[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 212 (Wednesday, November 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 59760]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-28724]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-6469-2]
Adequacy Status of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Submitted 9% Rate of
Progress Plan for Transportation Conformity Purposes
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of adequacy.
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SUMMARY: In this document, EPA is notifying the public that EPA has
found that the Milwaukee, Wisconsin 9% Rate of Progress (ROP) plan does
contain adequate mobile source emission budgets. On March 2, 1999, the
D.C. Circuit Court ruled that submitted State Implementation Plans
(SIPs) cannot be used for conformity determinations until EPA has
affirmatively found them adequate. Since the December 11, 1997,
submittal does contain adequate budgets, this attainment demonstration
can be used for future conformity determinations.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
The finding and the response to comments will be available at EPA's
conformity website: http://www.epa.gov/oms/traq, (once there, click on
the ``Conformity'' button, then look for ``Adequacy Review of SIP
Submissions for Conformity'').
Michael G. Leslie, Regulation Development Section (AR-18J), Air
Programs Branch, Air and Radiation Division, United States
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard.,
Chicago, Illinois, 60604, (312) 353-6680, leslie.michael@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Throughout this document, whenever ``we'', ``us'' or ``our'' is
used, we mean EPA. This notice is simply an announcement of a finding
that we have already made. EPA Region 5 sent a letter to the Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources on October 7, 1999, stating that the
Milwaukee, Wisconsin submitted 9% ROP does contain adequate mobile
source emission budgets. This finding will also be announced on EPA's
conformity website: http://www.epa.gov/oms/traq, (once there, click on
the ``Conformity'' button, then look for ``Adequacy Review of SIP
Submissions for Conformity'').
Transportation conformity is required by section 176(c) of the
Clean Air Act. EPA's conformity rule requires that transportation
plans, programs, and projects conform to state air quality
implementation plans and establishes the criteria and procedures for
determining whether or not they do. Conformity to a SIP means that
transportation activities will not produce new air quality violations,
worsen existing violations, or delay timely attainment of the national
ambient air quality standards.
The criteria by which we determine whether a SIP's motor vehicle
emission budgets are adequate for conformity purposes are outlined in
40 CFR 93.118(e)(4). Please note that an adequacy review is separate
from EPA's completeness review, and it also should not be used to
prejudge EPA's ultimate approval of the SIP. Even if we find a budget
adequate, the SIP could later be disapproved.
We've described our process for determining the adequacy of
submitted SIP budgets in guidance (May 14, 1999 memo titled
``Conformity Guidance on Implementation of March 2, 1999 Conformity
Court Decision''). We followed this guidance in making our adequacy
determination.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q.
Dated: October 22, 1999.
David A. Ullrich,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 5.
[FR Doc. 99-28724 Filed 11-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
