Environmental Protection Agency April 12, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is announcing that Eastern Research Group, Inc., an EPA contractor for external scientific peer review, will convene an independent panel of experts and organize and conduct an external peer review workshop to review the draft human health assessment titled, ``Toxicological Review of Hexavalent Chromium: In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)'' (EPA/ 635/R-10/004C). The draft assessment was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within the EPA Office of Research and Development. EPA is releasing this draft assessment solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. This draft assessment has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency policy or determination. Eastern Research Group, Inc. invites the public to register to attend this workshop as observers. In addition, Eastern Research Group, Inc. invites the public to give brief oral comments and/or provide written comments at the workshop regarding the draft assessment under review. Space is limited, and reservations will be accepted on a first- come, first-served basis. In preparing a final report, EPA will consider the Eastern Research Group, Inc., report of the comments and recommendations from the external peer review workshop and any written public comments that EPA receives in accordance with this notice.

EPA is proposing to determine that the Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, North Carolina-South Carolina nonattainment area has attained the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) based on quality assured, quality controlled monitoring data from 2008-2010. The Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, North Carolina-South Carolina 1997 8- hour ozone nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as the ``bi-state Charlotte Area'') is comprised of Cabarrus, Gaston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Union and a portion of Iredell (Davidson and Coddle Creek Townships) Counties in North Carolina; and a portion of York County in South Carolina. If this proposed determination is made final, the requirement for the States of North Carolina and South Carolina to submit an attainment demonstration and associated reasonably available control measures (RACM) analyses, reasonable further progress (RFP) plans, contingency measures, and other planning State Implementation Plans (SIPs) related to attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS for the bi-state Charlotte Area, shall be suspended for as long as the Area continues to meet the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS.

EPA is taking direct final action to convert a conditional approval of provisions in the Florida State Implementation Plan (SIP) to a full approval under the federal Clean Air Act (CAA or Act). On June 17, 2009, the State of Florida, through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), submitted a SIP revision in response to the conditional approval of its New Source Review (NSR) permitting program. The revision includes changes to certain parts of the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) construction permit program in Florida, including the definition of ``new emissions unit,'' ``regulated air pollutant'' and ``significant emissions rate'' as well as recordkeeping requirements. In addition, Florida provided a clarification that the significant emissions rate for mercury in the Florida regulations is intended to apply as a state-only provision. EPA has determined that this revision addresses the conditions identified in the conditional approval, and is therefore approvable. This action is being taken pursuant to section 110 of the CAA.

EPA is approving submittals from the District of Columbia (the District) pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act) sections 110(k)(2) and (3). These submittals address the infrastructure elements specified in the CAA section 110(a)(2), necessary to implement, maintain, and enforce the 1997 8-hour ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) and the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS. This final rule is limited to the following infrastructure elements which were subject to EPA's completeness findings pursuant to CAA section 110(k)(1) for the 1997 8- hour ozone NAAQS dated March 27, 2008, and the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS dated October 22, 2008: 110(a)(2)(A), (B), (C), (D)(ii), (E), (F), (G), (H), (J), (K), (L), and (M).