Environmental Protection Agency October 12, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This Notice is a Federal Agency announcement of the triennial national enforcement and compliance assurance priorities to be addressed for fiscal years 2008, 2009 and 2010. EPA appreciates the comments submitted in March 2007 during the priority identification process in response to the February 9, 2007 Federal Register Notice (72 FR 6239). The final priority selections have been incorporated into the EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance National Program Managers' (NPM) Guidance (which provides national program direction for all EPA Regional offices). These priorities also support implementation of the enforcement and compliance goals and objectives outlined in Goal 5 of EPA's Strategic Plan, as mandated under the Government Performance and Results Act.

This notice announces the Fifteenth Public Meeting of the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force. The purpose of this Task Force, consisting of federal and state members, is to lead efforts to coordinate and support nutrient management and hypoxia-related activities in the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico watersheds. The matter for discussion at the meeting is the Reassessment of the Action Plan for Reducing, Mitigating, and Controlling Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. The Plan was developed in fulfillment of a requirement of section 604(b) of the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research Control Act (Pub. L. 105- 383Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998) and was submitted as a Report to Congress on January 18, 2001. The public will be afforded an opportunity to provide input to the Task Force during open discussion periods.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is announcing the formation of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) Carbon Monoxide Review Panel (or Panel). The Panel will provide advice to the EPA Administrator regarding the primary national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for carbon monoxide (CO). The SAB is hereby soliciting nominations of technical experts for Panel membership.

EPA is taking direct final action under the Clean Air Act to approve a revision to the San Francisco Bay Area portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision consists of transportation conformity criteria and procedures related to interagency consultation and enforceability of certain transportation- related control measures and mitigation measures. The intended effect is to update the transportation conformity criteria and procedures in the applicable SIP.

EPA is taking final action to approve a revision to the Florida State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted on March 16, 2007. 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 Florida. As a result of this action, EPA will also withdraw, through a separate rulemaking, the CAIR Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) concerning sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX) annual, and NOX ozone season emissions for Florida. 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 SO2 and NOX that significantly contribute to, and interfere with maintenance of, the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for fine particulates (PM2.5) 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, Florida 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.