2022-01299. Air Plan Approval; Georgia; 2015 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment New Source Review Permit Program Requirements

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a revision to the Georgia State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the State of Georgia through the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA EPD) on July 2, 2020. EPA is approving Georgia's certification that its existing Nonattainment New Source Review (NNSR) permitting regulations meet the nonattainment planning requirements for the 2015 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for the Atlanta Area, comprised of the counties of Bartow, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Henry. This action is being taken pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and its implementing regulations.

DATES:

This rule is effective February 24, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket Identification No. EPA-R04-OAR-2020-0406. All documents in the docket are listed on the www.regulations.gov website. Although listed in the index, some information may not be publicly available, i.e., Confidential Business Information or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically through www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Air Regulatory Management Section, Air Planning and Implementation Branch, Air and Radiation Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960. EPA requests that if at all possible, you contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to schedule your inspection. The Regional Office's official hours of business are Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Pearlene Williams, Air Regulatory Management Section, Air Planning and Implementation Branch, Air and Radiation Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960. The telephone number is [phone]. Ms. Williams can also be reached via electronic mail at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

On December 6, 2018, EPA issued a final rule entitled “Implementation of the 2015 National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone: State Implementation Plan Requirements” (SIP Requirements Rule), which establishes the requirements that state, tribal, and local air quality management agencies must meet as they develop implementation plans for areas where air quality exceeds the 2015 8-hour ozone NAAQS. See 83 FR 62998; 40 CFR part 51, subpart CC.

Based on the nonattainment designation for the 2015 8-hour ozone standard, Georgia was required to develop a SIP revision addressing the requirements of CAA sections 172(c)(5) and 173 for the Atlanta Area. See 42 U.S.C. 7502(c). Section 172(c)(5) of the CAA requires each state with a nonattainment area to submit a SIP revision requiring NNSR permits in the nonattainment area in accordance with the permitting requirements of CAA section 173. The minimum SIP requirements for NNSR permitting for the 2015 8-hour ozone NAAQS are located in 40 CFR 51.165. See 40 CFR 51.1314. On July 2, 2020, Georgia submitted a SIP revision addressing, among other things,^[1] permit program requirements ( i.e., NNSR) for the 2015 8-hour ozone NAAQS for the Atlanta Area.

On December 2, 2021, EPA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to approve the July 2, 2020, SIP revision regarding 2015 8-hour Ozone Nonattainment New Source Review Permit Program Requirements for the Atlanta Area. See 86 FR 68447. The December 2, 2021, NPRM provides additional detail regarding the background and rationale for EPA's action. Comments on the December 2, 2021, NPRM were due on or before January 3, 2022. EPA received no comments on the December 2, 2021, NPRM.

II. Final Action

EPA is approving Georgia's SIP revision addressing the NNSR requirements for the 2015 8-hour ozone NAAQS for the Atlanta Area, submitted on July 2, 2020. EPA has concluded that Georgia's submission fulfills the 40 CFR 51.1314 requirement and meets the requirements of CAA sections 172(c)(5) and 173 and the minimum SIP requirements of 40 CFR 51.165.

III. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP submission that complies with the provisions of the Act and applicable Federal regulations. See 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a). Thus, in reviewing SIP submissions, EPA's role is to approve state choices, provided that they meet the criteria of the CAA. This action merely approves state law as meeting Federal requirements and does not impose additional requirements beyond those imposed by state law. For that reason, this action:

• Is not a significant regulatory action subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Orders 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993) and 13563 (76 FR 3821, January 21, 2011);

• Does not impose an information collection burden under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. );

• Is certified as not having a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq. );

• Does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or uniquely affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4);
• Does not have federalism implications as specified in Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999);
• Is not an economically significant regulatory action based on health or safety risks subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997);
• Is not a significant regulatory action subject to Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001);
• Is not subject to requirements of Section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) because application of those requirements would be inconsistent with the CAA; and
• Does not provide EPA with the discretionary authority to address, as appropriate, disproportionate human health or environmental effects, using practicable and legally permissible methods, under Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).

The SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian reservation land or in any other area where EPA or an Indian tribe has demonstrated that a tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian country, the rule does not have tribal implications as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000), nor will it impose substantial direct costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law.

The Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule, to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United States. EPA will submit a report containing this action and other required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior to publication of the rule in the Federal Register . A major rule cannot take effect until 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register . This action is not a “major rule” as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA, petitions for judicial review of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by March 28, 2022. Filing a petition for reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule does not affect the finality of this action for the purposes of judicial review nor does it extend the time within which a petition for judicial review may be filed, and shall not postpone the effectiveness of such rule or action. This action may not be challenged later in proceedings to enforce its requirements. See section 307(b)(2).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

• Environmental protection
• Air pollution control
• Incorporation by reference
• Intergovernmental relations
• Nitrogen oxide
• Ozone
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Volatile organic compounds

Dated: January 18, 2022.

Daniel Blackman,

Regional Administrator, Region 4.

For the reasons stated in the preamble, EPA amends 40 CFR part 52 as follows:

PART 52—APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS

1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.

Subpart L—Georgia

2. In § 52.570, amend the table in paragraph (e) by adding an entry for “2015 8-hour Ozone NAAQS Nonattainment New Source Review Requirements for the Atlanta Area” after the entry for “2008 8-hour ozone Maintenance Plan for the Atlanta Area, Revision for the Removal of Transportation Control Measures” to read as follows:

§ 52.570

Identification of plan.

* * * * *

(e) * * *

EPA-Approved Georgia Non-Regulatory Provisions

Name of nonregulatory SIP provision	Applicable geographic or nonattainment area	State submittal date/effective date	EPA approval date	Explanation
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
2015 8-hour Ozone NAAQS Nonattainment New Source Review Requirements for the Atlanta Area	Bartow, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Henry Counties	7/2/2020	1/25/2022, [Insert citation of publication]
*         *         *         *         *         *         *

Footnotes

1.  The other elements of this submittal are being addressed in separate rulemakings.