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State Implementation Plan (SIP) Revision & Designated Pollutant Plan Approvals
The following SIP approvals for Pennsylvania and Virginia appear in the October 22, 2008 Federal Register:
1. Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Reasonably Available Control Technology Requirements for Volatile
Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxides - 73 FR 62891 (Final rule).
SUMMARY: EPA is converting its limited approval of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania consisting of regulations that require all major sources of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) to implement reasonably available control technology (RACT) to a full approval as they apply throughout the Commonwealth. In prior final rules, EPA has fully approved Pennsylvania’s VOC and NOx RACT regulations for the Pennsylvania portion of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Trenton area, and for the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley area. The intended effect of this action is to convert EPA’s limited approval of Pennsylvania’s VOC and NOx RACT regulations to full approval as they apply throughout the remainder of the Commonwealth. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).
This final rule is effective on November 21, 2008.
2. Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Virginia; Major New
Source Review for Nonattainment Areas -73 FR 62893 (Final rule).
SUMMARY: EPA is granting limited approval of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Virginia. This revision action establishes the limited approval of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Virginia on February 12, 2007. The intended effect of this action is to grant limited approval of the September 1, 2006 regulatory amendments to Virginia’s existing new source review permit program for owners of sources located or locating in new source review nonattainment areas. This action is also providing full approval of a related SIP revision submitted by the Commonwealth on December 16, 2003, pertaining to amendments made to Virginia’s existing nonattainment new source review permit program at that time. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).
This final rule is effective on November 21, 2008.
3. Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Virginia; Major New Source Review, Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) -73 FR 62897 (Final rule).
SUMMARY: EPA is granting limited approval of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Virginia. This revision action establishes the limited approval of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Virginia on October 10, 2006. The intended effect of this action is to grant limited approval of the September 1, 2006 regulatory amendments to Virginia’s existing new source review permit program for owners of sources located or locating in prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) areas. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).
This final rule is effective on November 21, 2008.
The following proposed SIP approval for the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia appears in the October 22, 2008 Federal Register:
Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; The Metropolitan
Washington Nonattainment Area; Determination of Attainment of the Fine Particle
Standard –73 FR 62945 (Proposed rule).
SUMMARY:EPA is proposing to determine that the Metropolitan Washington, DC-MD-VA nonattainment area for the 1997 fine particle (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) has attained the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS. This proposed determination is based upon quality assured, quality controlled, and certified ambient air monitoring data that show that the area has monitored attainment of the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS since the 2004 - 2006 monitoring period, and continues to monitor attainment of the standard based on 2005 - 2007 data. In addition, quality controlled and quality assured monitoring data for 2008 that are available in the EPA Air Quality System (AQS) database, but not yet certified, show this area continues to attain the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS. If this proposed determination is made final, the requirements for this area to submit an attainment demonstration and associated reasonably available measures, a reasonable further progress plan, contingency measures, and other planning State Implementation Plans (SIPs) related to attainment of the standard shall be suspended for so long as the area continues to attain the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS.
Interested parties may submit comments to EPA by November 21, 2008. Instructions on how to submit comments are contained in the notice of proposed rulemaking.
The following SIP approvals for Maryland and Virginia appear in the September 15, 2008 Federal Register:
1. Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Maryland; Amendments to the Control of Incinerators - 73 FR 53130 (Final rule).
SUMMARY:EPA is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). This revision pertains to amendments to the regulations for the control of incinerators. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).
This final rule is effective on October 15, 2008.
2. Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Virginia, Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) for Norfolk Southern Corporation - 73 FR 53132 (Final rule).
SUMMARY:EPA is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Virginia removing a nitrogen oxide (NOx) reasonably available control technology (RACT) permit from the Virginia SIP for sources located at the Norfolk Southern Railway Company—East End Shops’ facility located in Roanoke, Virginia, which have permanently shut down. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
This final rule is effective on October 15, 2008.
The following SIP approval for Maryland appears in the September 4, 2008 Federal Register:
Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Maryland; NOx and SO2 Emissions Limitations for Fifteen Coal-Fired Electric Generating Units - 73 FR 51599 (Final rule).
SUMMARY: EPA is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland. This revision pertains to regulations for emission limitations at 15 Maryland power plants. The intended effect of this action is to approve, with one exception, Maryland's regulation which establishes statewide tonnage caps for emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) from 15 coal-fired electric generating units (EGUs). The exception pertains to a portion of the rule that Maryland requested EPA take no further action on. The provision, which EPA has determined has no impact on the rule that is being finalized today, was withdrawn in a separate notice. This SIP action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
This final rule is effective on October 6, 2008.
