95-8213. Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; State of Illinois  

  • [Federal Register Volume 60, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 4, 1995)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 16996-17001]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 95-8213]
    
    
    
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    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
    40 CFR Parts 52 and 81
    
    [IL116-1-6792a; FRL-5182-3]
    
    
    Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation 
    of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; State of Illinois
    
    AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
    
    ACTION: Direct final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The USEPA is approving a November 10, 1994 State 
    Implementation Plan (SIP) revision request to redesignate two sulfur 
    dioxide (SO2) nonattainment areas in the State of Illinois to 
    attainment and approving the accompanying maintenance plans as SIP 
    revisions because they satisfy the requirements of the Clean Air Act 
    (Act). The redesignation requests and maintenance plans were submitted 
    by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) for the 
    following SO2 nonattainment areas: Peoria County (Hollis and 
    Peoria Townships) and Tazewell County (Groveland Township). The 
    redesignation requests are based on ambient monitoring data and 
    modeling demonstrations that show no violations of the SO2 
    National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). In the proposed rules 
    section of this Federal Register, USEPA is proposing approval of and 
    soliciting public comments on these requested redesignations and SIP 
    revisions. If adverse comments are received on this direct final rule, 
    USEPA will withdraw this final rule and address these comments in a 
    final rule on the related proposed rule which is being published in the 
    proposed rules section of this Federal Register. Adverse comments 
    received concerning a specific geographic area, Peoria or Tazewell 
    Counties, will only affect this final rule as it pertains to that area 
    and only the portion of this final rule concerning the area receiving 
    adverse comments will be withdrawn.
    
    DATES: This final rule is effective June 5, 1995, unless notice is 
    received by May 4, 1995, that someone wishes to submit adverse 
    comments. If the effective date is delayed, timely notice will be 
    published in the Federal Register.
    
    ADDRESSES: Copies of the SIP revision and USEPA's analyses are 
    available for inspection at the following address: (It is recommended 
    that you telephone Fayette Bright at (312) 886-6069 before visiting the 
    Region 5 Office.) United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 
    5, Air and Radiation [[Page 16997]] Division, 77 West Jackson 
    Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604.
        Written comments can be mailed to: J. Elmer Bortzer, Chief, 
    Regulation Development Section (AR-18J), Regulation Development Branch, 
    Air and Radiation Division, United States Environmental Protection 
    Agency, Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Fayette Bright, Regulation Development Section (AR-18J), Regulation 
    Development Branch, Air and Radiation Division, United States 
    Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, 
    Chicago, Illinois 60604, Telephone Number (312) 886-6069.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    
    I. Background
    
        The redesignation requests and maintenance plans considered in this 
    rulemaking were submitted by IEPA on November 10, 1994 for the 
    following SO2 nonattainment areas: Peoria County (Hollis and 
    Peoria Townships) and Tazewell County (Groveland Township). The 
    following discussion represents a historical summary of Illinois' 
    SO2 SIP.
        On March 3, 1978 (43 FR 8962), ten townships in Peoria and Tazewell 
    Counties in Illinois were designated by USEPA as not in attainment of 
    the primary SO2 NAAQS. The determination, which included Hollis 
    and Peoria Townships in Peoria County and Groveland Township in 
    Tazewell County, was based on monitoring data furnished to USEPA by 
    IEPA, and was to have included the entirety of both counties. However, 
    an accompanying IEPA dispersion modeling demonstration justified 
    limiting the nonattainment designation to ten townships.
        Further, on January 30, 1980 (45 FR 6786) as a result of IEPA 
    dispersion modeling studies, all ten townships were also designated as 
    not in attainment of the secondary SO2 NAAQS. Nine of these 
    townships continued to be designated as not in attainment of the 
    primary NAAQS.
        Even before the 1978 nonattainment designation, Illinois had 
    adopted regulations to control SO2 emissions in the Peoria area; 
    however, a 1974 decision of an Illinois Appellate Court invalidated 
    Illinois' SO2 emissions limitations for coal-fired boilers. Such 
    boilers account for over ninety-five percent of the area's SO2 
    emissions. Also, in 1977, the Illinois Air Pollution Control Board 
    (Board) revalidated the SO2 emission limitations for coal-fired 
    boilers; however, the revalidations were also determined to be invalid 
    by an Illinois Court, (Ashland Chemical vs. Illinois Pollution Control 
    Board, 64 Ill. App. 3rd 169, 381 N.E. 2nd 56 (3d District. 1978)).
        On March 28, 1983, most of the emission limits pertaining to Peoria 
    were revalidated by the Board. These Board regulations were submitted 
    to USEPA and incorporated into the Illinois SO2 SIP on August 8, 
    1984 (49 FR 31685 and 49 FR 31587). This SIP revision redesignated all 
    Peoria area Townships except Groveland, Hollis, and Peoria Townships to 
    attainment for SO2. (Hollis Township is classified as 
    nonattainment of the primary and secondary standards).
        On June 9, 1986, IEPA submitted Final Order R84-28 (35 Illinois 
    Administrative Code 214 (35 IAC 214); Sulfur Limitations) as a SIP 
    revision request revising the SO2 emission limits for the 
    remaining solid fuel emission sources in the Peoria and Tazewell areas. 
    The SIP revision request could not be approved until the enforcement 
    deficiencies were corrected. However, due to USEPA's approval of 35 IAC 
    214; Measurement Methods for the Emission of Sulfur Compounds dated 
    June 26, 1992 (57 FR 28617), the enforcement deficiencies previously 
    identified by USEPA were corrected. On September 2, 1992 (57 FR 40126), 
    USEPA approved the June 9, 1986 SIP revision request completing the 
    State's part D plan for the Peoria and Tazewell areas.
        The State's part D plan as required by the Act must contain 
    adequate provisions prohibiting any source or other type of emissions 
    activity within the State from emitting any air pollutant in amounts 
    which will contribute significantly to nonattainment, or interfere with 
    the maintenance of the NAAQS. Illinois' SIP includes a compliance test 
    methodology which allows most sources to demonstrate compliance with 
    their emission limits through either a stack test or a 2 month average 
    of the sulfur content of their fuel supply.
    
