Environmental Protection Agency August 27, 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On May 22, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'') published an entry in the Spring 2019 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions announcing that EPA will review the rulemaking ``Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: Changes to Renewable Fuel Standard Program'' pursuant to section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. The purpose of this review is to determine if the provisions that could affect small entities should be continued without change, should be rescinded, or amended to minimize adverse economic impacts on small entities. The entry invited public comment on this proposal via the established docket on Regulations.gov by August 22, 201990 days after publication of the Spring 2019 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions. On August 15, 2019, EPA received a request from the Small Refiners Coalition to extend the comment period by 30 days to allow its members to provide thorough comments and data. On August 16, 2019, EPA received a similar request from the Small Retailers Coalition. EPA is extending the deadline for written comments an additional 30 days to September 23, 2019.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently granted a request by the State of California to voluntarily reclassify the Coachella Valley nonattainment area from ``Severe-15'' to ``Extreme'' for the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) under section 182(b)(3) of the Clean Air Act (CAA). In this action, the EPA is proposing a schedule for the State to submit an Extreme ozone nonattainment area plan and revised title V and new source review (NSR) rules. The EPA is proposing deadlines for submittal of those state implementation plan (SIP) revisions and for implementation of the related control requirements. Under the EPA's proposed schedule, California would be required to submit these elements no later than July 10, 2020 (12 months from the effective date of the area's reclassification). We are also clarifying some language related to tribal areas that was included in our reclassification rule.

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of nitrapyrin in or on multiple commodities which are identified and discussed later in this document. Interregional Research Project No. 4 (IR-4) requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of oxirane, 2-methyl-, polymer with oxirane, monoundecyl ether, branched and linear (CAS Reg. No. 2222805- 23-2) when used as an inert ingredient in a pesticide chemical formulation. Exponent, Inc. on behalf of Clariant Corporation submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an amendment to an existing requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of oxirane, 2-methyl-, polymer with oxirane, monoundecyl ether, branched and linear.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to conditionally approve a revision to the State of Nevada's state implementation plan (SIP) for Clark County. The revision consists of an update to certain elements of the maintenance plan for the Clark County air quality planning area for the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), including the emissions inventories, maintenance demonstration, and motor vehicle emissions budgets. The EPA is conditionally approving the SIP revision because the SIP it continues to provide for maintenance of the 1997 ozone NAAQS; upon fulfillment of certain commitments, it will not interfere with attainment or reasonable further progress of the other NAAQS; and the budgets meet the applicable transportation conformity requirements. The approval is conditional because it is based on commitments to submit an additional SIP revision to reduce the safety margin allocations for the budgets within one year of this final conditional approval.