Environmental Protection Agency 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve portions of a revision to the Georgia State Implementation Plan (SIP) concerning the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) and the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) that was submitted by Georgia on July 26, 2017. Under CSAPR, large electricity generating units (EGUs) in Georgia are subject to Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) requiring the units to participate in CSAPR's federal trading program for annual emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX), one of CSAPR's two federal trading programs for annual emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), and one of CSAPR's two federal trading programs for ozone season emissions of NOX. This action would approve the State's regulations requiring large Georgia EGUs to participate in new CSAPR state trading programs for annual NOX, annual SO2, and ozone season NOX emissions integrated with the CSAPR federal trading programs, replacing the corresponding FIP requirements. EPA is proposing to approve the portions of the SIP revision concerning these CSAPR state trading programs because these portions of the SIP revision meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and EPA's regulations for approval of a CSAPR full SIP revision replacing the requirements of a CSAPR FIP. Under the CSAPR regulations, approval of these portions of the SIP revision would automatically eliminate Georgia's units' obligations under the corresponding CSAPR FIPs addressing interstate transport requirements for the 1997 Annual Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS, and the 1997 8-hour Ozone NAAQS. Approval of these portions of the SIP revision would satisfy Georgia's good neighbor obligation for the 1997 Annual PM2.5 NAAQS, the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS, and the 1997 8-hour Ozone NAAQS. In addition, approval of this revision would remove from Georgia's SIP those state trading program rules adopted to comply with CAIR.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving elements of State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions from the State of South Dakota to demonstrate the State meets infrastructure requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) promulgated for sulfur dioxide (SO2) on June 2, 2010 and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on December 14, 2012.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve certain changes to the Michigan State Implementation Plan (SIP). This action relates to changes to the Permit to Install (PTI) requirements of the Michigan Rules submitted on November 12, 1993; May 16, 1996; April 3, 1998; September 2, 2003; March 24, 2009; and February 28, 2017.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a revision to the South Carolina State Implementation Plan (SIP), submitted by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), on December 7, 2016, addressing the Clean Air Act (CAA) interstate transport (prongs 1 and 2) infrastructure SIP requirements for the 2010 1-hour Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). The CAA requires that each state adopt and submit a SIP for the implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of each NAAQS promulgated by EPA, commonly referred to as an ``infrastructure SIP.'' Specifically, EPA is proposing to approve South Carolina's December 7, 2016, SIP submission addressing prongs 1 and 2 to ensure that air emissions in the State do not significantly contribute to nonattainment or interfere with maintenance of the 2010 1-hour NO2 NAAQS in any other state.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve revisions to the Placer County Air Pollution Control District (PCAPCD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern the District's demonstration regarding Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) requirements for the 1997 and 2008 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), and negative declarations for the polyester resin source category for the 2008 8-hour ozone standard. We are approving the submitted SIP revisions under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve changes to the Georgia State Implementation Plan (SIP) to update new source review and miscellaneous permitting regulations. EPA is proposing to approve portions of SIP revisions submitted by the State of Georgia, through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Environmental Protection Division on December 15, 2011, July 25, 2014, and November 12, 2014. This action is being proposed pursuant to the Clean Air Act and its implementing regulations.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted on March 9, 2017, by the State of Connecticut, through the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), addressing the nonattainment new source review (NNSR) requirements for the 2008 8- hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The SIP revision addresses both of Connecticut's ozone nonattainment areas for the 2008 ozone NAAQS; the Greater Connecticut area and the Connecticut portion of the New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT area. The Connecticut portion of the New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT ozone nonattainment area consists of Fairfield, New Haven, and Middlesex counties. The Greater Connecticut nonattainment area includes the rest of the State. This action is being taken pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and its implementing regulations.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve a revision to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD or ``the District'') portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revised rule concerns emissions of oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, oxides of sulfur, and particulate matter of 10 microns or less from boilers, steam generators and process heaters. We are approving a local rule that regulates these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is requesting comments on and will hold public hearings for the State of Idaho's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program application (to be referred to as the ``IPDES program application'' or the ``application''). The Governor of the State of Idaho submitted the application to the EPA Region 10 Administrator pursuant to section 402 of the Clean Water Act (CWA or `the Act'). With this submission, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) seeks approval to administer the Idaho Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (IPDES) program regulating discharges of pollutants into waters of the United States under its jurisdiction. The State's request includes an implementation plan to transfer from the EPA to IDEQ the administration of specific program components in four phases over a four-year period beginning July 1, 2018, or upon program approval, whichever is later. If the EPA approves the IPDES program, IDEQ will administer this program, subject to continuing EPA oversight and enforcement authority, in place of the NPDES program now administered by the EPA. The EPA will retain permitting authority over all facilities that are located within a tribal reservation and/or facilities that discharge to tribal waters. Today, the EPA is requesting comments on the State's application and providing notice of public hearings that will be held at locations throughout the state. At the close of the public comment period, the EPA will review all the public comments received and will either approve or disapprove the State's request for program approval. If approved, the NPDES program authority will begin to transfer from the EPA to IDEQ on or after July 1, 2018, with the final program phase being transferred to IDEQ on or after July 1, 2021.

