Environmental Protection Agency May 25, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces the release of lifetime health advisories (HAs) and health effects support documents for Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS). EPA developed the HAs to assist federal, state, tribal and local officials, and managers of drinking water systems in protecting public health when these chemicals are present in drinking water. EPA's HAs, which identify the concentration of PFOA and PFOS in drinking water at or below which adverse health effects are not anticipated to occur over a lifetime of exposure, are: 0.07 parts per billion (70 parts per trillion) for PFOA and PFOS. HAs are non- regulatory and reflect EPA's assessment of the best available peer- reviewed science. These HAs supersede EPA's 2009 provisional HAs for PFOA and PFOS.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a public hearing to be held in Kansas City, Missouri on June 9, 2016 for the proposed rule ``Renewable Fuel Standard Program: Standards for 2017 and Biomass-Based Diesel Volume for 2018.'' This proposed rule will be published separately in the Federal Register. The pre-publication version of this proposal can be found at https://www.epa.gov/renewable- fuel-standard-program/standards-2017-and-biomass-based-diesel -volume- 2018-documents. In the separate notice of proposed rulemaking, EPA has proposed amendments to the renewable fuel standard program regulations that would establish annual percentage standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and renewable fuels that would apply to all gasoline and diesel produced in the U.S. or imported in the year 2017. In addition, the separate proposal includes a proposed biomass-based diesel applicable volume for 2018.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR), ``Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 2300.17, OMB Control No. 2060-0629) to 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.). This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through May 31, 2016. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register (80 FR 68534) on November 5, 2015 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. 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 a redesignation substitute and make a finding of attainment for both the 1-hour ozone and the 1997 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for the Dallas-Fort Worth nonattainment area (DFW area). The redesignation substitute demonstration states that the area has attained both the revoked 1-hour ozone and the revoked 1997 8- hour ozone NAAQS due to permanent and enforceable emission reductions, and that it will maintain those NAAQS for ten years from the date of the EPA's approval of this demonstration. Final approval of the redesignation substitute will result in the area no longer being subject to any remaining applicable anti-backsliding requirements and the nonattainment new source review (NNSR) requirements associated with the revoked NAAQS. In general, final approval of the redesignation substitute would allow Texas to seek to revise the Texas SIP for the area to remove anti-backsliding measures from the active portion of its SIP if it can demonstrate, pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA) section 110(1), that such revision would not interfere with attainment or maintenance of any applicable NAAQS, or any other requirement of the CAA. However, the EPA believes that in this instance, Texas does not need to revise its SIP to alter certain provisions for NNSR effective in the DFW area.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Connecticut on April 22, 2014, with supplemental submittals on June 18, 2015 and September 25, 2015. This revision establishes sulfur in fuel oil content limits for use in stationary sources. In addition, the submittal includes minor clarifying revisions to the methods for sampling, emission testing, sample analysis, and reporting. The intended effect of this action is to propose approval of these requirements into the Connecticut SIP. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act.