The following proposed SIP approvals for Pennsylvania appear in the August 26, 2008 Federal Register:
1. Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania;
Reasonably Available Control Technology Requirements for Volatile Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxides- 73 FR 50267 (Proposed Rule).
SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to remove the limited status of its approval of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision that requires all major sources of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) to implement reasonably available control technology (RACT). EPA is proposing to convert its limited approval of Pennsylvania’s VOC and NOx RACT regulations to full approval because EPA has approved all of the case-by-case RACT determinations that had been submitted by Pennsylvania such that there are no longer any such submissions pending before EPA. In prior final rules, EPA has fully approved Pennsylvania’s VOC and NOx RACT regulations for the Pennsylvania portion of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Trenton area, and for the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley area. EPA previously proposed to convert its limited approval of Pennsylvania’s VOC and NOx RACT regulations as they apply in the remainder of the Commonwealth to full approval. EPA is withdrawing that proposal and is now re-proposing approval. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).
Interested parties may submit comments to EPA by September 25, 2008. Instructions on how to submit comments are contained in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
2. Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; Philadelphia County Reasonably Available Control Technology Under the 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard - 73 FR 50270 (Proposed Rule).
SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This SIP revision pertains to the requirements in meeting the reasonably available control technology (RACT) under the 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). These requirements are based on the certification that previously adopted RACT controls in Pennsylvania’s SIP that were approved by EPA under the 1-hour ozone NAAQS are based on the currently available technically and economically feasible controls, and that they continue to represent RACT for the 8-hour implementation purposes; the adoption of new or more stringent regulations that represent RACT control levels; and a negative declaration that certain categories of sources do not exist in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Interested parties may submit comments to EPA by September 25, 2008. Instructions on how to submit comments are contained in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
The following SIP approval for Pennsylvania appears in the August 25, 2008 Federal Register:
Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; Determination of Attainment of the Fine Particle Standard - 73 FR 49949 (Final Rule).
SUMMARY: EPA is determining that the Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle, Pennsylvania nonattainment area for the 1997 fine particle (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) has attained the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS. This action is effective on August 25, 2008.
The following proposed SIP revision approval for Virginia appears in the August 21, 2008 Federal Register:
Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Virginia; Emission
Reductions from Large Stationary Internal Combustion Engines and Large Cement Kilns - 73 FR 49373 (Proposed Rule).
SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to approve State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions for the Commonwealth of Virginia. These revisions, submitted by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ), pertain to nitrogen oxides (NOx) emission reductions from large stationary internal combustion (IC) engines and large cement kilns from five sources located in the Commonwealth. The reductions allow Virginia to meet its remaining obligations under the NOx SIP Call. The sources are: Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corp. Station 165; Pittsylvania County; Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corp. Station 170, Appomattox County; Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corp. Station 175, Fluvanna County; Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corp. Station 180, Orange County; and Roanoke Cement Corporation, Botetourt County. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Interested parties may submit comments to EPA by September 22, 2008. Instructions on how to submit comments are contained in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
The following SIP approval for Pennsylvania appears in the August 8, 2008 Federal Register:
Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; Section 110(a)(1) 8-Hour Ozone Maintenance Plan and 2002 Base-Year Inventory for the Schuylkill County Area - 73 FR 46200 (Final Rule).
SUMMARY: EPA is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) submitted a SIP revision consisting of a maintenance plan that provides for continued attainment of the 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for at least 10 years after the April 30, 2004 designations, as well as a 2002 base-year inventory for the Schuylkill County Area. EPA is approving the maintenance plan and the 2002 base-year inventory in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
This action is effective on September 8, 2008.
The following proposed SIP approval for Virginia appears in the August 7, 2008 Federal Register:
Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Virginia; Stafford County Reasonably Available Control Technology Under the 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard- 73 FR 45925 (Proposed Rule).
SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Virginia. This SIP revision pertains to the requirements in meeting the reasonably available control technology (RACT) under the 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). These requirements are based on: certification that previously adopted RACT controls in Virginia=s SIP that were approved by EPA under the 1- hour ozone NAAQS are based on the currently available technically and economically feasible controls, and that they continue to represent RACT for the 8-hour implementation purposes; a negative declaration demonstrating that no facilities exist in Stafford County for the applicable control technology guideline (CTG) categories; and new RACT determinations. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Interested parties may submit comments to EPA by September 8, 2008. Instructions on how to submit comments are contained in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
Be sure to visit EPA's "Federal Register Environmental Documents" web site where you can search online for published Federal Register notices pertaining to the environment.