03-730. Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Maryland; Revision to the Control of Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Screen Printing and Digital Imaging

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

EPA proposes to approve the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland establishing reasonable available control technology (RACT) to limit volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from an overprint varnish that is used in the cosmetic industry. This action also proposes to add new definitions and amend certain existing definitions for terms used in the regulations. In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State's SIP submittal as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial submittal and anticipates no adverse comments. A more detailed description of the state submittal and EPA's evaluation are included in a Technical Support Document (TSD) prepared in support of this rulemaking action. A copy of the TSD is available, upon request, from the EPA Regional Office listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. If no adverse comments are received in response to this action, no further activity is contemplated. If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

DATES:

Comments must be received in writing by February 14, 2003.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments should be addressed to Walter Wilkie, Acting Branch Chief, Air Quality Planning and Information Services Branch, Mailcode 3AP21, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. Copies of the documents relevant to this action are available for public inspection during normal business hours at the Air Protection Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103; and the Maryland Department of the Environment, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Suite 705, Baltimore, Maryland 21230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ellen Wentworth, [phone], at the EPA Region III address above, or by e-mail at [e-mail]. Please note that while questions may be posed via telephone and e-mail, formal comments must be submitted in writing, as indicated in the ADDRESSES section of this document.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

For further information, please see the information provided in the direct final action pertaining to the establishment of a VOC limit for an overprint varnish used in the cosmetic industry throughout the state of Maryland with the same title, that is located in the “Rules and Regulations” section of this Federal Register publication. Please note that if EPA receives adverse comment on an amendment, paragraph, or section of this rule and if that provision may be severed from the remainder of the rule, EPA may adopt as final those provisions of the rule that are not the subject of an adverse comment.

Dated: December 4, 2002.

Thomas C. Voltaggio,

Acting Regional Administrator, Region III.