96-14118. Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes: Wisconsin  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 5, 1996)]
    [Proposed Rules]
    [Pages 28541-28545]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 96-14118]
    
    
    
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    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
    40 CFR Part 52 and 81
    
    [WI70-1-7296; FRL-5510-6]
    
    
    Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation 
    of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes: Wisconsin
    
    AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
    
    ACTION: Proposed rule.
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    SUMMARY: The EPA is proposing to approve the Wisconsin Department of 
    Natural Resources (WDNR) request to redesignate Walworth County to 
    attainment for ozone. In addition, EPA is proposing to approve the 
    associated maintenance plan as a revision to the Wisconsin State 
    Implementation Plan (SIP).
    
    DATES: Comments on this proposed action must be received by July 5, 
    1996.
    
    ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to: Carlton T. Nash, 
    Chief, Regulation Development Section, Air Toxics and Radiation Branch 
    (AR-18J), United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 
    West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604.
        Copies of the State's submittal and EPA's analysis (Technical 
    Support Document) are available for inspection at the following 
    location: United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Air 
    and Radiation Division, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 
    60604. (It is recommended that you telephone Randy Robinson at (312) 
    353-6713 before visiting the Region 5 Office.)
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randy Robinson at (312) 353-6713.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    I. Background
    
        In accordance with requirements of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 
    1990 (ACT), Walworth County was designated as a marginal ozone 
    nonattainment area on November 6, 1991, (56 FR 56850). The 
    nonattainment designation was based on air quality monitored violations 
    of the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).
        Recent air quality data shows that Walworth County is not in 
    violation of the ozone NAAQS. Therefore, the area is eligible for 
    redesignation to attainment based on a minimum of 3 years of ``clean'' 
    air quality data, as required in the Act. On December 15, 1995, the 
    WDNR submitted a request for redesignation to attainment and a 
    maintenance plan for ozone for Walworth County. The remainder of this 
    notice will discuss the regulatory requirements for redesignation to 
    attainment, the details of the Wisconsin submittal, and EPA's 
    rulemaking action.
    
    II. Redesignation Review Criteria
    
        The Act provide the requirements for redesignating a nonattainment 
    area to attainment. Specifically, Section 107(d)(3)(E) provides for 
    redesignation if: (i) The Administrator determines that the area has 
    attained the NAAQS; (ii) The Administrator has fully approved the 
    applicable implementation plan for the area under section 110(k); (iii) 
    The Administrator determines that the improvement in air quality is due 
    to permanent and enforceable reductions in emissions resulting from 
    implementation of the applicable implementation plan and applicable 
    Federal air pollutant control regulations and other permanent and 
    enforceable reductions; (iv) The Administrator has fully approved a 
    maintenance plan for the area as meeting the requirements of Section 
    175(A); and (v) The State containing such area has met all requirements 
    applicable to the area under Section 110 and Part D.
        The EPA provided guidance on redesignation in the General Preamble 
    for the Implementation of Title I of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 
    1990 (General Preamble), 57 FR 13498 (April 16, 1992), supplemented at 
    57 FR 18070 (April 28, 1992). Three key memoranda provide further 
    guidance with respect to Section 107(d)(3)(E) of the Act. The first, 
    dated September 4, 1992, was issued by John Calcagni, Director, Air 
    Quality Management Division, Subject: Procedures for Processing 
    Requests to Redesignate Areas to Attainment (Calcagni Memorandum). The 
    second, dated September 17, 1993, was issued by Michael Shapiro, Acting 
    Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, Subject: State 
    Implementation Plan (SIP) Requirements for Area Submitting Requests for 
    Redesignation to Attainment of the Ozone and Carbon Monoxide (CO) NAAQS 
    on or after November 15, 1992, (Shapiro Memorandum). The third, dated 
    October 14, 1994, was issued by Mary Nichols, Assistant Administrator 
    for Air and Radiation, Subject: Part D New Source Review Requirements 
    for Areas Requesting Redesignation to Attainment (Nichols Memorandum).
    
