Environmental Protection Agency July 16, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is proposing to approve a redesignation request and State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) is requesting that the Greene County 8-hour ozone nonattainment Area (referred to also as the ``Greene County Area'' or ``Area'') be redesignated as attainment for the 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). EPA is proposing to approve the ozone redesignation request for the Greene County Area. In conjunction with its redesignation request, the Commonwealth submitted a SIP revision consisting of a maintenance plan for the Greene County Area that provides for continued attainment of the 8-hour ozone NAAQS for at least 10 years after redesignation. EPA is proposing to make a determination that the Greene County Area has attained the 8-hour ozone NAAQS, based upon three years of complete, quality-assured ambient air quality monitoring data for 2003-2005. EPA's proposed approval of the 8-hour ozone redesignation request is based on its determination that the Greene County Area has met the criteria for redesignation to attainment specified in the Clean Air Act (CAA). In addition, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has also submitted a 2002 base-year inventory for the Greene County Area, and EPA is proposing to approve that inventory for the Area as a SIP revision. EPA is also providing information on the status of its adequacy determination for the motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) that are identified in the maintenance plan for the Greene County Area for purposes of transportation conformity, and is proposing to approve those MVEBs. EPA is proposing approval of the redesignation request, the maintenance plan, and 2002 base-year inventory SIP revisions in accordance with the requirements of the CAA.

Notice is hereby given that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated, in accordance with 40 CFR part 53, a new reference method for measuring concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) in the ambient air.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB) will hold an open meeting on August 4-5, 2008. EFAB is an EPA advisory committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) to provide advice and recommendations to EPA on creative approaches to funding environmental programs, projects, and activities. A meeting of the full board will be held to discuss progress with work products under EFAB's current Strategic Action Agenda and develop an action agenda to direct the Board's ongoing and new activities through FY 2009. Topics of discussion include financial assurance mechanisms; financing ecosystem services; leveraging the state revolving funds; and use of assessments and special districts in air pollution. The meeting is open to the public; however, seating is limited. All members of the public who wish to attend the meeting must register in advance, no later than Monday, July 21, 2008.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing approval of a revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for ozone submitted by the State of New Jersey. The SIP revision consists of a source-specific reasonably available control technology (RACT) determination for controlling oxides of nitrogen (NOX ) from stationary internal combustion engines operated by the Trigen-Trenton Energy Co., L.P. This action approves the source-specific RACT determination that was made by New Jersey in accordance with provisions of its regulation to help meet the national ambient air quality standard for ozone. The intended effect of this action is to approve source-specific emission limitations required by the Clean Air Act.

EPA is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District (MDAQMD) and Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD) portions of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from wood products and marine coating operations. We are approving local rules that regulate these emission sources under the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 (CAA or the Act).

This notice announces the availability of EPA's Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) for the pesticide tetramethrin. The Agency's risk assessments and other related documents also are available in the Tetramethrin Docket. Tetramethrin is a broad spectrum, synthetic pyrethroid insecticide used to control flying and crawling insects in a number of commercial, horticultural, and residential areas. EPA has reviewed tetramethrin through the public participation process that the Agency uses to involve the public in developing pesticide reregistration and tolerance reassessment decisions. Through these programs, EPA is ensuring that all pesticides meet current health and safety standards.

EPA is approving a revision to the Illinois Ozone State Implementation Plan (SIP). On August 17, 2005, Illinois requested that five compounds be added to its list of compounds that are exempt from being considered as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). EPA no longer considers four of the compounds to be VOCs for control and recordkeeping/reporting purposes because the compounds were shown to be negligibly photochemically reactive, and do not lead to ozone formation. EPA, however, determined that tertiary-butyl acetate (t- butyl acetate) has negligible contribution to ozone formation, and, therefore, is not considered a VOC for emission limits and VOC control requirements, it should, noneless, continue to be covered by recordkeeping, emission reporting, and inventory requirements. Illinois provided a supplementary submission on January 29, 2008, correcting the August 17, 2007, submittal by clarifying the restrictions pertaining to the compound t-butyl acetate.