Environmental Protection Agency December 7, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is proposing to approve several revisions to the South Carolina State Implementation Plan (SIP), submitted by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) on April 13, 2005, and October 24, 2005. Both revisions include modifications to South Carolina's Regulation 61-62.1 ``Definitions and General Requirements.'' In the April 13, 2005, submission, Regulation 61-62.1 is being amended to be consistent with the new Federal emissions reporting requirements, referred to as the Consolidated Emissions Reporting Rule (CERR), and to streamline the existing emissions inventory requirements. SC DHEC is taking an action that is consistent with the final rule, published on June 10, 2002 (67 FR 39602). The October 24, 2005 submittal revises the definition of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). The revision adds several compounds to the list of compounds excluded from the definition of VOC on the basis that they make a negligible contribution to ozone formation, and similarly removes several compounds from the definition of VOC. This action is being taken pursuant to section 110 of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

EPA proposes to approve the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Delaware for the purpose of establishing clear regulatory language that all preconstruction air quality permits issued pursuant to Delaware's Regulation 1102 are federally enforceable, regardless of whether they are intended to limit potential to emit. In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State's SIP submittal as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial submittal and anticipates no adverse comments. If no adverse comments are received in response to this action, no further activity is contemplated. If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

EPA is proposing to make determinations under the Clean Air Act (CAA) that the nonattainment areas of Grand Rapids (Kent and Ottawa Counties), Kalamazoo-Battle Creek (Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and Van Buren Counties), Lansing-East Lansing (Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham Counties), Benzie County, Huron County, and Mason County have attained the 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). These determinations are based on two three-year periods of complete, quality-assured ambient air quality monitoring data for the 2002-2004 seasons and the 2003-2005 seasons that demonstrate that the 8-hour ozone NAAQS have been attained in the areas. EPA is proposing to approve requests from the State of Michigan to redesignate the Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo-Battle Creek, Lansing-East Lansing, Benzie County, Huron County, and Mason County areas to attainment of the 8-hour ozone NAAQS. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) submitted these requests on May 9, 2006 and supplemented them on May 26, 2006 and August 25, 2006. In proposing to approve these requests, EPA is also proposing to approve, as revisions to the Michigan State Implementation Plan (SIP), the State's plans for maintaining the 8-hour ozone NAAQS through 2018 in the areas. EPA also finds adequate and is proposing to approve the State's 2018 Motor Vehicle Emission Budgets (MVEBs) for the Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo- Battle Creek, Lansing-East Lansing, Benzie County, Huron County, and Mason County areas.