    Analysis of State Submittal
    
    A. The Area must have attained the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality 
    Standard
        For ozone, an area may be considered attaining the NAAQS if there 
    are no violations, as determined in accordance with 40 CFR Sec. 50.9, 
    based on 3 complete, consecutive calendar years of quality assured 
    monitoring data. The data that are used should be the product of 
    ambient monitoring that is representative of the area believed to have 
    the highest concentration. A violation of the NAAQS occurs when the 
    annual average number of expected daily exceedances is equal to or 
    greater than 1 at any site under consideration. A daily exceedance 
    occurs when the maximum hourly ozone concentration during a given day 
    exceeds 0.124 parts per million (ppm). The data should be collected and 
    quality-assured in accordance with 40 CFR Part 58, and recorded in the 
    Aerometric Information Retrieval System (AIRS).
        Walworth County contains one ozone monitor, located in Lake Geneva, 
    Wisconsin. To demonstrate monitored attainment with the standard, the 
    WDNR submitted ozone monitoring data for the April 15 through October 
    15 ozone season for 1992, 1993, and 1994.
    
                                             Monitored Ozone Concentrations                                         
                                                   [Parts per billion]                                              
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              County                              Year     1st High   2nd High   3rd High   4th High
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Walworth.................................................       1992        120        101         97         96
                                                                    1993        107         93         91         89
    
    [[Page 28542]]
    
                                                                                                                    
                                                                    1994         98         94         91         84
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
    
        The annual average expected exceedance for this 3-year time period 
    is 0.0. No violations were recorded during this 3-year time period. 
    Additionally, no exceedances were recorded during the 1995 ozone 
    monitoring season. This data has been quality assured and is recorded 
    in AIRS.
    B. The Area Must Have a Fully Approved State Implementation Plan (SIP) 
    Under Section 110(k); and the Area Must Have Met All Applicable 
    Requirements Under Section 110 and Part D
        In November 1991, Walworth County was designated marginal 
    nonattainment for ozone based on monitored ozone violations occurring 
    in 1988. As a result of this designation, the WDNR was required to 
    submit a revised SIP that meets the requirements of the Act and 
    demonstrates attainment with the ozone standards.
        Section 110: General Requirements for Implementation Plans. Section 
    110(a)(2) of the Act lists the elements to be included in each SIP 
    after adoption by the State and reasonable notice and public hearing. 
    The elements include, but are not limited to, provisions for 
    establishment and operation of appropriate devices, methods, systems, 
    and procedures necessary to monitor ambient air quality; implementation 
    of a permit program, provisions for Part C Prevention of Significant 
    Deterioration (PSD) and D New Source Review (NSR) permit programs, 
    criteria for stationary source emission control measures, monitoring, 
    and reporting, provisions for modeling, and provisions for public and 
    local agency participation. For purposes of redesignation, the Walworth 
    County SIP was reviewed to ensure that all requirements under the 
    amended Act were satisfied. The EPA has determined that the Walworth 
    County SIP is consistent with the requirements of Section 110 of the 
    Act.
        Part D: General Provisions for Nonattainment Areas. Before Walworth 
    County may be redesignated as attainment, it must have fulfilled the 
    applicable requirements of Part D. Under Part D, an area's 
    classification determines the requirements to which it is subject. 
    Subpart 1 of Part D sets forth the basic nonattainment requirements 