    II. USEPA Redesignation Policy
    
        The Act's requirements for redesignation to attainment are 
    contained in section 107(d)(3)(E) of the Act, and discussed in a 
    September 4, 1992, memorandum from the Director of the Air Quality 
    Management Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, to 
    Directors of Regional Air Divisions.
        As outlined in this memorandum, section 107(d)(3)(E) of the Act 
    requires that the following conditions be met for redesignation to 
    attainment:
        1. The USEPA must determine that the areas subject to the 
    redesignation request have attained the NAAQS;
        2. The USEPA must have fully approved the applicable SIP for the 
    areas under section 110(k) of the Act;
        3. The USEPA must determine that the improvements in air quality 
    are due to permanent and enforceable reductions in emissions resulting 
    from the implementation of the applicable SIP, Federal air pollution 
    control regulations, and other federally enforceable emission 
    reductions;
        4. The USEPA must have fully approved maintenance plans for the 
    areas as meeting the requirements of section 175A of the Act. Section 
    175A of the Act sets forth the maintenance plan requirements for areas 
    seeking redesignation from nonattainment to attainment. The plan must 
    demonstrate continued attainment of the applicable NAAQS for at least 
    ten years after the area is redesignated. Eight years after the 
    redesignation the State must submit a revised maintenance plan which 
    demonstrates attainment for the ten years following the initial ten-
    year maintenance period. To provide for the possibility of future NAAQS 
    violations, the maintenance plan must contain contingency provisions 
    that are adequate to assure prompt correction of air quality problems 
    that might develop; and,
        5. The State must have met all requirements applicable to the areas 
    under section 110 and part D of the Act.
    
    III. Summary of State Submittal
    
        The following discussion addresses Illinois' redesignation request 
    for Peoria and Tazewell counties, how the State met the five Act 
    requirements in section 107(d)(3)(E) listed above, and a more detailed 
    discussion of USEPA policy.
    
    A. Attainment of the NAAQS
    
        USEPA has determined that the Peoria and Tazewell areas have 
    attained the SO2 NAAQS. The modeling analysis submitted by the 
    state along with the SIP revision that USEPA approved on September 4, 
    1992, demonstrated attainment of the SO2 NAAQS through air 
    dispersion modeling. In addition to the modeled attainment 
    demonstration, ambient air monitoring data shows that no violations 
    have occurred since 1977 in Peoria and Tazewell Counties.
        USEPA redesignation policy requires that at least eight consecutive 
    quarters with no violations be achieved before an area can be 
    redesignated to attainment. For SO2, an area must show no more 
    than one exceedance annually.
        The most recent violation of any SO2 standard in the Peoria 
    and Tazewell [[Page 16998]] areas occurred in 1977, 1988 was the most 
    recent year in which a single exceedance of SO2 occurred. This 
    exceedance occurred at the monitoring station located at 272 Derby 
    Street in Pekin in Tazewell County. Inasmuch as the area's other 
    monitoring station, at Hurlburt and MacArthur Streets in Peoria, has no 
    recorded exceedances or violations of the primary or secondary SO2 
    NAAQS, Illinois has met the above requirement.
    
