synopsis
1. In the Second FNPRM, the
Commission seeks comment on whether
to require a winning bidder in the 5G
Fund Phase I auction to demonstrate
during the long-form application
process, and prior to being authorized to
receive support, that it has obtained the
consent of the relevant Tribal
government(s) for any necessary access
to deploy network facilities using its 5G
Fund support on Tribal lands within the
area(s) of its winning bid(s). For
purposes of a requirement such as this,
the Commission would follow the longstanding precedent articulated in its
E:\FR\FM\17SEP1.SGM
17SEP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 180 (Tuesday, September 17, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 76013-76016]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-20997]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA-R08-OAR-2023-0472; FRL-12252-01-R8]
Air Plan Approval; Montana; Missoula, Montana, Air Rule Revisions
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to
approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the
State of Montana on January 30, 2024, that incorporates revisions to
the Missoula, Montana City-County Air Pollution Control (MCCAPC)
program rules into the Montana SIP. The EPA is taking this action
pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA).
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before October 17, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R08-
OAR-2023-0472, to the Federal Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from
https://www.regulations.gov. The EPA may publish any comment received
to its public docket. Do not submit electronically any information you
consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written
comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and
should include discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA will
generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of
the primary submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or other file sharing
system). For additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment
policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general
guidance on making effective comments, please visit https://www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the https://www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some
information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such
as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy.
Publicly available docket materials are available electronically in
https://www.regulations.gov. For this action we do not plan to offer
hard copy review of the docket. Please email or call the person listed
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section if you need to make
alternative arrangements for access to the docket.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph Stein, Air and Radiation
Division, EPA, Region 8, Mailcode 8ARD-IO, 1595 Wynkoop Street, Denver,
Colorado 80202-1129, telephone number: (303) 312-7078, email address:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document wherever ``we,''
``us,'' or ``our'' is used, we mean the EPA.
I. Background
On January 30, 2024, the State of Montana submitted proposed
revisions to the MCCAPC rules for incorporation into the Montana
SIP.\1\ The MCCAPC rules address open burning, industrial and household
combustors, and other activities that generate particulate matter
emissions. The submittal was signed by the governor and went through a
30-day public comment period starting on Thursday, September 7, 2023,
and ending on Monday, October 9, 2023.\2\ Montana received no requests
for public hearing and all comments received were in favor of the
revised MCCACP rules and their incorporation into the Montana SIP. In
this action, we are proposing to approve certain revisions and to take
no action on certain revisions, as described in greater detail below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ See MDEQ Missoula Submission Receipt--01.30.24 in docket.
\2\ See Montana January 30, 2024, submittal, p. 98.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The EPA has reviewed the revisions to Chapters 1 through 9, and
Chapters 13 and 14 of the MCCAPC rules. The bulk of the changes are
administrative in nature, including formatting and grammatical
corrections, conforming edits to create consistency across the MCCAPC,
deletions of extraneous or repetitive content, removal of outdated
references to a retired outdoor burn hotline, and similar edits.
Additionally, there are several revisions that are substantive in
nature, including new definitions for outdoor burning air pollution
control technologies, provisions for the use of such control
technologies, new limits on outdoor recreational fires, and the
extension of wood stove rules to new areas around Missoula, among
others. The EPA has determined that both the administrative and
substantive revisions are consistent with the requirements of the CAA.
These substantive revisions either have no effect on, or further
restrict, particulate matter emissions.
The EPA will not be acting on the rules submitted for revision in
MCCAPC Chapter 10: Fuels rules 10.102(1), 10.105(1), 10.109(1), 10.110,
10.111, 10.111(2). The EPA is proposing to act on the revisions in
Chapter 10 in a separate action.
II. Proposed Action
In this action, the EPA is proposing to approve the revisions to
the MCCACP rules submitted by the State of Montana on January 30, 2024,
listed below in table 1, Chapters 1 through 9 and Chapters 13 and 14.
In the table below, the key is as follows:
[[Page 76014]]
A--Approve.
N--No action.
Table 1--Summary of Revisions to the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program, Proposed for Approval
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Revisions to the Missoula City-County Air Pollution Control Program (MCCAPC) \1\
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MCCAPC chapter MCCAPC rule(s): description of revision(s) EPA proposal
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 1: Program Authority and 1.105(5): Grammatical correction................. A
Administration.
Chapter 2: Definitions............... 2.101(22): Update hazardous waste definition, A
consistency with state rule.
2.101(23): Removes Flathead Reservation from
Impact Zone M definition (no MCCAC program
jurisdiction on Flathead Reservation).
