81_FR_49737 81 FR 49592 - Partial Approval and Partial Disapproval of Attainment Plan for Oakridge, Oregon PM2.5

81 FR 49592 - Partial Approval and Partial Disapproval of Attainment Plan for Oakridge, Oregon PM2.5

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 145 (July 28, 2016)

Page Range49592-49598
FR Document2016-17714

On December 12, 2012, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) submitted, on behalf of the Governor of Oregon, a State Implementation Plan (SIP) submission to address violations of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than or equal to a nominal 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) for the Oakridge PM<INF>2.5</INF> nonattainment area (2012 SIP submission). The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA) in coordination with ODEQ developed the 2012 SIP submission for purposes of attaining the 2006 24-hour PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS. On February 22, 2016, the ODEQ withdrew certain provisions of the 2012 SIP submission (2016 SIP withdrawal). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated whether the remaining portions of the Oakridge 2012 SIP submission meet the applicable Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements. Based on this evaluation, the EPA is proposing to partially approve and partially disapprove the remaining portions of the 2012 SIP submission.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 145 (Thursday, July 28, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 145 (Thursday, July 28, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 49592-49598]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-17714]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[EPA-R10-OAR-2013-0004: FRL-9949-69-Region 10]


Partial Approval and Partial Disapproval of Attainment Plan for 
Oakridge, Oregon PM2.5 Nonattainment Area

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: On December 12, 2012, the Oregon Department of Environmental 
Quality (ODEQ) submitted, on behalf of the Governor of Oregon, a State 
Implementation Plan (SIP) submission to address violations of the 
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter 
with an aerodynamic diameter of less than or equal to a nominal 2.5 
micrometers in diameter (PM2.5) for the Oakridge 
PM2.5 nonattainment area (2012 SIP submission). The Lane 
Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA) in coordination with ODEQ 
developed the 2012 SIP submission for purposes of attaining the 2006 
24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS. On February 22, 2016, the ODEQ withdrew 
certain provisions of the 2012 SIP submission (2016 SIP withdrawal). 
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated whether the 
remaining portions of the Oakridge 2012 SIP submission meet the 
applicable Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements. Based on this evaluation, 
the EPA is proposing to partially approve and partially disapprove the 
remaining portions of the 2012 SIP submission.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 29, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R10-
OAR-2013-0004 at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot 
be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. The EPA may publish any 
comment received to its public docket. Do not submit electronically any 
information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) 
or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 
Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a 
written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment 
and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA 
will generally not consider comments or comment contents located 
outside of the primary submission (i.e. on the Web, cloud, or other 
file sharing system). For additional submission methods, the full EPA 
public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions, 
and general guidance on making effective comments, please visit http://www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
    Docket: All documents in the electronic docket are listed in the 
http://www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some 
information is not publicly available, i.e., CBI or other information 
that is restricted by statute from disclosure. 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 at http://www.regulations.gov or at EPA Region 
10, Office of Air and Waste, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, Washington 
98101. The EPA requests that you contact the person listed in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to schedule your inspection. The 
Regional Office's official hours of business are Monday through Friday, 
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christi Duboiski at (360) 753-9081, 
[email protected], or the above EPA, Region 10 address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document, wherever ``we'', 
``us'' or ``our'' are used, it is intended to refer to the EPA.

Table of Contents

I. Background for the EPA's Proposed Action
    A. History of the PM2.5 NAAQS
    B. January 4, 2013 D.C. Circuit Court Decision Regarding 
PM2.5 Implementation Under Subpart 4
    C. CAA PM2.5 Moderate Area Nonattainment SIP 
Requirements
II. Content of 2012 SIP Submission and the EPA's Evaluation
III. Consequences of Disapproved SIP Provisions
IV. The EPA's Proposed Action
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

I. Background for the EPA's Proposed Action

A. History of the PM2.5 NAAQS

    On July 18, 1997, the EPA promulgated the 1997 PM2.5 
NAAQS, including annual standards of 15.0 [micro]g/m\3\ based on a 3-
year average of annual mean PM2.5 concentrations, and 24-
hour (or daily) standards of 65 [micro]g/m\3\ based on a 3-year average 
of the 98th percentile of 24-hour concentrations (62 FR 38652). The EPA 
established the

[[Page 49593]]

1997 PM2.5 NAAQS based on significant evidence and numerous 
health studies demonstrating the serious health effects associated with 
exposures to PM2.5. To provide guidance on the CAA 
requirements for state and tribal implementation plans to implement the 
1997 PM2.5 NAAQS, the EPA promulgated the ``Final Clean Air 
Fine Particle Implementation Rule'' (72 FR 20586, April 25, 2007) 
(hereinafter, the ``2007 PM2.5 Implementation Rule'').
    On October 17, 2006, the EPA strengthened the 24-hour 
PM2.5 NAAQS to 35 [micro]g/m\3\ and retained the level of 
the annual PM2.5 standard at 15.0 [micro]g/m\3\ (71 FR 
61144). Following promulgation of a new or revised NAAQS, the EPA is 
required by the CAA to promulgate designations for areas throughout the 
United States; this designation process is described in section 
107(d)(1) of the CAA. On November 13, 2009, the EPA designated areas 
across the United States with respect to the revised 2006 24-hour 
PM2.5 NAAQS (74 FR 58688). In that November 2009 action, the 
EPA designated Oakridge, Oregon, and a small surrounding area as 
nonattainment for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS (Oakridge 
NAA), requiring Oregon to prepare and submit to the EPA an attainment 
plan for the Oakridge NAA to meet the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 
NAAQS. On March 2, 2012, the EPA issued ``Implementation Guidance for 
the 2006 24-Hour Fine Particulate (PM2.5) National Ambient 
Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)'' to provide guidance on the development 
of SIPs to demonstrate attainment with the 24-hour standards (March 
2012 Implementation Guidance). The March 2012 Implementation Guidance 
explained that the overall framework and policy approach of the 2007 
PM2.5 Implementation Rule provided effective and appropriate 
guidance on statutory requirements for the development of SIPs to 
attain the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS. Accordingly, the March 
2012 Implementation Guidance instructed states to rely on the 2007 
PM2.5 Implementation Rule in developing SIPs to demonstrate 
attainment with the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS.

