ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[FRL-5296-6]

Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; State of Connecticut

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: The EPA proposes to approve the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Connecticut to redesignate the Hartford/New Britain/Middletown area from nonattainment to attainment for carbon monoxide (CO). Under the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 (CAA), designations can be revised if sufficient data is available to warrant such revisions.

In addition, EPA is approving two related State Implementation Plan (SIP) submissions by Connecticut DEP. On January 12, 1993, Connecticut DEP submitted a final 1990 base year emission inventory for CO emissions, which includes emissions data for all sources of CO in Connecticut's two CO nonattainment areas (the Hartford/New Britain/Middletown area and the Connecticut portion of the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA). On January 12, 1993, January 14, 1993, September 30, 1994 and August 1, 1995, Connecticut DEP submitted an oxygenated fuel program and revisions for both CO nonattainment areas.

In the Final Rules Section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the CO emissions inventory for both areas and the oxygenated fuels program only as it applies to the Hartford/New Britain/Middletown nonattainment area as a direct final rule. In addition, EPA is also approving Connecticut's redesignation, as a direct final rule without prior proposal. A detailed rationale for the action is set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse comments are received in response to that direct final rule, no further activity is contemplated in relation to this proposed rule. If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period on this document. Any parties interested in commenting on this document should do so at this time.

DATES: Comments must be submitted by November 30, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Damien Houlihan, at the EPA Regional Office listed below. Copies of the redesignation request and the State of Connecticut's submittal are available for public review during normal business hours at the addresses listed below.

Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460, and; Environmental Protection Agency, One Congress Street, Boston, MA 02203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Damien Houlihan of the EPA Region I Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management Division at (617) 565-3266.

Dated: August 31, 1995.

John P. DeVillars, Regional Administrator, Region I.

[FR Doc. 95-26962 Filed 10-30-95; 8:45 am]

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