Environmental Protection Agency May 9, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a revision to the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District (YSAQMD or ``District'') portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision concerns the District's negative declarations for several volatile organic compound (VOC) source categories included in its Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) State Implementation Plan Analysis. We are proposing to approve these negative declarations under the Clean Air Act (CAA or ``the Act''). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve portions of State Implementation Plan (SIP) submissions from Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming addressing the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) interstate transport SIP requirements for the 2012 annual Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). These submissions address the requirement that each SIP contain adequate provisions prohibiting air emissions that will have certain adverse air quality effects in other states. The EPA is proposing to approve portions of these infrastructure SIPs for the aforementioned states as containing adequate provisions to ensure that air emissions in the states will not significantly contribute to nonattainment or interfere with maintenance of the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS in any other state.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a request from New Jersey to revise its State Implementation Plan (SIP) to incorporate revisions to the motor vehicle enhanced inspection and maintenance (I/M) program. New Jersey has made several amendments to its I/M program and has requested that the SIP be revised to include these changes. EPA is approving New Jersey's amendments to its I/M program to discontinue idle tests on model years 1995 and older light duty gasoline vehicles, idle tests on heavy-duty gasoline vehicles and gas cap leak testing. In addition, heavy-duty gasoline vehicles equipped with on-board diagnostics (OBD) will be subject to OBD testing with this revision. The intended effect of this action is to maintain consistency between the State-adopted rules and the federally approved SIP.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register on February 12, 2018, proposing to update a portion of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Air Regulations that pertains to the requirements for OCS sources for which Massachusetts is the designated the Corresponding Onshore Area (COA). On March 9, 2018, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts amended certain regulatory provisions that pertain to the EPA's February 12, 2018 proposed rulemaking. This document reopens the comment period for 30 days and provides notice that the EPA has modified the proposed regulatory text for incorporation by reference in the EPA final rule for this action. The EPA has also added additional information to the docket.