B. January 4, 2013 D.C. Circuit Court Decision Regarding 
PM2.5 Implementation Under Subpart 4

    On January 4, 2013, the D.C. Circuit Court issued a decision in 
Natural Resources Defense Council v. EPA, 706 F.3d 428, holding that 
the EPA erred in implementing the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS pursuant 
to the general implementation provisions of subpart 1 of Part D of 
Title I of the CAA (subpart 1), rather than the particulate-matter-
specific provisions of subpart 4 of Part D of Title I (subpart 4). The 
Court did not vacate the 2007 PM2.5 Implementation Rule but 
remanded the rule with instructions for the EPA to promulgate new 
implementation regulations for the PM2.5 NAAQS in accordance 
with the requirements of subpart 4. On June 6, 2013, consistent with 
the Court's remand decision, the EPA withdrew its March 2012 
Implementation Guidance which relied on the 2007 PM2.5 
Implementation Rule to provide guidance for the 2006 24-hour 
PM2.5 NAAQS.
    Prior to the January 4, 2013 NRDC decision, states had worked 
towards meeting the air quality goals of the 2006 PM2.5 
NAAQS in accordance with the EPA regulations and guidance derived from 
subpart 1 of Part D of Title I of the CAA. The EPA considered this 
history in issuing the PM2.5 Subpart 4 Nonattainment 
Classification and Deadline Rule (79 FR 31566, June 2, 2014) that 
identified the initial classification under subpart 4 for areas 
currently designated nonattainment for the 1997 and/or 2006 
PM2.5 NAAQS as ``moderate'' nonattainment areas. The final 
rule also established December 31, 2014 as the new deadline for the 
states to submit any additional SIP submissions related to attainment 
for the 1997 or 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS.
    The ODEQ submitted an attainment plan for the Oakridge NAA on 
December 12, 2012. The plan included measures intended to demonstrate 
attainment of the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS by December 31, 2014. In 
this notice the EPA evaluates the State's existing attainment plan 
submission for the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS to determine whether it 
meets the applicable statutory requirements. The applicable statutory 
requirements include not only the applicable requirements of subpart 1, 
but also the applicable requirements of subpart 4. This interpretation 
is consistent with the NRDC Court's decision that the EPA must 
implement the PM2.5 NAAQS consistent with the requirements 
of subpart 4.

C. CAA PM2.5 Moderate Area Nonattainment SIP Requirements

    With respect to the requirements for attainment plans for the 
PM2.5 NAAQS, the EPA notes that the general nonattainment 
area planning requirements are found in subpart 1, and the moderate 
area planning requirements specifically for particulate matter are 
found in subpart 4. The EPA has a longstanding general guidance 
document that interprets the 1990 amendments to the CAA commonly 
referred to as the ``General Preamble'' (57 FR 13498, April 16, 1992). 
The General Preamble addresses the relationship between subpart 1 and 
subpart 4 requirements and provides recommendations to states for 
meeting statutory requirements for particulate matter attainment 
planning. Specifically, the General Preamble explains that requirements 
applicable to moderate area attainment plan SIP submissions are set 
forth in subpart 4, but such SIP submissions must also meet the general 
attainment planning provisions in subpart 1, to the extent these 
provisions ``are not otherwise subsumed by, or integrally related to,'' 
the more specific subpart 4 requirements (57 FR 13538). Additionally, 
the EPA proposed the Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air 
Quality Standards: State Implementation Plan Requirements rule (80 FR 
15340, March 23, 2015), to clarify our interpretations of the statutory 
requirements that apply to moderate and serious PM2.5 
nonattainment areas (NAAs) under subparts 1 and 4.
    The CAA requirements of subpart 1 for attainment plans include: (i) 
The section 172(c)(1) requirements for reasonably available control 
measures (RACM), reasonably available control technology (RACT) and 
attainment demonstrations; (ii) the section 172(c)(2) requirement to 
demonstrate reasonable further progress (RFP); (iii) the section 
172(c)(3) requirement for emissions inventories; (iv) the section 
172(c)(5) requirements for a nonattainment new source review (NSR) 
permitting program; and (v) the section 172(c)(9) requirement for 
contingency measures.
    The CAA subpart 4 requirements for moderate areas are generally 
comparable with the subpart 1 requirements and include: (i) The section 
189(a)(1)(A) NSR permit program requirements; (ii) the section 
189(a)(1)(B) requirements for attainment demonstration; (iii) the 
section 189(a)(1)(C) requirements for RACM; and (iv) the section 189(c) 
requirements for RFP and quantitative milestones. In addition, under 
subpart 4 the moderate area attainment date is as expeditiously as 
practicable but no later than the end of the 6th calendar year after 
designation.

II. Content of 2012 SIP Submission and the EPA's Evaluation

    The LRAPA, in coordination with ODEQ, developed the 2012 SIP 
submission for the Oakridge NAA that was subsequently adopted by the 
State and submitted by the ODEQ to the EPA. The following describes the 
relevant contents of the 2012 SIP submission, the 2016 SIP withdrawal, 
and the EPA's

[[Page 49594]]

evaluation of the remaining SIP provisions.
    The 2012 SIP submission included provisions that address the 
requirements of an attainment plan for a moderate PM2.5 
nonattainment area including RACT/RACM, emissions inventories, 
modeling, attainment demonstration, transportation conformity and motor 
vehicle emissions budgets, RFP and contingency measures.
    The 2016 SIP withdrawal included the State's withdrawal of the 
following 2012 SIP submission provisions:
     OAR 340-200-0040--General Air Pollution Procedures and 
Definitions; the adopted and amended version of the rules and Redline/
strikeout version of the adopted and amended rules.
     The LRAPA's Title 29--Designation of Air Quality Areas; 
the adopted and amended version of the rules and redline/strikeout 
version of the adopted and amended rules except:
[cir] 29-0010(10)--Oakridge PM2.5 Nonattainment Area 
definition
[cir] 29-0030 Designation of Nonattainment Areas
 Title 38--Major New Source Review
 Smoke Management Directive

    The state withdrew OAR-340-200-0040, portions of the LRAPA Title 
29, Title 38 and the Smoke Management Directive because they were not 
intended to be included in the SIP submission.

State Nonattainment Area Description and Designation

    The 2012 SIP submission contained revised portions of the LRAPA 
Title 29, ``Designation of Air Quality Areas'' (29-0010(10) and 29-
0030) adopted on October 18, 2012 that identify and describe the 
Oakridge PM2.5 area and lists the Oakridge PM2.5 
area as nonattainment. The area described as the Oakridge 
PM2.5 nonattainment area in the LRAPA Title 29 is consistent 
with the federal nonattainment area designated at 40 CFR 81.338. We 
propose to approve the State's area description and listing as 
nonattainment.

Emissions Inventory

    Section 172(c)(3) of the CAA requires the development of emissions 
inventories for nonattainment areas. In addition, the planning and 
associated modeling requirements set forth in CAA section 189(a) make 
the development of an accurate and up-to-date emissions inventory a 
critical element of any viable attainment plan. EPA guidance specifies 
the best practices for developing emission inventories for 
PM2.5 nonattainment areas (see ``Emissions Inventory 
Guidance for Implementation of Ozone and Particulate Matter National 
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and Regional Haze Regulations''). 
The 2012 SIP submission contains planning inventories of emission 
sources and emission rates for the base year of 2008 and the projected 
attainment year of 2014. The LRAPA chose the year 2008 as the base year 
because it is one of the three years used to designate the area as 
nonattainment as well as the middle year of the five year period, 2006-
2010, used for the determining the base year design value. 
Additionally, the LRAPA determined that high-quality emission 
information was already available from the National Emission Inventory 
for 2008. The LRAPA developed the base year emissions inventory for the 
nonattainment area. Table 1 provides information on the worst case 
winter season day, most relevant to attainment planning, as well as the 
typical winter season day. Annual emissions for primary 
PM2.5, NOX, SO2, VOC, and 
NH3 can be found in the docket in the LRAPA's SIP 
submission. The LRAPA determined the precursor emissions for a typical 
winter day accounted for less than 6 percent of the total PM. The 2012 
SIP submission listed total emissions of direct PM2.5 on a 
typical winter day at 525 pounds per day (lbs/day). The source 
categories contributing to the typical winter day total were identified 
as follows: Area sources, primarily RWC, emit 479 pounds per day (lbs/
day); mobile sources, including railroads and re-entrained road dust 
emit 44.7 lbs/day; and permitted stationary sources emit 0.5 lbs/day.

