Environmental Protection Agency January 11, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Due to the receipt of an adverse comment, the EPA is withdrawing the November 12, 2004 (69 FR 65378), direct final rule approving a site specific revision to the sulfur dioxide emissions limits for Central Illinois Light Company's Edwards Generating Station in Peoria County, Illinois. The State of Illinois submitted this revision as a modification to the State Implementation Plan for Sulfur Dioxide on July 29, 2003. In the direct final rule, EPA stated that if adverse comments were submitted by December 13, 2004, the rule would be withdrawn and not take effect. On December 13, 2004, EPA received a comment. EPA believes this comment is adverse and, therefore, EPA is withdrawing the direct final rule. EPA will address the comment in a subsequent final action based upon the proposed action also published on November 12, 2004 (69 FR 65394). EPA will not institute a second comment period on this action.

New York has applied to EPA for Final authorization of changes to its hazardous waste program under Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended, commonly referred to as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). EPA proposes to grant final authorization to New York for these changes which are described in the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of this Federal Register. In that section, EPA is authorizing the changes by an immediate final rule. EPA did not make a proposal prior to the immediate final rule because we believe this action is not controversial and do not expect comments that oppose it. We have explained the reasons for this authorization in the preamble to the immediate final rule. Unless we get written comments which oppose this authorization during the comment period, the immediate final rule will become effective on the date it establishes, and we will not take further action on this proposal. If we get comments that oppose this action, we will either withdraw the immediate final rule, or the portion of the immediate final rule that is the subject of the comments. Only the remaining portion of the rule will take effect. We will then respond to those public comments opposing this authorization in a second final authorization notice. This second final notice may or may not include changes based on comments received during the public notice comment period. You may not have another opportunity for comment. If you want to comment on this action, you must do so at this time.

The EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is announcing a public teleconference and meeting of the SAB Metals Risk Assessment Framework Review Panel (Panel).

Notification is hereby given that the United States Environmental Protection Agency proposes to enter into an Agreement for Recovery of Response Costs (Agreement) relating to the Camelot Cleaners West Fargo Superfund Site located in West Fargo, North Dakota. The proposed Agreement is subject to final approval after the comment period. The Agreement resolves Superfund liability for all response costs under section 107 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended, against Camelot Cleaners, Inc., DCI, USA, Inc., and National Dry Cleaners, Inc. The Agreement requires the settling parties to pay EPA $200,000 in twelve monthly installments. If the settling parties refinance their current secured debt within three years after the Agreement becomes final, they will pay EPA half of the savings realized by such refinancing up to an additional $1.3 million. If the setting parties do not refinance their secured debt within three years after the Agreement becomes final they will pay EPA an additional $150,000 in twelve month installments. For thirty (30) days following the date of publication of this notice, EPA will accept written comments relating to the proposed Agreement. The Agency's response to any comments received will be available for public inspection at the Superfund Records Center at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VIII, 999 18th Street, Denver, Colorado 80202. Availability: The proposed Agreement is available for public inspection at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VIII, 999 18th Street, Denver, Colorado 80202. A copy of the proposed Agreement may be obtained from Carol Pokorny, Enforcement Specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VIII, 999 18th Street, Suite 300, 8ENF-RC, Denver, Colorado 80202. Comments should reference the ``Camelot Cleaners West Fargo Superfund Site'' and should be forwarded to Carol Pokorny, Enforcement Specialist, at the above address.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is amending the rule on mandatory leak repair of appliances, promulgated under section 608 of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act), to clarify how the requirements of section 608 extend to appliances using substitutes for chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants. This final rule affects the owners and operators of comfort cooling, commercial refrigeration, and industrial process refrigeration (IPR) appliances with regard to leak repair provisions promulgated under section 608 of the Act. Certain aspects of this action will also affect Federal owners and operators of commercial and comfort-cooling appliances normally containing more than 50 pounds of refrigerant. This rule supplements a statutory and self-effectuating prohibition on venting substitutes to the atmosphere that became effective on November 15, 1995 (i.e., section 608(c)(2) of the Act). EPA is amending the current leak repair requirements for refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment (i.e., appliances) containing CFC and HCFC refrigerants to accommodate the proliferation of new refrigerants on the market. In addition to amending the leak repair requirements, this final rule extends the leak repair provisions of section 608 to appliances using substitutes consisting in whole or in part of a class I or class II ozone-depleting substance (ODS).