Environmental Protection Agency September 25, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing its withdrawal of federal water quality standards applicable to waters of the state of Florida now that Florida has adopted and EPA has approved relevant state standards. On December 6, 2010, EPA published a rule finalizing numeric nutrient standards for Florida's lakes, springs, and flowing waters outside of the South Florida Nutrient Watershed Region. The EPA established these water quality standards to protect Florida's Class I and III freshwaters from nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. On November 30, 2012, June 27, 2013, and September 26, 2013, EPA approved numeric nutrient standards adopted by the state of Florida for certain waters in the state. Some of the water body types and provisions covered by state- adopted water quality standards were also included in EPA's final inland waters rule (criteria for Florida's lakes and springs, approaches to protect downstream lakes, and a provision for developing Site-Specific Alternative Criteria). The EPA is now withdrawing the overlapping federally-promulgated water quality standards to allow Florida to implement its state-adopted, EPA-approved water quality standards to address nutrient pollution in Florida's waters. Additionally, this rule serves as final notice that EPA is not finalizing three 2012 federal proposed rules related to nutrient pollution in Florida.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing that the period for providing public comments on the proposed rule published on June 18, 2014, titled ``Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units'' is being extended by 45 days.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve a revision to the Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD) portion of the Arizona State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision concerns particulate matter (PM) emissions from incinerators, burn-off ovens and crematories. We are approving a local rule that regulates these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).

On August 14, 2014, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a direct final rule (79 FR 47586) and a proposed rule; notice of intent to delete (79 FR 47610) that deleted the Monroe Auto Equipment Company (Paragould Pit) site from the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). EPA stated in the direct final rule that if EPA received adverse comments by September 15, 2014, EPA would publish a timely notice of withdrawal in the Federal Register. Subsequently, EPA discovered scribal errors in the supporting documentation of the final direct rule. EPA will correct those errors in a subsequent final action based on the parallel proposal which published on August 14, 2014. EPA will not institute a second comment period on this final action. Unless adverse comments are received by September 15, 2014, the effective date of the final rule will be September 29, 2014.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern oxides of nitrogen (NOX) emissions from boilers, steam generators, and process heaters. We are approving local rules that regulate these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).