Environmental Protection Agency February 21, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) plans to authorize various contractors to access information which was submitted to EPA under Title II of the Clean Air Act that may be claimed as, or may be determined to be, confidential business information (CBI). Access to this information, which is related to the Nonroad Diesel Engine Program will begin on February 22, 2013.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that the EPA is planning to submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR will also incorporate the following ICRs which were approved under separate rulemaking actions: ICR 2358 (OMB 2060-0638) Nitrogen Oxides Ambient Monitoring ICR 2370 (OMB 2060-0642) Sulfur Dioxides Ambient Monitoring ICR 0940 (OMB 2060-0084) PM2.5 Ambient Monitoring This over-arching ICR is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2014. Before submitting the ICR to the OMB for review and approval, the EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites nominations from a diverse range of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment to its National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC). The NEJAC was chartered to provide advice regarding broad, crosscutting issues related to environmental justice. This notice solicits nominations to fill approximately seven (7) new vacancies for terms through June 15, 2016. To maintain the representation outlined by the charter, nominees will be selected to represent: Academia (2 vacancies); grassroots community-based organizations (1 vacancy); non-governmental/environmental organizations (2 vacancies); State government agencies (1 vacancy); and indigenous community-based organizations (1 vacancy). Vacancies are anticipated to be filled by May 2013. Sources in addition to this Federal Register Notice also may be utilized in the solicitation of nominees.

The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an information collection request (ICR), Part B Permit Application, Permit Modifications, and Special Permits (EPA ICR No. 1573.13, OMB Control No. 2050-0009) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through February 28, 2012. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register (77 FR 65875) on October 31, 2012 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program, producers and importers of renewable fuel generate Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) that are used by petroleum refiners and importers to demonstrate compliance with their renewable fuel volume obligations. Several cases of fraudulently generated RINs, however, have led to inefficiencies and a significant reduction in the overall liquidity in the RIN market. The result has been greater difficulty for smaller renewable fuel producers to sell their RINs. Today's action proposes additional regulatory provisions that would promote greater liquidity in the RIN market in a way that assures reasonable oversight of RIN generation and assures use of the required renewable fuel volumes. The proposal includes a voluntary quality assurance program and related provisions intended to meet these goals. The proposed program also includes elements designed to make it possible to verify the validity of RINs for all of 2013. Additionally, we are proposing a number of new regulatory provisions to ensure that RINs are retired for all renewable fuel that is exported and to address RINs that become invalid downstream of a renewable fuel producer.