Environmental Protection Agency 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to the Oregon State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted on December 11, 2018. The revisions update the SIP to allow for electronic public notice of proposed major stationary source permits, add references to stationary source sampling requirements, make use of plain language, and correct errors. The EPA has determined the changes are consistent with Clean Air Act requirements.

The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), ``Control of Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles: Tier 3 Motor Vehicle Emission Standards (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 0783.65, OMB Control No. 2060-0104) 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 March 31, 2020. 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.

With this document, EPA is opening the public comment period for review of anthraquinone. Registration review is EPA's periodic review of pesticide registrations to ensure that each pesticide continues to satisfy the statutory standard for registration, that is, the pesticide can perform its intended function without unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment. Registration review dockets contain information that will assist the public in understanding the types of information and issues that the Agency may consider during the course of registration reviews. Through this program, EPA is ensuring that each pesticide's registration is based on current scientific and other knowledge, including its effects on human health and the environment.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR), Recordkeeping and Reporting Related to E15 (EPA ICR Number 2408.05, OMB Control Number 2060-0675) 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 October 31, 2019. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on March 18, 2019 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) has submitted an information collection request (ICR), NESHAP for the Manufacture of Amino/Phenolic Resins (EPA ICR Number 1869.10, OMB Control Number 2060- 0434) 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 January 31, 2020. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on May 6, 2019 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.

EPA is announcing the availability of and soliciting public comment on the draft Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) risk evaluation of Methylene Chloride (MC). The purpose of the risk evaluation process under TSCA is to determine, upon issuance of a final risk evaluation, whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment under the conditions of use, including an unreasonable risk to a relevant potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulation. EPA is also submitting the same document to the TSCA Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) for peer review and is announcing that there will be an in-person public meeting of the TSCA SACC to consider and review the draft risk evaluation. Preceding the in-person meeting, there will be a preparatory virtual public meeting for the panel to consider the scope and clarity of the draft charge questions for the peer review.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a Clean Air Act (CAA) section 111(d) plan submitted by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ). This plan was submitted to fulfill the requirements of the CAA and in response to EPA's promulgation of Emissions Guidelines and Compliance Times for municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. The Virginia plan establishes emission limits for existing MSW landfills, and provides for the implementation and enforcement of those limits.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve a revision to the Calaveras County Air Pollution Control District (CCAPCD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision concerns reporting of emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOX) in ozone nonattainment areas. We are approving a local rule that applies to certain emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).

Since 1988, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has maintained a Federal Agency Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket (``Docket'') under section 120(c) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Section 120(c) requires EPA to establish a Docket that contains certain information reported to EPA by Federal facilities that manage hazardous waste or from which a reportable quantity of hazardous substances has been released. As explained further below, the Docket is used to identify Federal facilities that should be evaluated to determine if they pose a threat to public health or welfare and the environment and to provide a mechanism to make this information available to the public. This notice identifies the Federal facilities not previously listed on the Docket and also identifies Federal facilities reported to EPA since the last update on April 29, 2019. In addition to the list of additions to the Docket, this notice includes a section with revisions of the previous Docket list and a section of Federal facilities that are to be deleted from the Docket. Thus, the revisions in this update include zero additions, three deletions, and zero corrections to the Docket since the previous update. At the time of publication of this notice, the new total number of Federal facilities listed on the Docket is 2,372.

In a July 29, 2019 notice of proposed rulemaking, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed percentage standards for four categories of renewable fuel that would apply to obligated parties in 2020 under the Renewable Fuel Standard. This action takes into consideration certain comments received in response to the proposed rule. Based on these comments and additional information, EPA is issuing a supplemental proposal and requests comment on adjustments to the percentage standards for 2020 that result from the amended definitions of two of the terms used to calculate the percentage standards. We are proposing to project the volume of gasoline and diesel that will be exempt in 2020 due to small refinery exemptions based on a three-year average of the relief recommended by the Department of Energy (DOE). From 2016-2018 the relief recommended by the DOE would have resulted in a reduction to the renewable volume obligation of approximately 770 million RINs per year. The amended definitions proposed in this rule would effectively increase the percentage standards that apply to non-exempt obligated parties to offset future small refinery exemptions and help ensure that the required volumes are met.

This document announces the Agency's receipt of an initial filing of a pesticide petition requesting the establishment or modification of regulations for residues of pesticide chemicals in or on various commodities.

In accordance with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is issuing a notice of receipt of requests by the registrants to voluntarily cancel certain pesticide product registrations and to amend certain product registrations to terminate uses. EPA intends to grant these requests at the close of the comment period for this announcement unless the Agency receives substantive comments within the comment period that would merit its further review of the requests, or unless the registrants withdraw their requests. If these requests are granted, any sale, distribution, or use of products listed in this notice will be permitted after the registrations have been cancelled and uses terminated only if such sale, distribution, or use is consistent with the terms as described in the final order.

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of pendimethalin in or on the leaf petiole vegetable subgroup 22B, monarda oil, monarda fresh leaves, rosemary oil, and rosemary fresh leaves. Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4) requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

Section 5(g) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires EPA to publish in the Federal Register a statement of its findings after its review of TSCA section 5(a) notices when EPA makes a finding that a new chemical substance or significant new use is not likely to present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment. Such statements apply to premanufacture notices (PMNs), microbial commercial activity notices (MCANs), and significant new use notices (SNUNs) submitted to EPA under TSCA section 5. This document presents statements of findings made by EPA on TSCA section 5(a) notices during the period from July 1, 2019 to July 31, 2019.

