Environmental Protection Agency February 10, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development's National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) is preparing an Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) as part of the review of the primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for oxides of nitrogen (NOX). The scientific review that informs the ISA will include evidence for NOX whereas the indicator for NOX that has been used for the standard is nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Thus, the ISA is referred to as the NOX ISA while the standard itself is referred to as the NO2 NAAQS. This ISA is intended to update the scientific assessment presented in the Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen Health Criteria (EPA 600/R-08/071), published in July 2008. Interested parties are invited to assist the EPA in developing and refining the scientific information base for the review of the NO2 NAAQS by submitting research studies that have been published, accepted for publication, or presented at a public scientific meeting. The EPA is also announcing that a workshop entitled ``Kickoff Workshop to Inform EPA's Review of the Primary NO2 NAAQS'' is being organized by NCEA and the EPA Office of Air and Radiation's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS). The workshop will be held February 29 to March 1, 2012, in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The workshop will be open to attendance by interested public observers on a first-come, first-served basis up to the limits of available space.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

EPA is granting limited approval of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). This SIP revision revises and supplements the Maryland SIP by adding the preconstruction permitting requirements for electric generating stations that are required to receive a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) from the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) before commencing construction or modification. The SIP revision also requires electric generating stations to obtain a preconstruction permit from MDE when a CPCN is not required under the PSC regulations and statutes. EPA is granting limited approval of these revisions to Maryland's preconstruction program for electric generating stations in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).