Environmental Protection Agency March 10, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is proposing to amend a significant new use rule (SNUR) under section 5(a)(2) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to include certain perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFAS) substances. EPA is proposing to amend the PFAS SNUR at 40 CFR 721.9582 by adding a new Table 3 containing the remaining PFAS chemicals on the TSCA Inventory that are not already regulated by the SNUR. This proposed rule would require manufacturers, including importers, to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing the manufacture or import of the PFAS chemicals listed in Table 3 of the regulatory text proposed herein for the significant new uses described in this document on or after April 10, 2006. EPA believes that this action is necessary because these chemical substances may be hazardous to human health and the environment. The required notice will provide EPA the opportunity to evaluate intended significant new uses and associated activities before they occur and, if necessary, to prohibit or limit those uses or activities.

EPA is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP). This action approves provisions for alternate language public notice for certain preconstruction permits or permit renewals and provisions for preconstruction permit renewals. It approves SIP revisions that Texas submitted to EPA on August 31, 1993; April 29, 1994; August 17, 1994; and July 22, 1998. The provisions that EPA is approving supplement the current requirements for new construction and modifications and are more stringent than the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act) and EPA regulations. We are approving the revisions under sections 110 and 116 of the Act.

Today, EPA is proposing a rule to govern the review and handling of air quality monitoring data influenced by exceptional events. Exceptional events are events for which the normal planning and regulatory process established by the Clean Air Act (CAA) is not appropriate. In this rulemaking action, EPA is proposing to: Implement section 319(b)(3)(B) and section 107(d)(3) authority to exclude air quality monitoring data from regulatory determinations related to exceedances or violations of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and avoid designating an area as nonattainment, redesignating an area as nonattainment, or reclassifying an existing nonattainment area to a higher classification if a State adequately demonstrates that an exceptional event has caused an exceedance or violation of a NAAQS. Also, EPA is proposing four options with respect to whether, and to what extent, States should be required to take additional actions to address public health impacts related to the event.