03-22154. Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Minnesota

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

We are proposing to approve a site-specific revision to the Minnesota sulfur dioxide (SO₂) State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the Xcel Energy (formerly known as Northern States Power Company) Inver Hills Generating Plant located in the city of Inver Grove Heights, Dakota County, Minnesota. By its submittal dated August 9, 2002, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) requested that EPA approve Xcel's federally enforceable Title V operating permit into the Minnesota SO₂ SIP and remove the Xcel Administrative Order from the state SO₂ SIP. The state is also requesting in this submittal, that EPA rescind the Administrative Order for Ashbach Construction Company (Ashbach) from the Ramsey County particulate matter (PM) SIP. The requests are approvable because they meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act. In the final rules section of this Federal Register, we are approving the SIP revision as a direct final rule without prior proposal, because we view this as a noncontroversial revision amendment and anticipate no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approval is set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse comments are received in response to this proposed rule, no further activity is contemplated in relation to this proposed rule. If we receive adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. We will not institute a second comment period on this action. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

DATES:

Written comments must be received on or before October 2, 2003.

Comments may also be submitted electronically or through hand delivery/courier, please follow the detailed instructions described in Part(I)(B)(1)(i) through (iii)of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of the related direct final rule which is published in the Rules section of this Federal Register.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments should be sent to: Carlton T. Nash, Chief, Regulation Development Section, Air Programs Branch (AR-18J), EPA Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604-3590, [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christos Panos, Regulation Development Section, Air Programs Branch (AR-18J), EPA Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, [phone], [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

For additional information, see the Direct Final notice which is located in the Rules section of this Federal Register. Copies of the request and the EPA's analysis are available for inspection at the above address. (Please telephone Christos Panos at [phone] before visiting the Region 5 Office.)

Dated: May 23, 2003.

Jerri-Anne Garl,

Acting Regional Administrator, Region 5.