Environmental Protection Agency January 21, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of the Science Advisor, Policy, and Engagement 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 soliciting pre- proposal comments on a rulemaking effort known as the Cleaner Trucks Initiative (CTI). This advance notice describes EPA's plans for a new rulemaking that would establish new emission standards for oxides of nitrogen (NOX) and other pollutants for highway heavy-duty engines. It also describes opportunities to streamline and improve certification procedures to reduce costs for engine manufacturers. The EPA is seeking input on this effort from the public, including all interested stakeholders, to inform the development of a subsequent notice of proposed rulemaking.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to promulgate a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the EPA's implementing regulations that consists of control requirements for new, modified, and existing oil and natural gas sources located on Indian country lands within the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation (also referred to as the U&O Reservation) to address air quality in and around the Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area in northeast Utah. The proposed FIP would also continue the streamlined approach to authorize new and modified minor oil and natural gas production sources on the reservation that has been established through national rulemakings. This proposed U&O FIP will establish emissions control requirements for oil and natural gas activity that contribute to the Uinta Basin's winter ozone problem; establish regulatory requirements that are the same or consistent between Indian country and neighboring jurisdictions within the Basin; and allow for reasonable continued development of the Basin's oil and natural gas resources on the Indian country lands within the U&O Reservation that are included in the current Uinta Basin Ozone Nonattainment Area. VOC emissions control requirements for existing oil and natural gas sources are currently required in areas of the Basin under Utah jurisdiction, but do not exist for most sources on the U&O Reservation. Additionally, this proposed U&O FIP will ensure new development on the U&O Reservation will not cause or contribute to a NAAQS violation. We are proposing to determine that it is necessary and appropriate to promulgate this proposed U&O FIP to protect air quality on the U&O Reservation, under the authority provided in the CAA and the EPA's Tribal Air Quality Planning and Management regulations. We designed this proposed U&O FIP to protect air quality while also providing the regulated community certainty that requirements will be consistent across the Uinta Basin and allow for continued, responsible development of new and modified minor oil and natural gas sources. Unless and until replaced by a Tribal Implementation Plan, this proposed U&O FIP will be implemented by the EPA, or by the Ute Indian Tribe if the EPA delegates that authority to the Tribe.