Environmental Protection Agency September 27, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is taking final action to approve the State of Nevada's request to redesignate to attainment the Las Vegas Valley nonattainment area for the carbon monoxide national ambient air quality standard. EPA is also taking final action to approve the carbon monoxide maintenance plan and motor vehicle emissions budgets for the area, as well as certain additional revisions to the Nevada state implementation plan that relate to Las Vegas Valley. These revisions include the suspension of a local wintertime cleaner burning gasoline rule, and the relaxation of a State rule governing wintertime gasoline in Clark County. EPA's proposed approval of the redesignation request and maintenance plan had been made contingent upon receipt of a supplemental submittal from the State of Nevada containing a commitment to seek reinstatement of the existing vapor pressure limit in the State wintertime gasoline rule, if necessary, to implement the related contingency measure in the maintenance plan. Nevada has now submitted, and EPA is today approving, the necessary commitment as a revision to the Nevada state implementation plan.

EPA proposes to approve the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland. This SIP revision includes amendments to Maryland's regulation for Volatile Organic Compounds from Specific Processes, and meets the requirement to adopt Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) for sources covered by EPA's Control Techniques Guidelines (CTG) for flexible packaging printing. These amendments will reduce emissions of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from flexible packaging printing. In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State's SIP submittal 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 action, 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 If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule.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. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

EPA is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the Michigan State Implementation Plan (SIP). The revisions serve to meet specific requirements of the prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) construction permit program under the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA). This program affects major stationary sources in Michigan that are subject to or potentially subject to the PSD construction permit program. On July 16, 2010, Michigan submitted revisions pertaining to the ``net emission increase'' definition and the ``reasonable possibility'' recordkeeping and reporting requirements, and EPA has found the revisions acceptable.

EPA is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland. This SIP revision includes amendments to Maryland's regulation for Volatile Organic Compounds from Specific Processes. Specifically, Maryland is amending its regulations by adopting the requirements of EPA's Control Technique Guidelines (CTG) for paper, film, and foil coatings. These amendments will reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from this source category. In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State's SIP submittal as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial submittal and anticipates no adverse comments. A more detailed description of the state submittal and EPA's evaluation are included in a Technical Support Document (TSD) prepared in support of this rulemaking action. A copy of the TSD is available, upon request, from the EPA Regional Office listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. If no adverse comments are received in response to this action, 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. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.