97-14853. Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; State of Washington  

  • [Federal Register Volume 62, Number 110 (Monday, June 9, 1997)]
    [Proposed Rules]
    [Pages 31394-31398]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 97-14853]
    
    
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    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
    
    40 CFR Parts 52 and 81
    
    [WA 13-6-6121; WA 55-7130; and WA 57-7132; FRL-5837-2]
    
    
    Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation 
    of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; State of Washington
    
    AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
    
    ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
    
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    SUMMARY: EPA invites public comment on its proposed approval of parts 
    of three revisions to the State of Washington Implementation Plan 
    (SIP). These revisions were submitted by the Washington Department of 
    Ecology (Washington) to address the attainment of the National Ambient 
    Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for carbon monoxide (CO) in the Spokane, 
    Washington urbanized area.
    
    DATES: Comments must be received in writing and postmarked on or before 
    July 9, 1997.
    
    ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Montel Livingston, 
    SIP Manager, Office of Air Quality, M/S OAQ-107, EPA Region 10, Docket 
    #s WA 13-6-6121; WA 57-7132; and WA 55-7130, 1200 Sixth Avenue, 
    Seattle, Washington 98101. Copies of Washington's submittals are 
    available for public review during normal business hours at the 
    following locations: EPA, Region 10, Office of Air Quality, M/S OAQ-
    107, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101; Washington 
    Department of Ecology, Attention: Tami Dahlgren, Olympia, Washington 
    98504-7600, telephone (360) 407-6830; and the Spokane County Air 
    Pollution Control Authority, West 1101 College, Suite 403, Spokane, 
    Washington 99201, telephone (509) 456-4727.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William M. Hedgebeth of the EPA Region 
    10 Office of Air Quality at (206) 553-7369.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    I. Background
    
        On January 22, 1993, Washington submitted a SIP revision (Docket # 
    WA 13-6-6121) consisting of a plan for the attainment and subsequent 
    maintenance of the CO NAAQS for the Spokane area. This included a 
    demonstration of attainment of the CO NAAQS and provisions for 
    forecasting and tracking vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the Spokane 
    area, with contingency measures to be implemented if any estimate of 
    actual VMT in the nonattainment area, or any updated forecast of VMT 
    contained in an annual report for any year prior to attainment, exceeds 
    the number predicted in the most recent VMT forecast. Also included 
    were provisions which have been superseded by subsequent SIP revisions: 
    Reasonably Available Control Measures for residential wood combustion; 
    Reasonably Available Control Technology for point sources; New Source 
    Review; Vehicle Emission Inspection and Maintenance Program; oxygenated 
    fuels; and transportation conformity. On September 14, 1993, Washington 
    submitted a revision to the January 22, 1993, SIP submittal consisting 
    of the 1990 base year emissions inventory and the 1995 projected year 
    emissions inventory. Washington also submitted, on September 29, 1995, 
    a 1993 updated (periodic) emissions inventory for the Spokane area, to 
    meet the requirement of section 187(a)(5) of the CAA for periodic 
    inventories.
        On April 30, 1996, Washington submitted a SIP revision (Docket # WA 
    57-7132) consisting of revisions to the previously submitted vehicle 
    emission estimates portion of the 1990 base year emissions inventory 
    and of the 1995 projected year inventory; the emissions budget; VMT 
    estimates and forecasts; and the attainment demonstration. This 
    revision also added a contingency measure (3.5% oxygenated fuel) for 
    failure to attain the NAAQS.
        On April 30, 1996, Washington also submitted a SIP revision (Docket 
    # WA 55-7130) consisting of the removal of two transportation control 
    measures (TCMs) which had previously been approved by EPA on March 22, 
    1982, as part of the 1982 Spokane CO SIP.
        The implementation plan revisions were submitted by Washington to 
    satisfy certain federal requirements for an approvable nonattainment 
    area CO SIP for the Spokane nonattainment area in the State of 
    Washington. EPA is proposing to approve parts of the submitted 
    revisions and deferring action on several other parts of those 
    revisions. Other parts are not being addressed in this action because 
    they have been superseded by subsequent revisions and were or will be 
    addressed in separate actions. The rationales for the approvals and 
    deferrals of action are set forth in this notice. Additional 
    information is available at the address indicated above.
    
