[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 67 (Thursday, April 8, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17102-17105]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8630]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[CO-001-0025a; FRL-6319-7]
Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans;
Colorado; Removal and Replacement of Transportation Control Measure,
Colorado Springs Element, Carbon Monoxide Section of the State
Implementation Plan
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Direct final rule.
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SUMMARY: EPA is approving a revision to the Colorado State
Implementation Plan (SIP), carbon monoxide (CO) section, Colorado
Springs element. In a June 25, 1996, submission, Colorado requests that
emission reductions from oxygenate use in gasoline be substituted for
reductions associated with the previously approved (48 FR 55284,
December 12, 1983) bus acquisition program because the bus program was
not implemented due to the lack of federal funding. This revision
satisfies certain requirements of part D and section 110 of the Clean
Air Act (CAA), as amended in 1990.
DATES: This direct final rule is effective on June 7, 1999 without
further notice, unless EPA receives adverse comments by May 10, 1999.
If adverse comment is received, EPA will publish a timely withdrawal of
the direct final rule in the Federal Register and inform the public
that the rule will not take effect.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be mailed to: Richard R. Long,
Director, Air and Radiation Program, Mailcode 8P-AR, United States
Environmental Protection Agency, Region VIII, 999 18th Street, Suite
500, Denver, Colorado 80202-2466.
Copies of the documents relevant to this action are available for
public inspection during normal business hours at the following
offices:
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region VIII, Air and
Radiation Program, 999 18th Street, Suite 500, Denver, Colorado 80202-
2466; and,
United States Environmental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket
and Information Center, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460.
Copies of the State documents relevant to this action are available for
public inspection at: Colorado Air Pollution Control Division, Colorado
Department of Public Health and Environment, 4300 Cherry Creek
[[Page 17103]]
Drive South, Denver, Colorado, 80246-1530.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Russ, Air and Radiation Program,
Mailcode 8P-AR, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region
VIII, 999 18th Street, Suite 500, Denver, Colorado 80202-2466,
Telephone number: (303) 312-6479.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
Part D of the CAA, which was added by the amendments of 1977,
required States that were seeking an extension beyond 1982 to attain
the CO National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) to submit a
revision to the SIP by July 1, 1982. This revision was to provide for
attainment of the CO NAAQS by December 31, 1987. The Governor submitted
the necessary SIP revision for Colorado Springs on June 24, 1982.
One of the CO control strategies described in the June 24, 1982,
revision was a transportation control measure (TCM) involving improved
public transit. This particular TCM required the acquisition of an
additional 27 buses to supplement and expand the Colorado Springs
fleet. Table 6.1 (``Percent Reductions in 1987 Ambient CO
Concentrations Attributable To Control Measures'') of Chapter 6,
``Determination Of Air Quality Impacts Of The Proposed Plan'', of the
June 24, 1982, submittal indicated that the ``Improved Public Transit''
TCM, which included the purchase of the 27 new buses spaced over 1981,
1982, 1983, and 1984, would result in a 1.5% reduction in the 1987 CO
emissions in Colorado Springs. It was, however, specifically noted in
the June 24, 1982, SIP revision that acquisition of these additional
buses would only be possible if sufficient Federal funding was
provided. The 1982 SIP revision indicated that the City of Colorado
Springs could contribute $1,252,800 and that $5,010,800 was needed from
Federal funds. Federal funds were not available for this bus program
and the additional 27 buses were not purchased by Colorado Springs.
On February 24, 1993, the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments
(PPACG) approved the substitution of emissions reduction credits from
an oxygenated gasoline program for the bus acquisition TCM. The
emission reductions from the oxygenated gasoline program had not
previously been credited in the Colorado Springs CO element of the SIP.
The State calculated there was at least an 11% reduction in CO
emissions for the 1987-88 winter CO season due to the implementation of
the oxygenated gasoline program. This more than compensates for the
calculated 1.5% reduction in CO emissions from the non-implemented bus-
purchase program contained in the SIP.
On December 15, 1994, PPACG's revision was adopted by the Colorado
Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC). This revision became Chapter 10
``SIP Revision--December 1994'' of the Colorado Springs CO section of
the SIP. The Governor submitted the SIP revision to EPA on January 29,
1996.
Colorado's oxygenated gasoline program has been revised a number of
times since its inception in 1987-88. The program has continuously
provided emissions reductions greater than those that would have been
realized through the implementation of the bus-purchase program.
Details regarding Colorado's Federally approved oxygenated gasoline
program can be found in the March 10, 1997, Federal Register (62 FR
10690). The State has recently revised the oxygenated gasoline program
through a further shortening of the oxygenated gasoline program season.
To date, EPA has not taken any action on this SIP revision. EPA notes,
however, that the revised oxygenated gasoline program continues to more
than compensate for the emission reductions that would have been
realized if the bus-purchase program had been implemented in Colorado
Springs.
