Environmental Protection Agency May 1, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 proposes to issue a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for Tribal Marine Net Pen Enhancement Facilities in Washington State (General Permit). As proposed, the General Permit authorizes discharges to Waters of the U.S. within the State of Washington. The draft General Permit contains effluent limitations, along with administrative reporting and monitoring requirements, as well as standard conditions, prohibitions, and management practices. A fact sheet is available that explains the draft General Permit in detail. Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1341, requires EPA to seek a certification from the State of Washington that the conditions of the general permit are stringent enough to comply with State water quality standards. The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has provided a draft certification that the draft General Permit complies with the State of Washington Water Quality Standards. EPA intends to seek a final certification from Ecology prior to issuing the General Permit. This is also notice of the draft Sec. 401 certification provided by Ecology. Persons wishing to comment on the draft State certification should send written comments to Mr. Bill Moore; Water Quality Program, Washington Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47696, Olympia, Washington 98504-7696 or via email to bmoo461@ecy.wa.gov.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve Rule 1325, Federal PM2.5 New Source Review Program, into the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This action was proposed in the Federal Register on February 17, 2015. Rule 1325 governs the issuance of permits for major stationary sources and major modifications located in areas designated as nonattainment for the PM2.5 NAAQS to meet Clean Air Act Part D requirements for emissions of PM2.5 and PM2.5 precursors. EPA is taking this action under the Clean Air Act obligation to take action on State submittals for inclusion in state implementation plans. The intended effect is to update the SIP with nonattainment new source review (NNSR) rules for major stationary sources and major modifications emitting PM2.5 and certain PM2.5 precursors.

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of azoxystrobin in or on coffee, green bean; pear, Asian; and tea, dried. Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to cover residues of azoxystrobin in coffee, Asian pear, and tea imported into the United States; there are currently no U.S. registrations for pesticides containing azoxystrobin that are used on coffee, Asian pear, or tea.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership (VAIP) (Renewal)EPA ICR No. 1867.05, OMB Control No. 2060-0411to 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.). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through June 30, 2015. 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.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's April 30, 2014 request to redesignate to attainment the Lancaster nonattainment area (Lancaster Area or Area) for both the 1997 annual and the 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS or standards). EPA is also proposing to determine that the Area continues to attain the 1997 annual and the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS. In addition, EPA is proposing to approve as a revision to the Pennsylvania State Implementation Plan (SIP) the associated maintenance plan that was submitted with the redesignation request, to show maintenance of the 1997 annual and the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS through 2025 for the Area. The maintenance plan includes the 2017 and 2025 PM2.5 and nitrogen oxides (NOX) motor vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) for the Area for both NAAQS, which EPA is proposing to approve for transportation conformity purposes. Furthermore, EPA is proposing to approve as a revision to the Pennsylvania SIP the 2007 emissions inventory that is also included in the maintenance plan for the Area for both NAAQS. This rulemaking action to propose approval of the 1997 annual and 2006 24- hour PM2.5 NAAQS redesignation request and associated maintenance plan for the Lancaster Area is based on EPA's determination that Pennsylvania has met the criteria for redesignation to attainment specified in the Clean Air Act (CAA) for both NAAQS.