Environmental Protection Agency April 6, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP), Operating Permits Program, and 112(l) Program submitted on July 14, 2014, by the State of Nebraska. This action amends the SIP to revise two chapters, ``Definitions'' and ``Operating Permit Modifications; Reopening for Cause''. Specifically, these revisions incorporate by reference the list of organic compounds exempt from the definition of volatile organic compound (VOC) found in the Code of Federal Regulations; notification requirements for the operating permit program are being amended to be consistent with the Federal operating permit program requirements; the definition of ``solid waste'' is being revised by the state, however, because the state's definition is inconsistent with the Federal definition, EPA is not approving this definition into the SIP. Finally, the state is extending the process of ``off-permit changes'' to Class I operating permits. Additional grammatical and editorial changes are being made in this revision. Approval of these revisions will not impact air quality, ensures consistency between the state and Federally-approved rules, and ensures Federal enforceability of the state's rules.

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 annual 2012 Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards (2012 PM2.5 NAAQS). These findings of failure to submit apply to states with overdue SIP revisions (or attainment plans) for certain areas initially designated as nonattainment and classified as Moderate for the 2012 PM2.5 NAAQS on April 15, 2015. The SIP revisions to address all applicable Moderate area attainment plan requirements for these areas were due on October 15, 2016. If a state does not make the required complete SIP submission within 18 months of the effective date of these findings, the CAA requires the imposition of sanctions for the affected area(s). In addition, EPA is obligated to promulgate a federal implementation plan (FIP) to address any outstanding SIP requirements, if a state does not submit, and EPA does not approve, a state's submission within 24 months of the effective date of these findings.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by Colorado on May 16, 2017. The May 16, 2017 SIP revision addresses minor changes and typographical corrections to the transportation conformity requirements of Colorado's Regulation Number 10 ``Criteria for Analysis of Conformity.'' These actions are being taken under section 110 of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Wet-Formed Fiberglass Mat Production to address the results of the residual risk and technology review (RTR) that the EPA is required to conduct in accordance with section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA). We found risks due to emissions of air toxics to be acceptable from this source category, determined that the current standards provide an ample margin of safety to protect public health, and identified no new cost-effective controls under the technology review to achieve further emissions reductions. Therefore, we are proposing no revisions to the numerical emission limits based on these analyses. However, the EPA is proposing to revise provisions pertaining to emissions during periods of startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM); add requirements for electronic submittal of performance test results; revise certain monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements; and make other miscellaneous technical and editorial changes. While the proposed amendments would not result in reductions in emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAP), if finalized, they would result in improved compliance and implementation of the rule.