Delaware has applied to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for final authorization of revisions to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). EPA proposes to grant final authorization to Delaware. In the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register, EPA is authorizing the revisions by a direct final rule. We have explained the reasons for this authorization in the preamble to the direct final rule. Unless EPA receives written comments that oppose this authorization during the comment period, the direct final rule will become effective on the date it establishes, and EPA will not take further action on this proposal.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve portions of a draft revision to the South Carolina State Implementation Plan (SIP) concerning the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) that was submitted by South Carolina for parallel processing on May 26, 2017. Under CSAPR, large electricity generating units (EGUs) in South Carolina are subject to Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) requiring the units to participate in CSAPR's federal trading program for annual emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX) and one of CSAPR's two federal trading programs for annual emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2). This action would approve the State's regulations requiring large South Carolina EGUs to participate in new CSAPR state trading programs for annual NOX and SO2 emissions integrated with the CSAPR federal trading programs, replacing the corresponding FIP requirements. These CSAPR state trading programs are substantively identical to the CSAPR federal trading programs, with the State retaining EPA's default allowance allocation methodology and EPA remaining the implementing authority for administration of the trading program. EPA is proposing to approve the portions of the draft SIP revision concerning these CSAPR state trading programs because these portions of the draft SIP revision meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and EPA's regulations for approval of a CSAPR full SIP revision replacing the requirements of a CSAPR FIP. Under the CSAPR regulations, approval of these portions of the draft SIP revision would automatically eliminate South Carolina units' obligations to participate in CSAPR's federal trading programs for annual NOX and SO2 emissions under the corresponding CSAPR FIPs addressing interstate transport requirements for the 1997 Annual Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). Approval of these portions of the SIP revision would satisfy South Carolina's good neighbor obligation for the 1997 Annual PM2.5 NAAQS.

On July 26, 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Notice of Settlement under Section 122(h) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) addressing cost for work performed at the Coronet Industries, Inc. Site located in Plant City, Hillsborough County, Florida, FRL- 9965-49-Region 4 (82 FR 34655). The published notice did not list Coronet Industries Inc, as one of the settling parties to the settlement.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a revision to the District of Columbia state implementation plan (SIP) submitted by the District of Columbia (the District) through the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE). The District's SIP submittal addresses requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA's rules that require states to submit periodic reports describing progress towards reasonable progress goals (RPGs) established for regional haze and a determination of the adequacy of the state's existing SIP addressing regional haze (regional haze SIP). No comments were received in response to EPA's proposed rulemaking action published on May 30, 2017. EPA is approving the District's SIP submittal because EPA has determined that it satisfactorily addresses the progress report and adequacy determination requirements for the first implementation period for regional haze.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Kentucky State Implementation Plan (SIP), submitted by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Kentucky Division for Air Quality (KDAQ), on March 21, 2011, October 29, 2013, October 28, 2016, and March 24, 2017. The proposed revisions were submitted by KDAQ on behalf of the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District (District), which has jurisdiction over Jefferson County, Kentucky. The revisions include changes to Jefferson County Regulations regarding Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) for two major sources of nitrogen oxides (NOX) and the removal of a volatile organic compounds (VOC) bubble rule.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve changes to the South Carolina State Implementation Plan (SIP) to update new source review regulations. EPA is proposing to approve portions of SIP revisions submitted by the State of South Carolina, through the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control on the following dates: July 18, 2011, April 10, 2014, August 12, 2015, and January 20, 2016. These actions are being proposed pursuant to the Clean Air Act.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a portion of the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submission, submitted by the State of Florida, through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), on January 22, 2013, addressing a portion of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) infrastructure requirements for the 2010 1- hour nitrogen dioxide (NO2) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). The CAA requires that each state adopt and submit a SIP for the implementation, maintenance and enforcement of each NAAQS promulgated by EPA, which is commonly referred to as an ``infrastructure SIP submission.'' Specifically, EPA is approving the portion of Florida's January 22, 2013, SIP submission addressing element B of the infrastructure requirements, which relates to monitoring requirements. EPA finds that Florida's infrastructure SIP submission, provided to EPA on January 22, 2013, satisfies the infrastructure requirements related to monitoring for the 2010 1-hour NO2 NAAQS.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to approve the state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This revision pertains to Allegheny County's portion of the Pennsylvania SIP for the purpose of updating the regulation restricting open burning with revised definitions and new restrictions and with recodified provisions. In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the Commonwealth'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.

Whenever a new or revised National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) is promulgated, each state must submit a plan for the implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of such standard, commonly referred to as infrastructure requirements. On July 9, 2012, Alaska submitted a plan to address the infrastructure requirements for the lead (Pb) NAAQS promulgated on October 15, 2008. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the plan as meeting Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements.