    applicable to all nonattainment areas. Subpart 2 of Part D establishes 
    additional requirements for ozone nonattainment areas classified under 
    table 1 of Section 181(a). As described in the General Preamble, 
    specific requirements of Subpart 2 may override Subpart 1's general 
    provisions (57 FR 13501 (April 16, 1992)). Walworth County was 
    classified as a marginal nonattainment area. Therefore, in order to be 
    redesignated, the State must meet the applicable requirements of 
    Subpart 1 of Part D--specifically Sections 172 and 176, as well as the 
    applicable requirements of Subpart 2 of Part D.
        Section 172 Requirements. The State redesignation request for 
    Walworth County has satisfied all of the relevant submittal 
    requirements under Section 172 necessary for the area to be 
    redesignated to attainment.
        The reasonable further progress (RFP) requirement under Section 
    172(c)(2) is defined as progress that must be made toward attainment. 
    This requirement is not relevant because Walworth County has already 
    demonstrated monitored attainment of the ozone NAAQS (General Preamble, 
    57 FR 13564).
        Section 172(c)(3) requires submission and approval of a 
    comprehensive, accurate, and current inventory of actual emissions. The 
    requirement was superseded by the inventory requirement in Section 
    182(a)(1). The WDNR submitted such an inventory on November 15, 1992. 
    It was approved on June 15, 1994 (59 FR 30702).
        Section 172(c)(5) requires permits for the construction and 
    operation of new and modified major stationary sources anywhere in the 
    nonattainment area. The WDNR submitted information on nonattainment 
    area new source review rules on November 15, 1992. The rules were 
    approved by EPA on January 18, 1995 (60 FR 3538 ). The State's 
    Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program will become 
    effective in Walworth County upon redesignation to attainment. The 
    State was delegated the PSD program on November 4, 1987.
        Section 176 Conformity Requirements. Section 176 of the Clean Air 
    Act requires States to revise their SIPs to establish criteria and 
    procedures to ensure that, before they are taken, Federal actions 
    conform to the air quality planning goals in the applicable State SIP. 
    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 revision to be 
    submitted by the States must be consistent with Federal conformity 
    regulations that the Act required the EPA to promulgate. Congress 
    provided for the State revisions to be submitted 1 year after the date 
    of promulgation of final EPA conformity regulations.
        The EPA promulgated final transportation conformity regulations on 
    November 24, 1993, (58 FR 62188) and general conformity regulations on 
    November 30, 1993, (58 FR 63214). Pursuant to Section 51.396 of the 
    transportation conformity rule and Section 51.851 of the general 
    conformity rule, the State of Wisconsin submitted a SIP revision 
    containing transportation and general conformity criteria and 
    procedures on November 23, 1994, and November 30, 1994, respectively. 
    The EPA has not yet approved these rules as part of the SIP.
        The EPA believes it is reasonable to interpret the conformity 
    requirements as not being applicable requirements for purposes of 
    evaluating the redesignation request under Section 107(d). The 
    rationale for this is based on a combination of two factors. First, the 
    requirement to submit SIP revisions to comply with the conformity 
    provisions of the Act continues to apply to areas after redesignation 
    to attainment, since such areas would be subject to a Section 175A 
    maintenance plan. Second, EPA's Federal conformity rules require the 
    performance of conformity analyses in the absence of federally approved 
    State rules. Therefore, because areas are subject to the conformity 
    requirements regardless of whether they are redesignated to attainment 
    and must implement conformity under Federal rules if State rules are 
    not yet approved, the EPA believes it is reasonable to view these 
    requirements as not being applicable requirements for purposes of 
    evaluation of a redesignation request. Consequently, the ozone 
    redesignation request for the Walworth County area may be approved 
    notwithstanding the lack of fully approved State
    