   Table 1--2008 Oakridge; Typical Season Day and Worst-Case Day PM2.5
                                Emissions
                                [lbs/day]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 PM2.5 lbs/per day
                                         -------------------------------
              Source sector               Typical season
                                                day       Worst case day
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permitted Point.........................             0.5             0.9
Stationary Area.........................           479.5             480
Onroad..................................            38.7            65.1
Nonroad.................................             6.0             6.0
                                         -------------------------------
    Total...............................             525             552
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The EPA has reviewed the base year emission inventory and believes 
it satisfies the CAA section 172(c)(3) requirement for a comprehensive, 
accurate and current inventory of actual 2008 emissions of the relevant 
pollutants in the Oakridge NAA. Thus, the EPA proposes to approve the 
base year emission inventory in the 2012 SIP submittal.

2014 Projected Attainment Inventory for the Nonattainment Area

    The 2012 SIP submittal included a projected 2014 attainment year 
emissions inventory that supported attainment by December 2014. The 
2014 attainment year emissions inventory included the same source 
categories as the 2008 base year. Emissions in the 2014 attainment year 
inventory were adjusted to account for emissions increases due to 
anticipated growth between 2008 and 2014 and emissions decreases from 
implementation of the control strategies identified in the RACM 
analysis.
    Due to the fact that the Oakridge NAA failed to attain the 
PM2.5 NAAQS by the December 31, 2014 attainment date 
projected in the 2012 SIP submission, the EPA presumes that the 
attainment year emission inventory was not accurate. The quality-
assured and certified ambient air monitoring data from the Willamette 
Activity Center monitoring site from 2012 through 2014, yields a design 
value of 40 [micro]g/m\3\ and confirms that the area did not attain the 
2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS by December 31, 2014. Thus, the EPA 
proposes to disapprove the projected 2014 attainment year inventory in 
the 2012 SIP submission.

[[Page 49595]]

Federal Requirement for RACM, Including RACT

    The general SIP planning requirements for nonattainment areas under 
subpart 1 include section 172(c)(1), which requires implementation of 
all RACM (including RACT). The language of section 172(c) requires that 
attainment plans provide for the implementation of RACM (including 
RACT) to provide for attainment of the NAAQS. Therefore, what 
constitutes RACM and RACT is related to what is necessary for 
attainment in a given area.
    Subpart 4 also requires states to develop attainment plans that 
evaluate potential control measures and impose RACM and RACT on sources 
within a moderate nonattainment area that are necessary to 
expeditiously attain the NAAQS. Section 189(a)(1)(C) requires that 
moderate nonattainment plans provide for implementation of RACM and 
RACT no later than four years after the area is designated as 
nonattainment. As with subpart 1, the terms RACM and RACT are not 
defined within subpart 4. Nor do the provisions of subpart 4 specify 
how states are to meet the RACM and RACT requirements. However, the 
EPA's longstanding guidance in the General Preamble provides 
recommendations for determining which control measures constitute RACM 
and RACT for purposes of meeting the statutory requirements of subpart 
4. 57 FR 13540-41.
    For both RACM and RACT, the EPA notes that an overarching principle 
is that if a given control measure is not needed to attain the relevant 
NAAQS in a given area as expeditiously as practicable, then that 
control measure would not be required as RACM or RACT because it would 
not be reasonable to impose controls that are not in fact needed for 
attainment purposes. Accordingly, a RACM and RACT analysis is a process 
to identify emissions sources, evaluate potential emissions controls, 
and impose those control measures and technologies that are reasonable 
and necessary to bring the area into attainment as expeditiously as 
practicable, but by no later than the applicable attainment date for 
the area. However, the EPA has long-applied a policy that states 
evaluate the combined effect of reasonably available control measures 
that were not necessary to demonstrate attainment by the statutory 
attainment, and if they collectively advance the attainment date by at 
least one-year the measures should be adopted to satisfy the statutory 
requirement that attainment be as expeditious as practicable (80 FR 
15369).

Identification of RACM and RACT

    The LRAPA provided a RACM and RACT analysis in Appendix J of the 
2012 SIP submission. The submission explained that residential wood 
combustion (RWC) sources (e.g., woodstoves, fireplaces, pellet stoves) 
account for 86% of emissions on worst-case winter days when exceedance 
of the NAAQS is most likely to occur. The other contributing sources 
were identified as road dust (5%), transportation (7.9%) and industrial 
and other unidentified area sources (1.1%). The LRAPA also conducted a 
speciation analysis, included in Appendix E of the 2012 SIP submission, 
which demonstrated that 96% of total particulate matter is from organic 
and elemental carbon, with significantly smaller amounts of secondary 
inorganic aerosols including nitrate (0.4%), sulfate (1%) and ammonium 
(.03%). Based on these and other analyses, the LRAPA concluded that RWC 
was the major contributor to PM2.5 concentrations on worst-
case winter days and focused its RACM analysis on this source category.
    Emissions from RWC for winter home heating has been a long-standing 
air pollution problem for the Oakridge NAA, first identified when EPA 
designated the area nonattainment for the PM10 NAAQS. The 
Oakridge nonattainment area PM10 SIP adopted a control 
strategy that specifically addressed emissions from RWC (64 FR 12751). 
In the 2012 SIP submission for the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS, the 
LRAPA likewise focused on RWC emissions and described a suite of 
control measures that included measures in effect from the previous 
approved PM10 attainment plan as well as new measures 
specifically intended to address PM2.5. While the LRAPA 
described several control measures in the 2012 PM2.5 SIP 
submission, it only relied on emission reductions from measures 
implemented after the base year of 2008. These measures are:
     RWC curtailment during adverse meteorological conditions 
and air quality advisories are issued: Oakridge City ordinance 889;
     Motor vehicle emission reductions due to federal emissions 
requirements; and,
     Woodstove change outs of uncertified stoves to EPA 
certified stoves since 2008.
    In its RACT analysis, the LRAPA identified two industrial 
stationary sources in the nonattainment area, a rock crusher and ready-
mix concrete plant, which are described as minor sources of direct and 
precursor emissions for purposes of PM2.5. The LRAPA asserts 
that these two small sources together emit less than one ton per year 
of PM2.5 emissions and contribute less than 1% to the 2008 
base year emission inventory. The EPA National Emission Inventory data 
for the Oakridge NAA as presented in Appendix D of the 2012 SIP 
submission (attachment 3.3d, pages 207-210) identified precursor 
emissions for the base year of 2008. That data show there are no 
precursor emissions from industrial sources in the Oakridge NAA.
    In the 2012 SIP submission, the LRAPA reviewed the two stationary 
sources and determined that the air pollution control technology 
installed on these sources are the current standard for the industry. 
The rock crusher controls emissions of PM2.5 using water 
spray. The concrete batch plant uses baghouse controls to reduce 
PM2.5 emissions. The SIP submission did not propose or 
contain any additional control technologies for purposes of meeting 
RACT based on the existing particulate matter control measures and the 
minimal contribution to PM2.5 concentrations from the two 
small stationary sources. Operating permits for these two sources were 
not included in the 2012 SIP submission.

