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Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; Revision to Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Area Ozone Maintenance Plan

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

  [Federal Register: August 5, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 150)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 46099-46101]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05au03-5]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[PA206-4212a; FRL-7524-9]
 
Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; 
Pennsylvania; Revision to Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Area Ozone 
Maintenance Plan

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Direct final rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the 
Pennsylvania State Implementation Plan. The revisions consist of an 
amendment to the contingency measures portion of the maintenance plan 
for the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley ozone maintenance area. EPA is 
approving these revisions to Pennsylvania SIP in accordance with the 
requirements of the Clean Air Act.

DATES: This rule is effective on October 6, 2003, without further 
notice, unless EPA receives adverse written comment by September 4, 
2003. If EPA receives such comments, it will publish a timely 
withdrawal of the direct final rule in the Federal Register and inform 
the public that the rule will not take effect.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted either by mail or electronically. 
Written comments should be mailed to Makeba Morris, Chief, Air Quality 
Planning Branch, Mailcode 3AP21, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. 
Electronic comments should be sent either to morris.makeba@epa.gov or 
to http://www.regulations.gov, Exit Disclaimer which is an alternative method for 
submitting electronic comments to EPA. To submit comments, please 
follow the detailed instructions described in Part III of the 
Supplementary Information section. Copies of the documents relevant to 
this action are available for public inspection during normal business 
hours at the Air Protection Division, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103; 
the Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW., Room B108, Washington, 
DC 20460; Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau 
of Air Quality, P.O. Box 8468, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, 
Pennsylvania 17105.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Anderson, (215) 814-2173, or 
by e-mail at Anderson.Kathleen@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    On October 19, 2001, the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley ozone 
nonattainment area was redesignated to attainment of the ozone National 
Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) [66 FR 53094]. Subsequent to the 
re-classification of the Pittsburgh area to attainment, the Sierra Club 
and the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) filed suit against 
EPA's action in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. On 
January 22, 2003, the U.S. Department of Justice signed an agreement 
with the litigants, represented by EarthJustice, which called for 
additions to the contingency measures portion of the Pittsburgh-Beaver 
Valley Ozone Maintenance Plan.
    To address the conditions of the agreement, the Commonwealth 
amended the maintenance plan for the Pittsburgh area. Per the terms of 
the January 22, 2003 agreement, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 
submitted a formal revision to its State Implementation Plan (SIP) on 
April 11, 2003, which identifies additional measures the Commonwealth 
would take in the event of exceedances of the one-hour ozone NAAQS.

II. Summary of SIP Revision

    The revised Pittsburgh area maintenance plan identifies additional 
measures the Commonwealth would take in the event of exceedances of the 
one-hour ozone NAAQS. These additional measures include incorporating 
transportation control measures into the SIP if such measures offer a 
quantifiable ozone reduction benefit; increasing rule effectiveness of 
Stage II controls at gasoline stations; the convening of a stakeholder 
group to recommend additional measures; and proposing additional 
control measures to attain and maintain the ozone NAAQS in the area. 
The revised plan also includes a detailed schedule for identification 
and adoption of additional measures if warranted by ozone exceedances 
or violations.

III. Final Action

    EPA is approving the revised Pittsburgh area maintenance plan 
submitted on April 11, 2003. EPA is publishing this rule without prior 
proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial amendment 
and anticipates no adverse comment as this revision is a result of an 
agreement reached among involved parties of the legal action. However, 
in the ``Proposed

[[Page 46100]]

Rules'' section of today's Federal Register, EPA is publishing a 
separate document that will serve as the proposal to approve the 
revised Pittsburgh area maintenance plan, if adverse comments are 
filed. This rule will be effective on October 6, 2003, without further 
notice unless EPA receives adverse comment by September 4, 2003. If EPA 
receives adverse comment, EPA will publish a timely withdrawal in the 
Federal Register informing the public that the rule will not take 
effect. EPA will address all public comments in a subsequent final rule 
based on the proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment 
period on this action. Any parties interested in commenting must do so 
at this time.
    You may submit comments either electronically or by mail. To ensure 
proper receipt by EPA, identify the appropriate rulemaking 
identification number PA206-4212 in the subject line on the first page 
of your comment. Please ensure that your comments are submitted within 
the specified comment period. Comments received after the close of the 
comment period will be marked ``late.'' EPA is not required to consider 
these late comments.
    1. Electronically. If you submit an electronic comment as 
prescribed below, EPA recommends that you include your name, mailing 
address, and an e-mail address or other contact information in the body 
of your comment. Also include this contact information on the outside 
of any disk or CD ROM you submit, and in any cover letter accompanying 
the disk or CD ROM. This ensures that you can be identified as the 
submitter of the comment and allows EPA to contact you in case EPA 
cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties or needs further 
information on the substance of your comment. EPA's policy is that EPA 
will not edit your comment, and any identifying or contact information 
provided in the body of a comment will be included as part of the 
comment that is placed in the official public docket. If EPA cannot 
read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you 
for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment.
    i. E-mail. Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-mail) to 
morris.makeba@epa.gov, attention PA206-4212. EPA's e-mail system is not 
an ``anonymous access'' system. If you send an e-mail comment directly 
without going through Regulations.gov, EPA's e-mail system 
automatically captures your e-mail address. E-mail addresses that are 
automatically captured by EPA's e-mail system are included as part of 
the comment that is placed in the official public docket.
    ii. Regulations.gov. Your use of Regulation.gov is an alternative 
method of submitting electronic comments to EPA. Go directly to http://
www.regulations.gov, Exit Disclaimer then select ``Environmental Protection 
Agency'' at the top of the page and use the ``go'' button. The list of 
current EPA actions available for comment will be listed. Please follow 
the online instructions for submitting comments. The system is an 
``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your identity, 
e-mail address, or other contact information unless you provide it in the 
body of your comment.
    iii. Disk or CD ROM. You may submit comments on a disk or CD ROM 
that you mail to the mailing address identified in the ADDRESSES 
section of this document. These electronic submissions will be accepted 
in WordPerfect, Word or ASCII file format. Avoid the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption.
    2. By Mail. Written comments should be addressed to the EPA 
Regional office listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document.
    For public commenters, it is important to note that EPA's policy is 
that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, 
will be made available for public viewing at the EPA Regional Office, 
as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains 
copyrighted material, confidential business information (CBI), or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA 
identifies a comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide 
a reference to that material in the version of the comment that is 
placed in the official public rulemaking file. The entire printed 
comment, including the copyrighted material, will be available at the 
Regional Office for public inspection.

