Environmental Protection Agency March 30, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is approving revisions to the Texas Title V operating permits program submitted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on December 9, 2002. In a Notice of Deficiency (NOD) published on January 7, 2002, EPA notified Texas of EPA's finding that the State's periodic monitoring regulations, compliance assurance monitoring (CAM) regulations, periodic monitoring and CAM general operating permits (GOP), statement of basis requirement, applicable requirement definition, and potential to emit (PTE) registration regulations did not meet the minimum Federal requirements of the Clean Air Act and the regulations for State operating permits pfrograms. This action approves the revisions that TCEQ submitted to correct the identified deficiencies. Today's action also approves other revisions to the Texas Title V Operating Permit Program submitted on December 9, 2002, which relate to concurrent review and credible evidence. The December 9, 2002, submittal also included revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP). We published our final SIP approval in the Federal Register on November 14, 2003 (68 FR 64543). These revisions to Texas' operating permits program resolve all deficiencies identified in the January 7, 2002, NOD and removes the potential for any resulting consequences under the Act, including sanctions, with respect to the January 7, 2002, NOD.

EPA Region 6 is soliciting proposals from eligible applicants interested in applying for Federal assistance for Water Quality Cooperative Agreements (WQCA) under the Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 104(b)(3). Funding is for projects conducted within the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Region 6 EPA intends to award an estimated $700,000 to eligible applicants through assistance agreements ranging in size, on average, from $40,000 up to $200,000 (Federal) for innovative projects/demonstrations/studies relating to the prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. From the proposals received, EPA estimates up to 4 to 7 projects may be selected to submit full applications. The Agency reserves the right to reject all proposals and make no awards.

This notice announces the availability of documents that were developed as part of EPA's six-phase public participation reregistration process for pentachlorophenol (PCP). The Preliminary Risk Assessment (PRA) for PCP was published in the Federal Register on November 30, 2004, with a 60-day public comment period which ended on January 31, 2005. This notice announces the availability of the PRAs for hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and dioxins/furans, which are contaminants produced during the manufacture of PCP, and opens a 60-day public comment period.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92- 463, the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development (ORD), gives notice of a Computational Toxicology Subcommittee meeting of the Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC).

EPA proposes to approve a revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the state of Iowa. The purpose of this revision is to approve the 2004 update to the Polk County Board of Health Rules and Regulations, Chapter V, Air Pollution. These revisions will help to ensure consistency between the applicable local agency rules and Federally-approved rules, and ensure Federal enforceability of the applicable parts of the local agency air programs.

EPA proposes to approve the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Pennsylvania for the purpose of establishing and requiring reasonably available control technology (RACT) for four sources of nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State's SIP submittal as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial submittal and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approval is set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse comments are received in response to this action, no further activity is contemplated. If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

EPA proposes to approve the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland. The revisions update the SIP's reference to the EPA definition of volatile organic compounds (VOC). In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State's SIP submittal as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial submittal and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approval is set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse comments are received in response to this action, no further activity is contemplated. If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

EPA is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's State Implementation Plan (SIP). The revisions were submitted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to establish and require reasonably available control technology (RACT) for ten major sources of nitrogen oxides (NOX). These sources are located in Pennsylvania. EPA is approving these revisions to establish RACT requirements in the SIP in accordance with the Clean Air Act (CAA).

EPA proposes to approve the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to establish and require reasonably available control technology (RACT) for five major sources of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOX). In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the Commonwealth's SIP submittal as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial submittal and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approval is set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse comments are received in response to this action, no further activity is contemplated. If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

On January 31, 2005 (70 FR 4958), EPA announced an opportunity for animal feeding operations (AFOs) to sign a voluntary consent agreement and final order (air compliance agreement). This supplemental notice announces an extension to the signup period for the consent agreement and final order, as well as the reopening of the public comment period.

EPA issued a notice in the Federal Register of February 9, 2005, announcing that EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) is soliciting proposals to provide financial assistance to continue an effort to improve the training of health care providers in recognition, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of pesticide poisonings among those who work with pesticides. This document is being issued to correct a date error.

EPA issued a notice in the Federal Register of February 16, 2005, announcing the cancellation of a registration for a product containing tributyltin methacrylate, EPA Registration No. 44891-6. This notice announces an amendment to the February 16, 2005 notice and cancellation order to correct the effective date of the cancellation order.

This notice announces the availability of EPA's risk assessments, and related documents for the benzofuranyl alkylsulfonate pesticide ethofumesate, and opens a public comment period on these documents. The public also is encouraged to suggest risk management ideas or proposals to address the risks identified. EPA is developing a Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for ethofumesate through a modified, 4-Phase public participation process that the Agency uses to involve the public in developing pesticide reregistration and tolerance reassessment decisions. Through these programs, EPA is ensuring that all pesticides meet current health and safety standards.