    II. Review of State Submittal
    
    A. Emissions Inventories (Base Year and Periodic)
    
        Under section 187(a)(1) of the CAA, for moderate CO nonattainment 
    areas, states are required to submit a base year CO inventory that 
    represents actual emissions in the CO season by November 15, 1992. 
    Section 172(c)(3) of the CAA requires that nonattainment plan 
    provisions include a comprehensive, accurate, and current inventory of 
    actual emissions from all sources of relevant pollutants in the 
    nonattainment area. The base year for the inventory is 1990. Stationary 
    point, stationary area, on-road mobile, and non-road mobile sources of 
    CO are included in the inventory. This inventory addresses actual CO 
    emissions for the area during the peak CO season, which reflects the 
    months when peak CO air quality concentrations occur. In Spokane, the 
    peak CO season is October through December. All required sources were 
    included in the inventory. Stationary sources with emissions of 50 tons 
    or greater per year were included in the point source category. 
    Stationary sources with emissions less than 50 tons per year were 
    included in the area source category. The following list presents a 
    summary of the 1990 CO peak season daily emissions estimates in tons 
    per winter day by source category: Point Sources: 76.98 tons per day; 
    Area Sources: 58.69 tons per day; Mobile On-Road Sources: 271.54 tons 
    per day; Mobile Non-Road Sources: 16.18 tons per day; Total Sources: 
    423.39 tons per day. Available guidance for preparing emission 
    inventories is provided in the General Preamble (57 FR 13498, April 16, 
    1992).
        Washington also submitted a 1995 Projected Year Emission Inventory. 
    This inventory incorporates growth factors for population, households, 
    and employments. For one of the point sources, the 1995 inventory used 
    the 1990 emission figure, although a decrease in emissions had been 
    estimated for 1995. For another of the point sources, emissions from 
    1991 were used, adjusted to 1995 using Bureau of Economic Analysis 
    industry growth rates. For residential wood combustion, a household 
    growth factor
    
    [[Page 31395]]
    
    was applied to the 1990 emissions. The primary change in estimating on-
    road vehicle emissions for 1995 the use of EPA's newest MOBILE 
    emissions model, which estimated significantly increased CO emissions. 
    In addition, there was an adjustment for a change in the inspection and 
    maintenance area, which now includes the entire nonattainment area. The 
    following list presents a summary of the 1995 CO peak season daily 
    emissions estimates in tons per winter day by source category: Point 
    Sources: 77.41 tons per day; Area Sources: 60.83 tons per day; Mobile 
    On-Road Sources: 169.34 tons per day; Mobile Non-Road Sources: 17.87 
    tons per day; Total Sources: 325.45 tons per day.
        Section 187(a)(5) of the CAA requires that states submit, for 
    moderate CO nonattainment areas, periodic inventories that represent 
    actual emissions; the first periodic inventory was due no later than 
    September 30, 1995, with subsequent periodic inventories submitted 
    every three years thereafter until the area is redesignated to 
    attainment. The first periodic inventory (1993) was submitted by 
    Washington on September 29, 1995.
        The following chart compares CO season daily emissions for 1990 and 
    1995:
    
                                 Daily Emissions                            
                                (Pounds Per Day)                            
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Category                  Base Year 1990       1995     
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Point Sources...........................   153,954 (18%)   154,824 (24%)
    Area Sources............................   117,376 (14%)   121,651 (19%)
    On-road Mobile Sources..................   543,087 (64%)   338,680 (52%)
    Non-road Mobile Sources.................     32,371 (4%)     35,749 (5%)
                                             -------------------------------
        Total...............................         846,788         650,904
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        EPA is proposing to approve the 1990 Base Year emissions inventory 
    as meeting the requirements of section 187(a)(1) of the CAA. EPA is 
    also proposing to approve the 1993 periodic emissions inventory as 
    meeting the requirements of section 187(a)(5) of the CAA. Washington 
    has provided acceptable documentation of quality assurance and has 
    clearly identified the methodologies used in determining the emissions 
    for each source category. References from which emissions and growth 
    factors were derived were clearly identified. A more complete analysis 
    supporting EPA's approval of the 1990 and 1993 emissions inventories is 
    included in the Technical Support Document.
    
