Environmental Protection Agency July 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA has received applications to register new uses for pesticide products containing currently registered active ingredients. Pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is hereby providing notice of receipt and opportunity to comment on these applications.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a request submitted by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) on February 2, 2017, and supplemented on November 8, 2017, to revise the Michigan state implementation plan (SIP) for carbon monoxide (CO). The revision incorporates changes to Michigan's Air Pollution Control Rules entitled ``Emissions Limitations and Prohibitions Miscellaneous.'' The revision updates existing source-specific rule requirements for ferrous cupola operations by removing obsolete rule language and makes a minor change to correct the citation to a Federal test method. The revision continues to result in attainment of the CO national ambient air quality standard.

The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Emergency Planning and Release Notification Requirements (EPCRA sections 302, 303, and 304).'' (EPA ICR No. 1395.10, OMB Control No. 2050-0092) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through December 31, 2018. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR), Production, Import, Export, Destruction, Transhipment, and Exempted Uses of Ozone-Depleting Substances (EPA ICR No. 1432.34, OMB Control No. 2060-0170), to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed revision of the ICR, which is currently approved through October 2018. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on January 19, 2018 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 not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a revision to the Minnesota sulfur dioxide (SO2) State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the Flint Hills Resources, LLC Pine Bend Refinery (FHR) as submitted on February 8, 2017. The SIP revision pertains to the installation and removal of certain equipment at the refinery and amendments to certain emission limits, resulting in an overall decrease of SO2 emissions from FHR.

The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires each State Implementation Plan (SIP) to contain adequate provisions prohibiting emissions that will have certain adverse air quality effects in other states. On December 23, 2015, the State of Idaho made a submission to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address these requirements. The EPA is proposing to approve the submission as meeting the requirement that each SIP contain adequate provisions to prohibit emissions that will contribute significantly to nonattainment or interfere with maintenance of the 2012 annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) in any other state.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region III is issuing a Notice of Intent to Delete the Recticon/Allied Steel Superfund Site (Site) located in East Coventry Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, from the National Priorities List (NPL) and requests public comments on this proposed action. The NPL, promulgated pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended, is an appendix of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). The EPA and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (the Commonwealth), through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), have determined that all appropriate response actions under CERCLA have been completed. However, this deletion does not preclude future actions under Superfund.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 is issuing a Notice of Intent to Delete the Whitehouse Oil Pits Superfund Site (Site) located in Whitehouse, Florida, from the National Priorities List (NPL) and requests public comments on this proposed action. This site is also known as the Whitehouse Waste Oil Pits Site. The NPL, promulgated pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended, is an appendix of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). The EPA and the State of Florida (State), through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), have determined that all appropriate response actions under CERCLA, other than operations and maintenance, monitoring and five-year reviews, have been completed. However, this deletion does not preclude future actions under Superfund.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 is publishing a direct final Notice of Deletion of Operable Unit 3 (OU3) of the Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant (NIROP) Superfund Site (Site), located in Fridley, Minnesota, from the National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL, promulgated pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended, is an appendix of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). This direct final partial deletion is being published by EPA with the concurrence of the State of Minnesota, through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), because EPA has determined that all appropriate response actions under CERCLA at OU3, other than operation, maintenance, and five-year reviews, have been completed. However, this partial deletion does not preclude future actions under Superfund.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Application Requirements for the Approval and Delegation of Federal Air Toxics Programs to State, Territorial, Local, and Tribal Agencies'' (EPA ICR No. 1643.09, OMB Control No. 2060-0264) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, the EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through August 31, 2018. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

On November 13, 2017, the State of Georgia through the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), submitted revisions to the Georgia State Implementation Plan (SIP). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve SIP revisions, which modify the State's air quality regulations as incorporated into the SIP. Specifically, the revisions pertain to definition changes, including the modification of the definition of ``volatile organic compounds,'' (VOC) and changes to the State's air quality standards for sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (both PM2.5 and PM10), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), lead (Pb) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) to be consistent with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). EPA is proposing to approve these provisions of the SIP revisions because the State has demonstrated that these changes are consistent with the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 is issuing a Notice of Intent to Delete the Former Beloit Corporation Research Center Property (RCP) of the Beloit Corporation Superfund Site (Site), in Rockton, Illinois, from the National Priorities List (NPL) and requests public comments on this proposed action. This partial deletion includes all media at the 20-acre RCP. The rest of the Site remains on the NPL and is not affected by this action. The NPL, promulgated pursuant to Section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended, is an appendix of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). EPA and the State of Illinois, through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, have determined that all appropriate response actions at the RCP identified under CERCLA have been completed, other than maintenance, monitoring and five-year reviews. However, this partial deletion does not preclude future actions under CERCLA.

