§ 80.72 - Procedures for opting out of the covered areas.

§ 80.72 Procedures for opting out of the covered areas.

(a) In accordance with paragraph (b) of this section, the Administrator may approve a petition from a state asking for removal of any opt-in area, or portion of an opt-in area, from inclusion as a covered area under § 80.70. If the Administrator approves a petition, he or she shall set an effective date as provided in paragraph (c) of this section. The Administrator shall notify the state in writing of the Agency's action on the petition and the effective date of the removal when the petition is approved.

(b) To be approved under paragraph (a) of this section, a petition must be signed by the Governor of a State, or his or her authorized representative, and must include the following:

(1) A geographic description of each opt-in area, or portion of each opt-in area, which is covered by the petition;

(2) A description of all ways in which reformulated gasoline is relied upon as a control measure in any approved State or local implementation plan or plan revision, or in any submission to the Agency containing any proposed plan or plan revision (and any associated request for redesignation) that is pending before the Agency when the petition is submitted; and

(3) For any opt-in areas covered by the petition for which reformulated gasoline is relied upon as a control measure as described under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the petition shall include the following information:

(i) Identify whether the State is withdrawing any such pending plan submission;

(ii)

(A) Identify whether the State intends to submit a revision to any such approved plan provision or pending plan submission that does not rely on reformulated gasoline as a control measure, and describe the alternative air quality measures, if any, that the State plans to use to replace reformulated gasoline as a control measure;

(B) A description of the current status of any proposed revision to any such approved plan provision or pending plan submission, as well as a projected schedule for submission of such proposed revision;

(iii) If the State is not withdrawing any such pending plan submission and does not intend to submit a revision to any such approved plan provision or pending plan submission, describe why no revision is necessary;

(iv) If reformulated gasoline is relied upon in any pending plan submission, other than as a contingency measure consisting of a future opt-in, and the Agency has found such pending plan submission complete or made a protectiveness finding under 40 CFR 51.448 and 93.128, demonstrate whether the removal of the reformulated gasoline program will affect the completeness and/or protectiveness determinations;

(4) The Governor of a State, or his or her authorized representative, shall submit additional information upon request of the Administrator,

(c)

(1) For opt-out petitions received on or before December 31, 1997, except as provided in paragraphs (c)(2) and (c)(3) of this section, the Administrator shall set an effective date for removal of an area under paragraph (a) of this section as requested by the Governor, but no less than 90 days from the Agency's written notification to the state approving the opt-out petition, and no later than December 31, 1999.

(2) For opt-out petitions received on or before December 31, 1997, except as provided in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, where RFG is contained as an element of any plan or plan revision that has been approved by the Agency, other than as a contingency measure consisting of a future opt-in, then the effective date under paragraph (a) of this section shall be the date requested by the Governor, but no less than 90 days from the effective date of Agency approval of a revision to the plan that removes RFG as a control measure.

(3)

(i) The Administrator may extend the deadline for submitting opt-out petitions in paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section for a state if:

(A) The Governor or his authorized representative requests an extension prior to December 31, 1997;

(B) The request indicates that there is active or pending legislation before the state legislature that was introduced prior to March 28, 1997;

(C) The legislation is concerning opting out of or remaining in the reformulated gasoline program; and

(D) The request demonstrates that the legislation cannot reasonably be acted upon prior to December 31, 1997.

(ii) The Administrator may extend the deadline until no later than May 31, 1998. If the deadline is extended, then opt-out requests from that state received during the extension shall be considered under the provisions of paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section.

(4) For opt-out petitions received January 1, 1998 through December 31, 2003, except as provided in paragraph (c)(5) of this section, the Administrator shall set an effective date for removal of an area under paragraph (a) of this section as requested by the Governor but no earlier than January 1, 2004 or 90 days from the Agency's written notification to the state approving the opt-out petition, whichever date is later.

(5) For opt-out petitions received January 1, 1998 through December 31, 2003, where RFG is contained as an element of any plan or plan revision that has been approved by the Agency, other than as a contingency measure consisting of a future opt-in, then the effective date for removal of an area under paragraph (a) of this section shall be the date requested by the Governor, but no earlier than January 1, 2004, or 90 days from the effective date of Agency approval of a revision to the plan that removes RFG as a control measure, whichever date is later.

(6) For opt-out petitions received on or after January 1, 2004, except as provided in paragraph (c)(7) of this section, the Administrator shall set an effective date for removal of an area as requested by the Governor, but no less than 90 days from the Agency's written notification to the state approving the opt-out petition.

(7) For opt-out petitions received on or after January 1, 2004, where RFG is contained as an element of any plan or plan revision that has been approved by the Agency, other than as a contingency measure consisting of a future opt-in, then the effective date for removal of an area under paragraph (a) of this section shall be the date requested by the Governor, but no less than 90 days from the effective date of Agency approval of a revision to the plan that removes RFG as a control measure.

(8) Notwithstanding any other provision of paragraph (c) of this section, for an area that opted in pursuant to Clean Air Act section 211(k)(6)(B), the Administrator shall not set the effective date for removal of the area earlier than four years after the commencement date of opt-in.

(d) The Administrator shall publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing the approval of any petition under paragraph (a) of this section, and the effective date for removal.

[61 FR 35680, July 8, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 54558, Oct. 20, 1997; 80 FR 6662, Feb. 6, 2015]