Environmental Protection Agency October 17, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents
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Revisions to the Arizona State Implementation Plan, Pinal County Air Quality Control District
EPA is proposing a limited approval and limited disapproval of revisions to the Pinal County Air Quality Control District (PCAQCD) portion of the Arizona State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern particulate matter (PM-10) emissions from fugitive dust. We are proposing action on local rules that regulate these emission sources under the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 (CAA or the Act). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.
Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; Maine; Redesignation of the Portland, ME and the Hancock, Knox, Lincoln and Waldo Counties, Maine 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Areas to Attainment for Ozone
EPA is proposing to approve: A request to redesignate two 8- hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) nonattainment areas to attainment for the 8-hour ozone NAAQS; and a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision containing a separate 10-year maintenance plan for each area. The two areas are the Portland, Maine 8-hour ozone nonattainment area and the Hancock, Knox, Lincoln and Waldo Counties (Midcoast), Maine 8-hour ozone nonattainment area. 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 10-year 8- hour ozone maintenance plans for each area. EPA is proposing to approve MVEBs for both areas.
Announcement of the Delegation of Partial Administrative Authority for Implementation of Federal Implementation Plan for the Umatilla Indian Reservation to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
This action announces that on August 21, 2006, EPA Region 10 and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) entered into a Partial Delegation of Administrative Authority to carry out certain day-to-day activities associated with administration of the Federal Implementation Plan for the Umatilla Indian Reservation (Umatilla FIP). A note of this partial delegation is being added to the Umatilla FIP.
Regulatory Impact Analysis for the Review of the Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards
On October 6, 2006, EPA released the Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) for the revised particulate matter national ambient air quality standards. This RIA provides EPA's estimates of the range of the monetized human health benefits, control costs, and net benefits associated with meeting the revised suite of standards for fine particles (PM2.5) that are published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, as well as for meeting a more stringent alternative. The final rule established a 24-hour standard of 35 g/ m3 and retained the annual standard of 15 g/m3. The EPA also promulgated a final decision to retain the current 24-hour PM10 standards and to revoke the current annual PM10 standards, in order to maintain protection against the health and welfare effects of thoracic coarse particles (PM10-2.5). Data and modeling limitations preclude EPA from assessing the costs and benefits of retaining the existing PM10 24-hour standard.
Revisions to Ambient Air Monitoring Regulations
The EPA is issuing final amendments to the ambient air monitoring requirements for criteria pollutants. The purpose of the amendments is to enhance ambient air quality monitoring to better serve current and future air quality management and research needs. The final amendments establish limited ambient air monitoring requirements for thoracic coarse particles in the size range of PM10-2.5 to support continued research into these particles' distribution, sources, and health effects. The ambient air monitoring amendments also require each State to operate one to three monitoring stations that take an integrated, multipollutant approach to ambient air monitoring. In addition, the final amendments modify the general monitoring network design requirements for minimum numbers of ambient air monitors to focus on populated areas with air quality problems and to reduce significantly the requirements for criteria pollutant monitors that have measured ambient air concentrations well below the applicable National Ambient Air Quality Standards. These amendments also revise certain provisions regarding monitoring network descriptions and periodic assessments, quality assurance, and data certifications. A number of the amendments relate specifically to PM2.5, revising the requirements for reference and equivalent method determinations (including specifications and test procedures) for fine particle monitors.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter
Based on its review of the air quality criteria and national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM), EPA is making revisions to the primary and secondary NAAQS for PM to provide increased protection of public health and welfare, respectively. With regard to primary standards for fine particles (generally referring to particles less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers ([micro]m) in diameter, PM2.5), EPA is revising the level of the 24-hour PM2.5 standard to 35 micrograms per cubic meter ([micro]g/m\3\) and retaining the level of the annual PM2.5 standard at 15[micro]g/m\3\. With regard to primary standards for particles generally less than or equal to 10[mu]m in diameter (PM10), EPA is retaining the 24-hour PM10 and revoking the annual PM10 standard. With regard to secondary PM standards, EPA is making them identical in all respects to the primary PM standards, as revised.
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