    B. VMT/VMT Contingency Measures
    
        Section 187(a)(2)(A) of the CAA required EPA, in consultation with 
    the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), to develop guidance for 
    states to use in complying with the VMT forecasting and tracking 
    provisions of section 187. A Notice of Availability for the resulting 
    Section 187 VMT Forecasting and Tracking Guidance was published in the 
    Federal Register on March 19, 1992 (57 FR 9549).
        The section 187 guidance identifies the Federal Highway 
    Administration's Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) as the 
    foundation for VMT estimates and forecasts. HPMS was chosen as the best 
    method for estimating actual VMT since it is a count-based, 
    statistically-based, nationwide program with auditing procedures in 
    place, and because travel demand models would require resource 
    intensive annual updates of input data and annual validation against 
    traffic counts in order to be useful for estimating annual VMT. EPA 
    believes that these time and resource requirements generally make 
    travel demand models an unrealistic option for estimating actual annual 
    VMT with reasonable accuracy.
        To develop growth factors for forecasting VMT, the section 187 
    guidance offers as one alternative the use of network-based travel 
    demand models. If these models are properly updated and validated, and 
    if they use an equilibrium approach to allocating trips, they are 
    considered to be the best predictor of growth factors for VMT 
    forecasts. Moderate areas without a network model that is validated 
    according to the specifications described in the Section 187 Guidance 
    are offered the alternative of developing growth factors based on a 
    linear regression extrapolation of the past six years' HPMS VMT. In 
    both cases, the growth factors are applied to the HPMS VMT reported to 
    the Federal Highway Administration.
        As specified in the Act, the contingency measure triggers serve to 
    address as early as possible any situation in which a trend towards 
    higher then expected VMT has been detected, since such a trend may 
    affect the forecasted attainment date.
        When determining whether annual VMT or a VMT forecast has exceeded 
    the most recent prior forecast and, therefore, whether contingency 
    measures should be implemented, EPA believes that it is appropriate to 
    take into account the statistical variability in the estimates of VMT 
    generated through HPMS. Consequently, EPA has identified a margin of 
    error to be applied when making VMT comparisons. With the expectation 
    that HPMS sampling procedures will improve over the next few years in 
    response to recent Federal Highway Administration guidance, the margin 
    of error starts at 5.0 percent for VMT comparisons made in 1994, 
    becomes 4.0 percent for VMT comparisons made in 1995, and is reduced to 
    3.0 percent for VMT comparisons made in 1996 and thereafter. However, 
    since each revised VMT forecast becomes the VMT baseline for triggering 
    contingency measures, the application of a margin of error every year 
    could allow the forecasts to increase without bound, without ever 
    triggering contingencies. To prevent this occurrence, EPA believes it 
    is appropriate to allow the application of the margin of error only as 
    long as, cumulatively, neither an estimate of actual VMT nor a VMT 
    forecast ever exceeds by more than 5.0 percent the VMT forecast relied 
    upon in the area's attainment demonstration.
        In practice, then, there are two ways in which an estimate of 
    actual VMT or an updated forecast can be found to exceed a prior 
    forecast. Individual yearly comparisons can result in an exceedance of 
    the forecast made 12 months earlier by more than the prescribed 
    percentage for that year, and exceedances can accumulate so that, 
    cumulatively, they exceed the 5.0
    
    [[Page 31396]]
    
    percent cap above the attainment demonstration forecast.
        EPA interprets the requirement for contingency measures to ``take 
    effect without further action by the State or the Administrator'' to 
    mean that no further rulemaking activities by the State or EPA would be 
    needed to implement the measures. The General Preamble for the 
    Implementation of Title I of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, 
    published in the Federal Register on April 16, 1992, offers guidance on 
    the type and size of contingencies to be included in the SIP revision. 
    This guidance is advisory in nature and is non-binding. (See 57 FR 
    13532-13533, April 16, 1992.)
        The State of Washington has submitted a SIP revision to EPA in 
    order to satisfy the requirements of sections 187(a)(2)(A) and 
    187(a)(3). Washington's submittal provides for each of the following 
    mandatory elements: (1) A forecast of VMT in the nonattainment area for 
    each year prior to the attainment year; (2) a provision for annual 
    updates of the forecasts along with a provision for annual reports 
    describing the extent to which the forecasts proved to be accurate; 
    these reports shall provide estimates of actual VMT in each year for 
    which a forecast was required; and (3) adopted and enforceable 
    contingency measures to be implemented without further action by the 
    State or the Administrator if actual annual VMT or an updated forecast 
    exceeds the most recent prior forecast or if the area fails to attain 
    the CO NAAQS by the attainment date.
        The following items are the basis for approval of the portions of 
    the SIP revisions addressing VMT:
    1. VMT Forecasts
        In Spokane, the Federal Aid Urban Area is identical to the CO 
    nonattainment area and is the VMT forecast area. The Spokane Regional 
    Council (SRC) developed daily VMT forecasts for the area using a 
    network-based travel demand modeling process methodology. Washington 
    has met the requirements of sections 187(a)(2)(A) by submitting a SIP 
    revision that implements all required elements.
        Below is a table showing the forecasted VMT for Spokane:
    
