2016-22887. Air Plan Approval; Georgia; Prong 4-2008 Ozone, 2010 NO2

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is conditionally approving the portions of revisions to the Georgia State Implementation Plan (SIP), submitted by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Environmental Protection Division (GAEPD), addressing the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) visibility transport (prong 4) infrastructure SIP requirements for the 2008 8-hour Ozone, 2010 1-hour Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂), 2010 1-hour Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂), and 2012 annual Fine Particulate Matter (PM_2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The CAA requires that each state adopt and submit a SIP for the implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of each NAAQS promulgated by EPA, commonly referred to as an “infrastructure SIP.” Specifically, EPA is conditionally approving the prong 4 portions of Georgia's March 6, 2012, 8-hour Ozone infrastructure SIP submission; March 25, 2013, 2010 1-hour NO₂ infrastructure SIP submission; October 22, 2013, 2010 1-hour SO₂ infrastructure SIP submission; and December 14, 2015, 2012 annual PM_2.5 infrastructure SIP submission. All other applicable infrastructure requirements for these SIP submissions have been or will be addressed in separate rulemakings.

DATES:

This rule will be effective [insert date 30 days after date of publication in the Federal Register].

ADDRESSES:

EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket Identification No EPA-R04-OAR-2016-0315. All documents in the docket are listed on the www.regulations.gov Web site. Although listed in the index, some information may not be publicly available, i.e., Confidential Business Information 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 www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Air Regulatory Management Section, Air Planning and Implementation Branch, Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960. EPA requests that if at all possible, you contact the person 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 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Sean Lakeman of the Air Regulatory Management Section, Air Planning and Implementation Branch, Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960. Mr. Lakeman can be reached by telephone at [phone] or via electronic mail at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

By statute, SIPs meeting the requirements of sections 110(a)(1) and (2) of the CAA are to be submitted by states within three years after promulgation of a new or revised NAAQS to provide for the implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of the new or revised NAAQS. EPA has historically referred to these SIP submissions made for the purpose of satisfying the requirements of sections 110(a)(1) and 110(a)(2) as “infrastructure SIP” submissions. Sections 110(a)(1) and (2) require states to address basic SIP elements such as the requirements for monitoring, basic program requirements, and legal authority that are designed to assure attainment and maintenance of the newly established or revised NAAQS. More specifically, section 110(a)(1) provides the procedural and timing requirements for infrastructure SIPs. Section 110(a)(2) lists specific elements that states must meet for the infrastructure SIP requirements related to a newly established or revised NAAQS. The contents of an infrastructure SIP submission may vary depending upon the data and analytical tools available to the state, as well as the provisions already contained in the state's implementation plan at the time in which the state develops and submits the submission for a new or revised NAAQS.

Section 110(a)(2)(D) has two components: 110(a)(2)(D)(i) and 110(a)(2)(D)(ii). Section 110(a)(2)(D)(i) includes four distinct components, commonly referred to as “prongs,” that must be addressed in infrastructure SIP submissions. The first two prongs, which are codified in section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I), are provisions that prohibit any source or other type of emissions activity in one state from contributing significantly to nonattainment of the NAAQS in another state (prong 1) and from interfering with maintenance of the NAAQS in another state (prong 2). The third and fourth prongs, which are codified in section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II), are provisions that prohibit emissions activity in one state from interfering with measures required to prevent significant deterioration of air quality in another state (prong 3) or from interfering with measures to protect visibility in another state (prong 4). Section 110(a)(2)(D)(ii) requires SIPs to include provisions ensuring compliance with sections 115 and 126 of the Act, relating to interstate and international pollution abatement.

Georgia's infrastructure SIP revisions cite to the regional haze program as satisfying the requirements of prong 4 for the 2008 8-hour Ozone, 2010 1-hour NO₂, 2010 1-hour SO₂, and 2012 annual PM_2.5 NAAQS. However, the State may not currently rely on its regional haze SIP to satisfy these requirements because EPA has not yet fully approved Georgia's regional haze SIP as it relies on the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) to satisfy the nitrogen oxides (NO_X) and SO₂ Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) requirements for the CAIR-subject electric generating units (EGUs) in the State and the requirement for a long-term strategy sufficient to achieve the state-adopted reasonable progress goals.^[1] Therefore, on May 26, 2016, Georgia submitted a commitment letter to EPA requesting conditional approval of the prong 4 portions of the aforementioned infrastructure SIP revisions.