2.101(49): Grammatical correction................
Chapter 3: Failure to Attain 3.101: Corrected wording......................... A
Standards.
3.103: Reference correction......................
Chapter 4: Missoula County, Air 4.104(1-4): Formatting and spelling correction... A
Stagnation and Emergency Episode 4.108(1): Grammatical correction.................
Avoidance Plan. 4.108(2)(a): Corrected wording...................
4.108(2)(d): Rule addition, requires recreational
fires to comply with Chapter 7 applicable
requirements and restrict fires in certain areas
during air alerts.
4.109(2)(d): Rule addition, requires recreational
fires to comply with Chapter 7 applicable
requirements and restrict fires in certain areas
during air warnings.
4.109(4): Formatting correction..................
4.113: Grammatical correction....................
Chapter 5: General Provisions........ 5.108(1): MCCAPC board fee change clarification.. A
5.108(2): Removes extraneous content.............
5.111(1): Adds Montana state requirements for
local air program rules into MCCAPC rules.
5.111(2): Revision to create consistency with
rule 5.111(1).
Chapter 6: Standards for Stationary 6.103(4): Revision allows for up to two, 12-month A
(Industrial) Sources. extensions on air quality permit when
construction, installation or alteration was not
completed within 36 months of initial issuance
of air quality permit.
6.107(1): Punctuation correction.................
6.505(2): Formatting correction..................
6.604: Correction for consistency with state
rules.
Chapter 7: Outdoor Burning........... 7.101(1-13): Renumbering to 7.101(3-15).......... A
7.101(1): Definition added for air curtain
burners.
7.101(2): Definition added for air curtain
destructors.
7.101(4): Removes references to outdoor burning
hotline, department outdoor burning restrictions
requirement remains.
7.101(11): Clarification that recreational fires
burning gaseous fuel are not considered outdoor
burning.
7.101(13): Punctuation correction................
7.102(1): Pronoun correction.....................
7.104(1): Removes wildland burning from year-
round activities list and updates letters for
consistency with the removal of point (a).
7.104(4): Clarification and specification when
prescribed woodland burning can be done.
7.104(5): Renumbering............................
7.105(1): Formatting correction..................
7.105(2): Removes redundant language.............
7.105(3): Replaces outdoor burning hotline as
departmental mechanism to announce burn
restrictions with the departmental website.
7.106(2)(b): Language update.....................
7.107(3)(c): Removes reference to outdoor burn
hotline.
7.107(6): Specifies process major burners may use
to conduct wildland outdoor burning, includes
requirement for written request to department in
winter months.
7.110(1)(d): Revision allows for outdoor burning
of natural vegetation generated offsite to be
granted a conditional outdoor burning permit if
burning occurs with temporary use of air curtain
burner or air curtain destructor.
7.110(2)(c): Revision allows for exception for
conditional outdoor burning permits to be issued
inside the air stagnation zone if the burning
takes place with an air curtain burner or air
curtain destructor.
7.110(6)(c): Revision specifies that permits
issued under rule for natural vegetation burning
in air curtain burner or air curtain destructor
is valid for up to one year.
7.116: Rule added to limit recreational fires
during air pollution alerts, warnings,
emergencies and crises.
Chapter 8: Fugitive Particulate...... 8.203(3)(b-c): Reference correction.............. A
8.203(3)(e): Removal of an extra word............
8.208(1): Revision allows health department to
approve alternative areas for paving the same
size and usage as an area required to be paved
by other sections of chapter 8.
Chapter 9: Solid Fuel Burning Devices 9.102(3): Defines `central heater'............... A
(Wood Burning Stoves). 9.102(6): Revision changes `EPA method'
definition to include all parts of subpart AAA
and adds 40 CFR part 60, subpart QQQQ.
[[Page 76015]]
9.102(10): Addition of Seeley Lake Wood Stove
Zone definition.
9.102(11): Addition of word `disposal' to solid
fuel burning device definition.
9.102(4-10): Renumbering.........................
9.102(12-14): Renumbering........................
9.201(1): Word addition for clarification........
9.203(1): Addition that wood pellet boilers can
be installed in air stagnation zone.
9.203(2): Spelling correction....................
9.204: Addition of rules that specifies which
solid fuel burning devices may be installed in
the Seeley Lake Wood Stove Zone.
9.205: Renumbered rule, updated for consistency
with 2015 New Source Performance Standards for
wood stoves, does not apply to new solid fuel
burning devices installed in the Missoula air
stagnation zone and, or the Seeley Lake Wood
Stove Zone.
