Environmental Protection Agency April 22, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator signed an Order dated January 15, 2021, denying a Petition dated September 27, 2017 from the Sierra Club, the South Dearborn Environmental Improvement Association, and the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center (the Petitioners). The Petition requested that EPA object to a Clean Air Act (CAA) title V operating permit issued by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), to AK Steel Dearborn Works (AK Steel), located in Wayne County, Michigan.

Through this supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (``supplemental proposal'' or ``SNPRM''), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public comment on the Agency's additional and clarified technical rationale related to the proposed approval of Tennessee's February 26, 2020, state implementation plan (SIP) revisions requesting the removal of Tennessee's motor vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) program requirements for Davidson, Sumner, Rutherford, Williamson, and Wilson Counties in Tennessee (also known as the Middle Tennessee Area) and Hamilton County (also known as the Chattanooga Area), from the federally-approved SIP. Specifically, EPA proposes to affirm that the Hamilton County and Middle Tennessee areas would continue to attain and maintain the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS or standards) after removal of the I/M program, and to rely on an emissions inventory comparison to inform its determination that both areas would continue to attain and maintain the ozone and carbon monoxide (CO) NAAQS. EPA is further proposing to conclude that the removal of the I/M program will not interfere with other states' ability to attain and maintain the 2008 ozone NAAQS under the good neighbor provision of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and providing additional information related to that conclusion. EPA is now taking comment on the use of this comparison and additional information in this supplemental proposal.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to the Illinois State Implementation Plan (SIP) that were submitted on August 27, 2020 by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). These revisions affect the public notice rule provisions for the New Source Review (NSR) and title V Operating Permit programs (title V) of the Clean Air Act (CAA). The revisions remove the mandatory requirement to provide public notice of draft CAA permits in a newspaper and allow electronic notice (e-notice) as an alternate noticing option. EPA proposed to approve this action on February 26, 2021 and received no adverse comments.