The EPA's Evaluation of RACM Including RACT

    The measures selected and implemented by the LRAPA to meet RACM 
including RACT requirements did not provide for attainment of the 
PM2.5 NAAQS by the attainment date in the 2012 SIP 
submission of December 31, 2014. In addition, the RWC curtailment 
program included in the 2012 SIP submission, identified as Oakridge 
City Ordinance 889, was rescinded and is no longer in effect. A new 
replacement ordinance, Oakridge City Ordinance 914 has not yet been 
submitted to EPA for incorporation into the SIP. Based on the 
foregoing, the suite of control measures in the 2012 SIP submission do 
not represent RACM and RACT and fail to meet the requirements of 
section 172(c)(1) and section 189(a)(1)(C) of the CAA. Accordingly, we 
are proposing to disapprove the RACM and RACT provisions of the 2012 
SIP submission.

Attainment Demonstration and Modeling

    Section 189(a)(1)(B) requires that a PM2.5 moderate area 
SIP contain either a demonstration that the plan will provide for 
attainment by the applicable attainment date, or a demonstration that 
attainment by such date is

[[Page 49596]]

impracticable. In the attainment demonstration of the 2012 SIP 
submission, the LRAPA described how the attainment plan would provide 
the emissions reductions needed to bring the Oakridge NAA into 
attainment with the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS no later than 
December 31, 2014.
    All attainment demonstrations must project air quality below the 
standard using air quality modeling. The ODEQ submitted a modeled 
demonstration that is consistent with the recommendations contained in 
the EPA's modeling guidance document ``Guidance on the Use of Models 
and Other Analyses for Demonstrating Attainment of Air Quality Goals 
for Ozone, PM2.5, and Regional Haze'' (EPA-454/B-07-002, 
April 2007) and the June 28, 2011, memorandum from Tyler Fox to 
Regional Air Program Managers, ``Update to the 24-hour PM2.5 
Modeled Attainment Test.'' States should base modeling on national 
(e.g., EPA), regional (e.g., Western Regional Air Partnership) or local 
modeling, or a combination thereof, if appropriate. The April 2007 
guidance indicates that states should review supplemental analyses, in 
combination with the modeling analysis, in a ``weight of evidence'' 
assessment to determine whether each area is likely to achieve timely 
attainment.
    The LRAPA used a proportional ``roll-forward'' model to project air 
quality levels into the future. The linear model the LRAPA used for the 
Oakridge NAA considered the concentrations of individual chemical 
species analyzed from the PM2.5 filters. The model does not 
account for secondary chemistry because inert species comprise more 
than 97% of the total PM2.5 in the Oakridge NAA. The EPA 
believes that the roll-forward model is an appropriate approach for the 
Oakridge NAA due to the limited number of emission sources and source 
categories, the limited contribution of secondary aerosol, and the even 
dispersal of emission sources across the area. The LRAPA determined the 
emission changes of each species from the base year to a future 
attainment year based on emissions growth or emissions reduction from 
trends in technology and population, and considering both national 
control measures (such as Tier 2 gasoline vehicle standards), and 
control measures included as part of the SIP submission. These emission 
changes and resulting changes in ambient chemical species levels were 
summed to estimate future year projected PM2.5 
concentrations.
    The attainment demonstration starts with estimating the baseline 
design value for PM2.5. The procedure for its calculation is 
presented in Appendix N to 40 CFR 50, ``Interpretation of the National 
Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter,'' EPA Guidance on 
the Use of Models and Other Analyses for Demonstrating Attainment of 
Air Quality Goals for O3, PM2.5, and Regional Haze,'' and 
the June 28, 2011, memorandum from Tyler Fox to Regional Air Program 
Managers, ``Update to the 24-hour PM2.5 Modeled Attainment 
Test.'' Ambient PM2.5 concentrations from 2006 to 2010 were 
used to calculate a baseline design value of 39.5 [micro]g/m\3\. 
Detailed methods on the baseline design value calculation are in 
Appendix G of the 2012 SIP submission.
    Quality-assured and certified ambient air monitoring data from the 
Willamette Activity Center monitoring site from 2012 through 2014, 
yields a design value of 40 [micro]g/m\3\ and confirms that the area 
did not attain the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS by December 31, 
2014. Therefore, EPA is proposing to disapprove the attainment 
demonstration portion of the 2012 SIP submission because the area 
failed to attain by the projected attainment date.

Reasonable Further Progress and Quantitative Milestones

    For PM2.5 nonattainment areas, two statutory provisions 
apply regarding RFP and quantitative milestones. First, under subpart 
1, CAA section 172(c)(2) requires attainment plans to provide for RFP, 
which is defined in CAA section 171(l) as ``such annual incremental 
reductions in emissions of the relevant air pollutant as are required 
by [Part D of Title I] or may reasonably be required by the 
Administrator for the purpose of ensuring attainment of the applicable 
national ambient air quality standard by the applicable date.'' 
Reasonable further progress is a requirement to assure that states make 
steady, incremental progress toward attaining air quality standards, 
rather than deferring implementation of control measures and thereby 
emission reductions until before the date by which the standard is to 
be attained. Second, CAA section 189(c) requires that attainment plans 
for the PM2.5 NAAQS to include ``quantitative milestones 
which are to be achieved every 3 years until the area is redesignated 
to attainment and which demonstrate reasonable further progress . . . 
toward attainment by the applicable date.''
    In the 2012 SIP submission, the LRAPA did not address RFP and 
quantitative milestone requirements. The 2012 SIP submission projected 
attainment of the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS within five years of 
designation, or by December 31, 2014. However, the Oakridge NAA failed 
to attain by December 31, 2014. The attainment plan control measures 
therefore did not achieve the necessary emission reductions that would 
have been necessary to demonstrate RFP or meet quantitative milestones, 
assuming such requirements were addressed in the 2012 SIP submittal. 
Accordingly, the EPA is proposing to disapprove the RFP and 
quantitative milestones elements for the 2012 SIP submission.

