Environmental Protection Agency January 5, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is proposing to approve Michigan's request for a revision to its Clean Air Act State Implementation Plan which provides for exemptions for major sources of nitrogen oxides (NOX) from the Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) and New Source Review (NSR) requirements for NOX. The review is for sources in eleven counties located in six of Michigan's eight-hour ozone non- attainment areas. Section 182(f) of the Clean Air Act allows this exemption for areas where additional reductions in NOX will not contribute to attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone. We are proposing approval of the exemption for each of the six non-attainment areas.

The EPA is proposing to approve State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the state of Maine. These revisions establish a 15% VOC emission reduction plan, and revised 1990 base year emissions inventory, for the Portland Maine one-hour ozone nonattainment area. Additionally, these revisions establish a 5% increment of progress emission reduction plan, 2002 base year inventory, and transportation conformity budget for the Portland Maine eight-hour ozone nonattainment area. The intended effect of this action is to propose approval of these plans as revisions to the Maine SIP. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act.

EPA is promulgating National Primary Drinking Water Regulations that require the use of treatment techniques, along with monitoring, reporting, and public notification requirements, for all public water systems that use surface water sources. The purposes of the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2ESWTR) are to protect public health from illness due to Cryptosporidium and other microbial pathogens in drinking water and to address risk-risk trade- offs with the control of disinfection byproducts. Key provisions in the LT2ESWTR include the following: source water monitoring for Cryptosporidium, with a screening procedure to reduce monitoring costs for small systems; risk-targeted Cryptosporidium treatment by filtered systems with the highest source water Cryptosporidium levels; inactivation of Cryptosporidium by all unfiltered systems; criteria for the use of Cryptosporidium treatment and control processes; and covering or treating uncovered finished water storage facilities. EPA believes that implementation of the LT2ESWTR will significantly reduce levels of infectious Cryptosporidium in finished drinking water. This will substantially lower rates of endemic cryptosporidiosis, the illness caused by Cryptosporidium, which can be severe and sometimes fatal in sensitive subpopulations (e.g., infants, people with weakened immune systems). In addition, the treatment technique requirements of this regulation will increase protection against other microbial pathogens like Giardia lamblia.