Environmental Protection Agency March 25, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA expressed environmental concerns about the proposed project's cumulative and indirect impacts. ERP No. D-COE-B09801-MA Rating 3, Cape Wind Energy Project, Construct and Operate 130 Wind Turbine Generators on Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound, MA. Summary: EPA commented that the information and analysis provided in the Draft EIS was inadequate, noting that the DEIS does not provide enough information to fully characterize baseline environmental conditions, the environmental impacts of the project, and alternatives that avoid or minimize those impacts. ERP No. D-COE-G32057-TX Rating LO, Cedar Bayou Navigation Channel (CBNC) Improvements Project, Implementation, Near Baytown in Harris and Chambers Counties, TX. Summary: EPA had no objections to the proposed alternative. ERP No. D-SFW-K99034-CA Rating EC2, Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (MSHCP), Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains Trails Plan, Issuance of Incidental Take Permits, Riverside County, CA. Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about water and air quality impacts, and requested additional information regarding consultation with tribal governments, environmental justice issues, enforcement of the Plan, and impacts to cultural resources and migratory birds. ERP No. DS-NPS-K65325-CA Rating LO, Merced Wild and Scenic River Revised Comprehensive Management Plan, Amend and Supplement Information, Yosemite National Park, El Portal Administrative Site, Tuolume, Merced, Mono, Mariposa and Madera Counties, CA. Summary: EPA has no objections to the preferred alternative. However, EPA requests that the Park Service consider additional protection measures for the exceptional cultural resources in El Portal when delineating and zoning the river boundary.

The EPA is proposing to exempt permanently from the title V operating permit program five categories of nonmajor (area) sources subject to national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP). The EPA is proposing to make a finding for these categories, consistent with the Clean Air Act requirement for making such an exemption, that compliance with Title V permitting requirements is impracticable, infeasible, or unnecessarily burdensome on the categories. The five source categories are dry cleaners, halogenated solvent degreasers, chrome electroplaters, ethylene oxide (EO) sterilizers and secondary aluminum smelters. The EPA is proposing to decline making such a finding for a sixth category, area sources subject to the secondary lead smelter NESHAP. A previous deferral from permitting for these six categories expired on December 9, 2004, subjecting all such sources to the title V program unless and until EPA finalizes an exemption for a category.