    B. Fully Approved SIP
    
        The SIP for the area must be fully approved under section 110(k) of 
    the Act and must satisfy all requirements that apply to the area. These 
    requirements include new requirements added by the 1990 Act amendments. 
    The State must meet all requirements of section 110 and part D of the 
    Act that were applicable prior to the submittal of the complete, 
    finally adopted redesignation request. (It should be noted that, based 
    on section 175A of the Act, other requirements of part D of the Act 
    remain in effect until the USEPA approves the maintenance plan and the 
    redesignation to attainment). A SIP which meets the pre-redesignation 
    request submittal requirements (the State's nonattainment SIP) must be 
    fully approved by the USEPA prior to USEPA's approval of the 
    redesignation of the area to attainment of the NAAQS. The requirements 
    of Title I of the Act, which includes section 110 and part D of the 
    Act, are discussed in the General Preamble to Title I (57 FR 13498, 
    April 16, 1992).
        On May 31, 1972 (37 FR 10861), USEPA approved Illinois SO2 
    Rule 204(c)(1)(A), which established a 1.8 lbs (pounds SO2 per 
    million British Thermal Units)/MMBTU emission limit for existing fuel 
    combustion sources in the Peoria, East St. Louis, and Chicago major 
    metropolitan areas. This rule was to serve as the State's part D SIP 
    control strategy for the Peoria and Tazewell nonattainment areas. 
    However, Rule 204(c)(1)(A) was invalidated by the Illinois Appellate 
    Court on September 27, 1978. Through several SIP actions (see 47 FR 
    9479--March 5, 1983: 49 FR 31412, August 7, 1984; and 49 FR 31687, 
    August 8, 1984), SO2 emission limits have been reestablished for 
    all sources in the Peoria area with the exception of six boilers.
        On June 9, 1986, the State submitted Final Order R84-28 which 
    revised emission limits contained in Part 214 Subpart C. The State 
    submittal satisfied an outstanding condition related to federal 
    approval of Illinois' part D SO2 SIP for the Peoria and Tazewell 
    nonattainment areas which reestablished emission limits for the 
    remaining six sources mentioned above. As previously discussed, USEPA 
    took rulemaking action on this SIP revision request on September 2, 
    1992 (57 FR 40126). This action was taken in light of the USEPA 
    approval of a SIP revision request from IEPA revising the State's 
    compliance methodology which satisfactorily corrected several defects 
    in the 1972 SIP. The part D plan for the Peoria and Tazewell SO2 
    nonattainment areas is now considered by USEPA to be complete and has 
    been fully approved.
    
    C. Permanent and Enforceable Air Quality Improvement
    
        The State must be able to reasonably attribute the improvement in 
    air quality to emission reductions which are permanent and enforceable.
        Implementation of SO2 emission controls in the Peoria and 
    Tazewell areas which are contained in Illinois' part D SO2 SIP has 
    led to permanent, enforceable emission reductions in the ambient 
    SO2 levels in the Peoria and Tazewell areas. In addition, there 
    are three source closures in Peoria County: Westinghouse Air Brake 
    (WABCO); Celotex; and Midland Coal Mine. Although Bemis Company (Peoria 
    County) is still operating, this source no longer emits SO2; it 
    only emits volatile organic compounds. Cilco-Wallace Station in 
    Tazewell County has also closed. These sources can only be reopened 
    under the State's Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program 
    and the State must demonstrate that the sources will not violate the 
    SO2 NAAQS. Although there is a possibility that Midland Coal Mine 
    may reopen, there will be no increase, in SO2 emissions.
        Actual SO2 emissions in 1993 from point sources remained at 
    less than twenty-three percent of the allowable emissions that were 
    modeled in the attainment demonstration in the 1986 Illinois SIP 
    submittal. The 1986 attainment demonstration and SIP revision showed 
    that, if SO2 emissions were low enough to meet the 24-hour primary 
    attainment standard in both Peoria and Tazewell Counties, the 3-hour 
    secondary standards as well as the annual primary standards would also 
    be maintained.
        In addition, there has been an overall reduction of thirty-two 
    percent in allowable SO2 emissions at the four Caterpillar plants 
    attributable to the shut-down of various emission units. Thus, the 
    emission reductions achieved are the result of the above mentioned 
    federally enforceable rules and permanent source closures.
    