    [[Page 28543]]
    
    transportation and general conformity rules. This policy was also 
    exercised in the Tampa, Florida ozone redesignation finalized on 
    December 7, 1995 (60 FR 62748).
        Subpart 2 Section 182 Requirements. Walworth County is classified 
    marginal nonattainment; therefore, Part D, Subpart 2, Section 182(a) 
    requirements apply. In accordance with guidance presented in the 
    Shapiro memorandum, the requirements which came due prior to the 
    submission of the request to redesignate the Walworth County area must 
    be fully approved into the SIP before the request to redesignate the 
    area to attainment can be approved. Those requirements are discussed 
    below:
        Section 182(a)(1) 1990 Base Year Inventory. The 1990 base year 
    emission inventory was due on November 15, 1992. It was submitted to 
    EPA on November 15, 1992, and approved by EPA on June 15, 1994, (59 FR 
    30702).
        Section 182(a)(3)(B) Emission Statements. The emission statements 
    SIP was due on November 15, 1992. It was submitted to the EPA on 
    November 15, 1992, and approved by EPA on December 6, 1993 (58 FR 
    64155).
        Section 182(a)(2)(A) RACT Corrections. The WDNR submitted 
    information regarding RACT corrections on November 15, 1992. The EPA 
    approved the RACT corrections on August 15, 1994 (59 FR 41709).
        Section 182(a)(4) 1.1 to 1.0 Offset. Section 182(a)(4) requires all 
    major new sources or modifications in a marginal nonattainment area to 
    achieve offsetting reductions of VOCs at a ratio of at least 1.1 to 1.0 
    as part of New Source Review (NSR). The Mary Nichols memorandum states 
    that areas being redesignated need not comply with the requirement that 
    an NSR program be approved prior to redesignation if the State can 
    demonstrate maintenance of the standard without the NSR restrictions. 
    The State has demonstrated that maintenance can be maintained without 
    NSR offsets in effect. Therefore, this requirement is not applicable. 
    Upon redesignation to attainment, the sources will become subject to 
    PSD requirements and offsets will no longer apply. Emissions will 
    continue to be tracked every 3 years.
        Section 182(f) NOX Requirement. Section 182(f) establishes 
    NOX requirements for ozone nonattainment areas. However, it 
    provides that these requirements do not apply to an area if the 
    Administrator determines that NOX reductions would not contribute 
    to attainment. On July 13, 1994, WDNR submitted, along with the other 
    Lake Michigan area states (i.e., Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan), a 
    Section 182(f) NOX petition to be relieved of the Section 182(f) 
    NOX requirements based on urban airshed modeling. The modeling 
    demonstrated that NOX reductions would not contribute to 
    attainment of the NAAQS for ozone in the modeled area, which includes 
    Walworth County. The EPA approved the petition on January 26, 1996 (61 
    FR 2428).
    C. The Improvement in Air Quality Must Be Due to Permanent and 
    Enforceable Reductions in Emissions Resulting From the SIP, Federal 
    Measures and Other Permanent and Enforceable Reductions
        The State must be able to reasonably attribute the improvement in 
    air quality to emission reductions which are permanent and enforceable. 
    To satisfy this requirement, the State should estimate the percent 
    reduction from the year that it used to determine the design value for 
    designation and classification, to the attainment year (Calcagni 
    Memorandum). These reductions may be achieved from Federal measures and 
    control measures that have been adopted and implemented by the State. 
    Emission rates, production capacities and other information should be 
    used in the estimation. Sources should be assumed to operate at 
    permitted or historic peak levels unless evidence is presented that 
    such an assumption is unrealistic.
        The WDNR submittal documents reductions in VOC and NOX 
    emissions from 1988 (the design year) to 1993 (the attainment year). 
    Those reductions are shown in the tables below.
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Sector                  1988         1990          1993    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    VOC Emissions (Tons per day):                                           
        Point......................         1.48          1.51          1.55
        Area.......................         7.53          7.58          7.63
        Mobile.....................        13.87         12.14          9.59
                                    ----------------------------------------
            Totals.................        22.88         21.23         18.77
                                    ========================================
        % Change from 1988 (design                                          
         year).....................  ...........         -7.17        -17.9 
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Sector                  1988         1990          1993    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    NOX Emissions (Tons per day):                                           
        Point......................         0.53          0.54          0.55
        Area.......................         0.77          0.79          0.73
        Mobile.....................        12.07         11.89         11.60
                                    ----------------------------------------
            Totals.................        13.37         13.22         12.88
                                    ========================================
        % Change from 1988 (design                                          
         year).....................  ...........         -1.1          -3.7 
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        The tables show that VOC and NOX emissions decreased 4.1 and 
    0.49 tons per day, respectively from 1988 to 1993. The 1988 emissions 
    in the above Tables were back casted from 1990 base year emissions, 
    according to variables such as population growth, economic growth, and 
    vehicle miles traveled. Although Walworth County experienced economic 
    and population growth during the years 1988 to 1993, county-wide VOC 
    and NOX decreased during that time period. The majority of the 
    reductions are due to lower highway motor vehicle emissions. These 
    reductions are directly attributable to the implementation of the 
    Federal Motor Vehicle Control Program (FMVCP).
    
    [[Page 28544]]
    
