Environmental Protection Agency 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to withdraw from EPA regulation and management two designated ocean dredged material disposal sites, the Nome East and Nome West Sites (Sites), located near Nome, Alaska, pursuant to the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA), as amended. The EPA is taking this action because the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has not used the Sites for disposal of dredged material since 2009, has no plans to use the Sites for any future disposal of dredged material, and the Sites are no longer suitable for USACE's needs. This action will withdraw these sites from the regulations.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces a public listening session via a webcast of the Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB) Water Reuse Tax Incentive Workgroup. The listening session will be held in real-time via webcast and public comments may be provided in writing in advance. Please see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for further details. The purpose of the listening session will be for the EFAB to solicit public comment to inform its formulation of recommendations to the EPA on the public benefit of a potential Federal investment tax credit to support private investment in water reuse and recycling systems. An investment tax credit would focus on encouraging investment in equipment at privately owned industrial facilities to enable the use of municipally provided recycled water and/or enable onsite treatment and reuse of different sources of water within an industrial facility. The Board seeks public comment on how a potential investment tax credit could be structured to achieve the maximum public benefit and minimize any externalities or unintended consequences, and how that structure may differ for industrial onsite reuse versus industrial use of treated recycled water. The listening session will be conducted fully virtual via webcast.

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.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is finalizing amendments to the procedural framework rule for conducting risk evaluations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The purpose of risk evaluations under TSCA is to determine whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment, without consideration of costs or non-risk factors, including unreasonable risk to potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations identified as relevant to the risk evaluation by EPA, under the conditions of use. EPA reconsidered the procedural framework rule for conducting such risk evaluations and is revising certain aspects of that framework to better align with the statutory text and applicable court decisions, to reflect the Agency's experience implementing the risk evaluation program following enactment of the 2016 TSCA amendments, and to allow for consideration of future scientific advances in the risk evaluation process without need to further amend the Agency's procedural rule.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to a California statewide rule and six California air district rules into the California State Implementation Plan (SIP) under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act). These revisions concern emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from crude oil and natural gas facilities. Based on our proposed finding that these revisions correct previously-identified deficiencies in these rules, we are now proposing to fully approve the reasonably available control technology (RACT) requirement for the 2008 and 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for sources covered by the EPA's 2016 Control Techniques Guidelines for the Oil and Natural Gas Industry ("2016 Oil and Gas CTG") for the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD), San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD), Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD), and the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District (YSAQMD). We are also proposing to conditionally approve the RACT requirement for the 2008 and 2015 ozone NAAQS for sources covered by the EPA's 2016 Oil and Gas CTG for the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on July 14, 2023, which added a diisononyl phthalates (DINP) category to the list of toxic chemicals subject to the reporting requirements under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA). However, the amendment could not be incorporated into the regulation due to an inaccurate amendatory instruction. This document corrects the amendatory instructions.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this document announces the availability of and solicits public comment on the following Information Collection Request (ICR) that EPA is planning to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): "Collection of Information for TSCA Mercury Inventory Reporting," identified by EPA ICR No. 2567.05 and OMB Control No. 2070-0207. This ICR represents a renewal of an existing ICR that is currently approved through February 28, 2025. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval under the PRA, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the information collection that is summarized in this document. The ICR and accompanying material are available in the docket for public review and comment.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided notice of a proposed consent decree in Sierra Club, et al. v. EPA, et al., No. 3:24-cv-00130 (S.D.W. Va. 2024) on March 29, 2024. The EPA is reopening the public comment period for this proposed consent decree.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of New Hampshire. The revisions establish NOX reasonably available control technology (RACT) requirements for coal-fired cyclone boilers located in the state, portions of New Hampshire's NOX RACT certifications for the 2008 and 2015 ozone standards that pertain to requirements for coal-fired cyclone boilers, and withdrawal from the SIP of two previously issued RACT orders. This action is being taken in accordance with the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a permitting rule which provides specific permit exemptions for sources otherwise requiring a permit, submitted as a revision to the San Diego County Air Pollution Control (APCD or "District") portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). The proposed revisions would expand an existing provision that exempts tub grinders and trommel screens that process green material from permit requirements to include horizontal grinders and the processing of mixtures of green material and food material. The revisions also add a definition for "food material." This action is being taken pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act") and its implementing regulations. We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

This regulation amends the existing tolerance for residues of flonicamid in or on the raw agricultural commodity berry, low-growing, subgroup 13-07G by increasing the tolerance from 1.5 parts per million (ppm) to 2 ppm. ISK Biosciences Corporation requested this amended tolerance under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

