80 FR 45653 - Adequacy Determination for the Grants Pass, Oregon PM10

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 147 (July 31, 2015)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is notifying the public of its finding that the Grants Pass, Oregon second 10-year limited maintenance plan (LMP) for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of a nominal 10 microns or less (PM<INF>10</INF>) is adequate for transportation conformity purposes. The LMP was submitted to the EPA by the State of Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ or the State) on April 22, 2015. As a result of our adequacy finding, regional emissions analyses will no longer be required as part of the transportation conformity demonstrations for PM<INF>10</INF> for the Grants Pass area.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 147 (Friday, July 31, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45653-45654]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18831]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-R10-OAR-2015-0323: FRL-9931-61-Region 10]


Adequacy Determination for the Grants Pass, Oregon 
PM10 State Implementation Plan for Transportation Conformity 
Purposes

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of adequacy determination.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is notifying the 
public of its finding that the Grants Pass, Oregon second 10-year 
limited maintenance plan (LMP) for particulate matter with an 
aerodynamic diameter of a nominal 10 microns or less (PM10) 
is adequate for transportation conformity purposes. The LMP was 
submitted to the EPA by the State of Oregon Department of Environmental 
Quality (ODEQ or the State) on April 22, 2015. As a result of our 
adequacy finding, regional emissions analyses will no longer be 
required as part of the transportation conformity demonstrations for 
PM10 for the Grants Pass area.

DATES: This finding is effective August 17, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The finding will be available at the 
EPA's conformity Web site: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/transconf/adequacy.htm. You may also contact Dr. Karl Pepple, U.S. EPA, 
Region 10 (OAWT-107), 1200 Sixth Ave., Suite 900, Seattle, WA 98101; 
(206) 553-1778; or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action provides notice of the EPA's 
adequacy finding regarding the second 10-year PM10 limited 
maintenance plan (LMP) for the Grants Pass area for purposes of 
transportation conformity. The EPA's finding was made pursuant to the 
adequacy review process for implementation plan submissions delineated 
at 40 CFR 93.118(f)(1) under which the EPA reviews the adequacy of a 
state implementation plan (SIP) submission prior to the EPA's final 
action on the implementation plan.
    The State submitted the LMP to the EPA on April 22, 2015. Pursuant 
to 40 CFR 93.118(f)(1), the EPA notified the public of its receipt of 
this plan and its review for an adequacy determination on the EPA's Web 
site and requested public comment by no later than June 3, 2015. The 
EPA received no comments on the plan during the comment period. As part 
of our analysis, we also

[[Page 45654]]

reviewed the State's compilation of public comments and response to 
comments that were submitted during the State's public process for the 
LMP. There were no adverse comments directed at the on-road portion of 
the LMP.
    Based on our review, the EPA believes it is appropriate to find 
this LMP adequate for use in transportation conformity prior to final 
action on the LMP. The EPA has moved forward with an approval notice 
for the Grants Pass PM10 LMP. Until that action is final and 
effective, this adequacy finding allows the State to apply the LMP for 
transportation conformity purposes.
    The EPA notified ODEQ in a letter dated June 24, 2015 (adequacy 
letter), subsequent to the close of the EPA comment period, that the 
EPA had found the LMP to be adequate for use in transportation 
conformity. A copy of the adequacy letter and its enclosure are 
available in the docket for this action and at the EPA's conformity Web 
site: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/transconf/adequacy.htm.
    Pursuant to 40 CFR 93.109(e), limited maintenance plans are not 
required to contain on-road motor vehicle emissions budgets. 
Accordingly, as a result of this adequacy finding, regional emissions 
analyses will no longer be required as a part of the transportation 
conformity demonstrations for PM10 for the Grants Pass area. 
However, other conformity requirements still remain such as 
consultation (40 CFR 93.112), transportation control measures (40 CFR 
93.113), and project level analysis (40 CFR 93.116).
    Transportation conformity is required by section 176(c) of the 
Clean Air Act. Transportation conformity to a SIP means that on-road 
transportation activities will not produce new air quality violations, 
worsen existing violations, or delay timely attainment of the national 
ambient air quality standards. The minimum criteria by which we 
determine whether a SIP is adequate for conformity purposes are 
specified at 40 CFR 93.118(e)(4). The EPA's analysis of how the LMP 
satisfies these criteria is found in the adequacy letter and its 
enclosure.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401-767Iq.

    Dated: July 15, 2015.
Dennis J. McLerran,
Regional Administrator, Region 10.
[FR Doc. 2015-18831 Filed 7-30-15; 8:45 am]
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