In its commitment letter, Georgia commits to satisfy the prong 4 requirements for the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS, 2010 1-hour NO₂ NAAQS, 2010 1-hour SO₂ NAAQS, and 2012 PM_2.5 NAAQS by providing a SIP revision that adopts provisions for participation in the Cross State Air Pollution Rule annual NO_X and annual SO₂ trading programs, including annual NO_X and annual SO₂ budgets that are at least as stringent as the budgets codified for Georgia at 40 CFR 97.710(a) (SO₂ Group 2 trading budgets) and 40 CFR 97.410(a) (NO_X Annual trading budgets). Georgia will rely on this SIP revision adopting such budgets to submit a concurrent SIP revision specifically addressing the visibility requirements of prong 4. In its commitment letter, Georgia commits to providing these two concurrent SIP revisions within one year of EPA's final conditional approval of the prong 4 portions of the infrastructure SIP revisions and provides an anticipated schedule for these revisions. If the revised infrastructure SIP revision relies on a fully approvable regional haze SIP, Georgia also commits to providing the necessary regional haze SIP revision to EPA within one year of EPA's final conditional approval.

If Georgia meets its commitment within one year of final conditional approval, the prong 4 portions of the conditionally approved infrastructure SIP submissions will remain a part of the SIP until EPA takes final action approving or disapproving the new SIP revision(s). However, if the State fails to submit these revisions within the one-year timeframe, the conditional approval will automatically become a disapproval one year from EPA's final conditional approval and EPA will issue a finding of disapproval. EPA is not required to propose the finding of disapproval. If the conditional approval is converted to a disapproval, the final disapproval triggers the FIP requirement under CAA section 110(c).

In a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published on July 11, 2016 (81 FR 44831), EPA proposed to conditionally approve the prong 4 portions of the aforementioned infrastructure SIP submissions. The NPRM provides additional detail regarding the rationale for EPA's action, including further discussion of the prong 4 requirements and the basis for Georgia's commitment letter. Comments on the proposed rulemaking were due on or before August 10, 2016. EPA received no adverse comments on the proposed action.

II. Final Action

EPA is conditionally approving the prong 4 portions of Georgia's March 6, 2012, 8-hour Ozone infrastructure SIP submission; March 25, 2013, 2010 1-hour NO₂ infrastructure SIP submission; October 22, 2013, 2010 1-hour SO₂ infrastructure SIP submission; and December 14, 2015, 2012 annual PM_2.5 infrastructure SIP submission. All other applicable infrastructure requirements for these SIP submissions have been or will be addressed in separate rulemakings.

III. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP submission that complies with the provisions of the Act and applicable federal regulations. See 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a). Thus, in reviewing SIP submissions, EPA's role is to approve state choices, provided that they meet the criteria of the CAA. Accordingly, this action merely approves state law as meeting federal requirements and does 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 Orders 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993) and 13563 (76 FR 3821, January 21, 2011);
• 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.aw 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 CAA; 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, the SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian reservation land or in any other area where EPA or an Indian tribe has demonstrated that a tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian country, the rule does not have tribal implications as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000), nor will it 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 CAA, petitions for judicial review of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by November 25, 2016. 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
• Particulate Matter
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Sulfur dioxide
• Volatile organic compounds

Dated: September 13, 2016.

V. Anne Heard,

Acting Regional Administrator, Region 4.

40 CFR part 52 is amended as follows:

PART 52—APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS

1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.

Subpart L—Georgia

2. Section 52.569 is added to read as follows:

§ 52.569

Conditional approval.

Georgia submitted a letter to EPA on May 26, 2016, with a commitment to address the State Implementation Plan deficiencies regarding requirements of Clean Air Act section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II) related to interference with measures to protect visibility in another state (prong 4) for the 2008 8-hour Ozone, 2010 1-hour NO₂, 2010 1-hour SO₂, and 2012 annual PM_2.5 NAAQS. EPA conditionally approved the prong 4 portions of Georgia's March 6, 2012, 8-hour Ozone infrastructure SIP submission; March 25, 2013, 2010 1-hour NO₂ infrastructure SIP submission; October 22, 2013, 2010 1-hour SO₂ infrastructure SIP submission; and December 14, 2015, 2012 annual PM_2.5 infrastructure SIP submission in an action published in the Federal Register on September 26, 2016. If Georgia fails to meet its commitment by September 26, 2017, the conditional approval will automatically become a disapproval on that date and EPA will issue a finding of disapproval.

Footnotes

1.  CAIR, promulgated in 2005, required 27 states and the District of Columbia to reduce emissions of NO_X and SO₂ that significantly contribute to, or interfere with maintenance of, the 1997 NAAQS for fine particulates and/or ozone in any downwind state. CAIR imposed specified emissions reduction requirements on each affected State, and established several EPA-administered cap and trade programs for EGUs that States could join as a means to meet these requirements.