                        Annual VMT Forecasts for Spokane                    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Spokane Co.  
                                                              nonattainment 
                       VMT forecast year                      area  (miles  
                                                                traveled)   
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1990 Actual...........................................     2,085,203,390
    1993..................................................     2,286,713,685
    1994..................................................     2,317,581,370
    1995..................................................     2,376,606,980
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    2. Annual VMT Updates/Reports
        Section 187(a)(2)(A) specifies that the SIP revision provide for 
    annual updates of the VMT forecasts and annual reports that describe 
    the accuracy of the forecasts and that provide estimates of actual VMT 
    in each year for which a forecast was required. The Section 187 VMT 
    Forecasting and Tracking Guidance specifies that annual reports should 
    be submitted to EPA by September 30 of the year following the year for 
    which the VMT estimate is made.
        Washington has submitted a SIP revision to EPA which satisfies the 
    requirements of section 187(a)(2)(A) in that it provides for the 
    submittal of annual updates of the VMT forecasts along with a provision 
    for annual reports describing the extent to which the forecasts proved 
    to be accurate.
    3. VMT Contingency Measures
        Section 187(a)(3) specifies that Washington, in its SIP revision, 
    adopt specific, enforceable contingency measures to be implemented if 
    the annual estimate of actual VMT or a subsequent VMT forecast exceeds 
    the most recent prior forecast of VMT or if the area fails to attain 
    the CO NAAQS by the attainment date. Implementation of the identified 
    contingency measures must not require further rulemaking activities by 
    Washington or EPA. Washington meets this requirement by submitting two 
    contingency measures. Those measures used by Washington to satisfy the 
    VMT contingency measure requirement are: (1) Commute Trip Reduction 
    programs, as put forth in SSHB 1671, Washington State's Transportation 
    Demand Management Act; and (2) A campaign for voluntary reductions in 
    vehicle operation during periods of poor air quality.
        At this time, EPA is proposing to approve the SIP revision 
    submitted by Washington for the purpose of forecasting and tracking VMT 
    in the Spokane area. This approval would include the revisions to the 
    VMT estimates and forecasts provided in the April 30, 1996, SIP 
    submittal, and would also include the VMT contingency measures.
    
    C. Contingency Measures (3.5 Percent Oxygenated Fuel)
    
        States containing CO nonattainment areas with design values of 
    greater than 12.7 ppm were required to submit, among other things, 
    contingency measures to satisfy the provisions under section 172(c)(9). 
    These provisions require contingency measures to be implemented in the 
    event that an area fails to reach attainment by the applicable 
    attainment date, December 31, 1995. Contingency measures were to be 
    submitted to EPA by November 31, 1992, pursuant to section 172(b) of 
    the CAA.
        Contingency measures must be implemented within 12 months after the 
    finding of failure to attain the CO NAAQS. Once triggered, they must 
    take effect without further action by the state or EPA. Therefore, all 
    contingency measures must be adopted and enforceable prior to submittal 
    to EPA.
        The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA) do not specify how many 
    contingency measures are needed or the magnitude of emission reductions 
    they must provide if an area fails to attain the CO NAAQS. Because 
    section 186(b)(2) requires EPA to reclassify a moderate CO 
    nonattainment area as a serious nonattainment area if the area does not 
    attain the NAAQS for CO by December 31, 1995, EPA believes that one 
    appropriate choice of contingency measures would be to provide for the 
    implementation of sufficient VMT reductions or emissions reductions to 
    counteract the effect of one year's growth in VMT while the state 
    revises its SIP to incorporate all of the new requirements of a serious 
    CO area.
        The State of Washington has submitted a SIP revision to EPA in 
    order to satisfy the requirements of section 172(c)(9) of the CAA. The 
    contingency measure consists of revising the oxygenate requirement for 
    the Spokane area to 3.5 percent oxygen for future control periods in 
    the case of failure to attain or maintain NAAQS for CO. The control 
    period is defined as September 1 through the last day of February.
        Because it has not been determined that the Spokane CO 
    nonattainment area attained the CO NAAQS by December 31, 1995, the 
    Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority (SCAPCA) implemented the 
    3.5 percent oxygen contingency measure for the 1996-1997 winter control 
    period, commencing on September 1, 1996. It is important to note that 
    EPA has proposed to determine that the Spokane CO nonattainment area 
    did not attain the CO NAAQS by December 31, 1995, as required, and to 
    reclassify the Spokane
    