Contingency Measures

    Section 172(c)(9) of the CAA requires that an attainment plan 
provide for implementation of specific contingency measures in the 
event that an area fails to attain a standard by its applicable 
attainment date, or fails to meet RFP. These measures should consist of 
other available control measures not included in the control strategy 
and must be fully adopted rules or measures that take effect without 
any further action by the state or the EPA. Contingency measures should 
also contain trigger mechanisms and an implementation schedule, and 
should provide for emission reductions equivalent to one year's worth 
of RFP (57 FR 13498).
    While the LRAPA discussed contingency measures in the 2012 SIP 
submission, the ordinance enacting the contingency measures was not 
included in the SIP submission. Because the regulatory text of the 
contingency measures was not included in the 2012 SIP submission, the 
EPA is proposing to disapprove the 2012 SIP submission with respect to 
the contingency measure requirements of the CAA.

Motor Vehicle Emissions Budget

    Section 176(c) of the CAA requires federal actions in nonattainment 
and maintenance areas to ``conform to'' the goals of SIPs. This means 
that such actions will not cause or contribute to violations of a 
NAAQS, worsen the severity of an existing violation, or delay timely 
attainment of any NAAQS or any interim milestone. Actions involving 
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) or Federal Transit Administration 
(FTA) funding or approval are subject to the transportation conformity 
rule (40 CFR part 93, subpart A). Under this rule, metropolitan 
planning organizations (MPOs) in nonattainment and maintenance areas 
coordinate with state air quality and transportation agencies, the EPA, 
and the FHWA and the FTA to demonstrate that their long-range 
transportation plans and transportation improvement programs (TIPs) 
conform to applicable SIPs. This demonstration

[[Page 49597]]

is typically determined by showing that estimated emissions from 
existing and planned highway and transit systems are less than or equal 
to the motor vehicle emissions budgets (budgets) contained in a SIP.
    For budgets to be approvable, they must meet, at a minimum, the 
EPA's adequacy criteria (40 CFR 93.118(e)(4)). One of the adequacy 
criteria requires that motor vehicle emissions budgets when considered 
together with all other emissions sources, are consistent with the 
applicable requirements for reasonable further progress, attainment or 
maintenance (40 CFR 93.118(e)(4)(iv)). In this case the applicable 
requirement is attainment of the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS. 
The Oakridge NAA failed to attain the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 
NAAQS by December 31, 2014, and the submitted motor vehicle emissions 
budgets therefore do not meet the aforementioned adequacy criterion. 
Accordingly, EPA is proposing to disapprove the submitted budgets.

III. Consequences of a Disapproved SIP

    This section explains the consequences of a disapproval of a SIP 
under the CAA. The Act provides for the imposition of sanctions and the 
promulgation of a federal implementation plan (FIP) if a state fails to 
submit and the EPA approve a plan revision that corrects the 
deficiencies identified by the EPA in its disapproval.

The Act's Provisions for Sanctions

    If the EPA finalizes disapproval of a required SIP submission, such 
as an attainment plan submission, or a portion thereof, CAA section 
179(a) provides for the imposition of sanctions unless the deficiency 
is corrected within 18 months of the final rulemaking of disapproval. 
The first sanction would apply 18 months after the EPA disapproves the 
SIP submission, or portion therefore. Under EPA's sanctions 
regulations, 40 CFR 52.31, the first sanction imposed would be 2:1 
offsets for sources subject to the new source review requirements under 
section 173 of the Act. If the state has still failed to submit a SIP 
submission to correct the identified deficiencies for which the EPA 
proposes full or conditional approval 6 months after the first sanction 
is imposed, the second sanction will apply. The second sanction is a 
prohibition on the approval or funding certain highway projects.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ On April 1, 1996 the US Department of Transportation 
published a notice in the Federal Register describing the criteria 
to be used to determine which highway projects can be funded or 
approved during the time that the highway sanction is imposed in an 
area. (See 61 FR 14363).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Federal Implementation Plan Provisions That Apply if a State Fails To 
Submit an Approvable Plan

    In addition to sanctions, if the EPA finds that a state failed to 
submit the required SIP revision or finalizes disapproval of the 
required SIP revision, or a portion thereof, the EPA must promulgate a 
FIP no later than 2 years from the date of the finding if the 
deficiency has not been corrected within that time period.

Ramifications Regarding Conformity

    One consequence if EPA finalizes disapproval of a control strategy 
SIP submission is a conformity freeze.\2\ If we finalize the 
disapproval of the attainment demonstration SIP without a protective 
finding, a conformity freeze will be in place as of the effective date 
of the disapproval (40 CFR 93.120(a)(2)).\3\ The Oakridge NAA is an 
isolated rural area as defined in the transportation conformity rule 
(40 CFR 93.101). As such it does not have a metropolitan planning 
organization (MPO), and there is no long range transportation plan or 
TIP that would be subject to a freeze. However the freeze does mean 
that no projects in the Oakridge NAA may be found to conform until 
another attainment demonstration SIP is submitted and the motor vehicle 
emissions budgets are found adequate or the attainment demonstration is 
approved.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Control strategy SIP revisions as defined in the 
transportation conformity include reasonable further progress plans 
and attainment demonstrations (40 CFR 93.101).
    \3\ EPA would give a protective finding if the submitted control 
strategy SIP contains adopted control measures or written 
commitments to adopt enforceable control measures that fully satisfy 
the emissions reductions requirements relevant to the statutory 
provision for which the implementation plan revision was submitted, 
such as reasonable further progress or attainment (40 CFR 93.101 and 
93.120(a)(2) and (3)). The submitted attainment plan for the 
Oakridge NAA does not contain all necessary controls to attain the 
2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS and therefore is not eligible 
for a protective finding.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. The EPA's Proposed Action

Proposed Approval

    We propose to approve the following elements of the 2012 SIP 
submission:
     Description of the Oakridge NAA and listing as 
nonattainment, and
     The base year 2008 emission inventory to meet the section 
172(c)(3) requirement for emissions inventories.

Proposed Disapproval

    We propose to disapprove the following elements of the 2012 SIP 
submission:
     The attainment year emission inventory to meet the section 
172(c)(3) requirement for emissions inventories,
     the section 172(c)(1) requirement for reasonably available 
control measures (RACM), including reasonably available control 
technology (RACT),
     the section 189(a)(1)(B) requirement for an attainment 
demonstration,
     Transportation conformity and MVEB,
     Section 172(c)(2) and section 189(c) requirements for RFP 
and quantitative milestones, and
     Section 172(c)(9) requirement for contingency measures.

