Environmental Protection Agency March 10, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency is taking final action to grant a specific exemption from requirements to petition the Agency in order to import used ozone-depleting substances. The exemption would apply to entities that import spherical pressure vessels containing halon 1301 for aircraft fire extinguishing (``aircraft halon bottles'') for purposes of hydrostatic testing. This final rule reduces the administrative burden on entities that are importing aircraft halon bottles for the purpose of maintaining these bottles to meet commercial safety specifications and standards set forth in airworthiness directives of the Federal Aviation Administration. This action does not exempt entities that import bulk quantities of halon-1301 in containers that are being imported for other purposes.

EPA is taking final action to approve one state implementation plan (SIP) revision, and to approve in part and to disapprove in part a second SIP revision, submitted by the California Air Resources Board to provide for attainment of the one-hour ozone standard and maintenance of the nitrogen dioxide standard in the Los Angeles-South Coast Air Basin. The two SIP revisions include the 2003 State Strategy and the 2003 South Coast SIP, both of which were submitted on January 9, 2004. With respect to the 2003 State Strategy, EPA is taking final action to approve the commitment by the State to develop and propose near-term defined measures sufficient to achieve specific emissions reductions in the South Coast and to continue implementation of an existing measure. With respect to the 2003 South Coast SIP, EPA is taking final action to approve certain elements, and to disapprove other elements. The plan elements that are being disapproved are not required under the Clean Air Act because they represent revisions to previously-approved SIP elements, and thus, the disapprovals will not affect the requirements for the State to have an approved SIP for these SIP elements. Therefore, the disapprovals do not trigger sanctions clocks nor EPA's obligation to promulgate a Federal implementation plan. EPA is taking these actions under provisions of the Clean Air Act regarding EPA action on SIP submittals and plan requirements for nonattainment areas.