This notice announces EPA's approval of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' request to revise/modify certain of its EPA-authorized programs to allow electronic reporting.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Virginia (the Commonwealth or Virginia). This revision pertains to the infrastructure requirement for interstate transport of pollution with respect to the 2012 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). EPA is approving this revision in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing notice that it has responded to a petition for reconsideration of the final National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Chemical Recovery Combustion Sources at Kraft, Soda, Sulfite, and Stand-Alone Semichemical Pulp Mills published in the Federal Register on October 11, 2017. The Acting Administrator denied the petition in a separate letter to the petitioners. The letter, which provides a full explanation of the agency's rationale for the denial, is in the rulemaking docket.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Delaware. This revision pertains to the infrastructure requirement for interstate transport of pollution with respect to the 2012 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). EPA is approving this revision in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of the Science Advisor announces two separate public meetings of the Human Studies Review Board (HSRB) to advise the Agency on the ethical and scientific review of research involving human subjects.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve, as a revision of the California state implementation plan (SIP), the State's request to redesignate the Chico nonattainment area to attainment for the 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS or ``standard''). The EPA is also taking final action to approve the PM2.5 maintenance plan and the determination that contributions from motor vehicle emissions in the Chico nonattainment area are insignificant. The EPA is approving this revision because it meets the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA or ``the Act'') and EPA guidance for such plans.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Air Emissions Reporting Requirements (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 2170.07, OMB Control No. 2060-0580) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through December 31, 2018. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The EPA is proposing to determine that the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule Update for the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) (CSAPR Update) fully addresses certain states' obligations under Clean Air Act (CAA) section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I) regarding interstate pollution transport for the 2008 ozone NAAQS. The CSAPR Update, published on October 26, 2016, promulgated Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) for 22 states in the eastern U.S. In the final CSAPR Update, based on information available at that time, the EPA could not conclude that the rule fully addressed CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I) obligations for 21 of the 22 CSAPR Update states. This action proposes a determination that, based on additional information and analysis, the CSAPR Update fully addresses this CAA provision for the 2008 ozone NAAQS for all remaining CSAPR Update states. Specifically, EPA proposes to determine that there will be no remaining nonattainment or maintenance receptors in the eastern U.S. in 2023. Therefore, with the CSAPR Update fully implemented, these states are not expected to contribute significantly to nonattainment in, or interfere with maintenance by, any other state with regard to the 2008 ozone NAAQS. In accord with this proposed determination, the EPA proposes to determine that it has no outstanding, unfulfilled obligation under CAA section 110(c)(1) to establish additional requirements for sources in these states to further reduce transported ozone pollution under CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I) with regard to the 2008 ozone NAAQS. As a result of this finding, this action proposes minor revisions to the existing CSAPR Update regulations to reflect that the CSAPR Update FIPs fully address CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I). The proposed determination would apply to states currently subject to CSAPR Update FIPs as well as any states for which EPA has approved replacement of CSAPR Update FIPs with CSAPR Update SIPs.

This regulation amends existing tolerances for residues of pyroxsulam in or on teff forage, teff grain, teff hay, and teff straw. Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4) requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

Under section 211 of the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to set renewable fuel percentage standards every year. This action proposes the annual percentage standards for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel that apply to gasoline and diesel transportation fuel produced or imported in the year 2019. Relying on statutory waiver authority that is available when the projected cellulosic biofuel production volume is less than the applicable volume specified in the statute, EPA is proposing volume requirements for cellulosic biofuel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel that are below the statutory volume targets. We are also proposing the applicable volume of biomass-based diesel for 2020.

The EPA's Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB) will hold a public meeting on August 21-22, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. The EFAB is an EPA advisory committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to provide advice and recommendations to EPA on creative approaches to funding environmental programs, projects, and activities. The purpose of this meeting is to hear from informed speakers on environmental finance issues and EPA priorities; to discuss activities, progress, and preliminary recommendations with regards to current EFAB work projects; and to consider requests for assistance from EPA program offices. Environmental finance discussions and presentations are expected on, but not limited to, the following topics: alternative project delivery pre-development practices; pre-disaster resiliency investment and finance; water system regionalization financing strategies; water quality restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed; Rural Alaska Waste Backhaul Service Program; and Water Infrastructure and Resiliency Finance Center activities. The meeting is open to the public; however, seating is limited and attendees must be processed through security. All members of the public who wish to attend the meeting must register, in advance, no later than Friday, August 3, 2018.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites nominations of scientific experts from a diverse range of disciplines to be considered for appointment to the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) and four SAB committees described in this document. Appointments will be announced by the Administrator and are anticipated to be filled by the start of Fiscal Year 2019 (October 2018).