Environmental Protection Agency May 3, 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.

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.

EPA has received an application proposing to register new uses for a new pesticide product containing a currently registered active ingredient. Pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is hereby providing notice of receipt and opportunity to comment on this application.