Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plan; Washington

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

[Federal Register: June 11, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 112)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 34821-34825]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11jn03-19]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[Docket # WA-70-7148; FRL-7493-8]

Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plan;
Washington

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving most, but
not all of the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions for visibility
submitted by the State of Washington on November 5, 1999. The
significant provisions of this SIP revision that we are approving
include an improved smoke management plan and the Southwest Air
Pollution Control Agency (SWAPCA) emission limitations on the Centralia
Power Plant located in central western Washington.

DATES: This action is effective on July 11, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the State's SIP revision and other information
supporting this action are available for inspection at EPA Region 10,
Office of Air Quality (OAQ-107), 1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, Washington
98101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven K. Body, EPA Region 10, Office
of Air Quality (OAQ-107), 1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101,
or at (206) 553-0782.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The supplementary information is organized
in the following order:

Background
I. Background on this Action
II. Background on Visibility

[[Page 34822]]

A. What is visibility protection and why do we have it?
B. What are the main visibility protections provided by Federal
rules?
C. How has visibility been protected in Washington?
III. What are the required provisions of a visibility SIP?
A. Long-Term Strategy
B. Monitoring
C. Best Available Retrofit Technology
IV. What does this proposed Visibility SIP revision change and how
do these changes compare to the Federal requirements?
A. Provisions to revise the protection of Integral Vistas
B. Provisions to revise the Smoke Management Plan
i. What is Washington's Smoke Management Plan?
ii. How does Washington's 1999 SIP Revision change the Plan?
iii. How does the Smoke Management Plan compare to Federal
requirements?
C. Provisions to include the SWAPCA Reasonably Available Control
Technology Emission Limitations for Centralia Power Plant
D. Provisions to revise the State's Best Available Retrofit
Technology and New Source Review Rules
V. Response to Public Comments
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

Background

I. Background on This Action

On October 23, 2002, EPA proposed in the Federal Register,
approving certain portions of the proposed Washington Visibility SIP
revision and taking no action on other provisions of the proposed SIP
revisions. See 67 FR 65077, October 23, 2002. In that notice, EPA
provided a 30 day review and comment period and solicited comments on
our proposal. EPA received no comments. EPA is now taking final action
on the SIP revision consistent with the published proposal.

II. Background on Visibility

A. What Is Visibility Protection and Why Do We Have It?

Section 169A of the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) requires
States to protect visibility in mandatory Class I Federal areas.
Mandatory Class I Federal areas are specified large National Parks or
Wilderness Areas. In Washington, there are 8 mandatory Class I Federal
areas; the Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park,
Olympic National Park, Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area, Glacier Peak
Wilderness Area, Goat Rocks Wilderness Area, Mount Adams Wilderness
Area, and Pasayten Wilderness Area. See 40 CFR 81.434. The Federal
rules regulating visibility protection are set out in 40 CFR part 51,
subpart P.

B. What Are the Main Visibility Protections Provided by the Federal
Rules?

The Clean Air Act sets out a goal of preventing any future and
remedying any existing impairment of visibility in mandatory Class I
Federal areas. See 42 U.S.C. 7491. Employing a close coordination
process among the state and the Federal Land Managers (FLMs), the
Federal rules require monitoring of visibility in mandatory Class I
Federal areas, as well as the development of a long-term strategy for
making reasonable progress towards the national visibility goal. The
visibility protection rules also provide for an assessment of
visibility impacts from any new or major modification to a major
stationary source that may affect mandatory Class I Federal areas.
Additionally, in the event that a FLM certifies impairment of
visibility in a mandatory Class I Federal area that could be caused, or
contributed to, by an existing stationary facility, emission
limitations representing Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) may
be imposed on the facility.
The Federal visibility rules were modified in 1999 to include
provisions for addressing regional haze. See 64 FR 35714, July 1, 1999.
Regional haze is visibility impairment which results from the
cumulative impact of emissions from many point and non-point sources.
All states are currently in the process of developing revisions to
their SIPs to address the regional haze provisions. Therefore, the SIP
submission under discussion in this action is not required to comply
with the regional haze provisions of 40 CFR part 51, subpart P.

C. How Has Visibility Been Protected in Washington?

The initial proposed Visibility SIP for Washington was submitted by
the State and approved in part by EPA on May 4, 1987, (52 FR 16243).
EPA approved the Washington State Visibility Protection Program (with
exceptions described below), certain provisions of 173-403 Washington
Administrative Code (WAC) Implementation of Regulations for Air
Contaminant Sources, and the 1983 Smoke Management Program. EPA
disapproved section V.B., the new source review program, Appendix A,
the Proposed Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) rule, and the
Proposed New Source Review Regulations.

