Environmental Protection Agency February 28, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice of availability for a 45 day review and comment period is hereby given for the Draft Well Information Data Standard. The Draft Well Information Data Standard describes data elements and data groupings that are used to exchange information about wells and is a supplement to the ESAR: Monitoring Location [EX000003.1] Data Standard when well information is being exchanged. It includes information about well ownership, location, use, construction, and where samples or measurements are made. The user may find that the information here can be very detailed, however, it should be noted that it provides structure for those data that are available and there is need to exchange. States and U.S. EPA completed a technical review of this standard in the Fall of 2005.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development's National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) is announcing the availability of a final document, ``Air Quality Criteria for Ozone and Related Photochemical Oxidants (Final),'' Volumes I, II, and III, EPA 600/R-05/004aF-cF.

EPA is approving the maintenance plan for the Douglas area in Cochise County, Arizona and granting the request submitted by the State to redesignate this area from nonattainment to attainment for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for sulfur dioxide (SO2). Elsewhere in this Federal Register, we are proposing approval and soliciting written comment on this action; if adverse written comments are received, we will withdraw the direct final rule and address the comments received in a new final rule; otherwise no further rulemaking will occur on this approval action.

EPA is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the state of Iowa for the purpose of establishing exemptions for indoor sources of air pollution that are not directly vented to the outside but have emissions that leave the building through doors, vents or other means. This revision also clarifies that the permitting exemptions do not relieve the owner or operator of any source from any obligation to comply with any other applicable requirements. The state has determined that air pollution emissions from this equipment are negligible and these exemptions are likely to result in no significant impact on human health or the environment.

On November 25, 2005 (70 FR 70999), EPA published a direct final rule approving revisions to Indiana's sulfur dioxide (SO2) state implementation plan (SIP) for sources located in Dearborn County. These revisions to the SIP include: revising SO2 emission limits for existing sources; making minor corrections by removing obsolete rule language; and updating information for sources listed in the rule. On November 25, 2005 (70 FR 71071), EPA also published a proposed rule on this revision. The direct final rule stated that if EPA received an adverse comment, EPA would withdraw the direct final rule and address all public comments received in a subsequent final rule based on the proposed rule. EPA received an adverse comment and removed the direct final rule on January 27, 2006 (71 FR 4490). This rule responds to the comments received and announces EPA's final action.