Environmental Protection Agency February 15, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) on December 19, 2016, concerning the state's gasoline volatility standards in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas. The revision removes the 7.8 pounds per square inch (psi) low Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) fuel requirements for the two areas as a component of the Ohio ozone SIP. The submittal also includes a section 110(l) demonstration as required by the Clean Air Act (CAA) that addresses emission impacts associated with the removal of the program.

The Draft Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2015 is available for public review. Annual U.S. emissions for the period of time from 1990 through 2015 are summarized and presented by source category and sector. The inventory contains estimates of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) emissions. The technical approach used in this report to estimate emissions and sinks for greenhouse gases is consistent with the methodologies recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and reported in a format consistent with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reporting guidelines. The Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2015 is the latest in a series of annual, policy-neutral U.S. submissions to the Secretariat of the UNFCCC. EPA requests recommendations for improving the overall quality of the inventory report to be finalized in April 2017, as well as subsequent inventory reports.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is extending the comment period for the Draft Human Health Recreational Ambient Water Quality Criteria and/or Swimming Advisories for Microcystins and Cylindrospermopsin. In response to stakeholder requests, the comment period will be extended for an additional 31 days, from February 17, 2017 to March 20, 2017.

Because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received an adverse comment, we are withdrawing the direct final rule titled, ``Revisions to Procedure 2Quality Assurance Requirements for Particulate Matter Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems at Stationary Sources.''

EPA issued two proposed rules under section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to prohibit the manufacture (including importers), processing, and distribution in commerce of trichloroethylene (TCE) for use in aerosol degreasing, for use in spot cleaning in dry cleaning facilities, and for use in vapor degreasing; to prohibit commercial use of TCE for aerosol degreasing, for spot cleaning in dry cleaning facilities, and for use in vapor degreasing; to require manufacturers (including importers), processors, and distributors, except for retailers of TCE for any use, to provide downstream notification of these prohibitions throughout the supply chain; and to require limited recordkeeping. This document extends the comment periods for both proposed rules by an additional 30 calendar days each. A commenter requested additional time to submit written comments for the proposed rules. EPA is therefore extending the comment period in order to give all interested persons the opportunity to comment fully.