Environmental Protection Agency October 5, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is extending the comment period for a proposed rule published September 9, 2005 (70 FR 53605). On September 9, 2005, EPA proposed to approve the State of Indiana's request to redesignate the Evansville area (Vanderburgh and Warrick Counties) to attainment of the 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard. In conjunction with the proposed approval of the redesignation request for the Evansville area, EPA proposed to approve the State's ozone maintenance plan for the 8-hour ozone NAAQS through 2015 in this area as a revision to the Indiana State Implementation Plan. EPA also proposed to approve 2015 Volatile Organic Compounds and Oxides of Nitrogen Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets, which are supported by and consistent with the 10- year maintenance plan for this area, for purposes of transportation conformity. In response to a September 9, 2005, request from Valley Watch, Inc., EPA is extending the comment period for 7 days.

Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S. App.2 (Public Law 92-463), EPA gives notice of a 2-day meeting of the National Pollution Prevention and Toxics Advisory Committee (NPPTAC). The purpose of the meeting is to provide advice and recommendations to EPA regarding the overall policy and operations of the programs of the Office of Pollution, Prevention and Toxics (OPPT).

EPA is proposing to conditionally approve revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) concerning the Discrete Emission Credit Banking and Trading Program. Additionally, we are proposing approval of a subsection of Chapter 115 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Control of Air Pollution from Volatile Organic Compounds, which cross-references the Discrete Emission Credit Banking and Trading Program. We are also proposing approval of a subsection of 30 TAC Chapter 116, Control of Air Pollution by Permits for New Construction or Modification, which provides a definition referred to in the Discrete Emission Credit Banking and Trading Program.

EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan concerning the Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compound Emissions Cap and Trade Program for the Houston/Galveston/ Brazoria ozone nonattainment area. These revisions were adopted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on December 01, 2004, as new sections 101.390-101.394, 101.396, 101.399-101.401, and 101.403, and submitted to EPA as a SIP revision on December 17, 2004. In related rulemakings today, EPA is also proposing approval of additional revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan.

EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the State of Texas as it applies to the Houston/Galveston/Brazoria (HGB) Ozone nonattainment area. These plan revisions result from more recent information on ozone formation in the Houston/Galveston area indicating that a combination of controls on oxides of Nitrogen (NOX) and highly reactive volatile organic compounds (HRVOCs) should be more effective in reducing ozone than the measures in the previously approved plan which relied almost exclusively on control of NOX. Approval of these revisions will incorporate these changes into the federally approved SIP.