Submittal of CBI Comments

    Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI 
electronically to EPA. You may claim information that you submit to EPA 
as CBI by marking any part or all of that information as CBI (if you 
submit CBI on disk or CD ROM, mark the outside of the disk or CD ROM as 
CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD ROM the 
specific information that is CBI). Information so marked will not be 
disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 
2.
    In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes 
any information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not 
contain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion 
in the official public regional rulemaking file. If you submit the copy 
that does not contain CBI on disk or CD ROM, mark the outside of the 
disk or CD ROM clearly that it does not contain CBI. Information not 
marked as CBI will be included in the public file and available for 
public inspection without prior notice. If you have any questions about 
CBI or the procedures for claiming CBI, please consult the person 
identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

Considerations When Preparing Comments to EPA

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide any technical information and/or data you used that 
support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at your estimate.
    5. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.
    6. Offer alternatives.
    7. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period deadline 
identified.
    8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, identify the appropriate 
regional file/rulemaking identification number in the subject line on 
the first page of your response. It would also be helpful if you 
provided the name, date, and Federal Register citation related to your 
comments.

IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

A. General Requirements

    Under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993), this 
action is not a ``significant regulatory action'' and therefore is not 
subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget. For this 
reason, this action is also not subject to Executive Order 13211, 
``Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy 
Supply, Distribution, or Use'' (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001). This action 
merely approves state law as meeting Federal requirements and imposes 
no additional requirements beyond those imposed by state law. 
Accordingly, the Administrator certifies that this rule will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small

[[Page 46101]]

entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). 
Because this rule approves pre-existing requirements under state law 
and does not impose any additional enforceable duty beyond that 
required by state law, it 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. 104-4). This rule also 
does not have tribal implications because it will not have a 
substantial direct effect on one or more Indian tribes, on the 
relationship between the Federal Government and Indian tribes, or on 
the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal 
Government and Indian tribes, as specified by Executive Order 13175 
(65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000). This action also does not have Federalism 
implications because it does not have substantial direct effects on the 
States, on the relationship between the national government and the 
States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the 
various levels of government, as specified in Executive Order 13132 
(64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999). This action merely approves a state rule 
implementing a Federal standard, and does not alter the relationship or 
the distribution of power and responsibilities established in the Clean 
Air Act. This rule also is not subject to Executive Order 13045 
``Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety 
Risks'' (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997), because it is not economically 
significant.
    In reviewing SIP submissions, EPA's role is to approve state 
choices, provided that they meet the criteria of the Clean Air Act. In 
this context, in the absence of a prior existing requirement for the 
State to use voluntary consensus standards (VCS), EPA has no authority 
to disapprove a SIP submission for failure to use VCS. It would thus be 
inconsistent with applicable law for EPA, when it reviews a SIP 
submission, to use VCS in place of a SIP submission that otherwise 
satisfies the provisions of the Clean Air Act. Thus, the requirements 
of section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement 
Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) do not apply. This rule does not 
impose an information collection burden under the provisions of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

B. Submission to Congress and the Comptroller General

    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 rule 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. This rule is not a 
``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

C. Petitions for Judicial Review

    Under section 307(b)(1) of the Clean Air Act, petitions for 
judicial review of this action must be filed in the United States Court 
of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by October 6, 2003. Filing a 
petition for reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule 
does not affect the finality of this rule 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 to approve revisions to the contingency 
measures for the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley ozone maintenance plan 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, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Volatile organic compounds.

    Dated: June 30, 2003.
Thomas C. Voltaggio,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region III.

? 40 CFR part 52 is amended as follows:

PART 52--[AMENDED]

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

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

Subpart 2020--Pennsylvania

? 2. Section 52.2020 is amended by adding paragraph (c)(210) to read as 
follows:

Sec.  52.2020  Identification of plan.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (210) Revisions to the Pennsylvania Regulations which include 
amendments to the 2001 Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley ozone maintenance plan 
submitted on April 11, 2003 by the Pennsylvania Department of 
Environmental Protection:
    (i) Incorporation by reference.
    (A) Letter of April 11, 2003 from the Pennsylvania Department of 
Environmental Protection transmitting revisions to the Pittsburgh-
Beaver Valley ozone maintenance plan.
    (B) Amendments to the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley ozone maintenance 
plan which add sections E-2 and E-3, effective April 2003.
    (ii) Additional Material.--Remainder of the State submittal 
pertaining to the revisions listed in paragraph (c)(210)(i) of this 
section.

[FR Doc. 03-19739 Filed 8-4-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

 
 

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