Environmental Protection Agency November 28, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) on April 1, 2022. The proposed revision corrects definitions, updates, and removes outdated references, clarifies rule applicability in several rules within the Florida SIP, and removes methods to determine visible emissions.

All ten Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regions are proposing for public comment the draft 2026 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Pesticide General Permit (PGP) the draft 2026 PGP. The draft 2026 PGP covers point source discharges from the application of pesticides to waters of the United States. Once finalized, the draft 2026 PGP will replace the existing permit, the 2021 PGP, which was issued for a five-year term in the Federal Register on October 31, 2021, and expires October 31, 2026, at midnight. The draft 2026 PGP largely has the same conditions and requirements as EPA's previously issued PGPs, and would authorize certain point source discharges from the application of pesticides to waters of the United States in accordance with the terms and conditions described therein. EPA proposes to issue this permit for five (5) years in all areas of the country where EPA is the NPDES permitting authority. EPA solicits public comment on all aspects of the draft 2026 PGP. This Federal Register document describes the draft 2026 PGP in general and seeks comment as described in Section III.C of this document. The Fact Sheet accompanying the permit contains supporting documentation. EPA encourages the public to read the Fact Sheet to better understand the draft 2026 PGP.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving adoptions, repeals, and amendments to the New Jersey State Implementation Plan (SIP) concerning exemptions to improve resiliency during emergency situations, updates to hazardous air pollutant (HAP) reporting thresholds, updates to the certification and submission of emission statements, and the addition of Federal New Source Review (NSR) requirements for fine particles (PM2.5). The intended effect of New Jersey's revisions are to enable government and business entities to be more resilient during and following disruptions from natural and human-caused disasters; update HAP unit risk factors and reference concentrations to reflect current research, scientific, and technological advancements; update provisions to require the reporting of PM2.5 and ammonia (NH3) emissions at the source level and update the electronic reporting of emission statements to adapt with advancements and Federal requirements; and conform the State's rules on air permits to the EPA's NSR requirements for PM2.5 to ensure a source does not adversely impact the EPA-established National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Other revisions New Jersey made, which the EPA is approving with this notice of final rulemaking, will conform administrative penalties to the approved rules and correct errors and inconsistencies throughout the State's SIP. This action is being taken in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act. The EPA proposed to approve this rule on September 28, 2023, and received no comments.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to grant a treatability variance from the Land Disposal Restrictions (LDR) treatment standards for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for approximately 2,000 gallons of mixed low-activity waste from the Hanford Site in Washington State. The petitioner demonstrated that treatment of the waste to the specified standard is technically inappropriate, and the treatment variance is sufficient to minimize threats to human health and the environment posed by land disposal of the waste. If the variance is granted, the waste will be stabilized subject to specified conditions, and disposed at EnergySolutions in Clive, Utah and/or Waste Control Specialists in Andrews County, Texas. The variance would allow DOE, Washington, and EPA to evaluate the regulatory pathways by which separation, pretreatment, stabilization, and offsite disposal could be implemented for other Hanford mixed low-activity waste.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), ``U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Textile Mills Industry Data Collection'' (EPA ICR No. 2798.01, OMB Control No. 2040-NEW) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a request for approval of a new collection. This notice allows for 60 days for public comments.

EPA has received applications to register pesticide products containing active ingredients not included in any currently registered pesticide products. Pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is hereby providing notice of receipt and opportunity to comment on these applications.