Environmental Protection Agency February 24, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The EPA is hereby granting a waiver of the Buy America requirements of ARRA Section 1605 under the authority of Section 1605(b)(1) [inconsistent with the public interest] to the Old Town Water District (``Town'') in Old Town, Maine for the purchase of GreensandPlus pressure filter media, manufactured in Brazil, for two of the 12 foot diameter filters. This is a project specific waiver and only applies to the use of the specified product for the ARRA project being proposed. Any other ARRA recipient that wishes to use the same product must apply for a separate waiver based on project specific circumstances. The Town evaluated three different types of pressure filter media during a pilot test in April of 2008 and, well before the enactment of ARRA, selected GreensandPlus filter media. The media was purchased for the first two of four filter beds in October 2008, when the price of the media was determined for all four beds. The media was installed in two of the filter beds in January 2009. The ARRA funded project is for the other two filter beds in the Old Town Water District system. If an alternate domestic filter media were to be installed in the remaining two filter beds, the Maine Drinking Water Program would require replacement of the underdrain and associated piping, which would increase the cost of the project from $40,019 to $86,405. Based upon information submitted by the Town, its consulting engineer, and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (MEDHHS), EPA has concluded that, under these circumstances, requiring the installation of an alternative domestic filter media would be inconsistent with the public interest, and that a waiver of the Buy American provisions is justified. The Regional Administrator is making this determination based on the review and recommendations of the Municipal Assistance Unit. The Assistant Administrator of the Office of Administration and Resources Management has concurred on this decision to make an exception to the requirements of Section 1605(a) of ARRA. This action permits the purchase of GreensandPlus pressure filter media, as specified in its November 7, 2009 request.

The EPA is hereby granting a waiver of the Buy America requirements of ARRA Section 1605 under the authority of Section 1605(b)(2) [manufactured goods are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality] to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (``MWRA'') for the purchase of a 1.5 megawatt (MW) foreign manufactured wind turbine for the DeLauri Pump Station Renewable Energy Project in Charlestown, Massachusetts. This is a project specific waiver and only applies to the use of the specified product for the ARRA project being proposed. Any other ARRA recipient that wishes to use the same product must apply for a separate waiver based on project specific circumstances. Based upon information submitted by the MWRA, it has been determined that there is currently no domestically manufactured wind turbine available or one that can be supplied to meet its proposed project specifications. The Regional Administrator is making this determination based on the review and recommendations of the Municipal Assistance Unit. The Assistant Administrator of the Office of Administration and Resources Management has concurred on this decision to make an exception to Section 1605 of ARRA. This action permits the purchase of a foreign manufactured 1.5 MW wind turbine by the MWRA, as specified in its November 19, 2009 request.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit requests to renew several currently approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The ICRs are specifically identified in this document by their corresponding titles, EPA ICR numbers, OMB Control numbers, and related docket identification (ID) numbers. Before submitting these ICRs to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the information collection activities.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is scheduled to expire on July 31, 2010. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

In this notice, EPA is notifying the public that we have found that the motor vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) as precursors to ozone in the Ohio and Indiana portions of the Cincinnati-Hamilton, OH/KY/IN ozone nonattainment area are adequate for use in transportation conformity determinations. Ohio submitted a redesignation request and maintenance plan for Cincinnati, Ohio on December 14, 2009. The MVEBs in the submittal include emissions for the Ohio portion and also the Indiana portion of the Cincinnati area. Indiana submitted a redesignation request and maintenance plan for Lawrenceburg Township in Dearborn County, Indiana, which is part of the Cincinnati 8-hour ozone nonattainment area, on January 21, 2010. Indiana and Ohio submitted identical MVEBs for the combined Ohio and Indiana portions of the Cincinnati area.

This is a clarification under which certain activated phosphors that are not on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) section 8(b) Chemical Substance Inventory (TSCA Inventory) will be considered to be new chemical substances under TSCA section 5, and thus will be subject to applicable notification requirements under TSCA section 5. In certain letters and other statements issued by EPA from 1978 to 2003, the Agency erroneously indicated that activated phosphors (otherwise known as doped phosphors) constitute mixtures of phosphors and dopants for purposes of the TSCA Inventory, and thus that they were not separately reportable as chemical substances under TSCA section 5(a) new chemical notification requirements. This clarification is necessary because EPA's statements in this area have not been consistent.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of laminarin in or on all food commodities when applied preharvest as a biochemical pesticide to stimulate natural defense mechanisms in plants. Laboratoires Go[euml]mar SA c/o SciReg, Inc. submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of laminarin.

This notice announces EPA's order for the cancellations, voluntarily requested by the registrants and accepted by the Agency, of products containing the pesticides listed in Table 1, pursuant to section 6(f)(1) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended. This cancellation order follows a December 18, 2009 Federal Register Notice of Receipt of Requests from the registrants listed in Table 1 to voluntarily cancel these product registrations. These are not the last products containing these pesticides registered for use in the United States. In the December 18, 2009 Notice (74 FR 67211), EPA indicated that it would issue an order implementing the cancellations, unless the Agency received substantive comments within the 30-day comment period that would merit its further review of these requests, or unless the registrants withdrew their requests within this period. The Agency did not receive any comments on the notice. Further, the registrants did not withdraw their requests. Accordingly, EPA hereby issues in this notice a cancellation order granting the requested cancellations. Any distribution, sale, or use of the products subject to this cancellation order is permitted only in accordance with the terms of this order, including any existing stocks provisions.

EPA is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the Commonwealth of Virginia State Implementation Plan (SIP). The revisions update methods for determining compliance with opacity standards for existing, new and modified stationary sources. EPA is approving these revisions in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

This notice announces EPA's order for the cancellation, voluntarily requested by the registrant and accepted by the Agency, of products containing the pesticide difenzoquat, pursuant to section 6(f)(1) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended. This cancellation order follows a November 25, 2009 Federal Register Notice of Receipt of Request from the registrant listed in Table 1 to voluntarily cancel these product registrations. These are the last products containing these pesticides registered for use in the United States. In the November 25, 2009 Notice, EPA indicated that it would issue an order implementing the cancellations, unless the Agency received substantive comments within the 30-day comment period that would merit its further review of these requests, or unless the registrant withdrew their request within this period. The Agency did not receive any comments on the Notice. Further, the registrant did not withdraw their request. Accordingly, EPA hereby issues in this Notice a cancellation order granting the requested cancellations. Any distribution, sale, or use of the products subject to this cancellation order is permitted only in accordance with the terms of this order, including any existing stocks provisions.