III. What Are the Required Provisions of a Visibility SIP?

40 CFR 51.302 provides the requirements for Visibility SIPs. These
requirements and how the Washington Visibility SIP meets these
requirements are summarized below.

A. Long-Term Strategy

The SIP needs to include a long-term (10-15 year) strategy that
includes emission limitations, schedules of compliance, and other
measures as deemed necessary to make reasonable progress toward the
national goal. See 40 CFR 51.302(c)(2)(i). In general, Section VI of
the proposed 1999 SIP revision provides a discussion of the long-term
strategy, including measures for stationary sources, mobile sources,
area sources, and interstate coordination. The long-term strategy must
include:
? A strategy for evaluating visibility in mandatory Class I
Federal areas by visual observation or other appropriate monitoring
techniques. See 40 CFR 51.305(a). Section V of the proposed 1999 SIP
revision provides for monitoring through the IMPROVE monitoring network
and an assessment strategy.
? A provision for the available visibility data and a
mechanism for its use in decisions required by the regulations. See 40
CFR 51.305(b). Section IX of the proposed 1999 SIP revision provides
for the development and use of available data for SIP review and
development.
? A strategy to address any existing impairment the FLM
certifies to the State and integral vista of which the FLM notifies the
State at least 6 months prior to plan submission. See 40 CFR
51.306(a)(1). Section I of the proposed 1999 SIP revision discusses
certification of impairment in mandatory Class I Federal areas. Section
III of the proposed 1999 SIP revision discusses integral vistas.
? A discussion, with reasonable specificity, why the long-
term strategy is adequate for making reasonable progress. See 40 CFR
51.306(a)(3). Section VI of the proposed 1999 SIP revision discusses
all source categories, the control measures that apply to them, and a
qualitative assessment of how these are adequate for making reasonable
progress. Section IX of the proposed 1999 SIP revision discusses the
evaluation of progress toward achieving the national visibility goal.
? Coordination of the long-term strategy with other existing
plans and goals, including those provided by affected FLMs. See 40 CFR
51.306(a)(3).

[[Page 34823]]

Section IV of the proposed 1999 SIP revision provides for the
consultation with FLMs for the review and revision of the visibility
SIP and New Source Review rules.
? Provisions for periodic review and revision as appropriate
of not less than every three years. See 40 CFR 51.306(c). This review
must include:
(1) Progress achieved in remedying existing impairment;
(2) The ability of the long-term strategy to prevent future
impairment;
(3) Any change in visibility since the last report;
(4) Additional measures, including the need for SIP revisions that
may be needed to assure reasonable progress;
(5) The progress achieved in implementing BART and meeting other
schedules set forth in the long-term strategy; and
(6) The impact of any exemption granted under 40 CFR 51.303.
(7) The need for BART to remedy existing visibility impairment of
any integral vista.
Section IV of the proposed 1999 SIP revision provides for the
review of the visibility SIP.
? Provisions for review of the impacts of any new or modified
major stationary source. See 40 CFR 51.306(d). The Washington
Department of Ecology has a fully delegated Prevention of Significant
Deterioration (PSD) program. The Department of Ecology was notified of
this delegation by letter dated February 7, 2002.

B. Monitoring

The plan must contain an assessment of visibility impairment and a
discussion of how each element of the plan relates to preventing future
or remedying existing impairment. See 40 CFR 51.302(c)(2)(ii). Section
V of the proposed 1999 SIP revision provides for visibility monitoring
of the mandatory Class I Federal areas. Section IV of the proposed 1999
SIP revision provides a general discussion of the effect of measures on
preventing future and remedying existing impairment.

C. Best Available Retrofit Technology

The State must identify and analyze for BART each existing
stationary facility which may reasonably be anticipated to cause or
contribute to impairment of visibility in any mandatory Class I Federal
area where the impairment is reasonably attributable to that existing
stationary facility. See 40 CFR 51.302(c)(4). The plan must also
contain emission limitations representing BART for any existing
stationary facility identified according to 40 CFR 51.302(c)(4).
The State has not determined that existing impairment in any
mandatory Class I Federal area for which impairment has been certified
can be reasonably attributed to a specific major stationary source.

