Environmental Protection Agency May 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is granting direct final approval of a revision to the Louisiana State Implementation Plan (SIP) concerning a maintenance plan addressing the 1997 8-hour ozone standard for the parish of Pointe Coupee. On February 28, 2007, the State of Louisiana submitted a SIP revision containing a maintenance plan for the 1997 ozone standard for Pointe Coupee Parish. This plan ensures the continued attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) through the year 2014. On March 12, 2008, EPA issued a revised ozone standard. Today's action, however, is being taken to address requirements under the 1997 ozone standard. Requirements for this area under the 2008 standard will be addressed in future actions. This maintenance plan meets statutory and regulatory requirements, and is consistent with EPA's guidance.

The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an information collection request (ICR), Distribution of Offsite Consequence Analysis Information under Section 112(r)(7)(H) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) (Renewal) (EPA ICR No. 1981.05, OMB Control No. 2050-0172) 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 June 30, 2013. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register (78 FR 2992) on January 15, 2013 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.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (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 collection and the estimated burden and cost.

This action provides notice that on April 30, 2013, the Acting EPA Administrator, Bob Perciasepe, signed a letter denying a petition to add coal mines to the Clean Air Act (CAA) section 111 list of stationary source categories. The agency denied the petition because the EPA must prioritize its actions in light of limited resources and ongoing budget uncertainties, and at this time, cannot commit to conducting the process to determine whether coal mines should be added to the list of categories under CAA 111(b)(1)(A). The letter explains in detail the EPA's reasons for the denial.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces a public meeting and teleconference of the Great Lakes Advisory Board (GLAB). The meeting will be held on May 21 and 22, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois.

EPA is proposing to approve portions of State Implementation Plan (SIP) submittals from the State of Arkansas to address Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) requirements that prohibit air emissions which will contribute significantly to nonattainment or interfere with maintenance in any other state for the 1997 and 2006 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). EPA proposes to determine that the existing SIP for Arkansas contains adequate provisions to prohibit air emissions from significantly contributing to nonattainment or interfering with maintenance of the 1997 annual and 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS (1997 PM2.5 NAAQS) and the 2006 revised 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS (2006 PM2.5 NAAQS) in any other state as required by section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I) of the Act.

The EPA is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP), 30 TAC, Chapter 117 Control of Air Pollution from Nitrogen Compounds. These revisions concern two separate actions. First, we are approving revisions to Texas SIP, Chapter 117 emissions specifications for lean burn engines fired on landfill or other biogas at minor sources of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx). Second, we are approving revisions to Texas SIP, Chapter 117 to include low temperature drying and curing ovens used in wet-laid non-woven fiber mat manufacturing operations when nitrogen containing resins or other additives are used. These two actions affect NOx sources operating in the Dallas Fort-Worth (DFW) 1997 8-hour ozone nonattainment area. The EPA is approving these two actions pursuant to section 110 of the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA, Act).

EPA is granting direct final approval of a revision to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) concerning the Texas Low Emission Diesel fuel rules. The revisions clarify existing definitions and provisions, revise the approval procedures for alternative diesel fuel formulations, add new registration requirements, and update the rule to reflect the current program status because the rule is now fully implemented. This SIP revision meets statutory requirements.

EPA is approving a revision to the Illinois State Implementation Plan (SIP). This approval resolves the issues raised in the June 7, 2012, conditional approval of Illinois' rules. EPA is also approving volatile organic compound (VOC) content limits and associated provisions for additional consumer products categories into the state's SIP. Finally, EPA is approving language to clarify VOC limit applicability for architectural and industrial maintenance (AIM) coatings into the Illinois SIP.

The U.S. EPA is announcing the availability of the ``Draft Plan for Development of the Integrated Science Assessment for Nitrogen OxidesHealth Criteria.'' The draft document was prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and Development as part of the review of the primary (health-based) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The purpose of this draft document is to communicate the plan for the development of the Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for the health effects of nitrogen oxides (NOX), which will provide a comprehensive assessment of the current scientific literature pertaining to known and anticipated effects on public health associated with the NOX in the ambient air. EPA is releasing this draft document to seek consultation by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) and the public (meeting date and time to be specified in a separate Federal Register notice). The draft document does not represent and should not be construed to represent any final EPA policy, viewpoint, or determination. EPA will consider any public comments submitted in response to this notice when revising the draft plan for development of the NOX ISA.

Georgia has applied to EPA for final authorization of changes to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). With this proposed rule, EPA is proposing to grant final authorization to Georgia for these changes. Along with this proposed rule, EPA is publishing an immediate final rule in the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of today's Federal Register pursuant to which EPA is authorizing these changes. EPA did not issue a proposed rule before today because EPA believes this action is not controversial and does not expect comments that oppose it. EPA has explained the reasons for this authorization in the immediate final rule. Unless EPA receives written comments that oppose this authorization during the comment period, the immediate final rule in today's Federal Register will become effective on the date it establishes, and EPA will not take further action on this proposal. If EPA receives comments that oppose this action, EPA will withdraw the immediate final rule and it will not take effect. EPA will then respond to public comments in a later final rule based on this proposed rule. You may not have another opportunity to comment on these State program changes. If you want to comment on this action, you must do so at this time.

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of glyphosate in or on multiple commodities which are identified and discussed later in this document. Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4) requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

This notice announces EPA's receipt of applications requesting experimental use permits (EUPs). The Agency has determined that the permits may be of regional and national significance. Therefore, because of the potential significance, and pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is hereby providing notice of receipt and is seeking comments on these applications.

This notice announces EPA's order for the cancellations, voluntarily requested by the registrants and accepted by the Agency, of the products listed in Table 1 and Table 2 of Unit II., pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). This cancellation order follows a February 20, 2013 Federal Register Notice of Receipt of Requests from the registrants listed in Table 3 of Unit II. to voluntarily cancel these product registrations. In the February 20, 2013 notice, EPA indicated that it would issue an order implementing the cancellations, unless the Agency received substantive comments within the 30 day comment period that would merit its further review of these requests, or unless the registrants withdrew their requests. The Agency did not receive any comments on the notice. Further, the registrants did not withdraw their requests. Accordingly, EPA hereby issues in this notice a cancellation order granting the requested cancellations. Any distribution, sale, or use of the products subject to this cancellation order is permitted only in accordance with the terms of this order, including any existing stocks provisions.

The Association of American Pesticide Control Officials (AAPCO)/State FIFRA Issues Research and Evaluation Group (SFIREG), Environmental Quality Issues (EQI) Committee will hold a 2-day meeting, beginning on May 20, 2013 and ending May 21, 2013. This notice announces the location and times for the meeting and sets forth the tentative agenda topics.