Environmental Protection Agency August 22, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA expressed environmental concerns about unavoidable impacts to air quality, environmental justice communities, aquatic and biological resources. EPA recommended commitments to meet air emission reductions, coordination with the environmental justice community to identify additional measures to offset health impacts, avoidance of fill, and development of a port-wide vessel whale strike avoidance program. Rating EC2. EIS No. 20080230, ERP No. D-COE-K39113-CA, Natomas Levee Improvement Project, Issuing of 408 Permission and 404 Permit, Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, Sutter and Sacramento, CA. Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the proposal's compliance with the Clean Water Act Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines and potential impacts to wetlands. EPA also expressed environmental concerns about potential impacts to air quality, as well as the indirect and cumulative impacts of residential development associated with the levee improvement project and the residual flood risk to residential developments in the floodplain. EPA recommended that additional information be provided in the Final EIS regarding compliance with the Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines, floodplain management efforts in the area, and how the project and future development would be consistent with the Natomas Basin Habitat Conservation Plan Rating EC2. EIS No. 20080241, ERP No. D-USN-D11044-00, Virginia Capes (VACAPES) Range Complex, Proposed action is to Support and Conduct Current and Emerging Training and RDT & E Operations, Chesapeake Bay, DE, MD, VA, and NC. Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about impacts to the Lower Chesapeake Bay, water quality, marine mammals/threatened and endangered species, historic resources, effects from hazardous materials, and cumulative impacts. Additional information was requested to better assess the impacts. Rating EC2.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public teleconference of the SAB Ecological Processes and Effects Committee Augmented for the Advisory on EPA's Aquatic Life Water Quality Criteria. The teleconference is being held to discuss the Committee's draft advisory report.

EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the State Implementation Plan submitted by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources on behalf of the State of North Carolina on April 16, 2001, April 4, 2003, and December 14, 2004. The purpose of these revisions is to require continuous emissions monitoring systems be used to determine compliance; specify a 24-hour block averaging time for sulfur dioxide emissions; make a correction to a cross-reference; provide options for supplying missing data and for determining heat input; and make several revisions to permit exemptions. This action is being taken pursuant to section 110 of the Clean Air Act. In the Final Rules Section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State's SIP revision as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial submittal and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approval is set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse comments are received in response to this rule, 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 on this document. Any parties interested in commenting on this document should do so at this time.