    D. A Fully Approved Maintenance Plan
    
        Section 175A of the Act sets forth the maintenance plan 
    requirements for areas seeking redesignation from nonattainment to 
    attainment. The plan must demonstrate continued attainment of the 
    applicable NAAQS for at least ten years after the area is redesignated. 
    Eight years after the redesignation, the State must submit a revised 
    maintenance plan which demonstrates attainment for the ten years 
    following the initial ten-year maintenance period. To provide for the 
    possibility of future NAAQS violations, the maintenance plan must 
    contain contingency provisions that are adequate to assure prompt 
    correction of air quality problems that might develop.
        There are five provisions that USEPA believes need to be considered 
    in an acceptable maintenance plan. The following is a description of 
    how the State's request has fulfilled each of these five requirements.
    1. Attainment Inventory
        The State is required to develop an attainment inventory to 
    identify the level of emissions in the area at the time of attainment. 
    The plan submitted by IEPA lists the actual emissions for the thirteen 
    sources emitting 25 tons/year or more of SO2 in the Peoria and 
    Tazewell areas for 1989 through 1993. As previously discussed, the 
    actual emissions in 1993 from point sources remained at less than 
    twenty-three percent of the allowable emissions that were modeled in 
    the attainment demonstration in the 1986 Illinois SIP revision request.
        Further, actual emissions may decrease even more significantly 
    should implementation of the Title IV, Act Acid Deposition Control 
    Program reductions be employed by Commonwealth Edison at its Powerton 
    electric generating station and by Central Illinois Light Company at 
    its Edwards Station. Even small percentage reductions at these stations 
    will result in large overall percentage reductions, as the two stations 
    account for approximately sixty-eight percent of the nonattainment 
    area's SO2 emissions from stationary sources.
    2. Maintenance Demonstration
        The State is required to demonstrate future maintenance of the 
    NAAQS by either showing that (a) future emissions of a pollutant or its 
    precursors will not exceed the level of the attainment inventory or (b) 
    by modeling, that the future mix of sources and emission rates will not 
    cause a violation of the NAAQS. This demonstration will 
    [[Page 16999]] require the State to project emissions for the 10 year 
    period following the redesignation.
        Illinois' plan projects that the emissions will not change 
    substantially from the attainment inventory within the next ten years. 
    The modeling analysis submitted by IEPA with the 1986 SIP revision 
    request sufficiently demonstrates maintenance of the NAAQS for 10 years 
    following the redesignation. The actual emissions from point sources 
    are less than twenty-three percent of allowable emissions modeled in 
    the 1986 submittal and, emissions cannot increase due to the 
    restrictions of 35 IAC part 214, Sulfur Limitations and Part 203, Major 
    Stationary Source Construction Modification contained in the SIP. Also, 
    Illinois predicts that, due to the implementation of Title IV of the 
    Act, actual emissions are expected to decrease. Further, new stationary 
    sources will be subject to the Prevention of Significant Deterioration 
    (PSD) requirements. IEPA was delegated authority to administer the 
    USEPA PSD regulations on January 29, 1981, at 46 FR 9584.
    3. Ambient Monitoring
        In accordance with 40 CFR part 58, once an area has been 
    redesignated, the State must continue to operate an appropriate air 
    quality network to verify the attainment status of the area.
        The IEPA operates two National Air Monitoring Stations (NAMS) 
    SO2 monitors at two sites in the nonattainment areas. The Peoria 
