Environmental Protection Agency October 18, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a 30-day extension of the comment period on two draft documents titled, Risk and Exposure Assessment for the Review of the Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Sulfur Oxides, External Review Draft (draft REA) and Policy Assessment for the Review of the Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard for Sulfur Oxides, External Review Draft (draft PA). The EPA is extending the comment period for an additional 30 days to provide stakeholders and the public with additional time to review these documents and to prepare meaningful comments. The original comment period was to end on October 18, 2017. The extended comment period will now close on November 17, 2017.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's (Illinois EPA's) request to redesignate the Chicago and Granite City nonattainment areas (hereafter also referred to as the ``areas'') to attainment for the 2008 national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for lead, also identified as Pb. EPA is also proposing to approve, as revisions to the Illinois state implementation plan (SIP): The state's plan for maintaining the 2008 lead NAAQS in the areas for a period of ten years following these redesignations; the emissions inventories for the areas; and rules applying emission limits and other control requirements to lead sources in the areas. EPA is proposing these actions in accordance with applicable regulations and guidance that address implementation of the 2008 lead NAAQS.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the regional haze progress report under the Clean Air Act as a revision to the Michigan State Implementation Plan (SIP). Michigan has satisfied the progress report requirements of the Regional Haze Rule. Michigan has also met the requirements for a determination of the adequacy of its regional haze plan with its negative declaration submitted with the progress report.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a regional haze progress report as a revision to the Minnesota State Implementation Plan. The progress report examines Minnesota's progress in implementing its regional haze plan during the first half of the first implementation period. Minnesota has met the requirements for submitting a periodic report describing its progress toward reasonable progress goals established for regional haze. It also provided a determination of the adequacy of its plan in addressing regional haze with its negative declaration submitted with the progress report.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the regional haze progress report under the Clean Air Act as a revision to the Illinois state implementation plan (SIP). Illinois has satisfied the progress report requirements of the Regional Haze Rule. Illinois has also met the requirements for a determination of the adequacy of its regional haze plan with its negative declaration submitted with the progress report.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the State of Ohio's request to revise the designation of the Fulton County nonattainment area to attainment of the 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for lead. EPA is also proposing to approve the maintenance plan and related elements of the redesignation. Finally, EPA is proposing to approve reasonably available control measure/reasonably available control technology measures and a comprehensive emissions inventory as meeting the Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements. EPA is taking these actions in accordance with the CAA and EPA's implementation regulations regarding the 2008 lead NAAQS.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to approve the state implementation plan revision submitted by the District of Columbia. This revision pertains to the infrastructure requirement for interstate transport pollution with respect to the 2010 1-hour sulfur dioxide national ambient air quality standards. In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the District'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. A more detailed description of the state submittal and EPA's evaluation is included in a technical support document (TSD) prepared in support of this rulemaking action. A copy of the TSD is available, upon request, from the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document or is also available electronically within the Docket for this rulemaking action. 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.