Environmental Protection Agency February 3, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that the following Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2005. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. This ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated cost.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on February 28, 2005. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. This ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2005.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2005. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. This ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

The EPA is requesting comment on two issues raised in a petition for reconsideration action of EPA's rule to implement the 8- hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS or standard). In addition, EPA is proposing to clarify two aspects of the implementation rule. On April 30, 2004, EPA issued a final rule addressing key elements of the program to implement the 8-hour ozone NAAQS. Subsequently, on June 29, 2004 and September 24, 2004, three different parties each filed a petition for reconsideration of certain specified aspects of the final rule. By letter dated September 23, 2004, EPA granted reconsideration of three issues raised in the petition for reconsideration filed by Earthjustice on behalf of several environmental organizations. Today, we are providing additional information and soliciting comment on two of the issues on which we granted reconsideration. The issues that we are addressing today are whether the section 185 fee provisions apply once the 1-hour NAAQS is revoked and the timing for determining what is an ``applicable requirement'' for purposes of anti-backsliding once the 1-hour NAAQS is revoked. We will shortly address the issue of new source review (NSR) anti-backsliding in a separate action. We are requesting public comment on the issues discussed in this action, which are described in section III of the Supplementary Information section of this preamble. We plan to issue a final decision on these issues no later than May 20, 2005. We are also proposing to revise the implementation rule in two respects. First we are proposing to find that contingency measures for failure to make reasonable further progress or attain by the applicable attainment date for the 1-hour ozone standard are no longer required of an area after revocation of that standard. Second, although Sec. 51.905 of the rule provided that areas designated nonattainment for the 1-hour NAAQS at the time of designation as nonattainment for the 8-hour NAAQS remain subject to any outstanding 1-hour attainment demonstration requirement, we failed to list the attainment demonstration as an ``applicable requirement.'' We are proposing to revise the definition of ``applicable requirement'' to include the 1-hour attainment demonstration. We are seeking comment only on the issues specifically identified in this document. We do not intend to respond to comments addressing other issues.