    [[Page 31397]]
    
    CO nonattainment area as a ``serious'' nonattainment area. See 61 FR 
    33879, July 1, 1996.
        At this time, EPA is proposing to approve the contingency measure 
    as satisfying the requirements of section 172(c)(9), and as consistent 
    with EPA guidance.
    
    D. Transportation Control Measures (TCM) Deletions
    
        EPA approved two TCMs as part of a SIP revision on March 22, 1982. 
    One of the TCMs consisted of widening Rowan Avenue in Spokane to 44 
    feet from Alberta to Wall Streets, a total distance of 1.27 miles; the 
    TCM also included the installation of traffic lights along Rowan 
    Avenue. The second TCM consisted of constructing North River Drive in 
    Spokane from Maple to Hamilton, a distance of 1.91 miles.
        EPA, in its November 24, 1993, Final Rule on Transportation 
    Conformity, stated that ``if obstacles to TCM implementation are not 
    being overcome because it is impossible to do so, if State and local 
    agencies are not giving maximum priority to TCMs which are behind 
    schedule, or if the original sponsor or the cooperative planning 
    process decides not to implement the TCM or decides to replace it with 
    another TCM, a SIP revision which removes the TCM will be necessary 
    before plans and TIPS may be found in conformity. In order to be 
    approved by EPA, such a SIP revision must include substitute measures 
    that achieve emissions reductions sufficient to meet all applicable 
    requirements of the Clean Air Act, including section 110(l).'' See 58 
    FR 62198, November 24, 1993.
        Washington has submitted documentation that a Spokane Regional 
    Transportation Council analysis showed that, at the present time, the 
    Rowan Avenue TCM would have, at best, neutral air-quality impacts and 
    that the North River Drive TCM would have definite negative impacts. In 
    addition, neither TCM will be used to demonstrate attainment. 
    Therefore, no substitute measures are required.
        At this time, EPA is proposing to approve the deletion of the two 
    transportation control measures discussed herein.
    
    E. Attainment Demonstration
    
        The air quality planning requirements for moderate CO nonattainment 
    areas set out in sections 186 and 187 of the CAAA include, for moderate 
    areas with a design value greater than 12.7 ppm at the time of 
    classification, a requirement for states to submit a SIP revision to 
    provide for attainment of the CO NAAQS by the applicable attainment 
    date and which includes a demonstration that the plan as revised will 
    provide for such attainment. Washington submitted an Attainment 
    Demonstration as part of its January 22, 1993, SIP revision, and 
    revised the Attainment Demonstration in a submittal dated April 30, 
    1996. EPA proposed, on July 1, 1996 (61 FR 33879), to find that the 
    Spokane, Washington, CO nonattainment area did not attain the CO NAAQS 
    by the CAA mandated attainment date for moderate nonattainment areas, 
    December 31, 1995, to reclassify the Spokane CO nonattainment area as a 
    serious nonattainment area. EPA has not made a final determination as 
    to this reclassification and is deferring action on approval of the 
    attainment demonstration pending this decision.
    
    F. Emissions Budget
    
        For federal transportation conformity purposes, Washington 
    submitted, as part of its April 30, 1996, SIP revision, an emission 
    budget, the projected mobile source inventory (1995) used in the 
    attainment demonstration. Because attainment has not been demonstrated 
    (see discussion in (E) above), EPA is deferring action on the emission 
    budget.
    
    G. Reasonably Available Control Measures (RACM)/Reasonably Available 
    Control Technology (RACT)
    
        The January 22, 1993, SIP revision relating to RACM in Spokane was 
    superseded by a revision submitted on December 9, 1994. This revision 
    was approved by EPA on January 27, 1997. See 62 FR 3800. Satisfaction 
    of the RACT requirements was acknowledged by EPA in 62 FR 3800, as well 
    as having been approved earlier in the redesignation to attainment of 
    the Puget Sound and Vancouver CO nonattainment areas. See 61 FR 53323, 
    October 11, 1996, and 61 FR 54560. October 21, 1996.
    
