Environmental Protection Agency November 12, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On September 14, 2012, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, through the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA EPD), submitted a request to redesignate the Georgia portion of the Chattanooga, TN-GA fine particulate matter (PM2.5) nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as the ``Chattanooga TN-GA Area'' or ``Area'') to attainment for the 1997 Annual PM2.5 national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) and to approve a state implementation plan (SIP) revision containing a maintenance plan for the Georgia portion of the Chattanooga TN-GA Area. The Georgia portion of the Chattanooga TN-GA Area is comprised of two counties: Catoosa and Walker Counties in Georgia. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the redesignation request and the related SIP revision, including GA EPD's plan for maintaining attainment of the PM2.5 standard, for the Georgia portion of the Chattanooga TN-GA Area. EPA is also proposing to approve into the Georgia SIP the motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) for nitrogen oxides (NOX) and PM2.5 for the year 2025 for the Georgia portion of the Chattanooga TN-GA Area. On April 23, 2013, Alabama submitted a request to redesignate the Alabama portion of the Chattanooga TN-GA Area, and EPA is expecting Tennessee to submit a request to redesignate the Tennessee portion of the Chattanooga TN-GA Area. EPA will be taking separate action on the requests from Georgia and Tennessee.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on January 17, 2012, which contain a reasonable further progress (RFP) plan and associated contingency measures and motor vehicle emission budgets; a revised 2002 base year emissions inventory for the RFP; enhanced ambient monitoring; and the clean-fuel fleet programs for the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) Serious nonattainment area under the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. The EPA is also approving revisions to the DFW Moderate area attainment demonstration SIP submitted by the TCEQ on April 6, 2010, which address the failure-to-attain contingency measures. The EPA is also approving revisions submitted by the TCEQ on July 25, 2007, March 25, 2010 and April 13, 2012, which address the Texas transportation conformity rules and the Texas Diesel Emissions Reduction Incentive Program for On-Road and Non-Road Vehicles. The EPA is approving these SIP revisions in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).

The EPA is proposing to approve, through a ``direct final'' procedure, a request for delegation of the Federal air toxics program contained within 40 CFR Parts 63 pursuant to Section 112(l) of the Clean Air Act (Act). The State's mechanism of delegation involves the straight delegation of certain existing and future Section 112 standards unchanged from the Federal standards. The actual delegation of authority of individual standards, except standards addressed specifically in this action, will occur through a mechanism set forth in a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and EPA. ADEQ is requesting delegation and approval to implement and enforce the existing Part 63 standards as they apply to Part 70 sources, including major and area sources subject to the Title V (Part 70) permitting requirements. The delegation of authority under this action does not include CAA Section 112(r).