    D. The Area Must Have a Fully Approved Maintenance Plan Meeting the 
    Requirements of Section 175A
        Section 175A of the CAA defines requirements for maintenance plans. 
    The maintenance plan is a SIP revision which provides for maintenance 
    of the relevant NAAQS in the area for at least 10 years after 
    redesignation. There are five core provisions which the maintenance 
    plan should address: the attainment inventory, maintenance 
    demonstration, monitoring network, verification of continued 
    attainment, and a contingency plan. The attainment inventory should 
    identify the level of emissions in the area which is sufficient to 
    attain the ozone NAAQS and should include the emissions during the time 
    period associated with the monitoring data showing attainment. 
    Maintenance is demonstrated by showing that future emissions will not 
    exceed the level of the attainment inventory. The maintenance plan must 
    also provide for continued operation of an appropriate air quality 
    monitoring network to verify attainment status of the area. The plan 
    must indicate how the State will track the progress of the maintenance 
    plan. Finally, the maintenance plan must include contingency measures 
    which would promptly correct any violation of the ozone NAAQS that 
    occurs after redesignation of the area to attainment.
        Attainment Inventory. The Walworth County submittal contained 
    inventories of 1990 actual VOC and NOX emissions from stationary, 
    area, and mobile sources. This is the most accurate, comprehensive 
    emission inventory available for the area. The 1990 emission inventory 
    was projected to 1993 to provide an emissions inventory representative 
    of attainment conditions based upon the lack of a monitored ozone 
    violation for the years 1992-1994.
        Maintenance Demonstration. The Walworth County submittal shows 
    projected VOC and NOX emissions from the 1993 attainment inventory 
    to 2007. The projections show that the level of emissions established 
    for the attainment year inventory will not be exceeded over the 10-year 
    maintenance period. The following tables list the VOC, and NOX 
    emissions for the base year, interim year and the final year.
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Sector               1993 attain   1996 proj.   2007 proj.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Summary of VOC Emissions (tons/                                         
     day):                                                                  
        Area.........................         7.62         7.37         7.37
        Point........................         1.55         1.60         1.79
        Mobile.......................         9.59         9.39         8.00
                                      --------------------------------------
            Totals...................        18.77        18.36        17.16
                                      ======================================
        % Change from 1993...........  ...........        -2.18        -8.58
    Summary of NOX Emissions (tons/                                         
     day):                                                                  
        Area.........................         0.73         0.73         0.66
        Point........................         0.55         0.57         0.64
        Mobile.......................        11.60        11.39        10.19
                                      --------------------------------------
            Totals...................        12.88        12.68        11.48
                                      ======================================
        % Change from 1993...........  ...........        -1.60       -10.87
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        Emission Projections. All emission projections were made from 
    emissions calculated for WDNR's 1990 base year inventory. The 1990 base 
    year inventory reflects tons per typical summer day emissions as well 
    as an 80 percent rule effectiveness assumption. Projections were 
    generally based on the following equation: Proj. Emissions = 1990 
    Emissions*Proj. Factor*(1-(Cont. Efficiency)*(RE)*(RP)) where RE = rule 
    effectiveness (default = 80 percent) and RP = rule penetration.
        Projections of stationary source emissions through the year 2007 
    were developed based primarily on economic growth projection factors. 
    The annual growth factors were derived from this data and those growth 
    factors were used to determine future year inventories. The area source 
    emissions were projected using a variety of growth factors such as 
    population growth, gasoline market, vehicle miles traveled, farmland, 
    etc. To project future year mobile VOC emissions, a VMT growth rate of 
    2.7 percent was used for the period between 1988 and 1999. The VMT 
    growth rate for 2000 to 2007 drops to 2.2 percent. These estimates were 
    provided by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. 
    The MOBILE5a model was run to produce emission factors for the years 
    1988, 1990, 1993, 1996, and 2007.
        Monitoring Network. There is currently one monitor measuring ozone 
    in Walworth County. The WDNR has committed to continue operating and 
    maintaining its ozone monitor in Walworth County for the 10 year 
    maintenance period to verify the attainment status of the area.
        Contingency Plan. The contingency plan for Walworth County contains 
    three major components: attainment tracking, contingency measures, and 
    a mechanism that triggers the implementation of the contingency 
    measures. In a SIP revision submittal dated April 12, 1996, the State 
    revised the section of the redesignation request pertaining to the 
    triggering and implementation of the contingency plan. As discussed 
    below, the revisions incorporate EPA review and approval, and public 
    review and comment procedures into the contingency plan methodology.
        The WDNR will the track the progress of the maintenance plan for 
    Walworth County by generating VOC and NOX emissions inventories for 
    point, area, and mobile sources for the years 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 
    and 2007.
        The contingency measures to be considered for implementation are 
    Stage II vapor recovery and non-CTG RACT measures. Selection of the 
    contingency measures will take place in the event the ozone NAAQS is 
    violated and if an EPA approved analysis shows that emission sources 
    within Walworth County caused the violation. This analysis is being 
    conducted because the State has maintained that the level of ozone in 
    Walworth County is due to ozone and ozone precursors being transported 
    from upwind urbanized areas such as the greater Chicago area. Both the 
    sudy protocol and the completed analysis will be submitted to EPA for 
    approval. The completed analysis will be subject to public comment. If 
    the analysis shows the violation not to be attributable to
    
    [[Page 28545]]
    
    transport from other areas, contingency measures will be implemented 
    according to the following schedule:
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     Activity                          Completion time      
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Violation of the ozone NAAQS:                                           
        Verify violation and submit plan to     60 days after violation     
         analyze violation to EPA for approval.  measurement.               
        Submit completed analysis, public       14 months after violation   
         notice and comment material to EPA      measurement.               
         for approval.                                                      
        Implement Stage II vapor recovery.....  24 months after violation.  
        Non-CTG RACT measures.................  24 months after violation.  
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        The Walworth County submittal adequately addresses the five basic 
    components which comprise a maintenance plan (attainment inventory, 
    maintenance demonstration, monitoring network, verification of 
    continued attainment, and a contingency plan) and, therefore, satisfies 
    the maintenance plan requirement in Section 107(d)(3)(E)(iv).
    E. The Area Must Have Met All Applicable Requirements Under Section 110 
    and Part D
        Section 110 and Part D requirements were discussed under section II 
    B, above.
    
