Environmental Protection Agency February 26, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is requesting comment on applications General Motors (GM), and Toyota Motor North America (Toyota) for off-cycle carbon dioxide (CO2) credits under EPA's light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas emissions standards. ``Off-cycle'' emission reductions can be achieved by employing technologies that result in real-world benefits, but where that benefit is not adequately captured on the test procedures used by manufacturers to demonstrate compliance with emission standards. EPA's light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas program acknowledges these benefits by giving automobile manufacturers several options for generating ``off-cycle'' carbon dioxide (CO2) credits. Under the regulations, a manufacturer may apply for CO2 credits for off-cycle technologies that result in off-cycle benefits. In these cases, a manufacturer must provide EPA with a proposed methodology for determining the real-world off-cycle benefit. These two manufacturers have submitted applications that describe methodologies for determining off-cycle credits. The off-cycle technologies vary by manufacturer and include thermal control technologies such as high efficiency alternators, an efficient air conditioning compressor, and active climate control seats. Pursuant to applicable regulations, EPA is making descriptions of each manufacturer's off-cycle credit calculation methodologies available for public comment.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites nominations from a diverse range of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment to its National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC). The NEJAC was chartered to provide advice regarding broad, cross-cutting issues related to environmental justice. This notice solicits nominations to fill approximately four (4) new vacancies for terms through September, 2019. To maintain the representation outlined by the charter, nominees will be selected to represent: academia (2 vacancies); business and industry (1 vacancy); and state and local government (1 vacancy). Vacancies are anticipated to be filled by September 2018. Sources in addition to this Federal Register Notice will be utilized in the solicitation of nominees.

The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an information collection request (ICR), ``NESHAP for Epoxy Resin and Non- Nylon Polyamide Production'' (EPA ICR No. 1681.09, OMB Control No. 2060-0290), to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through April 30, 2018. Public comments were previously requested, via the Federal Register, on June 29, 2017 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. A fuller description of the ICR is given below, including its estimated burden and cost to the public. An agency may neither conduct nor sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently-valid OMB control number.

As permissible under section 26(b) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA or the Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is proposing to set user fees applicable to any person required to submit information to EPA under the TSCA section 4 or a notice, including an exemption or other information, to be reviewed by the Administrator under TSCA section 5, or who manufactures (including imports) a chemical substance that is the subject of a risk evaluation under TSCA section 6(b). This notice of proposed rulemaking provides a description of proposed TSCA fees and fee categories for fiscal years 2019, 2020, and 2021, and explains the methodology by which the proposed TSCA user fees were determined and would be determined for subsequent fiscal years. In proposing these new TSCA user fees, the Agency also proposes amending long standing user fee regulations governing the review of premanufacture notices, exemption applications and notices, and significant new use notices. After implementation of final TSCA user fees regulations, certain manufacturers and processors would be required to pay a prescribed fee for each notice, exemption application and data set submitted or chemical substance subject to a risk evaluation in order for EPA to recover certain costs associated with carrying out certain work under TSCA. With this action, EPA is also proposing standards for determining which persons qualify as small business concerns and thus would be subject to lower fee payments.