    monitoring station is located at Hurlburt and MacArthur Streets in 
    Peoria County and the Tazewell County monitoring station is located at 
    272 Derby Street in Pekin in Tazewell County. Since their incorporation 
    into the NAMS Network, these sites have been annually approved by USEPA 
    in accordance with the requirements of 40 Code of Federal Registers 
    (CFR) 58 Subpart D. Because of USEPA's SIP requirements regarding the 
    maintenance of an adequate network, the IEPA will continue operation of 
    these monitors and cannot shut down either monitor without USEPA 
    concurrence of a revision to the NAMS program.
    4. Verification of Continued Attainment
        Each State must ensure that it has the legal authority to implement 
    and enforce all measures necessary to attain and to maintain the NAAQS. 
    IEPA has authority, through the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, 
    to ascertain information from any air containment source which may 
    cause or contribute to air pollution. In addition, IEPA developed 
    administrative rules which require annual reporting of SO2 
    emissions as well as all other regulated contaminants from all sources 
    required to have permits (35 IAC Sections 254.204 and 254.403).
        Illinois' primary means for updating the emissions inventory is the 
    conducting of periodic source inspection by the IEPA's Field Operations 
    Section (FOS). FOS inspects all major sources and many minor sources 
    with a frequency that depends on the amount of emissions emitted by the 
    source and its history of compliance with emission limitations. Major 
    sources are inspected at least annually and all permitted sources at a 
    lower frequency. If inspections indicate a need for enforcement or for 
    more stringent emission limits, the IEPA refers such matters to the 
    Board, which has the authority to execute enforcement actions.
        Because of this ongoing procedure, the emission inventory is 
    updated more frequently than annually. In fact, it is updated each time 
    an inspection indicates the need for a revision and entered into the 
    Aerometric Information Retrieval System (AIRS).
    5. Contingency Plan
        Section 175A of the Act also requires that a maintenance plan 
    include contingency provisions, as necessary, to promptly correct any 
    violation of the NAAQS that occurs after redesignation of the area. The 
    contingency plan is considered to be an enforceable part of the SIP and 
    should ensure that the contingency measures are implemented expediently 
    once they are triggered.
        In Illinois, all SO2 monitoring data are read daily, and IEPA 
    continues its ongoing practice of routine source inspection for 
    emission compliance status at a frequency determined by emissions 
    magnitude, taking prompt actions should any exceedance, or near 
    exceedance, i.e. ninety percent of the SO2 NAAQS in the area. (The 
    primary SO2 NAAQS is 0.14 parts per million (ppm) and the 
    secondary NAAQS is 0.50 ppm. These standards are not to be exceeded 
    more than once per year.) These actions include a determination of the 
    source(s) causing such an exceedance or near exceedance based on the 
    meteorological conditions prevailing at the time of the exceedance or 
    near exceedance. In such a case, the IEPA will immediately contact the 
    affected source(s) to ascertain the possible causes, including whether 
    malfunctions or other unusual operating conditions have occurred.
        The results of such contact will dictate what further actions IEPA 
    will then take, such as an inspection leading to enforcement action as 
    authorized by Section 4 of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, 
    requiring stack testing as authorized by 35 IAC Section 201.282 and 
    Measurement Methods in accordance with Section 201.282, or proposing to 
    the Board that more stringent SO2 emission limitations may be 
    necessary.
    
