Environmental Protection Agency November 2, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces an upcoming meeting for the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC). The EPA established the CAAAC on November 19, 1990, to provide independent advice and counsel to EPA on policy issues associated with implementation of the Clean Air Act of 1990. The Committee advises EPA on economic, environmental, technical, scientific and enforcement policy issues.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to determine that the Lebanon County, Pennsylvania nonattainment area (the Lebanon County Area) has attained the 2012 annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). This proposed determination of attainment, also known as a clean data determination, is based on quality assured and certified ambient air quality data for the 2014-2016 monitoring period. If finalized, the effect of this determination of attainment would be to suspend certain planning requirements for the area, including the requirement to submit an attainment demonstration and associated reasonably available control measures (RACM), a reasonable further progress (RFP) plan, and contingency measures. These requirements would be suspended for as long as the area continues to meet the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS. However, this proposed action is not a redesignation to attainment for the area. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a state submission as a revision to the Illinois state implementation plan (SIP) for ozone. The revision, submitted on May 30, 2017, incorporates changes to the Illinois Administrative Code (IAC) definition of volatile organic material, otherwise known as volatile organic compound (VOC). The revision removes recordkeeping and reporting requirements related to the use of t-butyl acetate (also known as tertiary butyl acetate) as a VOC, and is in response to an EPA rulemaking that occurred in 2016. Illinois also added information to provide clarity to the list of compounds excluded from the definition of VOC.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making a final determination that the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-MD- DE marginal ozone nonattainment area (the Philadelphia Area) has attained the 2008 ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) by the July 20, 2016 attainment date. This final determination is based on complete, certified, and quality assured ambient air quality monitoring data for the Philadelphia Area for the 2013-2015 monitoring period. The effect of this determination of attainment (DOA) is that the Philadelphia Area will not be bumped up or reclassified as a moderate nonattainment area. The determination of attainment is not equivalent to a redesignation, and the States in the Philadelphia Area must still meet the statutory requirements for redesignation in order to be redesignated to attainment. This determination is also not a clean data determination. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).