Environmental Protection Agency April 24, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for Texas as proposed on October 9, 2020, and supplemented on December 20, 2022. The revisions were submitted by Texas on May 13, 2020, to meet the Reasonable Further Progress (RFP) requirements for the Dallas-Fort Worth Serious ozone nonattainment area (DFW area) for the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). Specifically, EPA is approving the RFP demonstration and associated Motor Vehicle Emission Budgets (budgets). EPA is also notifying the public that EPA finds these RFP budgets for the DFW area adequate for the purpose of transportation conformity. As a result of such finding, the DFW area must use the budgets from the submitted DFW RFP SIP for future conformity determinations. The EPA is not finalizing a previous proposed approval of revisions to the SIP that address RFP contingency measure requirements for the DFW area in this action and that will be addressed in a separate action.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a two- day virtual public hearing to be held on May 9 and May 10, 2023, on its proposal titled, ``Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles,'' which was signed by Administrator Regan on April 11, 2023. An additional session may be held on May 11, 2023, if necessary to accommodate the number of testifiers that sign up to testify. EPA is proposing new, more stringent emissions standards for greenhouse gases (GHG) and criteria pollutants for light-duty vehicles and Class 2b and 3 (``medium-duty'') vehicles that would phase-in over model years 2027 through 2032. In addition, EPA is proposing GHG program revisions in several areas, including off-cycle and air conditioning credits and vehicle certification and compliance. EPA also is proposing new standards to control refueling emissions from incomplete medium-duty vehicles, and battery durability and warranty requirements for light-duty and medium- duty plug-in vehicles.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of oxirane, 2-methyl-, polymer with oxirane, ether with 1,2,3-propanetriol (3:1); minimum average number molecular weight 6,000 Daltons (CAS Reg. No. 9082-00-2) when used as an inert ingredient in a pesticide chemical formulation. Delta Analytical Corporation on behalf of Borchers Americas, Inc., submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of oxirane, 2-methyl-, polymer with oxirane, ether with 1,2,3-propanetriol (3:1) on food or feed commodities when used in accordance with these exemptions.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of oxirane, 2-methyl-, polymer with oxirane, ether with D-glucitol (6:1) when used as an inert ingredient in a pesticide chemical formulation. Delta Analytical Corporation, on behalf of Borchers Americas, Inc. submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of oxirane, 2-methyl-, polymer with oxirane, ether with D-glucitol (6:1) on food or feed commodities when used in accordance with these exemptions.

In accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator's March 18, 2022, memorandum regarding ``Consent Decrees and Settlement Agreements to resolve Environmental Claims Against the Agency,'' notice is hereby given of a proposed settlement agreement in Center for Biological Diversity v. EPA and FWS, No. 21-71306 (9th Cir.). In October 2021, Center for Biological Diversity (Plaintiff) filed a petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit challenging EPA's issuance of the 2021 Pesticide General Permit (PGP), a permit issued by EPA pursuant to the Clean Water Act (CWA). The petition alleged that EPA failed to comply with the CWA in issuing the 2021 PGP, and that EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) failed to comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in issuing the 2021 PGP. EPA seeks public input on a proposed settlement agreement prior to its final decision-making with regard to potential settlement of the litigation.

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.