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

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The ICR, entitled: ``Experimental Use Permits (EUPs) for Pesticides,'' and identified by EPA ICR No. 0276.16 and OMB Control No. 2070-0040, represents the renewal of an existing ICR that is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2018. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection that is summarized in this document. The ICR and accompanying material are available in the docket for public review and comment.

The EPA Administrator signed an order, dated October 16, 2017, denying the petition submitted by the Sierra Club (Petitioner) objecting to the proposed Clean Air Act (CAA) title V operating permit issued to PacifiCorp Energy. The Order responds to the April 11, 2016 petition objecting to the proposed title V operating permit #1500101002 (Hunter Permit) issued by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Air Quality (UDAQ) for the Hunter Power Plant in Castle Dale, Emery County, Utah. The Order constitutes a final action on the petition.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to find that three states have failed to submit timely revisions to their state implementation plans (SIPs) as required to satisfy certain requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) for implementation of the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (2008 ozone NAAQS). These findings of failure to submit apply to states with overdue SIP revisions (or attainment plans) for nonattainment areas reclassified from ``Marginal'' to ``Moderate'' in May 2016 because the areas failed to attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the Marginal area attainment date of July 20, 2015. The SIP revisions to address all applicable Moderate area attainment plan requirements for these areas were due on January 1, 2017. This action requires the affected states to timely submit a SIP revision consistent with the requirements of the CAA and the EPA regulations. If a state fails to make the required timely SIP submittal, or if a submitted SIP is incomplete, the CAA requires the imposition of sanctions for the affected area(s). In addition, the EPA is obligated to promulgate a federal implementation plan (FIP) to address any outstanding SIP requirements if a state does not submit, and the EPA does not approve, a state's submittal within 24 months of the effective date of these findings.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to modify the use conditions required for use of three flammable refrigerants, isobutane (R-600a), propane (R-290), and R-441A, in new household refrigerators, freezers, and combination refrigerators and freezers under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program. The use conditions, which address safe use of flammable refrigerants, are being revised to reflect the incorporation by reference of an updated standard from Underwriters Laboratories.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to amend the federal regulations to withdraw certain human health (water and organisms) water quality criteria and certain freshwater acute and chronic aquatic life water quality criteria, applicable to certain waters of California because California adopted, and EPA approved, criteria for these parameters that are considered protective of the uses for the waterbodies. The EPA is providing an opportunity for public comment to this proposed withdrawal of certain federally promulgated criteria. The withdrawal will enable California to implement their EPA-approved water quality criteria.