    E. SIP Meets Relevant Requirements Under Section 110 and Part D
    
        Before the Peoria and Tazewell areas may be redesignated to 
    attainment, they must have fulfilled the applicable requirements of 
    section 110 and part D. USEPA interprets section 107(d)(3)(E)(v) to 
    mean that, for a redesignation request to be approved, the State must 
    have met all requirements that became applicable to the subject area 
    prior to or at the time of the submission of the redesignation request. 
    As the redesignation requests were submitted to USEPA in November 1994, 
    requirements that came due prior to that time must be met for the 
    request to be approved. Any requirements of the Act that come due 
    subsequent to the submission of the redesignation requests continue to 
    be applicable to the area (see section 175A(c)) and, if the 
    redesignation is disapproved, the State remains obligated to fulfill 
    those requirements.
        USEPA has determined that the State has met the requirements of 
    section 110 and Part D that were applicable prior to submittal of the 
    complete redesignation request.
        i. Part D Plan. As noted above, in section III(b) of this document, 
    USEPA approved the Illinois SO2 SIP for the Peoria and Tazewell 
    areas on September 2, 1992. As previously discussed, this action was 
    approved after Illinois revised its compliance methodology 
    satisfactorily correcting several defects in the 1972 SO2 SIP (57 
    FR 2817, June 26, 1992). Illinois' SIP includes enforceable emission 
    limitations and provides for the operation of air quality monitors and 
    a program to provide for the enforcement of the emission limits. 
    Approval of this plan also means that the State has a SIP satisfying 
    the applicable requirements of section 110.
        ii. New Source Review. Section 172(c)(5) of the Act requires the 
    State to submit a SIP revision to require source permits in accordance 
    with section 173 of the Act for the construction and operation of each 
    new or modified major source.
        Illinois has submitted a SIP revision request to comply with the 
    requirements of section 172(c)(5). The USEPA has reviewed this SIP 
    revision request and has proposed to approve it (September 
    [[Page 17000]] 23, 1994, 59 FR 48839). Although the USEPA has not taken 
    final rulemaking action on this SIP revision, it should be noted that 
    USEPA does not consider compliance with these requirements to be a 
    prerequisite to the redesignation of an area to attainment of the 
    sulfur dioxide NAAQS.
        USEPA has determined that areas being redesignated need not comply 
    with the NSR requirement prior to redesignation provided that the area 
    demonstrates maintenance of the standard without part D NSR in effect. 
    For more information, refer to the memorandum from Mary Nichols, 
    Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, dated October 14, 1994, 
    entitled Part D New Source Review (part D NSR) Requirements for Areas 
    Requesting Redesignation to Attainment. The rationale for this view is 
    described fully in that memorandum, and is based on the Agency's 
    authority to establish de minimis exceptions to statutory requirements. 
    See Alabama Power Co. v. Costle, 636 F. 2d 323, 360-61 (D.C. Cir. 
    1979). As discussed above, the State of Illinois has demonstrated that 
    the Peoria and Tazewell areas will be able to maintain the standard 
    without part D NSR in effect and, therefore, the State need not have a 
    fully-approved part D NSR program prior to approval of the 
    redesignation requests for those areas.
        iii. Conformity. Section 176(c) of the Act requires the States to 
    revise their SIPs to establish criteria and procedures to ensure that 
    before Federal actions are taken, they conform to the air quality 
    planning goals in the applicable SIPs. The requirement to determine 
    conformity applies to transportation plans, programs and projects 
    developed, funded or approved under Title 23 U.S.C. or the Federal 
    Transit Act (``transportation conformity''), as well as to all other 
    Federal actions (``general conformity''). Section 176 further provides 
    that the conformity revisions to be submitted by the States be 
    consistent with Federal conformity regulations that the Act required 
    USEPA to promulgate. Congress provided for the State revisions to be 
    submitted 1-year after the date for promulgation of final USEPA 
    conformity regulations. When that date passed without such 
    promulgation, USEPA's General Preamble for the Implementation of Title 
    I informed the States that its conformity regulations would establish a 
    submittal date (see 57 FR 13498, 13557, April 16, 1992).
        The USEPA promulgated final transportation conformity regulations 
    on November 24, 1993 (58 FR 62188). The transportation conformity 
    regulations do not apply to the SO2 pollutant because SO2 is 
    not emitted by transportation sources. However, the general conformity 
    regulations do encompass SO2 nonattainment and maintenance areas.
        The USEPA promulgated final general conformity regulations on 
    November 30, 1993 (58 FR 63214). These conformity regulations require 
    the States to adopt general conformity provisions in the SIPs for areas 
    designated nonattainment or subject to a maintenance plan approved 
    under section 175A of the Act. Pursuant to section 51.851 of the 
    general conformity rule, the State of Illinois is required to submit a 
    SIP revision containing general conformity criteria and procedures 
    consistent with those established in the Federal rule by December 1, 
    1994. Because the deadline for this submittal did not become due until 
    after the Peoria and Tazewell redesignation request (November 10, 
    1994), it is not an applicable requirement under section 
    107(d)(3)(E)(V) and, thus does not affect approval of the redesignation 
    request. It should be noted, however, that regardless of the attainment 
    status of Peoria and Tazewell Counties, Illinois is obligated under the 
    general conformity rule to submit the conformity SIP revision, 
    including covering Peoria and Tazewell Counties by the deadlines 
    discussed here, because they will be maintenance areas. Therefore, the 
    attainment status of Peoria and Tazewell Counties should not be an 
    issue in this case. It is further noted that the Illinois redesignation 
    request for Peoria and Tazewell Counties indicates that the State of 
    Illinois will submit a SIP revision to meet USEPA's conformity 
    requirements after Illinois has had sufficient time to review and act 
    on USEPA's final conformity regulations.
    
