Environmental Protection Agency October 8, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to grant conditional approval of Missouri's attainment demonstration State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the lead National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) nonattainment area of Herculaneum, Missouri. The state asserts that it will adopt and submit specific enforceable measures to EPA by date certain, which will be no later than one year following any EPA approval of the plan, in order to meet the conditions described in this proposal. EPA proposes conditional approval because Missouri's SIP submission provides substantial progress toward improving air quality, and Missouri has committed to submitting a SIP revision to meet all applicable requirements of the Clean Air Act.

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of cymoxanil in or on bulb onion subgroup 3-07A; green onion subgroup 3- 07B; leafy greens subgroup 4A; leaf petioles subgroup 4B; cilantro leaves; and caneberry subgroup 13-07A. The Interregional Research Project (IR-4) requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). This regulation also deletes the tolerances for caneberry and head lettuce.

This notice announces EPA's receipt of an application 264-EUP- 140 from Bayer CropScience requesting to amend and extend the existing an experimental use permit (EUP) for the Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein and the genetic material necessary for its production in event T303-3 and T304-40 cotton plants. The Agency has determined that the permit may be of regional and national significance. Therefore, in accordance with 40 CFR 172.11(a), the Agency is soliciting comments on this application.

On or about October 3, 2008, the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) of EPA is making available for public review and comment additional sections of a draft document titled, Risk and Exposure Assessment to Support the Review of the NO 2 Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard: Second Draft which was originally announced in a September 2, 2008 Federal Register notice (73 FR 51297). The additional sections being released at this time are Chapter 8 and a revised Appendix B. The purposes of these two sections are to convey the approach taken to characterize NO2 exposures, to convey the approach taken to characterize health risks associated with those exposures, and to present the results of those analyses.

In accordance with section 6(f)(1) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended, EPA is issuing a notice of receipt of requests by the registrants to voluntarily cancel and amend their registrations to terminate uses of certain products. EPA intends to grant these requests at the close of the comment period for this announcement unless the Agency receives substantive comments within the comment period that would merit its further review of the requests, or unless the registrants withdraw their requests within this period. Upon acceptance of these requests, any sale, distribution, or use of products listed in this notice will be permitted only if such sale, distribution, or use is consistent with the terms as described in the final order.

This notice announces the availability of EPA's proposed registration review decisions for the pesticides cases,Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas syringae, and opens a public comment period on the proposed registration review decisions. Registration review is EPA's periodic review of pesticide registrations to ensure that each pesticide continues to satisfy the statutory standard for registration, that is, that the pesticide can perform its intended function without unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment. Through this program, EPA is ensuring that each pesticide's registration is based on current scientific and other knowledge, including its effects on human health and the environment.

We are setting emission standards for new nonroad spark- ignition engines that will substantially reduce emissions from these engines. The exhaust emission standards apply starting in 2010 for new marine spark-ignition engines, including first-time EPA standards for sterndrive and inboard engines. The exhaust emission standards apply starting in 2011 and 2012 for different sizes of new land-based, spark- ignition engines at or below 19 kilowatts (kW). These small engines are used primarily in lawn and garden applications. We are also adopting evaporative emission standards for vessels and equipment using any of these engines. In addition, we are making other minor amendments to our regulations. We estimate that by 2030, this rule will result in significantly reduced pollutant emissions from regulated engine and equipment sources, including estimated annual nationwide reductions of 604,000 tons of volatile organic hydrocarbon emissions, 132,200 tons of NOX emissions, and 5,500 tons of directly-emitted particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions. These reductions correspond to significant reductions in the formation of ground-level ozone. We also expect to see annual reductions of 1,461,000 tons of carbon monoxide emissions, with the greatest reductions in areas where there have been problems with individual exposures. The requirements in this rule will substantially benefit public health and welfare and the environment. We estimate that by 2030, on an annual basis, these emission reductions will prevent 230 PM-related premature deaths, between 77 and 350 ozone-related premature deaths, approximately 1,700 hospitalizations and emergency room visits, 23,000 work days lost, 180,000 lost school days, 590,000 acute respiratory symptoms, and other quantifiable benefits every year. The total annual benefits of this rule in 2030 are estimated to be between $1.8 billion and $4.4 billion, assuming a 3% discount rate. The total annual benefits of this rule in 2030 are estimated to be between $1.6 billion and $4.3 billion, assuming a 7% discount rate. Estimated costs in 2030 are many times less at approximately $190 million.