Section 5(g) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires EPA to publish in the Federal Register a statement of its findings after its review of TSCA section 5(a) notices when EPA makes a finding that a new chemical substance or significant new use is not likely to present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment. Such statements apply to premanufacture notices (PMNs), microbial commercial activity notices (MCANs), and significant new use notices (SNUNs) submitted to EPA under TSCA section 5. This document presents statements of findings made by EPA on TSCA section 5(a) notices during the period from June 1, 2017 to June 30, 2017.

This notice announces EPA's proposed decision to identify certain water quality limited waters and the associated pollutant to be listed, pursuant to Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(d)(2), on New York's list of impaired waters, and requests public comment. Section 303(d)(2) of the CWA and EPA's implementing regulations require States to submit, and EPA to approve or disapprove, lists of waters for which technology-based and other controls are not stringent enough to attain or maintain State water quality standards and for which total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) must be established. States are required to establish a priority ranking for waters on the list and to identify waters targeted for TMDL development over the next two years. New York submitted its 2016 CWA Section 303(d) list (2016 303(d) list) to EPA in correspondence dated December 21, 2016. On July 21, 2017, EPA partially approved and partially disapproved New York's 2016 303(d) list. Specifically, EPA approved New York's 2016 303(d) list with respect to the 792 waterbody/pollutant combinations requiring TMDLs that New York included on its list, the State's priority ranking for these waterbody/pollutant combinations and the waterbody/pollutant combinations targeted for TMDL/Restoration Strategy development in 2017. However, EPA disapproved New York's 2016 303(d) list because EPA determined that it does not include seventy-one waterbody/pollutant combinations that meet CWA Section 303(d) listing requirements. For a detailed explanation of EPA's partial approval/partial disapproval, please refer to EPA's Support Document (https:// www.epa.gov/tmdl/new-york-impaired-waters-list). EPA is providing the public the opportunity to review its proposed decision to add these seventy-one waterbody/pollutant combinations to New York's 2016 303(d) list. EPA will consider public comments before transmitting its final listing decision to the State.

This notice announces the availability for review and comment of a proposed administrative settlement agreement under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (``CERCLA''), between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA''), and Warmington Fairchild Associates LLC (``Warmingotn''), regarding the Middlefield-Ellis-Whisman (MEW) Superfund Area in Mountain View, California. Under this Settlement Agreement, Warmington agrees to perform certain response action activities at the property located at 277 Fairchild Drive and 228 and 236 Evandale Avenue, in Mountain View, California.

EPA has submitted the following information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA): ``Pesticide Registration Fees Program'' and identified by EPA ICR No. 2330.03 and OMB Control No. 2070-0179. The ICR, which is available in the docket along with other related materials, provides a detailed explanation of the collection activities and the burden estimate that is only briefly summarized in this document. EPA did not receive any comments in response to the previously provided public review opportunity issued in the Federal Register on September 26, 2016 (81 FR 66012). With this submission, EPA is providing an additional 30 days for public review.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve an April 10, 2017 request from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) to relax the Federal Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) volatility standard applicable to gasoline introduced into commerce from June 1 to September 15 of each year for the following parishes: Beauregard, Calcasieu, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, Orleans, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, and St. Mary. For this action, EPA is proposing to amend the regulations to allow the RVP volatility standard for the 11 named parishes to increase from 7.8 pounds-per-square-inch (psi) to 9.0 psi for gasoline sold within those parishes. EPA has preliminarily determined that this change to the Federal gasoline RVP volatility regulation is consistent with the applicable provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA). LDEQ has also requested that EPA relax summertime gasoline volatility requirements for the 5-parish Baton Rouge area, and EPA will address that request in a separate rulemaking at a later date.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a portion of the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by Mississippi, through the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), Office of Pollution Control, on June 7, 2016. Specifically, this action approves the portion of the SIP revision making changes to Mississippi's Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program by modifying the incorporation by reference (IBR) date for the Federal PSD regulations promulgated by EPA. By changing this date, approval of the SIP revision modifies the existing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) PSD permitting program and incorporates PSD provisions related to the 1997, 2006, and 2012 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and 2015 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). This action is being taken pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and its implementing regulations.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to Idaho's State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted in 2012 and 2014 to address Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements for the Idaho portion of the Logan, Utah-Idaho fine particulate matter (PM2.5) nonattainment area (Logan UT-ID area). Based on newly available air quality monitoring data, the EPA is approving Idaho's attainment demonstration and approving Idaho's 2014 Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets (MVEBs) as early progress budgets. Additionally, the EPA is conditionally approving Reasonable Further Progress (RFP), Quantitative Milestones (QMs), and revised MVEBs for the Idaho portion of the nonattainment area, based on Idaho's commitment to adopt and submit updates to these attainment plan elements within one year of the effective date of this final action.