[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 19, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11137-11139]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6009]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[AL-042-1-9614a, AL-043-9613a; FRL-5426-9]
Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans Alabama:
Revision to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management
Administrative Code for the Air Pollution Control Program
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Direct final rule.
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SUMMARY: On October 30, 1995, and December 14, 1995, the State of
Alabama through the Department of Environmental Management (ADEM)
submitted a revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) to amend
the ADEM Administrative Code for the Air Pollution Control Program. The
purpose of this submittal is to revise the definition of Volatile
Organic Compound (VOC) in Chapter 335-3-1--General Provisions--Section
335-3-1-.02 (gggg), to ensure that the state regulation is consistent
with the Federal rule.
DATES: This action is effective May 20, 1996 unless adverse or critical
comments are received by April 18, 1996. If the effective date is
delayed, timely notice will be published in the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Kimberly Bingham at the EPA Region
4 address listed below. Copies of the material submitted by ADEM may be
examined during normal business hours at the following locations:
Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center (Air Docket 6102),
[[Page 11138]]
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street SW., Washington DC
20460.
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4 Air Programs Branch, 345
Courtland Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30365.
Alabama Department of Environmental Management, 1751 Congressman W.L.
Dickinson Drive, Montgomery, Alabama 36109.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kimberly Bingham, Regulatory Planning
and Development Section, Air Programs Branch, Air Pesticides and Toxics
Management Division, Region 4, Environmental Protection Agency, 345
Courtland Street NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30365. The telephone number is
(404) 347-3555 ext. 4195.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 30, 1995 and December 14, 1995,
the State of Alabama through the ADEM submitted revisions to the
Alabama SIP. Chapter 335-3-1--General Provisions, Section 335-3-1-.02,
was amended to exempt compounds from the definition of VOC on the basis
that these compounds have been determined to have negligible
photochemical reactivity. These revisions include the addition of new
compounds and changes to the names of existing exempt compounds.
Also included with the submittal were revisions to Chapter 335-3-11
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP),
Appendix C, and Chapter 335-3-18 Acid Rain Program--Permits Regulation.
EPA is not taking action on these revisions in this notice because they
are federally enforceable through 40 CFR Part 63 and Part 72,
respectively.
Final Action
The EPA is approving the revisions to the VOC definition and is
publishing this action without prior proposal because the Agency views
this as a noncontroversial amendment and anticipates no adverse
comments. However, in a separate document in this Federal Register
publication, the EPA is proposing to approve the SIP revision should
adverse or critical comments be filed. This action will be effective
May 20, 1996 unless, by April 18, 1996, adverse or critical comments
are received.
If the EPA receives such comments, this action will be withdrawn
before the effective date by publishing a subsequent document that will
withdraw the final action. All public comments received will then be
addressed in a subsequent final rule based on the proposed rule
published with this action. The 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. If no such comments are received, the
public is advised that this action will be effective May 20, 1996.
Under section 307(b)(1) of the Clean Air Act (CAA), 42 U.S.C.
7607(b)(1), petitions for judicial review of this action must be filed
in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by
May 20, 1996. Filing a petition for reconsideration by the
Administrator of this final rule does not affect the finality of this
rule for 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) of the CAA, 42 U.S.C. 7607(b)(2)].
This action has been classified as a Table 3 action for signature
by the Regional Administrator under the procedures published in the
Federal Register on January 19, 1989 (54 FR 2214-2225), as revised by a
July 10, 1995 memorandum from Mary Nichols, Assistant Administrator for
Air and Radiation. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has
exempted this regulatory action from E.O. 12866 review.
SIP approvals under section 110 and subchapter I, part D of the CAA
do not create any new requirements, but simply approve requirements
that the State is already imposing. Therefore, because the Federal SIP-
approval does not impose any new requirements, I certify that it does
not have a significant impact on any small entities affected. Moreover,
due to the nature of the federal-state relationship under the CAA,
preparation of a regulatory flexibility analysis would constitute
federal inquiry into the economic reasonableness of state action. The
CAA forbids EPA to base its actions concerning SIPs on such grounds.
Union Electric Co. v. U.S. E.P.A., 427 U.S. 246, 256-66 (S.Ct. 1976);
42 U.S.C. 7410(a)(2) and 7410(k)(3).
Nothing in this action shall be construed as permitting or allowing
or establishing a precedent for any future request for a revision to
any SIP. Each request for revision to the SIP shall be considered
separately in light of specific technical, economic, and environmental
factors and in relation to relevant statutory and regulatory
requirements.
Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 600 et seq., EPA
must prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis assessing the impact of
any proposed or final rule on small entities. 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604.
Alternatively, EPA may certify that the rule will not have a
significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. Small
entities include small businesses, small not-for-profit enterprises,
and government entities with jurisdiction over populations of less than
50,000.
Under Sections 202, 203, and 205 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act of 1995 (``Unfunded Mandates Act''), signed into law on March 22,
1995, EPA must undertake various actions in association with proposed
or final rules that include a Federal mandate that may result in
estimated costs of $100 million or more to the private sector, or to
State, local, or tribal governments in the aggregate.
Through submission of this state implementation plan or plan
revision, the State and any affected local or tribal governments have
elected to adopt the program provided for under Section 110 of the CAA.
These rules may bind State, local and tribal governments to perform
certain actions and also require the private sector to perform certain
duties. EPA has examined whether the rules being approved by this
action would impose no new requirements, since such sources are already
subject to these regulations under State law. Accordingly, no
additional costs to State, local, or tribal governments, or to the
private sector, result from this action, and therefore there will be no
significant impact on a substantial number of small entities.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by
reference, Intergovernmental relations, Ozone.
Dated: February 6, 1996.
Phyllis P. Harris,
Acting Regional Administrator.
Chapter I, title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, is amended as
follows:
PART 52--[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q.
Subpart B--Alabama
2. Section 52.50 is amended by adding paragraph (c)(69) to read as
follows:
Sec. 52.50 Identification of plan.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
[[Page 11139]]
(69) The State of Alabama submitted revisions to the ADEM
Administrative Code for the Air Pollution Control Program on October
30, 1995, and December 14, 1995. These revisions involve changes to
Chapter 335-3-1--General Provisions.
(i) Incorporation by reference. Section 335-3-1-.02 (gggg) of the
Alabama regulations adopted on November 28, 1995.
(ii) Other material. None.
[FR Doc. 96-6009 Filed 3-18-96; 8:45 am]
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