    IV. Final Rulemaking Action
    
        The State of Illinois has met the requirements of the Act. The 
    USEPA approves the redesignation of Peoria County (Hollis and Peoria 
    Townships) and Tazewell County (Groveland Township) to attainment of 
    the SO2 primary and secondary NAAQS.
        Because USEPA considers this action to be noncontroversial and 
    routine, the USEPA is approving it without prior approval. This action 
    will become effective on June 5, 1995. However, if the USEPA receives 
    adverse comments by May 4, 1995, then the USEPA will publish a document 
    that withdraws the action, and will address these comments in the final 
    rule on the requested redesignation and SIP revision which has been 
    proposed for approval in the proposed rules section of this Federal 
    Register.
        The comment period will not be extended or reopened. This 
    withdrawal will be done on a geographic basis if the adverse comments 
    received do not concern the two geographic areas.
        This action has been classified as a Table 2 action by the Regional 
    Administrator under the procedures published in the Federal Register on 
    January 19, 1989 (54 FR 2214-2225), as revised by an October 4, 1993, 
    memorandum from Michael H. Shapiro, Acting Assistant Administrator for 
    Air and Radiation. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has 
    exempted this regulatory action from Executive Order 12866 review.
        Nothing in this action should be construed as permitting or 
    allowing or establishing a precedent for any future request for 
    revision to any SIP. Each request for revision to any 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., USEPA 
    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, USEPA may certify that the rule will not have a 
    significant economic 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.
        The SIP approvals under section 110 and subchapter I, part D, of 
    the Act 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 small entities affected. 
    Moreover, due to the nature of the Federal-State relationship under the 
    Act, preparation of a regulatory flexibility analysis would constitute 
    Federal inquiry into the economic reasonableness of State action. The 
    Act forbids USEPA to base its actions concerning SIPs on such grounds. 
    Union Electric Co. v. USEPA, 427 U.S. 246, 256-66 (1976).
        Under Section 307(b)(1) of the Act, petitions for judicial review 
    of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for 
    the appropriate circuit by June 5, 1995. Filing a petition for 
    reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule does not affect 
    the finality of this rule for the purposes of judicial review nor does 
    it extend the [[Page 17001]] 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).)
    
    List of Subjects in 40 CFR Parts 52 and 81
    
        Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Sulfur dioxide.
    
        Dated: March 22, 1995.
    
    David A. Ullrich,
    
    Acting Regional Administrator.
    
    PART 52--[AMENDED]
    
        1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:
    
        Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7402-7671q.
    
    Subpart O--Illinois
    
        2. Section 52.724 is amended by adding paragraph (h) to read as 
    follows:
    
    
    Sec. 52.724  Control strategy: Sulfur dioxide.
    
    * * * * *
        (h) Approval--On November 10, 1994, the Illinois Environmental 
    Protection Agency submitted a sulfur dioxide redesignation request and 
    maintenance plan for Peoria and Hollis Townships in Peoria County and 
    Groveland Township in Tazewell County to redesignate the townships to 
    attainment for sulfur dioxide. The redesignation request and 
    maintenance plan meet the redesignation requirements in section 
    107(d)(3)(d) of the Clean Air Act (Act) as amended in 1990.
    
    PART 81--[AMENDED]
    
        1. The authority citation for part 81 continues to read as follows:
    
        Authority:  42 U.S.C. 7401-7871q.
    
        2. In Sec. 81.314 the Illinois SO2 table is amended by 
    revising the entries for Peoria County and Tazewell County to read as 
    follows:
    
    
    Sec. 81.314  Illinois.
    
    * * * * *
    
                                  Illinois--SO2                             
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Does not     Does not                             
                            meet         meet      Cannot be    Better than 
      Designated area     primary     secondary    classified     national  
                         standards     standard                  standards  
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                            
                                                                            
           *                  *                  *                  *       
                      *                  *                  *               
    Peoria County.....  ...........  ...........  ...........  X            
    Tazewell County...  ...........  ...........  ...........  X            
                                                                            
           *                  *                  *                  *       
                      *                  *                  *               
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    * * * * *
    [FR Doc. 95-8213 Filed 4-3-95; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
6/5/1995
Published:
04/04/1995
Department:
Environmental Protection Agency
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Direct final rule.
Document Number:
95-8213
Dates:
This final rule is effective June 5, 1995, unless notice is received by May 4, 1995, that someone wishes to submit adverse comments. If the effective date is delayed, timely notice will be published in the Federal Register.
Pages:
16996-17001 (6 pages)
Docket Numbers:
IL116-1-6792a, FRL-5182-3
PDF File:
95-8213.pdf
CFR: (2)
40 CFR 52.724
40 CFR 81.314