V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

    Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP 
submission that complies with the provisions of the Act and applicable 
Federal regulations. 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a). Thus, in 
reviewing SIP submissions, the EPA's role is to approve state choices, 
provided that they meet the criteria of the CAA. Accordingly, this 
proposed action merely approves state law as meeting Federal 
requirements and does not impose additional requirements beyond those 
imposed by state law. For that reason, this action:
     Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' subject to 
review by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Order 
12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993) and 13563 (76 FR 3821, January 21, 
2011);
     does not impose an information collection burden under the 
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
     is certified as not having a significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
     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);
     does not have Federalism implications as specified in 
Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999);
     is not an economically significant regulatory action based 
on health or safety risks subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 
19885, April 23, 1997);
     is not a significant regulatory action subject to 
Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001);
     is not subject to requirements of Section 12(d) of the 
National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 
note) because application of those requirements would

[[Page 49598]]

be inconsistent with the Clean Air Act; and
     does not provide the EPA with the discretionary authority 
to address, as appropriate, disproportionate human health or 
environmental effects, using practicable and legally permissible 
methods, under Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).
    The SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian reservation land or 
in any other area where the EPA or an Indian tribe has demonstrated 
that a tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian country, the 
rule does not have tribal implications and will not impose substantial 
direct costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law as specified 
by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by 
reference, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Particulate matter, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur oxides, Volatile organic compounds.

    Dated: July 18, 2016.
Michelle L. Pirzadeh,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 10.
[FR Doc. 2016-17714 Filed 7-27-16; 8:45 am]
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                                               49592                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 145 / Thursday, July 28, 2016 / Proposed Rules

                                               restricted by statute. Multimedia                        ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION                              consider comments or comment
                                               submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be                 AGENCY                                                contents located outside of the primary
                                               accompanied by a written comment.                                                                              submission (i.e. on the Web, cloud, or
                                               The written comment is considered the                    40 CFR Part 52                                        other file sharing system). For
                                               official comment and should include                      [EPA–R10–OAR–2013–0004: FRL–9949–69–                  additional submission methods, the full
                                               discussion of all points you wish to                     Region 10]                                            EPA public comment policy,
                                               make. The EPA will generally not                                                                               information about CBI or multimedia
                                               consider comments or comment                             Partial Approval and Partial                          submissions, and general guidance on
                                               contents located outside of the primary                  Disapproval of Attainment Plan for                    making effective comments, please visit
                                               submission (i.e. on the web, cloud, or                   Oakridge, Oregon PM2.5 Nonattainment                  http://www2.epa.gov/dockets/
                                               other file sharing system). For                          Area                                                  commenting-epa-dockets.
                                               additional submission methods, the full                                                                           Docket: All documents in the
                                               EPA public comment policy,                               AGENCY:  Environmental Protection                     electronic docket are listed in the http://
                                                                                                        Agency.                                               www.regulations.gov index. Although
                                               information about CBI or multimedia
                                               submissions, and general guidance on                     ACTION: Proposed rule.                                listed in the index, some information is
                                               making effective comments, please visit                                                                        not publicly available, i.e., CBI or other
                                                                                                        SUMMARY:   On December 12, 2012, the                  information that is restricted by statute
                                               https://www.epa.gov/dockets/                             Oregon Department of Environmental
                                               commenting-epa-dockets.                                                                                        from disclosure. Certain other material,
                                                                                                        Quality (ODEQ) submitted, on behalf of                such as copyrighted material, is not
                                               FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                         the Governor of Oregon, a State                       placed on the Internet and will be
                                               Teree Henderson, Office of the                           Implementation Plan (SIP) submission                  publicly available only in hard copy
                                               Administrator, Office of Small Business                  to address violations of the National                 form. Publicly available docket
                                               Programs (mail code: 1230A),                             Ambient Air Quality Standards                         materials are available at http://
                                               Environmental Protection Agency, 1200                    (NAAQS) for particulate matter with an                www.regulations.gov or at EPA Region
                                               Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington,                       aerodynamic diameter of less than or                  10, Office of Air and Waste, 1200 Sixth
                                               DC 20460; telephone number: 202–566–                     equal to a nominal 2.5 micrometers in                 Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101. The
                                               2222; fax number: 202–566–0548; email                    diameter (PM2.5) for the Oakridge PM2.5               EPA requests that you contact the
                                               address: henderson.teree@epa.gov.                        nonattainment area (2012 SIP                          person listed in the FOR FURTHER
                                                                                                        submission). The Lane Regional Air                    INFORMATION CONTACT section to
                                               SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                               Protection Agency (LRAPA) in                          schedule your inspection. The Regional
                                               Why is EPA issuing this proposed rule?                   coordination with ODEQ developed the                  Office’s official hours of business are
                                                                                                        2012 SIP submission for purposes of                   Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to
                                                  The Agency has published a direct                     attaining the 2006 24-hour PM2.5                      4:30 p.m., excluding Federal holidays.
                                               final rule in the ‘‘Rules and                            NAAQS. On February 22, 2016, the                      FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                               Regulations’’ section of this Federal                    ODEQ withdrew certain provisions of                   Christi Duboiski at (360) 753–9081,
                                               Register, approving the DBE program                      the 2012 SIP submission (2016 SIP                     duboiski.christi@epa.gov, or the above
                                               revisions, because EPA views the                         withdrawal). The Environmental                        EPA, Region 10 address.
                                               revisions as noncontroversial and                        Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated
                                                                                                                                                              SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                               anticipates no adverse comment. The                      whether the remaining portions of the
                                               Agency provided reasons for the                          Oakridge 2012 SIP submission meet the                 Throughout this document, wherever
                                               approval and additional supplementary                    applicable Clean Air Act (CAA)                        ‘‘we’’, ‘‘us’’ or ‘‘our’’ are used, it is
                                               information in the preamble to the                       requirements. Based on this evaluation,               intended to refer to the EPA.
                                               direct final rule. If EPA receives no                    the EPA is proposing to partially                     Table of Contents
                                               adverse comment, the Agency will not                     approve and partially disapprove the
                                                                                                                                                              I. Background for the EPA’s Proposed Action
                                               take further action on this proposed                     remaining portions of the 2012 SIP                       A. History of the PM2.5 NAAQS
                                               rule. If EPA receives adverse comment,                   submission.                                              B. January 4, 2013 D.C. Circuit Court
                                               the Agency will withdraw the direct                      DATES:  Comments must be received on                        Decision Regarding PM2.5
                                               final rule and it will not take effect. The              or before August 29, 2016.                                  Implementation Under Subpart 4
                                               EPA would then address all public                                                                                 C. CAA PM2.5 Moderate Area
                                               comments in any subsequent final rule                    ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,                            Nonattainment SIP Requirements
                                               based on this proposed rule. The EPA                     identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R10–                  II. Content of 2012 SIP Submission and the
                                               does not intend to institute a second                    OAR–2013–0004 at http://                                    EPA’s Evaluation
                                               comment period on this action.                           www.regulations.gov. Follow the online                III. Consequences of Disapproved SIP
                                                                                                        instructions for submitting comments.                       Provisions
                                                  Any parties interested in commenting                  Once submitted, comments cannot be                    IV. The EPA’s Proposed Action
                                               must do so at this time. For further                     edited or removed from Regulations.gov.               V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
                                               information, please contact the persons                  The EPA may publish any comment                       I. Background for the EPA’s Proposed
                                               in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION                           received to its public docket. Do not                 Action
                                               CONTACT section of this document.                        submit electronically any information
                                                                                                        you consider to be Confidential                       A. History of the PM2.5 NAAQS
                                               List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 33
                                                                                                        Business Information (CBI) or other                     On July 18, 1997, the EPA
                                                 Environmental protection, Grant                        information whose disclosure is                       promulgated the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS,
Lhorne on DSK30JT082PROD with PROPOSALS




