00-2172. Approval and Promulgation of State Implementation Plans; California State Implementation Plan Revision, Kern County Air Pollution Control District

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

EPA proposes to approve revisions to the California State Implementation Plan (SIP) which concern the control of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from the loading of organic liquids, and fugitive hydrocarbons.

The intended effect of this action is to regulate emissions of VOC in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act, as amended in 1990 (CAA or the Act). In the Final Rules Section of this Federal Register, the EPA is approving the state's SIP submittal as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial revision and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for this approval is set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse comments are received, 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 If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. The EPA will not institute a second comment period. Any parties interested in commenting should do so at this time.

DATES:

Written comments must be received by March 6, 2000.

ADDRESSES:

Comments should be addressed to: Christine Vineyard, Rulemaking Office (AIR-4), Air Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-3901.

Copies of the rule revisions and EPA's evaluation report of each rule are available for public inspection at EPA's Region 9 office during normal business hours. Copies of the submitted rule revisions are also available for inspection at the following locations:

Rulemaking Office (AIR-4), Air Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105.

Environmental Protection Agency, Air Docket (6102), 401 “M” Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460.

California Air Resources Board, Stationary Source Division, Rule Evaluation Section, 2020 “L” Street, Sacramento, CA 95812.

Kern County Air Pollution Control District, 2700 M Street, Suite 302, Bakersfield, CA 93301.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christine Vineyard, [AIR-4], Air Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-3901, Telephone: [phone]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This document concerns Kern County Air Pollution Control District Rule 413, Organic Liquid Loading, and Rule 414.1, Valves, Pressure Relief Valves, Flanges, Threaded Connections and Process Drains at Petroleum Refineries and Chemical Plants. Both rules were adopted on March 7, 1996 and were submitted to EPA on May 10, 1996 by the California Air Resources Board. For further information, please see the information provided in the direct final action that is located in the rules section of this Federal Register.

Dated: January 12, 2000.

Julia Barrow,

Acting Regional Administrator, Region IX.