Environmental Protection Agency March 8, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a proposed revision to the New York State Implementation Plan (SIP) for ozone concerning the control of volatile organic compounds. The proposed SIP revision consists of amendments to Title 6 of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations Part 228, ``Surface Coating Processes, Commercial and Industrial Adhesives, Sealants and Primers,'' Part 234, ``Graphic Arts,'' and Part 241, ``Asphalt Pavement and Asphalt Based Surface Coating.'' The intended effect of this action is to approve control strategies, required by the Clean Air Act, which will result in emission reductions that will help attain and maintain the national ambient air quality standards for ozone.

The EPA is extending the comment period for the proposed rule titled, ``Quality Assurance Requirements for Continuous Opacity Monitoring Systems at Stationary Sources'' that was published in the Federal Register on February 14, 2012. The proposed rule accompanied the direct final rule that was also published on February 14, 2012. The 30-day comment period in the proposed rule is scheduled to end on March 15, 2012. The extended comment period will close on April 30, 2012. The EPA is extending the comment period because of a request we received in a timely manner.

This proposal concerns the third step (Step 3) in the EPA's Tailoring Rule. We are proposing to maintain the applicability thresholds for greenhouse gas (GHG)-emitting sources at the current levels. We are also proposing two streamlining approaches, which will improve the administration of GHG Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and title V permitting programs. The first proposal addresses the implementation of GHG plantwide applicability limitations (PALs). We propose to allow permitting authorities to issue GHG PALs on either a mass-basis (tpy) or a carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)-basis and to allow PALs to be used as an alternative approach for determining whether a project is a major modification and whether GHG emissions are subject to regulation. The second proposal would create the regulatory authority for the EPA to issue synthetic minor limitations for GHGs in areas subject to a GHG PSD Federal Implementation Plan (FIP). We also discuss our progress in evaluating the suitability of other streamlining approaches and solicit further comment.