Environmental Protection Agency July 11, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is taking direct final action to amend a final rule that published in the Federal Register on December 12, 2016 concerning formaldehyde emission standards for composite wood products. The amendment will allow compliant composite wood products and finished goods that contain compliant composite wood products that were manufactured prior to December 12, 2017 to be labeled as Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Title VI compliant. This means that regulated composite wood products and finished goods that meet the required formaldehyde emissions standards could be voluntarily labeled as compliant as soon as compliance can be achieved. This will enhance regulatory flexibility and facilitate a smoother supply chain transition to compliance with the rule's broader requirements, as well as promote lower formaldehyde emitting products entering commerce earlier than under the rule as originally published. EPA believes that the amendment is non-controversial and does not expect to receive any adverse comments. However, in addition to this direct final rulemaking, elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, EPA is promulgating the amendment as a notice of proposed rulemaking that will be used in the event of adverse comment on the amendments within this direct final action.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving, under the Clean Air Act (CAA), revisions to the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) rule as part of Ohio's State Implementation Plan (SIP). This rule has generally been revised to: make minor style changes to meet Ohio's legislative service commission style and formatting guidelines; add specific effective dates within the rule; correct certain errors and omissions introduced when the rule was last revised; remove facilities and units that have been permanently shut down; update the names of certain subject facilities; and modify certain source applicability exclusions. Sources controlled by this rule are not covered by existing Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) rules or other organic material emission control rules in Ohio's Administrative Code.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) submission from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) dated May 9, 2017. The submission provides IEPA's certification that its existing emission statement program, titled ``Annual Emissions Report'', remains in effect and satisfies the Clean Air Act (CAA) emissions statement requirement for the Illinois portions of the Chicago-Naperville, Illinois-Indiana-Wisconsin and St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, Missouri-Illinois nonattainment areas under the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). Under the CAA, states' SIPs must require stationary sources in ozone nonattainment areas classified as marginal or above to annually report emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX).