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Implementation of the 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone: Nonattainment Area Classifications Approach, Attainment Deadlines and Revocation of the 1997 Ozone Standards for Transportation Conformity Purposes
Feb 14, 2012 (Environmental Protection Agency Documents and Publications/ContentWorks via COMTEX) --
SUMMARY: The EPA is proposing thresholds for classifying nonattainment areas for the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) (the "2008 ozone NAAQS") promulgated by the EPA on March 12, 2008. This proposal also addresses the timing of attainment dates for each classification. Finally, we are proposing to revoke the 1997 ozone NAAQS 1 year after the effective date of designations for the 2008 ozone NAAQS for transportation conformity purposes only.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Comments must be received on or before March 15, 2012. Please refer to SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for additional information on the comment period.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0885, by one of the following methods:
* www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
* Email: a-and-r-docket@epa.gov
* Mail: Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0885, Environmental Protection Agency, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460. Mail Code: 2822T. Please include two copies if possible. In addition, please mail a copy of your comments on the information collection provisions to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attn: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th St. NW., Washington, DC 20503.
* Hand Delivery: Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center, Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0885, Environmental Protection Agency in the EPA Headquarters Library, Room Number 3334 in the EPA West Building, located at 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), Monday through Friday, Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0885. The EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available on-line at www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be confidential business information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov or email. The www.regulations.gov Web site is an "anonymous access" system, which means the EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an email comment directly to the EPA without going through www.regulations.gov, your email address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, the EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, the EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about the EPA's public docket, visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm. For additional instructions on submitting comments, go to the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in www.regulations.gov. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, i.e., CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically in www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center in the EPA Headquarters Library, Room Number 3334 in the EPA West Building, located at 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further general information on this rulemaking, contact Dr. Karl Pepple, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (C539-01), Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, phone number (919) 541-2683, fax number (919) 541-0824 or by email at pepple.karl@epa.gov, or Mr. Butch Stackhouse, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (C539-01), Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, phone number (919) 541-5208, fax number (919) 541-0824 or by email at stackhouse.butch@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
Entities potentially affected directly by the proposed rule for this action include state, local, and tribal governments. Entities potentially affected indirectly by the proposed rule include owners and operators of sources of emissions [volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOX)] that contribute to ground-level ozone concentrations.
B. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?
1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to the EPA through www.regulations.gov or email. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or CD-ROM that you mail to the EPA, 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 claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed to be CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.
2. Tips for Preparing Your Comments. When submitting comments, remember to:
* Identify the rulemaking by docket number and other identifying information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page number).
* Follow directions--The agency may ask you to respond to specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number.
* Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives and substitute language for your requested changes.
* Describe any assumptions and provide any technical information and/or data that you used.
* If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how you arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be reproduced.
* Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns, and suggest alternatives.
* Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the use of profanity or personal threats.
* Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period deadline identified.
C. Where can I get a copy of this document and other related information?
In addition to being available in the docket, an electronic copy of this notice will be posted at http://www.epa.gov/air/ozonepollution/actions.html#impl under "recent actions."
D. How is this notice organized?
The information presented in this notice is organized as follows:
I. General Information
A. Does this action apply to me?
B. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?
C. Where can I get a copy of this document and other related information?
D. How is this notice organized?
II. Background for Proposal
A. Overview
B. History of Nonattainment Area Classification Systems for the Ozone NAAQS
C. Initial Area Designations for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS
D. Transportation Conformity and the 1997 Ozone NAAQS
III. What are the proposed classification thresholds for nonattainment areas for the 2008 ozone NAAQS?
A. Proposed Classification Thresholds
B. Reclassification of Nonattainment Areas That Have Voluntarily Requested Higher Classifications
C. What are we proposing as the attainment deadlines for nonattainment areas in each classification of the 2008 ozone NAAQS?
IV. What is the EPA proposing regarding revocation of the 1997 ozone NAAQS at this time?
A. What is the background for our proposal?
B. What is the rationale for our proposal?
C. Why is it necessary to revoke the 1997 ozone NAAQS now for transportation conformity purposes?
D. Is the EPA proposing to revoke the 1997 ozone NAAQS for other purposes as part of this rulemaking?
V. What does this rulemaking not address?
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review and Executive Order 13563: Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review
B. Paperwork Reduction Act
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism
F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments
G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children from Environmental Health and Safety Risks
--This is a summary of a Federal Register article originally published on the page number listed below--
Proposed rule.
CFR Part: "40 CFR Parts 50 and 51"
RIN Number: "RIN 2060-AR32"
Citation: "77 FR 8197"
Document Number: "EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0885, FRL-9630-6"
Federal Register Page Number: "8197"
"Proposed Rules"
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