Adequacy Status of the Portland, OR Carbon Monoxide Maintenance
Plan for Transportation Conformity Purposes
[Federal Register: March 4, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 42)]
[Notices]
[Page 10614]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04mr05-49]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[Docket #: R10-OAR-2005-OR-0001; FRL-7880-8]
Adequacy Status of the Portland, OR Carbon Monoxide Maintenance
Plan for Transportation Conformity Purposes
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of adequacy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In this notice, EPA is notifying the public that we have found
the Second Portland Area Carbon Monoxide Maintenance Plan adequate for
transportation conformity purposes. On March 2, 1999, the DC Circuit
Court ruled that submitted State Implementation Plans (SIPs) cannot be
used for conformity determinations until EPA has found them adequate.
This affects future transportation conformity determinations prepared,
reviewed and approved by the Portland Metro, Oregon Department of
Transportation, Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit
Administration.
DATES: This finding is effective March 21, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The finding is available at EPA's
conformity Web site: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/transp.htm, (once there,
click on the ``Transportation Conformity'' button, then look for
``Adequacy Review of SIP Submissions''). You may also contact Wayne
Elson, U.S. EPA, Region 10, Office of Air, Waste, and Toxics (AWT-107),
1200 Sixth Ave, Seattle WA 98101; (206) 553-1463 or
elson.wayne@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Today's notice is simply an announcement of a finding that we have
already made. EPA Region 10 sent a letter to the Washington Department
of Ecology dated February 15, 2005, stating that the SIP is adequate
for transportation conformity purposes.
Transportation conformity is required by section 176(c) of the
Clean Air Act. EPA's conformity rule requires that transportation
plans, programs, and projects conform to SIPs. Conformity to a SIP
means that transportation activities will not produce new air quality
violations, worsen existing violations, or delay timely attainment of
the national ambient air quality standards.
The criteria by which we determine whether a SIP is adequate for
conformity purposes are outlined in 40 CFR 93.118(e)(4). Please note
that an adequacy review is separate from EPA's completeness review and
it also should not be used to prejudge our ultimate approval of the
SIP. Even if we find a SIP adequate for conformity, the SIP could later
be disapproved. For the reader's ease, the motor vehicle emission
budget included in the Maintenance Plan in pounds per winter time day
of carbon monoxide is: 1,238,575 in 2005; 1,033,578 in 2010; and
1,181,341 in 2017.
We have described our process for determining the adequacy in SIPs
in guidance dated May 14, 1999. This guidance in now is reflected in
the amended transportation conformity rule, July 1, 2004 (69 FR 40004).
We followed this process in making our adequacy determination.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q.
Dated: February 18, 2005.
Michael F. Gearheard,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 10.
[FR Doc. 05-4274 Filed 3-3-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P