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 EPA Administrator signed an Order, dated October 3, 2019, denying the petition submitted by Sierra Club (Petitioner) objecting to a proposed Clean Air Act (CAA) title V operating permit issued to Mill Creek Generating Station (Mill Creek) located in Jefferson County, Kentucky. The Order responds to a June 2, 2017, petition requesting that the EPA object to the final operating permit number O-0127-16-V. This permitting action was issued by the Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District (LMAPCD). The Order constitutes a final action on the petition addressed therein.

This notice of availability announces the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 14 (Preliminary Plan 14) and solicits public comment. Section 304(m) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) requires the EPA to biennially publish a plan for new and revised effluent limitations guidelines, after public review and comment. Preliminary Plan 14 identifies any new or existing industrial categories selected for effluent guidelines or pretreatment standards and provides a schedule for their development. The EPA typically publishes a preliminary plan upon which the public is invited to comment, and then publishes a final plan thereafter. The EPA developed Preliminary Plan 14 based on its review and analysis of data from 2016, 2017, and 2018 as part of its annual review process.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, Department of Public Health, Air Management Services (AMS) for the purpose of satisfying the volatile organic compound (VOC) reasonably available control technology (RACT) requirements for source categories covered by control technique guidelines (CTGs) under the 2008 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). EPA is approving these revisions addressing the VOC CTG RACT requirements set forth by the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS for Philadelphia County in accordance with the requirements of the CAA.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District's (SBAPCD or ``the District'') portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern the District's New Source Review (NSR) permitting program for new and modified sources of air pollution under the Clean Air Act (CAA). This action updates the SBAPCD's applicable SIP with current permitting rules. We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

On October 9, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a document in the Federal Register to announce its National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Generic Maximum Achievable Control Technology Standards Residual Risk and Technology Review for Ethylene Production proposed rulemaking. The document also requested public comment on the proposed action. The EPA is announcing that it will hold a public hearing. The hearing will provide interested parties the opportunity to present data, views, or arguments concerning the proposed action. In addition, the EPA is extending the comment period by 11 days to allow for a public comment period of 30 days following the public hearing.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing changes to its test procedures required to be used by industries and municipalities when analyzing the chemical, physical, and biological properties of wastewater and other environmental samples for reporting under the EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. The Clean Water Act requires the EPA to promulgate these test procedures (analytical methods) for analysis of pollutants. The EPA anticipates that these proposed changes will provide increased flexibility for the regulated community in meeting monitoring requirements while improving data quality. In addition, this proposed update to the CWA methods would incorporate technological advances in analytical technology. As such, the EPA expects that there will be no negative economic impacts resulting from these proposed changes.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army (``the agencies'') are publishing a final rule to repeal the 2015 Clean Water Rule: Definition of ``Waters of the United States'' (``2015 Rule''), which amended portions of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and to restore the regulatory text that existed prior to the 2015 Rule. The agencies will implement the pre-2015 Rule regulations informed by applicable agency guidance documents and consistent with Supreme Court decisions and longstanding agency practice. The agencies are repealing the 2015 Rule for four primary reasons. First, the agencies conclude that the 2015 Rule did not implement the legal limits on the scope of the agencies' authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA) as intended by Congress and reflected in Supreme Court cases, including Justice Kennedy's articulation of the significant nexus test in Rapanos. Second, the agencies conclude that in promulgating the 2015 Rule the agencies failed to adequately consider and accord due weight to the policy of the Congress in CWA section 101(b) to ``recognize, preserve, and protect the primary responsibilities and rights of States to prevent, reduce, and eliminate pollution'' and ``to plan the development and use . . . of land and water resources.'' 33 U.S.C. 1251(b). Third, the agencies repeal the 2015 Rule to avoid interpretations of the CWA that push the envelope of their constitutional and statutory authority absent a clear statement from Congress authorizing the encroachment of federal jurisdiction over traditional State land-use planning authority. Lastly, the agencies conclude that the 2015 Rule's distance-based limitations suffered from certain procedural errors and a lack of adequate record support. The agencies find that these reasons, collectively and individually, warrant repealing the 2015 Rule. With this final rule, the regulations defining the scope of federal CWA jurisdiction will be those portions of the CFR as they existed before the amendments promulgated in the 2015 Rule.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces an upcoming meeting for the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC). The EPA established the CAAAC on November 19, 1990, to provide independent advice and counsel to EPA on policy issues associated with implementation of the Clean Air Act of 1990. The Committee advises EPA on economic, environmental, technical, scientific and enforcement policy issues.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is updating a portion of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Air Regulations. Requirements applying to OCS sources located within 25 miles of states' seaward boundaries must be updated periodically to remain consistent with the requirements of the corresponding onshore area (COA), as mandated by section 328(a)(1) of the Clean Air Act (CAA). The portion of the OCS air regulations that is being updated pertains to the requirements for OCS sources for which Virginia is the designated COA. The Commonwealth of Virginia's requirements discussed in this document and listed in the appendix to the Federal OCS air regulations, are approved for incorporation into the compilation of state provisions that is incorporated by reference.