IV. What Does This Proposed Visibility SIP Revision Change and How Do
These Changes Compare to the Federal Requirements?

A. Provisions To Revise the Protection of Integral Vistas

The 1987 SIP included a list of ``Preliminary Integral Vistas''
that were proposed by the National Park Service (NPS). The 1987 SIP
provides that until the NPS finalizes the list of vistas in accordance
with 40 CFR 51.304, the panoramas listed in the January 15, 1981,
Federal Register (Table III-2) will be protected under the visibility
SIP. These integral vistas were never finalized by the NPS. Thus, there
are no federally recognized integral vistas to be protected. In the
interim, no emission limitation was established for a source that
specifically protected an integral vista, nor is the State proposing to
revise and relax an emission limitation established for integral vista
protection. The 1999 proposed SIP revision removes the provisions that
would have continued these protections. The Federal visibility
regulations (40 CFR 51.304(d)) indicate that a state need not in its
implementation plan list any integral vista the identification of which
was not made in accordance with the criteria in 40 CFR 51.304(a). Since
no integral vistas have been identified by the FLM, there is no
relaxation of SIP emission requirements and since the 1999 proposed SIP
revision meets the applicable requirements for visibility protection in
mandatory Class I Federal areas, EPA proposes approval of this
revision.

B. Provisions To Revise the Smoke Management Plan

i. What Is Washington's Smoke Management Plan?
Washington's Smoke Management Plan (SMP) is a program designed to
manage smoke impacts from the burning of silviculture and agriculture
wastes. The SMP balances forest and agricultural land burning with
preventing smoke from being carried to, or accumulating in, designated
areas and other areas sensitive to smoke.
ii. How Does Washington's 1999 Proposed SIP Revision Change the Plan?
The SMP of 1998 submitted in the proposed 1999 Visibility SIP
revision significantly improves the 1983 SMP included in the 1987 SIP.
The 1983 SMP provided for reduced emissions from prescribed fires
through optimization of fuel conditions (i.e. dry fuel), improves
ventilation and dispersion through meteorology, and minimizes impact by
controlling smoke drift into populated areas. There was no
consideration for protection of visibility in mandatory Class I Federal
areas.
The 1998 SMP requires approval from the Resource Protection
Division Manager, Department of Natural Resources for all prescribed
fires. Approval requirements differ depending whether the fire is a
``large fire'' involving over 100 tons of fuel or a small fire. Large
fire burn approval considers a number of factors including likelihood
of smoke intrusion into populated areas or mandatory Class I Federal
areas, air quality regulations, violation of emission reductions
targets, violation of another state's air quality standards, and
whether smoke will disperse within given timeframes. Operators of small
fires (less than 100 tons of fuel) must call a toll-free phone number
and follow the instructions that apply for that day and location of the
proposed fire.
The SMP further requires emissions from prescribed fires be reduced
by 20% from baseline levels (defined in the SMP) by December 1994 and
until December 2000. Emissions from burning must be permanently reduced
by 50% from baseline levels by December 2000.
iii. How Does the Smoke Management Plan Compare to Federal
Requirements?
The visibility protection provisions at 40 CFR part 51, subpart P
suggest that states consider SMPs in developing long-term strategies
for visibility protection. However, there are no specific Federal
requirements for states to develop and adopt SMPs. In September 1992,
the Environmental Protection Agency published The Prescribed Burning
Background Document and Technical Information Document for Best
Available Control Measures to assist states in the development of Smoke
Management Plans [EPA-450/2-92-003].

C. Provisions To Include the SWAPCA Reasonably Available Control
Technology Emission Limits for Centralia Power Plant

The Centralia Power Plant (CPP) is a coal-fired electrical
generating station that has a potential to emit (PTE) 90,000 t/yr
Sulfur dioxide (SO2). It is a BART eligible source as defined by 40 CFR
51.301. It is located near the mandatory Class I Federal area, Mt.
Rainier National Park in Washington state. The

[[Page 34824]]

NPS has certified visibility impairment at Mt. Rainier National Park.
The State of Washington has not determined that this visibility
impairment is reasonably attributable to the CPP.
The SIP must contain emission limitations representing BART and
schedules for compliance with BART for each existing stationary
facility identified according to 40 CFR 51.302 (c)(4). The state needs
to identify each existing facility which may reasonably be anticipated
to cause or contribute to impairment of visibility in any mandatory
Class I Federal areas where the impairment in the mandatory Class I
Federal area is reasonably attributable to that existing stationary
facility. The State has not identified CPP, or any other source or
group of small sources as an existing facility that may reasonably be
expected to contribute to visibility impairment to mandatory Class I
Federal areas. Therefore, under 40 CFR 51.302(c)(4), a BART analysis is
not required for CPP. In the future regional haze SIP, a BART analysis
may be required for the CPP under 40 CFR 51.308(e).
In a separate activity, the State, SWAPCA, the NPS and U.S. Forest
Service, owners of the CPP, and EPA entered into a negotiated agreement
to establish emission limits for SO2, oxides of nitrogen
(NO_X), and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter
of less than 10 micrometers (PM-10) for the CPP. The SWAPCA, who has
regulatory authority over the CPP, issued the CPP a Reasonably
Available Control Technology (RACT) order under state law that contain
the negotiated emission limitations. This RACT Order is included in the
proposed 1999 Visibility SIP revision.
Both SWAPCA in their Technical Support Document for the RACT Order
and EPA Region 10 have independently conducted an analysis of the
emission limits in the RACT Order comparing them against what would
have been required using the Clean Air Act definition of BART and EPA
BART guidelines. Additional details on this analyses can be found in
the Technical Support Document in the docket of this action. The
conclusion of both analyses is that the RACT Order emission limits for
SO2 and PM-10 represent BART. EPA is approving these emissions
limitations as meeting the BART requirements of 40 CFR 51.308(c)(4).
Additionally, while the NO_X emission limitation may have
represented BART when the emission limits in the RACT Order were
negotiated, recent technology advancements have been made. EPA cannot
now say that the emission limitations in the SWAPCA RACT Order for
NO_X represent BART. However EPA is approving the emission
limits for NO_X as a strengthening of the SIP for visibility
purposes.

