Environmental Protection Agency October 21, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The State of Texas has applied to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for final authorization of the 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 today's 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 which oppose this authorization during the comment period, the decision to authorize Texas' 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 today's direct final rule before it takes effect, and the separate document in today's ``Proposed Rules'' section of this 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 the Environmental Integrity Project and Sierra Club (collectively, ``Plaintiffs''): Environmental Integrity Project, et al. v. McCarthy, No. 1:15-CV-745 (ABJ) (D. D.C.). Plaintiffs filed a complaint alleging that Gina McCarthy, in her official capacity as Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA''), failed to perform a non-discretionary duty to grant or deny within 60 days a petition submitted by Plaintiffs in October 2014, requesting that EPA object to a revised CAA Title V permit issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (``TCEQ'') to the Southwestern Electric Power Company for operation of the H.W. Pirkey Power Plant in Harrison County, Texas. The proposed consent decree would establish a deadline for EPA to take such action.

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 and Physicians For Social ResponsibilityLos Angeles (``Plaintiffs'') in the United States District Court for the Central District of California: Sierra Club, et al. v. EPA, No. 2:15-cv-3798-ODW (ASx) (C.D. CA.) (filed May 20, 2015). Plaintiffs filed a lawsuit alleging that Gina McCarthy, in her official capacity as Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'') and Jared Blumenfeld, in his official capacity as Regional Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX (collectively, ``EPA''), failed to perform duties mandated by CAA to take final action to approve or disapprove, in whole or in part, the portions of the South Coast Air Quality Management District's Final 2012 Air Quality Management Plan that address attainment of the 2006 fine particulate matter (``PM2.5'') NAAQS, which California submitted to EPA on February 13, 2013. The proposed consent decree would establish deadlines for EPA to take certain specified actions.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces the release of a draft document, ``Technologies for Legionella Control: Scientific Literature Review,'' for public review and comment, and a public meeting, during which EPA will be seeking input on the draft document. The purpose of the draft document is to characterize the current state of knowledge regarding the use and effectiveness of available control technologies and approaches that can be used to address Legionella public health concerns in building water systems. The term ``building water system'' refers to the pipe infrastructure inside a building used to deliver finished drinking water intended for human consumption. For the purpose of this draft document, the term excludes cooling towers. The draft document presents scientific information from peer reviewed literature related to control technologies. It does not rank or recommend any one technology over another. EPA developed the document to provide a non-regulatory tool to assist states and primacy agencies, building water system operators and building owners when making decisions about Legionella risk management options. Following the public review and comment opportunity, EPA will conduct an independent, expert peer review of the draft document before it is finalized and published.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, notice is hereby given that the next meeting of the Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee (CHPAC) will be held November 12 and 13, 2015 at the National Archives Museum (700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20408) in the Jefferson Room. The CHPAC advises the Environmental Protection Agency on science, regulations, and other issues relating to children's environmental health.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of the biochemical pesticide potassium salts of hops beta acids in or on honey and honeycomb for the control of Varroa mites in accordance with label directions and good agricultural practices. Interregional Research Project Number 4, on behalf of Beta Tec Hop Products, Inc., submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of potassium salts of hops beta acids in or on honey and honeycomb.