    H. New Source Review
    
        The January 22, 1993, SIP revision relating to New Source Review 
    was superseded by a revision submitted on March 8, 1994. This revision 
    was approved by EPA on June 2, 1995. See 60 FR 28726.
    
    I. Vehicle Emission Inspection and Maintenance Program
    
        The January 22, 1993, SIP revision relating to the Vehicle Emission 
    Inspection and Maintenance Program was superseded by a revision 
    submitted on August 21, 1995. This revision was approved by EPA on 
    September 25, 1996. See 61 FR 50235.
    
    J. Oxygenated Fuels
    
        The January 22, 1993, SIP revision relating to oxygenated fuels was 
    approved by EPA on January 20, 1994. See 59 FR 2994.
    
    K. Transportation Conformity
    
        The January 22, 1993, SIP revision relating to transportation 
    conformity was superseded by a revision submitted on May 10, 1994, 
    which was further revised by a submittal dated November 30, 1995. EPA 
    will act on this submittal separately from this action.
    
    III. This Action
    
        EPA is soliciting comments on its proposed approval of portions of 
    the aforementioned revisions to the State of Washington Implementation 
    Plan. Interested parties are invited to comment on all aspects of this 
    proposed approval. Comments should be submitted to the address listed 
    in the front of this Notice. Comments postmarked on or before July 9, 
    1997 will be considered in the final rulemaking action taken by EPA.
    
    IV. Administrative Review
    
    A. Executive Order 12866
    
        This action has been classified as a Table 3 action for signature 
    by the Regional Administrator under the procedures published in the 
    Federal Register on January 19, 1989 (54 FR 2214-2225), as revised by a 
    July 10, 1995, memorandum from Mary Nichols, Assistant Administrator 
    for Air and Radiation. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has 
    exempted this regulatory action from E.O. 12866 review.
    
    B. Regulatory Flexibility Act
    
        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.
        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, the 
    Administrator certifies that it does not have a significant impact on 
    any small entities affected. Moreover, due to the
    
    [[Page 31398]]
    
    nature of the federal-state relationship under the CAA, preparation of 
    a flexibility analysis would constitute federal inquiry into the 
    economic reasonableness of state action. The CAA forbids EPA to base 
    its actions concerning SIPs on such grounds. Union Electric Co. v. U.S. 
    EPA, 427 U.S. 246, 255-66 (1976); 42 U.S.C. 7410(a)(2).
    
    C. 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 proposed for 
    promulgation 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 proposes to approve pre-existing requirements under 
    state or local law, and does not propose to impose new federal 
    requirements. Accordingly, no additional costs to state, local, or 
    tribal governments, or to the private sector, would result from this 
    action, if approved.
    
    D. Submission to Congress and the General Accounting Office
    
        Under 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A), as added by the Small Business 
    Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, EPA submitted 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 
    General Accounting Office prior to publication of the rule in today's 
    Federal Register. This rule is not a major rule as defined by 5 U.S.C. 
    804(2).
    
    E. Petitions for Judicial Review
    
        Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA, petitions for judicial review 
    of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for 
    the appropriate circuit by August 8, 1997. 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).)
    
    List of Subjects
    
    40 CFR Part 52
    
        Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Carbon monoxide, 
    Hydrocarbons, Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental relations, 
    Ozone.
    
    40 CFR Part 81
    
        Environmental protection, Air pollution control, National parks, 
    Wilderness areas.
    
        Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q.
    
        Dated: May 27, 1997.
    Chuck Clarke,
    Regional Administrator.
    [FR Doc. 97-14853 Filed 6-6-97; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
06/09/1997
Department:
Environmental Protection Agency
Entry Type:
Proposed Rule
Action:
Notice of proposed rulemaking.
Document Number:
97-14853
Dates:
Comments must be received in writing and postmarked on or before July 9, 1997.
Pages:
31394-31398 (5 pages)
Docket Numbers:
WA 13-6-6121, WA 55-7130, and WA 57-7132, FRL-5837-2
PDF File:
97-14853.pdf
CFR: (2)
40 CFR 52
40 CFR 81