[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 154 (Thursday, August 11, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-19640]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: August 11, 1994]
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Part II
Environmental Protection Agency
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40 CFR Part 82
Protection of Stratospheric Ozone; Amendment to the Phaseout of Ozone-
Depleting Chemicals to Correct Allocation Numbers; Final Rule
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 82
[FRL-5040-4]
Protection of Stratospheric Ozone; Amendment to the Phaseout of
Ozone-Depleting Chemicals to Correct Allocation Numbers
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Direct final rulemaking.
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SUMMARY: In the December 10, 1993 Federal Register the Environmental
Protection Agency inadvertently omitted a paragraph that should have
been carried over from the preceding phaseout rule; this paragraph is
subsequently added back into the regulation through today's direct
final rulemaking. Through this action, the Environmental Protection
Agency is also updating its lists of Parties to the Montreal Protocol
in Appendix C and of Article 5 countries in Appendix E.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This action will become effective October 11, 1994
unless EPA receives notice by September 12, 1994 that someone wishes to
submit adverse or critical comments. If such comments are received, EPA
would then publish a timely notice announcing its withdrawal before the
effective date provided in today's action. A second document would then
request comments, after which a final rule would be drafted and
published, responding to such comments.
ADDRESSES: Materials relevant to the rulemaking are contained in Air
Docket A-92-13 at: Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street S.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20460. The public docket room is located in room M-
1500, Waterside Mall (Ground Floor). Materials may be inspected from
8:30 a.m. until noon and from 1:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. Monday through
Friday. A reasonable fee may be charged by EPA for copying docket
materials. Information on this rulemaking may also be obtained from the
Stratospheric Protection Information Hotline at 1-800-296-1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Stratospheric Protection
Information Hotline at 1-800-296-1996 or Michael James, Stratospheric
Protection Division, Office of Atmospheric Programs, Office of Air and
Radiation, 6205J, (202) 233-9192.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Today's Revisions to the Phaseout of Ozone-Depleting Substances
In today's action, EPA is re-inserting a paragraph under
Sec. 82.10, inadvertently omitted from the final rulemaking (58 FR
65018), to grant a limited level of consumption allowances to carbon
tetrachloride producers under certain conditions. During the July 30,
1992 rulemaking (57 FR 33754), EPA intended to allocate carbon
tetrachloride (Group IV) consumption allowances to all companies that
received carbon tetrachloride production allowances. During the
drafting of that rulemaking, EPA realized that complications existed in
the development and calculation of the baseline for this chemical, such
that some companies that had exported carbon tetrachloride would not
receive baseline consumption allowances. Thus, companies that had
intended to produce for export could not because of the requirement to
hold both production and consumption allowances at the time of
production.
To address this situation in the final rulemaking, EPA promulgated
Sec. 82.10(c) to allocate baseline consumption allowances to carbon
tetrachloride producers who had exported in the baseline year, but had
not received baseline consumption allowances. Producers who met these
conditions would receive baseline consumption allowances equal to the
level of production allowances received for the control period. In
addition, this paragraph required that producers who received these
allowances demonstrate that they had exported this chemical by
providing documentation to EPA that they had indeed exported the
chemical by February 15 of the year after the end of the control
period.
During the development of the December 10, 1993 final rule (58 FR
65018), EPA inadvertently omitted this paragraph of the final rule. It
was never the intention of EPA to eliminate this provision, and EPA
believes that this provision is essential for companies to continue to
produce this chemical for export markets, many of which use carbon
tetrachloride as a feedstock in the production of other chemicals. For
these reasons, EPA is today re-inserting former Sec. 82.10(c) as
82.10(d) of the current rule, making the provisions of the new
Sec. 82.10(d) retroactive to January 1, 1994. In this way, companies
will not be penalized as a result of the Agency's inadvertent omission.
With this notice, the Agency is also updating Appendix C to Subpart
A--Annex 1 Parties to the Montreal Protocol and Appendix E to Subpart
A--Article 5 Parties. The revised Appendix C reflects the following
changes: additional countries that have signed onto the Montreal
Protocol, existing or added Parties that have ratified the London
Amendments, or existing or added Parties that have ratified the
Copenhagen Amendments. The changes to Appendix E reflect additional
developing countries that have signed onto the Montreal Protocol. These
developing countries have also been added to Appendix C.
Because these changes are only correcting inadvertent omissions or
typographical errors, they have no impact on the environment or on the
implementation of the Stratospheric Protection Program. This action is
being taken without prior proposal because EPA believes that this final
decision is noncontroversial and anticipates no significant adverse
comments on this action. If adverse comment on this rulemaking is
received, EPA would withdraw this direct final notice, then propose as
a separate notice, upon which comments would be solicited. A final rule
would then be written, which would provide responses to comments.
II. Summary of Supporting Analysis
A. Executive Order 12866
Under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993), the
Agency must determine whether this regulatory action is ``significant''
and therefore subject to OMB review and the requirements of the
Executive Order. The Order defines ``significant'' regulatory action as
one that is likely to lead to a rule that may:
(1) Have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more,
or adversely and materially affect a sector of the economy,
productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health or
safety, or State, local, or tribal governments or communities;
(2) Create a serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an
action taken or planned by another agency;
(3) Materially alter the budgetary impact of entitlement, grants,
user fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients
thereof; or
(4) Raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal
mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles set forth in
the Executive Order.
It has been determined by OMB and EPA that this amendment to the
final rule is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under the terms
of Executive Order 12866 and is therefore not subject to OMB review
under the Executive Order.
B. Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-602, requires that
Federal agencies examine the impacts of their regulations on small
entities. Under 5 U.S.C. 604(a), whenever an agency is required to
publish a general notice of proposed rulemaking, it must prepare and
make available for public comment an initial regulatory flexibility
analysis (RFA). Such an analysis is not required if the head of an
agency certifies that a rule will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small entities, pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
605(b).