D. Provisions To Revise the State's Best Available Retrofit Technology
and New Source Review Rules.

The proposed 1999 SIP revision also included revised BART rules
(WAC 173-400-151) and New Source Review (NSR) (WAC 173-400-110, 112,
113, & 141). Subsequent to the submittal in 1999, the State has
verbally indicated that new rules are being developed and the rules in
this submittal will soon be obsolete. Therefore EPA is taking no action
on these rules.

V. Response to Comments

EPA solicited comments on the proposed action in the October 23,
2002, Federal Register document (67 FR 65077). EPA received no
comments. Therefore, there is no response to comments.

VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

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 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.).
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. A major rule cannot
take effect until 60 days after it is published in the Federal
Register. This action is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C.
804(2).
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 August 11, 2003. Filing a
petition for reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule
does

[[Page 34825]]

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 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, Intergovernmental relations, Particulate matter, Reporting
and recordkeeping requirements.

Dated: April 24, 2003.
L. John Iani,
Regional Administrator, Region 10.

? Part 52, chapter I, title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations 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 WW--Washington

? 2. Amend Sec. 52.2470 by adding paragraph (c)(82) to read as follows:

Sec. 52.2470 Identification of plan.

* * * * *
(c) * * *
(82) On November 5, 1999, the State of Washington, Department of
Ecology submitted a revision to the Visibility SIP. EPA approves all
provisions to the November 5, 1999 Visibility SIP revision including,
but not limited to the 1998 Smoke Management Plan, and South West Air
Pollution Control Agency, Reasonably Available Control Technology order
on the Centralia Power plant. EPA is taking no action on Section VIII.
Identification and Analysis for Best Available Retrofit Technology
(BART) and Section X, New Source Review, of the November 5, 1999,
Visibility SIP revision.
(i) Incorporation by reference.
(A) South West Air Pollution Control Agency (SWAPCA) regulatory
order, SWAPCA 97-2057R1, Regulatory Order to Establish RACT Limits and
Order of Approval, Adopted February 26, 1998.
(B) [Reserved]

? 3. Amend Sec. 52.2475 by adding paragraph (g) to read as follows:

Sec. 52.2475 Approval of plans.

* * * * *
(g) Visibility.
(1) EPA approves as a revision to the Washington State
Implementation Plan, the November 5, 1999, Visibility SIP revision,
except that EPA is taking no action on Section VIII. Identification and
Analysis for Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART), and Section X,
New Source Review of the November 5, 1999, Visibility SIP revision.
(2) [Reserved]

? 4. In Sec. 52.2479, the table is amended by revising the entries under
Section 5 to read as follows:

Sec. 52.2479 Contents of the Federally approved, State submitted
implementation plan.

* * * * *

Washington State Implementation Plan for Air Quality State and Local Requirements--Table of Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Section 5--Federally Mandated Programs [Dates in brackets indicate EPA effective date]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.BAP--Business Assistance Program [5/8/95]
5.IM--Motor Vehicle Inspection/Maintenance Program [9/25/96]
5.OXY--Oxygenated Gasoline Program [3/21/94]
5.SMP--Smoke Management Program [7/6/87]
5.VIS--Washington State Visibility Protection Program [7/6/87]
5.VIS.NSR--Visibility New Source Review (NSR) for nonattainment areas for Washington [7/28/86]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Supplemental Section A--Reference Material [Date in brackets indicate EPA effective date]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A.1--Description of Source test Program for the State Implementation Plan [10/24/84]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Supplemental B--Administrative and Procedural Material [Dates in brackets indicate EPA effective date]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
B.3--Correspondence
B.3.1--Legal Authority [6/05/80]
B.3.2--Correspondence prior to 1991
B.3.2.1--New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Tri-Counties [9/23/81]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. 03-14573 Filed 6-10-03; 8:45 am]
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