2010-13211. Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Rhode Island; Determination of Attainment of the 1997 Ozone Standard

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The EPA is determining that the Providence (All of Rhode Island) moderate 8-hour ozone nonattainment area has attained the 1997 8-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone. This determination is based upon complete, quality-assured and certified ambient air monitoring data that show the area has monitored attainment of the 8-hour ozone NAAQS for the 2006-2008 monitoring period. In addition, quality-assured and certified ozone data for 2009, show that this area continues to attain the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS. This determination results in the suspension of the requirements for Rhode Island to submit an attainment demonstration, a reasonable further progress plan, contingency measures, and other planning State Implementation Plans for this area related to attainment of the 8-hour ozone NAAQS. These requirements shall remain suspended for so long as the area continues to attain the ozone NAAQS.

DATES:

Effective Date: This rule is effective on July 6, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket Identification No. EPA-R01-OAR-2009-0705. All documents in the docket are listed on the http://www.regulations.gov Web site. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, i.e., CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically through http://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Office of Ecosystem Protection, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA New England Regional Office, Office of Ecosystem Protection, Air Quality Planning Unit, 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Boston, MA. EPA requests that if at all possible, you contact the contact listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to schedule your inspection. The Regional Office's official hours of business are Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30, excluding legal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard P. Burkhart, Air Quality Planning Unit, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA New England Regional Office, 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Boston, MA 02109-3912, telephone number [phone], fax number [phone], e-mail [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Throughout this document whenever “we,” “us,” or “our” is used, we mean EPA.

Organization of this document. The following outline is provided to aid in locating information in this preamble.

I. What action is EPA taking?

II. What is the effect of this action?

III. Final Action

IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

I. What action is EPA taking?

EPA is determining that the Providence (All of Rhode Island) moderate 8-hour ozone nonattainment area has attained the 1997 8-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone. This determination is based upon complete, quality-assured and certified ambient air monitoring data that show the area has monitored attainment of the 1997 ozone NAAQS for the 2006-2008 monitoring period. In addition, quality-assured and certified ozone data for 2009, show that this area continues to attain the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS.

Other specific details related to the determination and the rationale for EPA's action are explained in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) published on February 25, 2010 (75 FR 8571) and will not be restated here. No public comments were received on the NPR.

II. What is the effect of this action?

Under the provisions of EPA's ozone implementation rule (see 40 CFR 51.918), this determination suspends the requirements for the Providence (All of Rhode Island) moderate ozone nonattainment area to submit an attainment demonstration, a reasonable further progress plan, section 172(c)(9) contingency measures, and any other planning State Implementation Plans (SIPs) related to attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS for so long as the area continues to attain the 1997 ozone NAAQS.

For the Rhode Island area, EPA started a Federal Implementation Plan clock on March 24, 2008 (73 FR 15416) for failure to submit an ozone attainment demonstration and Reasonable Further Progress (RFP) SIPs. This action stays the Federal Implementation Plan clock started on March 24, 2008, for both the attainment demonstration and the RFP SIP. If the area subsequently violates the 1997 8-hour standard before it is redesignated to attainment, the Federal Implementation Plan clock would restart for Rhode Island for these SIPs. It should be noted that the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management did submit an ozone attainment demonstration and Reasonable Further Progress SIP on April 30, 2008. EPA has not taken action on these SIPs.

This action does not constitute a redesignation to attainment under CAA section 107(d)(3), because the area does not have an approved maintenance plan as required under section 175A of the CAA, nor a determination that the area has met the other requirements for redesignation. The classification and designation status of the area remains moderate nonattainment for the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS until such time as EPA determines that it meets the CAA requirements for redesignation to attainment. If EPA subsequently determines, after notice-and-comment rulemaking in the Federal Register, that the area has violated the 1997 8-hour ozone standard, the basis for the suspension of these requirements would no longer exist, and the area would thereafter have to address the pertinent requirements.

III. Final Action

EPA is determining that the Providence (All of Rhode Island) 8-hour ozone nonattainment area has attained the 1997 8-hour ozone standard based on complete, quality-assured and certified ozone monitoring data through 2008, and quality-assured and certified, ozone data for 2009 that indicate continued attainment. As provided in 40 CFR 51.918, this determination suspends the requirements for Rhode Island to submit an attainment demonstration, a reasonable further progress plan, and contingency measures under section 172(c)(9), and any other planning SIP related to attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS for this area, for so long as the area continues to attain the standard.

IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

This action makes a determination of attainment based on air quality, and results in the suspension of certain Federal requirements, and would not impose additional requirements beyond those imposed by state law. For that reason, this action:

• Is not a “significant regulatory action” subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993);
• Does not impose an information collection burden under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
• Is certified as not having a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
• Does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or uniquely affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4);
• Does not have Federalism implications as specified in Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999);
• Is not an economically significant regulatory action based on health or safety risks subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997);
• Is not a significant regulatory action subject to Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001);
• Is not subject to requirements of Section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) because application of those requirements would be inconsistent with the Clean Air Act; and
• Does not provide EPA with the discretionary authority to address, as appropriate, disproportionate human health or environmental effects, using practicable and legally permissible methods, under Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).

In addition, this action does not have tribal implications as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000), because the SIP is not approved to apply in Indian country located in the state, and EPA notes that it will not impose substantial direct costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law.

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 the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United States. EPA will submit a report containing this action 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 publication of the rule in the Federal Register. A major rule cannot take effect until 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. This action is not a “major rule” as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

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 August 2, 2010. Filing a petition for reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule does not affect the finality of this action 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).)

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

• Environmental protection
• Air pollution control
• Incorporation by reference
• Intergovernmental relations
• Nitrogen dioxide
• Ozone
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Volatile organic compounds

Dated: May 20, 2010.

Ira W. Leighton,

Acting, Regional Administrator, EPA New England.

Part 52 of chapter I, title 40 of the 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 et seq.

Subpart OO—Rhode Island

2. Section 52.2088 is amended by adding paragraph (c) to read as follows:

§ 52.2088

Control strategy: Ozone.

* * * * *

(c) Determination of Attainment. Effective July 6, 2010, EPA is determining that the Providence (All of Rhode Island) 8-hour ozone nonattainment area has attained the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. Under the provisions of EPA's ozone implementation rule (see 40 CFR 51.918), this determination suspends the reasonable further progress and attainment demonstration requirements of section 182(b)(1) and related requirements of section 172(c)(9) of the Clean Air Act for as long as the area does not monitor any violations of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. If a violation of the 1997 ozone NAAQS is monitored in the Providence (All of Rhode Island) 8-hour ozone nonattainment area, this determination shall no longer apply.