In March 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed and requested comment on the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) and health-based Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, commonly known as GenX Chemicals), and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS). After consideration of public comment and consistent with the provisions set forth under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the EPA is finalizing NPDWRs for these six PFAS. Through this action, the EPA is finalizing MCLGs for PFOA and PFOS at zero. Considering feasibility, the EPA is promulgating individual Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for PFOA and PFOS at 4.0 nanograms per liter (ng/L) or parts per trillion (ppt). The EPA is also finalizing individual MCLGs and is promulgating individual MCLs for PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA at 10 ng/L. In addition to the individual MCLs for PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA, in consideration of the known toxic effects, dose additive health concerns and occurrence and likely co-occurrence in drinking water of these three PFAS, as well as PFBS, the EPA is finalizing a Hazard Index (HI) of 1 (unitless) as the MCLG and MCL for any mixture containing two or more of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA, and PFBS. Once fully implemented, the EPA estimates that the rule will prevent thousands of deaths and reduce tens of thousands of serious PFAS-attributable illnesses.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) section 111(d)/129 State plan submitted by the State of South Carolina, through the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), on December 19, 2014, and supplemented on September 17, 2018, and June 19, 2019, and November 5, 2019, for implementing and enforcing the Emissions Guidelines (EG) applicable to existing Commercial and Industrial Solid Waste Incineration (CISWI) units. The State plan provides for implementation and enforcement of the EG, as finalized by the EPA on June 23, 2016, applicable to existing CISWI units for which construction commenced on or before June 4, 2010, or for which modification or reconstruction commenced after June 4, 2010, but no later than August 7, 2013; the State plan also incorporates the CISWI technical amendments finalized by the EPA on April 16, 2019. The State plan establishes emission limits, monitoring, operating, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements for affected CISWI units.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator signed an order dated January 30, 2024, granting a petition dated August 7, 2023, from the Center for Biological Diversity, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, 350 Colorado, Sierra Club and Green Latinos. The petition requested that the EPA object to the Clean Air Act (CAA) operating permits issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to Bonanza Creek Energy Operating Company, LLC for its Antelope CPF 13-21 Production Facility, State Antelope O-1 Central Production Facility, State North Platte 42-26 Central Production Facility and State Pronghorn 41-32 Central Production Facility, all located in Weld County, Colorado.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR), RCRA Subtitle C Reporting Instructions and Forms (EPA ICR Number 0976.20, OMB Control Number 2050-0024) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through April 30, 2024. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on September 6, 2023, during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.

The EPA is amending specific provisions in the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule to improve data quality and consistency. This action updates the General Provisions to reflect revised global warming potentials; expands reporting to additional sectors; improves the calculation, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements by updating existing methodologies; improves data verifications; and provides for collection of additional data to better inform and be relevant to a wide variety of Clean Air Act provisions that the EPA carries out. This action adds greenhouse gas monitoring and reporting for five source categories including coke calcining; ceramics manufacturing; calcium carbide production; caprolactam, glyoxal, and glyoxylic acid production; and facilities conducting geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide with enhanced oil recovery. These revisions also include changes that will improve implementation of the rule such as updates to applicability estimation methodologies, simplifying calculation and monitoring methodologies, streamlining recordkeeping and reporting, and other minor technical corrections or clarifications. This action also establishes and amends confidentiality determinations for the reporting of certain data elements to be added or substantially revised in these amendments.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a revision to the Indiana State Implementation Plan (SIP), authorizing temporary alternative opacity limitations at the BP Products North America, Inc. (BP) facility in Whiting, Indiana during startup and shutdown. This approval is consistent with the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA regulations regarding emissions during these periods in the refinery sector. EPA proposed to approve this SIP submission on August 17, 2022, and received no comments.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to Michigan Air Pollution Control rules Part 2 Air Use Approval for inclusion in the Michigan State Implementation Plan (SIP).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR), Underground Storage Tanks: Technical and Financial Requirements, and State Program Approval Procedures (EPA ICR Number 1360.18, OMB Control Number 2050-0068) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through April 30, 2024. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on July 11, 2023 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this document announces the availability of and solicits public comment on the following Information Collection Request (ICR) that EPA is planning to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): "Notice of Arrival of Pesticides and Devices under section 17(c) of FIFRA," identified by EPA ICR No. 0152.15 and OMB Control No. 2070-0020. This ICR represents a renewal of an existing ICR that is currently approved through January 31, 2025. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval under the PRA, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the information collection that is summarized in this document. The ICR and accompanying material are available in the docket for public review and comment.

The Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment (CPHEA) within U.S. EPA's Office of Research and Development is announcing a workshop entitled "Workshop to Discuss Policy-Relevant Science to Inform EPA's Integrated Plan for the Review of the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards". This workshop is being organized by CPHEA and the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards within U.S. EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. This will be a four-day virtual workshop and will be open to the public through a public event registration website.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), RCRA Section 3007 Survey for Drum Reconditioning Facilities (EPA ICR Number 2800.01, OMB Control Number 2050-NEW), to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. 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.

This regulation establishes a tolerance for residues of cyclaniliprole in or on Vegetable, cucurbit, group 9. Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4) requested this tolerance under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this document announces the availability of and solicits public comment on the following Information Collection Request (ICR) that EPA is planning to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): "Reporting and Recordkeeping for Asbestos Abatement Worker Protection," identified by EPA ICR No. 1246.15 and OMB Control No. 2070-0072. This ICR represents a renewal of an existing ICR that is currently approved through January 31, 2025. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval under the PRA, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the information collection that is summarized in this document. The ICR and accompanying material are available in the docket for public review and comment.