Environmental Protection Agency September 2, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the EPA has posted its responses to state and tribal designation recommendations for the 2006 24-hour fine particles (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) on its Internet Web site at https://www.epa.gov/ pmdesignations/2006standards/index.htm. EPA invites public comments on its responses during the 30-day comment period specified below. EPA sent responses directly to the states on August 19 and tribes on or around August 20, 2008, and plans to make final designation determinations for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS by December 18, 2008.

Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92463, EPA gives notice of a meeting of the Good Neighbor Environmental Board (GNEB). The Board meets three times each calendar year at different locations along the U.S.-Mexico border and in Washington, DC. It was created by the Enterprise for the Americas Initiative Act of 1992. An Executive Order delegates implementing authority to the Administrator of EPA. The Board is responsible for providing advice to the President on environmental and infrastructure issues and needs within the States contiguous to Mexico. The statute calls for the Board to have representatives from U.S. Government agencies; the States of Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas; tribal representation; and a variety of non-governmental officials. The purpose of this meeting is to hear presentations on local environmental issues as well as the theme selected for the Board's Twelfth Report: Innovation, including Incentives, to Prevent/Reduce Pollution at the U.S.-Mexico Border. The meeting also will include a public comment session and a business meeting on the second day. A copy of the meeting agenda will be posted at https://www.epa.gov/ocem/gneb.

EPA is proposing to approve State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Utah on June 26, 2007 and April 17, 2008. The June 26, 2007 revision updates Section XII of the Utah SIP and Rule R307-110-20 of the Utah Administrative Code (UAC) to meet the federal transportation conformity consultation requirements. The amended Rule R307-110-20 incorporates by reference Section XII, ``Transportation Conformity Consultation,'' of the SIP. The April 17, 2008 revision makes minor changes to UAC sections R307-101-2, ``Definitions;'' R307-115-1, ``Determining Conformity;'' R307-170-7, ``Performance Specification Audits;'' and R307-310-2, ``Definitions;'' and adds R307-101-3, ``Version of CFR Incorporated by Reference.'' In the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State's SIP revisions as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views these as noncontroversial SIP revisions and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approval is set forth in the preamble to the direct final rule. If EPA receives no adverse comments, EPA will not take further action on this proposed rule. If EPA receives adverse comments, EPA will withdraw the direct final rule and it will not take effect. EPA will address all public comments in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period on this action. Any parties interested in commenting must do so at this time. Please note that if EPA receives adverse comment on an amendment, paragraph, or section of this rule and if that provision may be severed from the remainder of the rule, EPA may adopt as final those provisions of the rule that are not the subject of an adverse comment.

EPA is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District (AVAQMD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). Under authority of the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 (CAA or the Act), we are approving minor administrative changes to local rules that address permitting requirements.