II. Analysis of the State's Submittal
The CAA requires States to observe certain procedural requirements
in developing SIP revisions for submittal to EPA. Section 110(a)(2) of
the CAA requires that States provide reasonable notice and a public
hearing before adopting SIP revisions. Following reasonable notice, the
AQCC conducted a public hearing on this matter on December 15, 1994.
Directly after the hearing, the AQCC revised the Colorado Springs CO
SIP to substitute the oxygenated gasoline program for the bus-purchase
program as a source of emissions reductions credits.
The Governor submitted this revision, for the Colorado Springs
element of the SIP, to EPA on January 29, 1996. By operation of law
under the provisions of section 110(k)(1)(B) of the CAA, the submittal
was deemed complete on July 29, 1996.
III. Final Rulemaking Action
EPA is approving the revision to the Colorado State Implementation
Plan (SIP), carbon monoxide (CO) section, Colorado Springs element,
that the Governor of Colorado submitted to EPA on June 25, 1996, to
satisfy certain requirements of part D and section 110 of the Clean Air
Act (CAA), as amended in 1990. The revision substitutes Colorado's
oxygenated gasoline program (contained in Colorado's Regulation No. 13)
for the Colorado Springs bus purchase program, as a source of emissions
reductions credits in the Colorado Springs CO element of the SIP. As
noted above, EPA approved the bus purchase program as part of the
Colorado Springs CO element of the SIP on December 12, 1983 (48 FR
55284), but the program was never implemented. This action has the
effect of removing the bus purchase program from the EPA-approved SIP.
EPA is publishing this action without prior proposal because the
Agency views this as a noncontroversial amendment and anticipates no
adverse comments. However, in the proposed rules section of this
Federal Register publication, EPA is publishing a separate document
that will serve as the proposal to approve the SIP revision should
adverse comments be filed. This rule will be effective June 7, 1999
without further notice unless the Agency receives adverse comments by
May 10, 1999.
If EPA receives such comments, then EPA will publish a timely
withdrawal of the direct final rule informing the public that the rule
will not take effect. All public comments received will then be
addressed in a subsequent final rule based on the proposed rule. The
EPA will not institute a second comment period on this rule. Any
parties interested in commenting on this rule should do so at this
time. If no such comments are received, the public is advised that this
rule will be effective on June 7, 1999 and no further action will be
taken on the proposed rule.
IV. Administrative Requirements
A. Executive Order 12866
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has exempted this
regulatory action from Executive Order 12866, entitled ``Regulatory
Planning and Review.''
B. Executive Order 12875: Enhancing the Intergovernmental Partnership
Under Executive Order 12875, EPA may not issue a regulation that is
not required by statute and that creates a mandate upon a state, local,
or tribal government, unless the Federal government provides the funds
necessary to pay the direct compliance costs incurred by those
governments, or EPA consults with those governments. If EPA complies by
consulting, Executive Order 12875 requires EPA to provide to the Office
of Management and Budget a
[[Page 17104]]
description of the extent of EPA's prior consultation with
representatives of affected state, local, and tribal governments, the
nature of their concerns, copies of any written communications from the
governments, and a statement supporting the need to issue the
regulation. In addition, Executive Order 12875 requires EPA to develop
an effective process permitting elected officials and other
representatives of state, local, and tribal governments ``to provide
meaningful and timely input in the development of regulatory proposals
containing significant unfunded mandates.''
Today's rule does not create a mandate on state, local, or tribal
governments. The rule does not impose any enforceable duties on state,
local, or tribal governments. Accordingly, the requirements of section
1(a) of Executive Order 12875 do not apply to this rule.
C. Executive Order 13045
Executive Order 13045, Protection of Children from Environmental
Health Risks and Safety Risks (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997), applies to
any rule that: (1) Is determined to be ``economically significant'' as
defined under E.O. 12866, and (2) concerns an environmental health or
safety risk that EPA has reason to believe may have a disproportionate
effect on children. If the regulatory action meets both criteria, the
Agency must evaluate the environmental health and safety effects of the
planned rule on children, and explain why the planned regulation is
preferable to other potentially effective and reasonably feasible
alternatives considered by the Agency.
This rule is not subject to E.O. 13045 because it does not involve
decisions intended to mitigate environmental health or safety risks.
D. Executive Order 13084: Consultation and Coordination with Indian
Tribal Governments
Under Executive Order 13084, EPA may not issue a regulation that is
not required by statute, that significantly affects or uniquely affects
the communities of Indian tribal governments, and that imposes
substantial direct compliance costs on those communities, unless the
Federal government provides the funds necessary to pay the direct
compliance costs incurred by the tribal governments, or EPA consults
with those governments. If EPA complies by consulting, Executive Order
12084 requires EPA to provide to the Office of Management and Budget,
in a separately identified section of the preamble to the rule, a
description of the extent of EPA's prior consultation with
representatives of affected tribal governments, a summary of the nature
of their concerns, and a statement supporting the need to issue the
regulation. In addition, Executive Order 13084 requires EPA to develop
an effective process permitting elected officials and other
representatives of Indian tribal governments ``to provide meaningful
and timely input in the development of regulatory policies on matters
that significantly or uniquely affect their communities.''
