Environmental Protection Agency August 6, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is taking final action to approve a revision to the Iowa State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted on August 15, 2006. This revision addresses the requirements of EPA's Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) promulgated on May 12, 2005, and subsequently revised on April 28, 2006, and December 13, 2006. EPA has determined that the SIP revision fully implements the CAIR requirements for Iowa. As a result of this action, EPA will also withdraw, through a separate rulemaking, the CAIR Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) concerning SO2, NOX annual, and NOX ozone season emissions for Iowa. The CAIR FIPs for all States in the CAIR region were promulgated on April 28, 2006, and subsequently revised on December 13, 2006. CAIR requires States to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) that significantly contribute to, and interfere with maintenance of, the national ambient air quality standards for fine particulates and/or ozone in any downwind state. CAIR establishes State budgets for SO2 and NOX and requires States to submit SIP revisions that implement these budgets in States that EPA concluded did contribute to nonattainment in downwind states. States have the flexibility to choose which control measures to adopt to achieve the budgets, including participating in the EPA-administered cap-and-trade programs. In the SIP revision that EPA is approving today, Iowa has met the CAIR requirements by electing to participate in the EPA- administered cap-and-trade programs addressing SO2, NOX annual, and NOX ozone season emissions.

EPA is taking direct final action to approve a revision to the Maricopa County portion of the Arizona State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision concerns reductions of particulate matter (PM) emissions from the paving of unpaved roads and the use of these reductions to satisfy the offset requirements under the new source review provisions of the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 (CAA or the Act). We are approving a local rule which assures that the PM emission reductions resulting from the road paving meet the criteria for valid offsets under the Act.