Transportation Conformity Rule Amendments for the New PM2.5 National
Ambient Air Quality Standard: PM2.5 Precursors
[Federal Register: June 1, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 104)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 31354-31355]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01jn05-7]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 93
[FRL-7920-1]
RIN 2060-AN03
Transportation Conformity Rule Amendments for the New PM2.5 National
Ambient Air Quality Standard: PM2.5 Precursors
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule; correction.
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SUMMARY: EPA issued a final rule on May 6, 2005, (70 FR 24280) that
adds the following transportation related PM2.5 precursors
to the transportation conformity regulations: nitrogen oxides
(NOX), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sulfur oxides
(SOX), and ammonia (NH3). The final rule
specifies when each of these precursors must be considered in
conformity determinations in PM2.5 nonattainment and
maintenance areas before and after PM2.5 state air quality
implementation plans (SIPs) are submitted. The preamble to the final
rule contains two minor errors. This notice is intended to correct
these errors. All other preamble and regulatory text printed in the May
6, 2005, final rule is correct.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is EPA's federal partner in
implementing the transportation conformity regulation. We have consulted
with DOT on the development of these corrections, and DOT concurs.
DATES: Effective Date: June 6, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela Spickard, State Measures and
[[Page 31355]]
Conformity Group, Transportation and Regional Programs Division, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Road, Ann Arbor, MI
48105, spickard.angela@epa.gov, (734) 214-4283.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA issued a final rule on May 6, 2005, (70
FR 24280) that amended the transportation conformity rule (40 CFR part
93) to include the following transportation-related PM2.5
precursors: nitrogen oxides (NOX), volatile organic
compounds (VOCs), sulfur oxides (SOX), and ammonia
(NH3). The final rule specifies when each of these
precursors must be considered in conformity determinations in
PM2.5 nonattainment and maintenance areas before and after
PM2.5 state air quality implementation plans (SIPs) are
submitted. The preamble to the May 6, 2005, final rule contains two
minor errors. This notice is intended to correct these errors.
First, EPA is correcting one paragraph and its corresponding
footnote in the discussion on Volatile Organic Compounds in Section
III.B. Rationale for This Final Rule (70 FR 24284). This paragraph
discusses the contribution of VOC emissions from biogenic sources
(e.g., trees) to PM2.5 air quality issues. The version of
the paragraph printed in the May 6 final rule preamble incorrectly
characterizes the existing data and analyses of biogenic source VOC
emissions obtained from the PM Supersites Program. This notice corrects
the paragraph regarding EPA's understanding of the PM Supersites
research and provides the public with the most current reference
information.
The incorrect paragraph begins at the bottom of the second column
on page 24284 of the May 6 notice with ``Additional research is also
needed to determine * * *'' This paragraph should be stricken and
replaced with the following:
``Additional research is also needed to determine the sources of
VOC emissions that contribute most to PM2.5 air quality
issues. For example, according to the NARSTO Fine Particle
Assessment,\5\ secondary sources may contribute up to 50 percent of
secondary organic mass, particularly in areas where photochemical
transformations of emissions from biogenic sources (e.g., trees) are
significant. In addition, data obtained from the Particulate Matter
Supersites Program suggest that biogenic emissions may contribute
significantly to secondary organic aerosols during days of peak
PM2.5. Analysis of air quality samples collected in
Pittsburgh from 2001 through 2002 indicates that as much as half of the
organic aerosol during peak periods may be attributable to biogenic
sources (e.g., trees) as opposed to anthropogenic sources (i.e., man-
made sources such as power plants and motor vehicles).\6\ \7\ The
Supersites Program has also collected data on the contribution of
biogenic source emissions in other locations in the U.S., including
Atlanta, Georgia.\8\ \9\ However, these findings have not yet been
published and peer-reviewed. The contribution of biogenic emissions to
PM2.5 air quality issues is important because biogenic
emissions cannot be controlled.''
The footnote five on page 24284 of the May 6 notice should be
stricken and replaced with the footnote five below. In addition, new
footnotes six through nine are added in the corrected paragraph:
``\5\ McMurry, P., Shepherd, M., Vickery, J. (ed.) Particulate
Matter Science for Policy Makers--A NARSTO Assessment. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2004.
\6\ Cabada J. C., S. N. Pandis, R. Subramanian, A. L. Robinson,
A. Polidori, and B. Turpin (2004) Estimating the secondary organic
aerosol contribution to PM2.5 using the EC tracer method,
Aerosol Sci. Technol., 38S, 140-155.
\7\ Millet D. B., N. M. Donahue, S. N. Pandis, A. Polidori, C.
O. Stanier, B. J. Turpin, and A. H. Goldstein (2005) Atmospheric
volatile organic compound measurements during the Pittsburgh Air
Quality Study: Results, interpretation, and quantification of
primary and secondary contributions, J. Geophys. Res., 110, D07SO7,
10.1029/2004JD004601.
\8\ `Sources of carbon in PM2.5 based on 14C and
tracer analysis,' Edgerton, Eric S., John J. Jansen, Mei Zheng and
Benjamin E. Hartsell (September 2004), 8th International Conference
on Carbonaceous Particles in the Atmosphere, Vienna, Austria.
\9\ `Source apportionment of PM2.5 using a three-
dimensional air quality model and a receptor model,' Park, S-K, L.
Ke, B. Yan, A. G. Russell, M. Zheng (2005), Proceedings of an AAAR
international specialty conference--Particulate Matter Supersites
Program and Related Studies, Atlanta, Georgia.''
Second, EPA is correcting a footnote in Section III.C.5. State of
the Science (70 FR 24288) and renumbering two footnotes in this
section. Footnotes six and seven in the May 6 final rule should be
renumbered as footnotes 10 and 11 in the text referencing the footnotes
at the top of the third column on page 24288, and in the footnotes
themselves. Footnote seven in the May 6 final rule (corrected to be
footnote 11 in this notice) provides a reference to the draft NARSTO
Fine Particulate Assessment issued in February 2003. EPA is correcting
this footnote to include the reference for the final NARSTO report. EPA
believes it is important to make this correction to avoid confusion and
provide the public with the most current published information.
The correct footnote is as follows:
``\11\ McMurry, P., Shepherd, M., Vickery, J. (ed.) Particulate
Matter Science for Policy Makers--A NARSTO Assessment. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2004.''
No changes are being made to the final rule language or other
preamble language published on May 6, 2005, through this action. EPA
finds good cause to make this correction notice effective less than 30
days after publication in the Federal Register. The final rule
published on May 6 will become effective on June 6, 2005. Today's
correction notice does not make any changes to the final rule. This
correction notice only clarifies explanatory text and corrects
reference citations in the preamble to the final rule which are
intended to provide the public with EPA's rationale for its decision.
Therefore EPA concludes that it will be in the public interest to have
this correction notice also become effective on June 6, 2005.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q.
Dated: May 25, 2005.
Jeffrey R. Holmstead,
Assistant Administrator for Office of Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 05-10853 Filed 5-31-05; 8:45 am]
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