Environmental Protection Agency March 8, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92463, EPA gives notice of a meeting of the Good Neighbor Environmental Board (Board). The Board usually meets three times each calendar year, twice at different locations along the U.S. border with Mexico, and once in Washington, DC. It was created in 1992 by the Enterprise for the Americas Initiative Act, Public Law 102-532, 7 U.S.C. Section 5404. Implementing authority was delegated to the Administrator of EPA under Executive Order 12916. The Board is responsible for providing advice to the President and the Congress on environmental and infrastructure issues and needs within the States contiguous to Mexico in order to improve the quality of life of persons residing on the United States side of the border. The statute calls for the Board to have representatives from U.S. Government agencies; the States of Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas; and Tribal and private organizations to provide advice on environmental and infrastructure issues along the U.S.-Mexico border. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the Board's 14th report, which will focus on the environmental and economic benefits of renewable energy in the border region. A copy of the meeting agenda will be posted at https://www.epa.gov/ocem/gneb.

In accordance with section 113(g) of the Clean Air Act, as amended (``CAA'' or the ``Act''), 42 U.S.C. 7413(g), notice is hereby given of a proposed consent decree to address a lawsuit filed by WildEarth Guardians in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico: WildEarth Guardians v. Jackson, No. 6:10-;cv- ;00877-MCA-RHS (D. NM). Plaintiff filed a deadline suit to compel the Administrator to respond to an administrative petition seeking EPA's objection to a CAA Title V operating permit issued by the New Mexico Environment Department, Air Quality Bureau to Williams Four Corners LLC for the Sims (also spelled as ``Simms'') Mesa Central Delivery Point facility. Under the terms of the proposed consent decree, EPA has agreed to respond to the petition by April 29, 2011, or within 30 days of the entry date of this Consent Decree, whichever is later.

EPA is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision, submitted by the State of Oregon on December 20, 2010, with supplemental information submitted February 1, 2011, as meeting the requirements of Clean Air Act (CAA) section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II) as it applies to visibility for the 1997 8-hour ozone and 1997 particulate matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). EPA is also proposing to approve a portion of the SIP submittal, as meeting certain requirements of the regional haze program, including the Federal regulations for best available retrofit technology (BART).

EPA is taking final action to approve a request submitted on July 14, 2010, and amended on September 9, 2010, from the State of Tennessee, through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Air Pollution Control Division, to redesignate the Knoxville, Tennessee 8-hour ozone nonattainment area to attainment for the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). The Knoxville, Tennessee 1997 8-hour ozone nonattainment area comprises Anderson, Blount, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, and Sevier Counties in their entireties, and the portion of Cocke County that falls within the boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (hereinafter referred to as the ``Knoxville Area'' or ``Area''). EPA's approval of the redesignation request is based on the determination that the State of Tennessee has met the criteria for redesignation to attainment set forth in the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act), including the determination that the Knoxville Area has attained the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS. Additionally, EPA is approving a revision to the Tennessee State Implementation Plan (SIP) to include the 1997 8-hour ozone maintenance plan for the Knoxville Area that contains the new 2024 motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) for nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). This action also approves the emissions inventory submitted with the maintenance plan. As part of this final action, EPA considered the adverse comments received; a response to comments is included in this final action.