Environmental Protection Agency March 18, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development (ORD), gives notice of a meeting of the Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) Air and Energy (A-E) Subcommittee to discuss the initial progress on implementation of the A-E Strategic Research Action Plan (StRAP).

EPA is proposing significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for chemical substances which are the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs) and a microorganism that was the subject of a Microbial Commercial Activity Notice (MCAN). This action would require persons to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing manufacture (defined by statute to include import) or processing of any of these chemical substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this proposed rule. This action would further require that persons not commence manufacture or processing for the significant new use until they have submitted a Significant New Use Notice, and EPA has conducted a review of the notice, made an appropriate determination on the notice under TSCA, and has taken any risk management actions as are required as a result of that determination.

This action finalizes the residual risk and technology review (RTR) conducted for the Solvent Extraction for Vegetable Oil Production source category regulated under national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP). Based on the results of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) risk review, the Agency is finalizing the decision that risks due to emissions of air toxics from this source category are acceptable and that the current NESHAP provides an ample margin of safety to protect public health. Under the technology review, the EPA is finalizing the decision that there are no developments in practices, processes, or control technologies that necessitate revision of the standards. Therefore, the EPA is finalizing no revisions to the numerical emission limits based on the risk and technology reviews. We are taking final action to correct and clarify regulatory provisions related to emissions during periods of startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM), including removing general exemptions for periods of SSM, adding alternative work practice standards for periods of initial startup for new or significantly modified sources, and making other minor clarifications or corrections. The EPA is also taking final action to add provisions for electronic reporting of certain notifications and reports and performance test results; and make other minor clarifications and corrections. These final amendments will result in improved compliance and implementation of the rule.