Environmental Protection Agency March 20, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Tennessee has applied to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for final authorization of changes to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). EPA has determined that these changes satisfy all requirements needed to qualify for final authorization, and is authorizing the State's changes through this direct final rule. In the ``Proposed Rules'' section of this issue of the Federal Register, EPA is also publishing a separate document that serves as the proposal to authorize these changes. EPA believes this action is not controversial and does not expect comments that oppose it. Unless EPA receives written comments that oppose this authorization during the comment period, the decision to authorize Tennessee's changes to its hazardous waste program will take effect. If EPA receives comments that oppose this action, EPA will publish a document in the Federal Register withdrawing this direct final rule before it takes effect, and the separate document published in the ``Proposed Rules'' section of this issue of the Federal Register will serve as the proposal to authorize the changes.

In accordance with section 113(g) of the Clean Air Act, as amended (``CAA'' or the ``Act''), notice is hereby given of a proposed consent decree to address a lawsuit filed by Sierra Club: Sierra Club v. McCarthy, No. 4:14-cv-00643-JLH (E.D. AK). In 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a rule partially disapproving a revision to a state implementation plan (SIP) submitted by Arkansas to address the requirements of the regional haze program. EPA also at the same time partially disapproved that portion of the Arkansas SIP submittal addressing the interstate transport visibility requirements associated with the promulgation of the 1997 national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). In its lawsuit, Sierra Club alleged that EPA has failed to meet the requirement of the Clean Air Act that the Agency promulgate a federal implementation plan (FIP) within two years of partially disapproving a SIP, in whole or in part. The proposed consent decree establishes proposed and final deadlines for EPA to take action to meet its obligations with respect to Arkansas.

In accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (``CERCLA''), notice is hereby given that a proposed administrative settlement agreement for recovery of past response costs (``Proposed Agreement'') associated with Millsboro TCE Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site, Millsboro, Delaware was executed by the Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'') and is now subject to public comment, after which EPA may modify or withdraw its consent if comments received disclose facts or considerations that indicate that the Proposed Agreement is inappropriate, improper, or inadequate. The Proposed Agreement would resolve potential EPA claims under Section 107(a) of CERCLA, against Intervet, Inc. and Mallinckrodt Veterinary, Inc. (``Settling Parties''). The Proposed Agreement would require Settling Parties to reimburse EPA $950,000.00 for all non- reimbursed past response costs incurred by EPA for the Site through May 27, 2014. For thirty (30) days following the date of publication of this notice, EPA will receive written comments relating to the Proposed Agreement. EPA's response to any comments received will be available for public inspection at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

EPA is announcing an extension of the public comment period for the second external review draft of a document titled, ``Second External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of NitrogenHealth Criteria'' (EPA/600/R-14/006). The original Federal Register document announcing the public comment period was published on January 30, 2015 (80 FR 5110). With this extension, the comment period ends on April 30, 2015. This assessment document was developed by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) as part of the review of the primary (health-based) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for nitrogen dioxide.