                                               programs.                                                restricted by statute. Multimedia                     including annual standards of 15.0 mg/
                                                 Dated: July 15, 2016.                                  submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be              m3 based on a 3-year average of annual
                                                                                                        accompanied by a written comment.                     mean PM2.5 concentrations, and 24-hour
                                               Gina McCarthy,
                                                                                                        The written comment is considered the                 (or daily) standards of 65 mg/m3 based
                                               Administrator.                                           official comment and should include                   on a 3-year average of the 98th
                                               [FR Doc. 2016–17509 Filed 7–27–16; 8:45 am]              discussion of all points you wish to                  percentile of 24-hour concentrations (62
                                               BILLING CODE 6560–50–P                                   make. The EPA will generally not                      FR 38652). The EPA established the


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                                                                        Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 145 / Thursday, July 28, 2016 / Proposed Rules                                          49593

                                               1997 PM2.5 NAAQS based on significant                    subpart 4 of Part D of Title I (subpart 4).           General Preamble addresses the
                                               evidence and numerous health studies                     The Court did not vacate the 2007 PM2.5               relationship between subpart 1 and
                                               demonstrating the serious health effects                 Implementation Rule but remanded the                  subpart 4 requirements and provides
                                               associated with exposures to PM2.5. To                   rule with instructions for the EPA to                 recommendations to states for meeting
                                               provide guidance on the CAA                              promulgate new implementation                         statutory requirements for particulate
                                               requirements for state and tribal                        regulations for the PM2.5 NAAQS in                    matter attainment planning.
                                               implementation plans to implement the                    accordance with the requirements of                   Specifically, the General Preamble
                                               1997 PM2.5 NAAQS, the EPA                                subpart 4. On June 6, 2013, consistent                explains that requirements applicable to
                                               promulgated the ‘‘Final Clean Air Fine                   with the Court’s remand decision, the                 moderate area attainment plan SIP
                                               Particle Implementation Rule’’ (72 FR                    EPA withdrew its March 2012                           submissions are set forth in subpart 4,
                                               20586, April 25, 2007) (hereinafter, the                 Implementation Guidance which relied                  but such SIP submissions must also
                                               ‘‘2007 PM2.5 Implementation Rule’’).                     on the 2007 PM2.5 Implementation Rule                 meet the general attainment planning
                                                  On October 17, 2006, the EPA                          to provide guidance for the 2006 24-                  provisions in subpart 1, to the extent
                                               strengthened the 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS                     hour PM2.5 NAAQS.                                     these provisions ‘‘are not otherwise
                                               to 35 mg/m3 and retained the level of the                   Prior to the January 4, 2013 NRDC                  subsumed by, or integrally related to,’’
                                               annual PM2.5 standard at 15.0 mg/m3 (71                  decision, states had worked towards                   the more specific subpart 4
                                               FR 61144). Following promulgation of a                   meeting the air quality goals of the 2006             requirements (57 FR 13538).
                                               new or revised NAAQS, the EPA is                         PM2.5 NAAQS in accordance with the                    Additionally, the EPA proposed the
                                               required by the CAA to promulgate                        EPA regulations and guidance derived                  Fine Particulate Matter National
                                               designations for areas throughout the                    from subpart 1 of Part D of Title I of the            Ambient Air Quality Standards: State
                                               United States; this designation process                  CAA. The EPA considered this history                  Implementation Plan Requirements rule
                                               is described in section 107(d)(1) of the                 in issuing the PM2.5 Subpart 4                        (80 FR 15340, March 23, 2015), to
                                               CAA. On November 13, 2009, the EPA                       Nonattainment Classification and                      clarify our interpretations of the
                                               designated areas across the United                       Deadline Rule (79 FR 31566, June 2,                   statutory requirements that apply to
                                               States with respect to the revised 2006                  2014) that identified the initial                     moderate and serious PM2.5
                                               24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS (74 FR 58688). In                    classification under subpart 4 for areas              nonattainment areas (NAAs) under
                                               that November 2009 action, the EPA                       currently designated nonattainment for                subparts 1 and 4.
                                               designated Oakridge, Oregon, and a                       the 1997 and/or 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS as                      The CAA requirements of subpart 1
                                               small surrounding area as                                ‘‘moderate’’ nonattainment areas. The                 for attainment plans include: (i) The
                                               nonattainment for the 2006 24-hour                       final rule also established December 31,
                                                                                                                                                              section 172(c)(1) requirements for
                                               PM2.5 NAAQS (Oakridge NAA),                              2014 as the new deadline for the states
                                                                                                                                                              reasonably available control measures
                                               requiring Oregon to prepare and submit                   to submit any additional SIP
                                                                                                                                                              (RACM), reasonably available control
                                               to the EPA an attainment plan for the                    submissions related to attainment for
                                                                                                                                                              technology (RACT) and attainment
                                               Oakridge NAA to meet the 2006 24-hour                    the 1997 or 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS.
                                                                                                           The ODEQ submitted an attainment                   demonstrations; (ii) the section 172(c)(2)
                                               PM2.5 NAAQS. On March 2, 2012, the
                                                                                                        plan for the Oakridge NAA on December                 requirement to demonstrate reasonable
                                               EPA issued ‘‘Implementation Guidance
                                                                                                        12, 2012. The plan included measures                  further progress (RFP); (iii) the section
                                               for the 2006 24-Hour Fine Particulate
                                                                                                        intended to demonstrate attainment of                 172(c)(3) requirement for emissions
                                               (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality
                                                                                                        the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS by December 31,                  inventories; (iv) the section 172(c)(5)
                                               Standards (NAAQS)’’ to provide
                                               guidance on the development of SIPs to                   2014. In this notice the EPA evaluates                requirements for a nonattainment new
                                               demonstrate attainment with the 24-                      the State’s existing attainment plan                  source review (NSR) permitting
                                               hour standards (March 2012                               submission for the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS                   program; and (v) the section 172(c)(9)
                                               Implementation Guidance). The March                      to determine whether it meets the                     requirement for contingency measures.
                                               2012 Implementation Guidance                             applicable statutory requirements. The                   The CAA subpart 4 requirements for
                                               explained that the overall framework                     applicable statutory requirements                     moderate areas are generally comparable
                                               and policy approach of the 2007 PM2.5                    include not only the applicable                       with the subpart 1 requirements and
                                               Implementation Rule provided effective                   requirements of subpart 1, but also the               include: (i) The section 189(a)(1)(A)
                                               and appropriate guidance on statutory                    applicable requirements of subpart 4.                 NSR permit program requirements; (ii)
                                               requirements for the development of                      This interpretation is consistent with                the section 189(a)(1)(B) requirements for
                                               SIPs to attain the 2006 24-hour PM2.5                    the NRDC Court’s decision that the EPA                attainment demonstration; (iii) the
                                               NAAQS. Accordingly, the March 2012                       must implement the PM2.5 NAAQS                        section 189(a)(1)(C) requirements for
                                               Implementation Guidance instructed                       consistent with the requirements of                   RACM; and (iv) the section 189(c)
                                               states to rely on the 2007 PM2.5                         subpart 4.                                            requirements for RFP and quantitative
                                               Implementation Rule in developing SIPs                                                                         milestones. In addition, under subpart 4
                                                                                                        C. CAA PM2.5 Moderate Area                            the moderate area attainment date is as
                                               to demonstrate attainment with the 2006
                                                                                                        Nonattainment SIP Requirements                        expeditiously as practicable but no later
                                               24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS.
                                                                                                           With respect to the requirements for               than the end of the 6th calendar year
                                               B. January 4, 2013 D.C. Circuit Court                    attainment plans for the PM2.5 NAAQS,                 after designation.
                                               Decision Regarding PM2.5                                 the EPA notes that the general
                                               Implementation Under Subpart 4                                                                                 II. Content of 2012 SIP Submission and
                                                                                                        nonattainment area planning
                                                                                                                                                              the EPA’s Evaluation
                                                  On January 4, 2013, the D.C. Circuit                  requirements are found in subpart 1,
                                               Court issued a decision in Natural                       and the moderate area planning                          The LRAPA, in coordination with
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                                               Resources Defense Council v. EPA, 706                    requirements specifically for particulate             ODEQ, developed the 2012 SIP
                                               F.3d 428, holding that the EPA erred in                  matter are found in subpart 4. The EPA                submission for the Oakridge NAA that
                                               implementing the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS                        has a longstanding general guidance                   was subsequently adopted by the State
                                               pursuant to the general implementation                   document that interprets the 1990                     and submitted by the ODEQ to the EPA.
                                               provisions of subpart 1 of Part D of Title               amendments to the CAA commonly                        The following describes the relevant
                                               I of the CAA (subpart 1), rather than the                referred to as the ‘‘General Preamble’’               contents of the 2012 SIP submission, the
                                               particulate-matter-specific provisions of                (57 FR 13498, April 16, 1992). The                    2016 SIP withdrawal, and the EPA’s