EPA believes that any impact that this amendment will have on the
regulated community will serve only to provide relief from otherwise
applicable regulations, and will therefore limit the negative economic
impact associated with the regulations previously promulgated under
Section 604. An examination of the impacts on small entities was
discussed in the final rule (58 FR 65018). That final rule assessed the
impact the rule may have on small entities. A separate regulatory
impact analysis accompanied the final rule and is contained in Docket
A-91-50. I certify that this amendment to the accelerated phaseout rule
will not have any additional negative economic impacts on any small
entities.
C. Paperwork Reduction Act
Any information collection requirements in a rule must be submitted
for approval to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the
Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Because no additional
informational collection requirements are required by this amendment,
EPA has determined that the Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply to
this rulemaking and no new Information Collection Request document has
been prepared.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 82
Air pollution control, Chemicals, Exports, Imports, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
Dated: August 4, 1994.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
40 CFR part 82 is amended as follows:
PART 82--PROTECTION OF STRATOSPHERIC OZONE
1. The authority citation for part 82 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7414, 7601, 7671-7671q.
2. Section 82.10 is amended by adding a new paragraph (d) to read
as follows:
Sec. 82.10 Availability of consumption allowances in addition to
baseline consumption allowances.
* * * * *
(d) On the first day of each control period the Agency will grant
consumption allowances to any person that produced and exported a Group
IV controlled substance in the baseline year and that was not granted
baseline consumption allowances under Sec. 82.6.
(1) The number of consumption allowances any such person will be
granted for each control period will be equal to the number of
production allowances granted to that person under Sec. 82.7 for that
control period.
(2) Any person granted allowances under this paragraph must hold
the same number of unexpended consumption allowances for the control
period for which the allowances were granted by February 15 of the
following control period. Every kilogram by which the person's
unexpended consumption allowances fall short of the amount the person
was granted under this paragraph constitutes a separate violation.
(3) This paragraph will apply retroactively to January 1, 1994, in
order that such consumption allowances will be granted for the 1994
control period.
3. Appendix C to subpart A is revised to read as follows:
Appendix C to Subpart A.--Annex 1--Parties to the Montreal Protocol
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copenhagen
Foreign State Montreal protocol London amendments amendments
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Algeria.......................................
Antigua and Barbuda...........................
Argentina.....................................
Australia.....................................
Austria.......................................
Bahamas.......................................
Bahrain.......................................
Bangladesh....................................
Barbados......................................
Belarus.......................................
Belgium.......................................
Benin.........................................
Bosnia and Herzegovina........................
Botswana......................................
Brazil........................................
Burnei........................................
Bulgaria......................................
Burkina Faso..................................
Cameroon......................................
Canada........................................
Central African Republic......................
Chile.........................................
China.........................................
Colombia......................................
Congo.........................................
Costa Rica....................................
Cote Ivoire...................................
Croatia.......................................
Cuba..........................................
Cyprus........................................
Czech Republic................................
Denmark.......................................
Dominica......................................
Ecuador.......................................
Egypt.........................................
El Salvador...................................
European E.C..................................
Fiji..........................................
Finland.......................................
France........................................
Gabon.........................................
Gambia........................................
Germany.......................................
Ghana.........................................
Greece........................................
Grenada.......................................
Guatemala.....................................
Guinea........................................
Guyana........................................
Honduras......................................
Hungary.......................................
Iceland.......................................
India.........................................
Indonesia.....................................
Iran..........................................
Ireland.......................................
Israel........................................
Italy.........................................
Jamaica.......................................
Japan.........................................
Jordan........................................
Kenya.........................................
Kiribati......................................
Korea, Republic of............................
Kuwait........................................
Lebanon.......................................
Libya.........................................
Liechtenstein.................................
Luxembourg....................................
Malawi........................................
Malaysia......................................
Maldives......................................
Malta.........................................
Marshall Islands..............................
Mauritius.....................................
Mexico........................................
Monaco........................................
Morocco.......................................
Myranmar......................................
Namibia.......................................
Netherlands...................................
New Zealand...................................
Nicaragua.....................................
Niger.........................................
Nigeria.......................................
Norway........................................
Pakistan......................................
Panama........................................
Papua New Guinea..............................
Paraguay......................................
Peru..........................................
Philippines...................................
Poland........................................
Portugal......................................
Romania.......................................
Russian Federation............................
Saint Kitts and Nevis.........................
Saint Lucia...................................
Samoa.........................................
Saudi Arabia..................................
Senegal.......................................
Seychelles....................................
Singapore.....................................
Slovenia......................................
Solomon Islands...............................
South Africa..................................
Spain.........................................
Sri Lanka.....................................
Sudan.........................................
Swaziland.....................................
Sweden........................................
Switzerland...................................
Syrian Arab Republic..........................
Tanzania, United Republic of..................
Thailand......................................
Togo..........................................
Trinidad and Tobago...........................
Tunisia.......................................
Turkey........................................
Turkministan..................................
Tuvalu........................................
Uganda........................................
Ukranian SSR..................................
United Arab Emirates..........................
United Kingdom................................
United States.................................
Uruguay.......................................
Uzbekistan....................................
Venezuela.....................................
Viet Nam......................................
Yugoslavia....................................
Zambia........................................
Zimbabwe......................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Appendix E to Subpart A is revised to read as follows:
Appendix E to Subpart A--Article 5 Parties
Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chile, China,
Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya,
Kiribati, Lebanon, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius,
Mexico, Myranmar, Namibia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Senegal, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tanzania,
Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda,
Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
[FR Doc. 94-19640 Filed 8-10-94; 8:45 am]
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