Environmental Protection Agency August 28, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of the Army (the agencies) will hold ten teleconferences to hear from stakeholders their recommendations to revise the definition of ``Waters of the United States'' under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Nine of the teleconferences will be tailored to a specific sector, i.e., agriculture (row crop, livestock, silviculture); conservation (hunters and anglers); small entities (small businesses, small organizations, small jurisdictions); construction and transportation; environment and public advocacy (including health and environmental justice); mining; industry (energy, chemical, oil/gas); scientific organizations and academia; and stormwater, wastewater management, and drinking water agencies. One of the teleconferences will be open to the public at large. The teleconferences will run throughout the fall on Tuesdays from 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. eastern time, beginning on September 19, 2017. In addition, the agencies will hold an in-person meeting with small entities on October 23, 2017 from 9:00 a.m.-11 a.m., and will accept written recommendations from any member of the public.

On March 22, 2011, and April 20, 2011, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Kentucky Division for Air Quality (KDAQ), submitted revisions to the Kentucky State Implementation Plan (SIP) on behalf of the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District (District). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the April 20, 2011, submittal and the portions of the March 22, 2011, submittal concerning changes to the District's stationary source emissions monitoring and reporting requirements because the Commonwealth has demonstrated that these changes are consistent with the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to approve the state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland. This revision incorporates by reference a Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) order that establishes an alternative volatile organic compound (VOC) emission standard for National Gypsum Company (NGC) to ensure that it remains a minor VOC source. In the Final Rules section of this issue of the Federal Register, EPA is approving Maryland's SIP submittal as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial submittal and anticipates no adverse comments. If no adverse comments are received in response to this action, no further activity is contemplated. If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to the Commonwealth of Virginia state implementation plan (SIP). The revisions amend Virginia's major source New Source Review (NSR) regulations to make them consistent with the federal program. EPA is approving these revisions to the Virginia SIP in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

This rule modifies the testing procedures approved for analysis and sampling under the Clean Water Act. The changes adopted in this final rule fall into the following categories: New and revised EPA methods (including new and/or revised methods published by voluntary consensus standard bodies (VCSB), such as ASTM International and the Standard Methods Committee); updated versions of currently approved methods; methods reviewed under the alternate test procedures (ATP) program; clarifications to the procedures for EPA approval of nationwide and limited use ATPs; and amendments to the procedure for determination of the method detection limit to address laboratory contamination and to better account for intra-laboratory variability.