Environmental Protection Agency September 22, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On March 21, 2005, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Kentucky Division for Air Quality (KDAQ), submitted a request for parallel processing and on May 20, 2005, submitted a final request: To redesignate the Christian County, Kentucky portion of the Clarksville- Hopkinsville 8-hour ozone nonattainment area to attainment for the 8- hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS); and for EPA approval of a Kentucky State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision containing a 12-year maintenance plan for Christian County, Kentucky. The interstate Clarksville-Hopkinsville 8-hour ozone nonattainment area is comprised of two counties (i.e., Christian County, Kentucky and Montgomery County, Tennessee). EPA is proposing to approve the 8-hour ozone redesignation request for the Christian County, Kentucky portion of the Clarksville-Hopkinsville 8-hour ozone nonattainment area. Additionally, EPA is proposing to approve the 8-hour ozone maintenance plan for Christian County, Kentucky. This proposed approval is based on EPA's determination that the Commonwealth of Kentucky has demonstrated that Christian County, Kentucky has met the criteria for redesignation to attainment specified in the Clean Air Act (CAA), including the determination that the entire Clarksville-Hopkinsville 8-hour ozone nonattainment area has attained the 8-hour ozone standard. On June 29, 2005, the State of Tennessee submitted a redesignation request and maintenance plan for the Montgomery, Tennessee portion of this area for EPA parallel processing. In this action, EPA is also providing information on the status of its transportation conformity adequacy determination for the new motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) for the years 2004 and 2016 that are contained in the 12-year 8-hour ozone maintenance plan for Christian County, Kentucky. EPA is proposing to approve such MVEBs. In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is taking action to approve the redesignation request and maintenance plan without prior proposal. A detailed rationale for the redesignation and other actions 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 If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rulemaking will be withdrawn and public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period on this document. Any parties interested in commenting on this document should do so at this time.

EPA is approving the State of Illinois' request to redesignate to attainment the Lyons Township (McCook) area currently designated as nonattainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 10 micrometers (PM-10). We are also approving the Lyons Township maintenance plan, submitted by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) on August 2, 2005, as a revision to the PM-10 State Implementation Plan (SIP) for this area.

EPA is proposing to approve the State of Illinois' request to redesignate to attainment the Lyons Township (McCook) area currently designated as nonattainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 10 micrometers (PM-10). We are also proposing to approve the Lyons Township maintenance plan, submitted by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) on August 2, 2005, as a revision to the PM-10 State Implementation Plan (SIP) for this area. In the final rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the SIP revision as a direct final rule without prior proposal, because EPA views this as a noncontroversial revision and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approval is set forth in the direct final rule. If we do not receive any adverse comments in response to these direct final and proposed rules, we do not contemplate taking any further action in relation to this proposed rule. If EPA receives adverse comments, we will withdraw the direct final rule and will respond to all public comments in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period on this action. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is announcing a public meeting of the SAB Ecological Processes and Effects Committee to review the EPA Region 6 Geographic Information System Screening Tool (GISST).

On August 10, 2005, the State of Tennessee, through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Air Pollution Control Division, submitted a final request: To redesignate the Montgomery County, Tennessee portion of the Clarksville- Hopkinsville 8-hour ozone nonattainment area to attainment for the 8- hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), and to approve a Tennessee State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision containing a 12-year maintenance plan for Montgomery County, Tennessee. The interstate Clarksville-Hopkinsville 8-hour ozone nonattainment area is comprised of two counties (i.e., Christian County, Kentucky and Montgomery County, Tennessee). EPA is approving the 8-hour ozone redesignation request for the Montgomery County, Tennessee portion of the Clarksville-Hopkinsville 8-hour ozone nonattainment area. Additionally, EPA is approving the 8-hour ozone maintenance plan for Montgomery County, Tennessee. This approval is based on EPA's determination that the State of Tennessee has demonstrated that Montgomery County, Tennessee has met the criteria for redesignation to attainment specified in the Clean Air Act (CAA), including the determination that the entire Clarksville-Hopkinsville 8-hour ozone nonattainment area has attained the 8-hour ozone standard. On March 21, 2005, the Commonwealth of Kentucky submitted a redesignation request and maintenance plan for the Christian County, Kentucky portion of this area for EPA parallel processing. In this action, EPA is also providing information on the status of its transportation conformity adequacy determination for the new motor vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) for the year 2016 that are contained in the 12-year 8-hour ozone maintenance plan for Montgomery County, Tennessee. EPA is approving such MVEBs.