    III. Proposed Action
    
        The EPA is proposing to approve WDNR's December 15, 1995, request 
    for redesignation to attainment for ozone and Section 175A maintenance 
    plan for Walworth County.
        Nothing in this action should be construed as permitting, allowing 
    or establishing a precedent for any future request for revision to any 
    SIP. The EPA shall consider each request for revision to the SIP in 
    light of specific technical, economic, and environmental factors and in 
    relation to relevant statutory and regulatory requirements.
        Ozone SIPs are designed to satisfy the requirements of Part D of 
    the Act and to provide for attainment and maintenance of the ozone 
    NAAQS. This proposed redesignation should not be interpreted as 
    authorizing the State to delete, alter, or rescind any of the VOC or 
    NOX emission limitations and restrictions contained in the 
    approved ozone SIP. Changes to ozone SIP VOC regulations rendering them 
    less stringent than those contained in the EPA approved plan cannot be 
    made unless a revised plan for attainment and maintenance is submitted 
    to and approved by EPA. Unauthorized relaxations, deletions, and 
    changes could result in both a finding on nonimplementation [Section 
    173(b) of the Clean Air Act] and in a SIP deficiency call made pursuant 
    to Section 110(a)(2)(H) of the Clean Air Act.
        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 Executive Order 12866 review.
        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.
        Section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (``Unfunded 
    Mandates Act''), 2 U.S.C. 1532, requires that the EPA prepare a 
    budgetary impact statement before promulgating a rule that includes a 
    Federal mandate that may result in expenditure by State, local, and 
    tribal governments, in aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100 
    million or more in any 1 year. Section 203, 2 U.S.C. 1533, requires the 
    EPA to establish a plan for obtaining input from and informing, 
    educating, and advising any small governments that may be significantly 
    or uniquely affected by the rule.
        Under Section 205 of the Unfunded Mandates Act, 2 U.S.C. 1535, the 
    EPA must identify and consider a reasonable number of regulatory 
    alternatives before promulgating a rule for which a budgetary impact 
    statement must be prepared. The EPA must select from those alternatives 
    the least costly, most cost-effective, or least burdensome alternative 
    that achieves the objectives of the rule, unless the EPA explains why 
    this alternative is not selected or the selection of this alternative 
    is inconsistent with law.
        Because this proposed rule is estimated to result in the 
    expenditure by State, local, and tribal governments or the private 
    sector of less then $100 million in any 1 year, the EPA has not 
    prepared a budgetary impact statement or specifically addressed the 
    selection of the least costly, most cost-effective, or least burdensome 
    alternative. Because small governments will not be significantly or 
    uniquely affected by this rule, the EPA is not required to develop a 
    plan with regard to small governments.
        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 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 Clean Air Act, preparation of a regulatory flexibility 
    analysis would constitute Federal inquiry into the economic 
    reasonableness of the State action. The Clean Air Act forbids EPA to 
    base its actions concerning SIPs on such grounds. Union Electric Co. v. 
    EPA, 427 U.S. 246, 256-66 (1976).
    
    List of Subjects
    
    40 CFR Part 52
    
        Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Hydrocarbons, 
    Motor vehicle pollution, Nitrogen oxides, Ozone, Volatile organic 
    compounds.
    
    40 CFR Part 81
    
        Environmental protection, Air pollution control, National parks, 
    Wilderness areas.
    
        Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q.
    
        Dated: May 13, 1996.
    Valdas V. Adamkus,
    Regional Administrator.
    [FR Doc. 96-14118 Filed 6-4-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
    
    

Document Information

Published:
06/05/1996
Department:
Environmental Protection Agency
Entry Type:
Proposed Rule
Action:
Proposed rule.
Document Number:
96-14118
Dates:
Comments on this proposed action must be received by July 5, 1996.
Pages:
28541-28545 (5 pages)
Docket Numbers:
WI70-1-7296, FRL-5510-6
PDF File:
96-14118.pdf
CFR: (2)
40 CFR 52
40 CFR 81