Today's rule does not significantly or uniquely affect the
communities of Indian tribal governments. Accordingly, the requirements
of section 3(b) of Executive Order 13084 do not apply to this rule.
E. Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) generally requires an agency
to conduct a regulatory flexibility analysis of any rule subject to
notice and comment rulemaking requirements unless the agency certifies
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 small governmental
jurisdictions. This final rule will not have a significant impact on a
substantial number of small entities because SIP approvals under
section 110 and subchapter I, part D of the Clean Air 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
create any new requirements, I certify that this action will not have a
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
Moreover, due to the nature of the Federal-State relationship under the
Clean Air Act, preparation of a flexibility analysis would constitute
Federal inquiry into the economic reasonableness of State action. The
Clean Air Act forbids EPA to base its actions concerning SIPs on such
grounds. Union Electric Co. v. U.S. EPA, 427 U.S. 246, 255-66 (1976);
42 U.S.C. 7410(a)(2).
F. Unfunded Mandates
Under section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(``Unfunded Mandates Act''), signed into law on March 22, 1995, EPA
must prepare a budgetary impact statement to accompany any proposed or
final rule that includes a Federal mandate that may result in estimated
costs to State, local, or tribal governments in the aggregate, or to
the private sector, of $100 million or more. Under section 205, EPA
must select the most cost-effective and least burdensome alternative
that achieves the objectives of the rule and is consistent with
statutory requirements. Section 203 requires EPA to establish a plan
for informing and advising any small governments that may be
significantly or uniquely impacted by the rule.
EPA has determined that the approval action promulgated does not
include a Federal mandate that may result in estimated costs of $100
million or more to either State, local, or tribal governments in the
aggregate or to the private sector. This Federal action approves pre-
existing requirements under State or local law, and imposes no new
requirements. Accordingly, no additional costs to State, local, or
tribal governments, or to the private sector, will result from this
action.
G. Submission to Congress and the Comptroller General
The Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally
provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating
the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule,
to each House of Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United
States. EPA will submit a report containing this rule and other
required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of
Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior
to the publication of the rule in the Federal Register. This rule is
not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
H. Petitions for Judicial Review
Under section 307(b)(1) of the Clean Air Act, petitions for
judicial review of this action must be filed in the United States Court
of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by June 7, 1999. 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 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).)
Nothing in this action should be construed as making any
determination or expressing any position regarding Colorado's audit
privilege and penalty immunity law, sections 13-25-126.5, 13-90-107,
and 25-1-114.5, Colorado Revised Statutes, (Colorado Senate Bill
[[Page 17105]]
94-139, effective June 1,1994) or its impact upon any approved
provision in the SIP, including the revision at issue here. The action
taken herein does not express or imply any viewpoint on the question or
whether there are legal deficiencies in this or any other Clean Air Act
program resulting from the effect of Colorado's audit privilege and
immunity law. A state audit privilege and immunity law can affect only
state enforcement and cannot have any impact on federal enforcement
authorities. EPA may at any time invoke its authority under the Clean
Air Act, including, for example, sections 113, 167, 205, 211, or 213,
to enforce the requirements or prohibitions of the state plan,
independently of any state enforcement effort. In addition, citizen
enforcement under section 304 of the Clean Air Act is likewise
unaffected by a state audit privilege or immunity law.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Carbon monoxide,
Intergovernmental relations, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Dated: March 24, 1999.
William P. Yellowtail,
Regional Administrator, Region VIII.
40 CFR part 52, Subpart G, 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 et seq.
Subpart G--Colorado
2. Section 52.349 is amended by designating the existing text as
paragraph (a) and by adding paragraph (b) to read as follows:
Sec. 52.349 Control strategy: Carbon monoxide.
* * * * *
(b) On June 25, 1996, the Governor of Colorado submitted a revision
to the Colorado Springs element of the carbon monoxide (CO) portion of
the Colorado State Implementation Plan (SIP). The revision to the
Colorado Springs element was submitted to satisfy certain requirements
of part D and section 110 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) as amended 1990.
The revision substitutes Colorado's oxygenated gasoline program for the
Colorado Springs bus purchase program as a source of emissions
reductions credits in the Colorado Springs CO element of the SIP. This
revision removes the bus purchase program from the EPA-approved SIP.
EPA originally approved the bus purchase program as part of the
Colorado Springs CO element of the SIP on December 12, 1983 (48 FR
55284).
[FR Doc. 99-8630 Filed 4-7-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