9.205(4): Edited for clarification...............
9.206-9.212: Renumbering.........................
9.207(3): Word addition for clarification........
9.207(7): Word addition for clarification........
9.401(3): Update to list of applicable rules.....
9.501(1): Revision requires removal of solid
fuels burning devices when property is sold,
transferred or conveyed, applies to inherited
property and other changes of ownership.
9.501(2): Revision replaces word `sold' with
words `sold, transferred or conveyed', removes
grandfathering of class I wood stoves installed
between 1986 and 1994.
9.501(3-8): Deleted, form no longer required when
property is sold, transferred or conveyed in the
Missoula air stagnation zone.
9.601: Grammatical correction....................
Chapter 10: Fuels \2\................ ................................................. N
Chapter 13: Variances................ 13.104: Spelling correction...................... A
Chapter 14: Enforcement and 14.107(1): Revision specifics 15-day time limit
Administrative Procedures. for hearing request of control board if there is
a disagreement on administrative conclusion,
decision.
14.107(2): Spelling correction................... A
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ See Montana January 30, 2024, submittal, pp. 145-148 for additional detail on rule revision descriptions.
\2\ The EPA will not be acting on the rules submitted for revision in MCCAPC Chapter 10: Fuels and is proposing
to act on revisions in Chapter 10 of the MCCACP rules in a separate action. See Montana January 30, 2024,
submittal, pp. 147-148 for additional detail on Chapter 10 rule revision descriptions.
III. Environmental Justice Considerations
This is a proposed action to incorporate revisions to the MCCAPC
program rules into the Montana SIP. Due to the nature of the action
being taken here, this action is expected to have a neutral to positive
impact on the air quality of the affected area. At a minimum, this
action will not worsen any existing air quality and is expected to
ensure the area is meeting requirements to attain and/or maintain air
quality standards. Further, there is no information in the record
indicating that this action is expected to have disproportionately high
or adverse human health or environmental effects on a particular group
of people.
IV. Incorporation by Reference
In this document, the EPA is proposing to include regulatory text
in an EPA final rule that includes incorporation by reference. In
accordance with requirements of 1 CFR 51.5, the EPA is proposing to
incorporate by reference the MCCAPC rules in Montana's January 30,
2024, submission; Chapters 1 through 9 and Chapters 13 and 14 into the
Montana SIP, as discussed in sections I. and II. of this preamble. The
EPA has made, and will continue to make, these materials generally
available through https://www.regulations.gov and at the EPA Region 8
Office (please contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this preamble for more information).
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP
submission that complies with the provisions of the Act and applicable
Federal regulations. 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a). Thus, in
reviewing SIP submissions, the EPA's role is to approve state choices,
provided they meet the criteria of the CAA. Accordingly, this action
merely proposes to approve state law as meeting Federal requirements
and does not impose additional requirements beyond those imposed by
state law. For that reason, this 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);
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 76016]]
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
In addition, the SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian
reservation land or in any other area where EPA or an Indian Tribe has
demonstrated that a Tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian
country, the proposed rule does not have Tribal implications and will
not impose substantial direct costs on Tribal governments or preempt
Tribal law as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November
9, 2000).
Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions to Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, 59 FR 7629,
Feb. 16, 1994) directs Federal agencies to identify and address
``disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental
effects'' of their actions on minority populations and low-income
populations to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law.
EPA defines environmental justice (EJ) as ``the fair treatment and
meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color,
national origin, or income with respect to the development,
implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and
policies.'' EPA further defines the term fair treatment to mean that
``no group of people should bear a disproportionate burden of
environmental harms and risks, including those resulting from the
negative environmental consequences of industrial, governmental, and
commercial operations or programs and policies.''
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality did not evaluate
environmental justice considerations as part of its SIP submittal; the
CAA and applicable implementing regulations neither prohibit nor
require such an evaluation. EPA did not perform an EJ analysis and did
not consider EJ in this action. Due to the nature of the action being
taken here, this action is expected to have a neutral to positive
impact on the air quality of the affected area. Consideration of EJ is
not required as part of this action, and there is no information in the
record inconsistent with the stated goal of E.O. 12898 of achieving
environmental justice for people of color, low-income populations, and
Indigenous peoples.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Carbon monoxide,
Greenhouse gases, Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental
relations, Lead, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Particulate matter, Reporting
and recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur oxides, Volatile organic
compounds.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
Dated: September 11, 2024.
KC Becker,
Regional Administrator, Region 8.
[FR Doc. 2024-20997 Filed 9-16-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P