02-25290. Clean Air Act Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plan Revision for North Dakota; Revisions to the Air Pollution Control Rules; Delegation of Authority for New Source Performance Standards and National Emission ...

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Proposed rule and delegation of authority.

SUMMARY:

EPA proposes to approve revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the Governor of North Dakota with a letter dated June 21, 2001. The revisions affect air pollution control rules regarding general provisions, emissions of particulate matter and fugitives, exclusions from Title V permit to operate requirements, and prevention of significant deterioration. EPA will handle separately direct delegation requests for emission standards for hazardous air pollutants for source categories and the State's Acid Rain Program.

In addition, EPA is providing notice that on January 3, 2002, North Dakota was delegated authority to implement and enforce certain New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), as of August 1, 2000. Finally, given that on July 7, 1995 EPA delegated authority to North Dakota to implement and enforce the Clean Air Act section 112 requirements, including, among other things, the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs), EPA proposes to remove the State's NESHAPs regulations from the federally-approved SIP.

In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State's SIP revision as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial SIP revision and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approval is set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse comments are received in response to this proposed rule, no further activity is contemplated in relation to this rule. If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule.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 on this action. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

DATES:

Comments must be received in writing on or before November 6, 2002.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments may be mailed to Richard R. Long, Director, Air and Radiation Program, Mailcode 8P-AR, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region VIII, 999 18th Street, Suite 300, Denver, Colorado 80202. Copies of the documents relevant to this action are available for public inspection during normal business hours at the Air and Radiation Program, Environmental Protection Agency, Region VIII, 999 18th Street, Suite 300, Denver, Colorado 80202. Copies of the State documents relevant to this action are available for public inspection at the North Dakota Department of Health, Division of Environmental Engineering, 1200 Missouri Avenue, Bismarck, North Dakota 58504-5264.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Amy Platt, EPA, Region VIII, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

See the information provided in the Direct Final action of the same title which is located in the Rules and Regulations section of this Federal Register.

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

Dated: September 3, 2002.

Robert E. Roberts,

Regional Administrator, Region VIII.