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                                               49594                             Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 145 / Thursday, July 28, 2016 / Proposed Rules

                                               evaluation of the remaining SIP                                             State Nonattainment Area Description                                          inventories of emission sources and
                                               provisions.                                                                 and Designation                                                               emission rates for the base year of 2008
                                                 The 2012 SIP submission included                                             The 2012 SIP submission contained                                          and the projected attainment year of
                                               provisions that address the                                                 revised portions of the LRAPA Title 29,                                       2014. The LRAPA chose the year 2008
                                               requirements of an attainment plan for                                      ‘‘Designation of Air Quality Areas’’ (29–                                     as the base year because it is one of the
                                               a moderate PM2.5 nonattainment area                                         0010(10) and 29–0030) adopted on                                              three years used to designate the area as
                                               including RACT/RACM, emissions                                              October 18, 2012 that identify and                                            nonattainment as well as the middle
                                               inventories, modeling, attainment                                           describe the Oakridge PM2.5 area and                                          year of the five year period, 2006–2010,
                                               demonstration, transportation                                               lists the Oakridge PM2.5 area as                                              used for the determining the base year
                                               conformity and motor vehicle emissions                                      nonattainment. The area described as                                          design value. Additionally, the LRAPA
                                               budgets, RFP and contingency                                                the Oakridge PM2.5 nonattainment area                                         determined that high-quality emission
                                               measures.                                                                   in the LRAPA Title 29 is consistent with                                      information was already available from
                                                 The 2016 SIP withdrawal included                                          the federal nonattainment area                                                the National Emission Inventory for
                                               the State’s withdrawal of the following                                     designated at 40 CFR 81.338. We                                               2008. The LRAPA developed the base
                                               2012 SIP submission provisions:                                             propose to approve the State’s area                                           year emissions inventory for the
                                                 • OAR 340–200–0040—General Air                                            description and listing as                                                    nonattainment area. Table 1 provides
                                               Pollution Procedures and Definitions;                                       nonattainment.                                                                information on the worst case winter
                                               the adopted and amended version of the                                                                                                                    season day, most relevant to attainment
                                               rules and Redline/strikeout version of                                      Emissions Inventory                                                           planning, as well as the typical winter
                                               the adopted and amended rules.                                                 Section 172(c)(3) of the CAA requires                                      season day. Annual emissions for
                                                 • The LRAPA’s Title 29—Designation                                        the development of emissions                                                  primary PM2.5, NOX, SO2, VOC, and
                                               of Air Quality Areas; the adopted and                                       inventories for nonattainment areas. In                                       NH3 can be found in the docket in the
                                               amended version of the rules and                                            addition, the planning and associated                                         LRAPA’s SIP submission. The LRAPA
                                               redline/strikeout version of the adopted                                    modeling requirements set forth in CAA                                        determined the precursor emissions for
                                               and amended rules except:                                                   section 189(a) make the development of                                        a typical winter day accounted for less
                                               Æ 29–0010(10)—Oakridge PM2.5                                                an accurate and up-to-date emissions                                          than 6 percent of the total PM. The 2012
                                                 Nonattainment Area definition                                             inventory a critical element of any                                           SIP submission listed total emissions of
                                               Æ 29–0030 Designation of                                                    viable attainment plan. EPA guidance                                          direct PM2.5 on a typical winter day at
                                                 Nonattainment Areas                                                       specifies the best practices for                                              525 pounds per day (lbs/day). The
                                               • Title 38—Major New Source Review                                          developing emission inventories for                                           source categories contributing to the
                                               • Smoke Management Directive                                                PM2.5 nonattainment areas (see                                                typical winter day total were identified
                                                 The state withdrew OAR–340–200–                                           ‘‘Emissions Inventory Guidance for                                            as follows: Area sources, primarily
                                               0040, portions of the LRAPA Title 29,                                       Implementation of Ozone and                                                   RWC, emit 479 pounds per day (lbs/
                                               Title 38 and the Smoke Management                                           Particulate Matter National Ambient Air                                       day); mobile sources, including
                                               Directive because they were not                                             Quality Standards (NAAQS) and                                                 railroads and re-entrained road dust
                                               intended to be included in the SIP                                          Regional Haze Regulations’’). The 2012                                        emit 44.7 lbs/day; and permitted
                                               submission.                                                                 SIP submission contains planning                                              stationary sources emit 0.5 lbs/day.

                                                                          TABLE 1—2008 OAKRIDGE; TYPICAL SEASON DAY AND WORST-CASE DAY PM2.5 EMISSIONS
                                                                                                                                                          [lbs/day]

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      PM2.5 lbs/per day
                                                                                                                          Source sector                                                                                         Typical season    Worst case
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     day             day

                                               Permitted Point ........................................................................................................................................................                   0.5              0.9
                                               Stationary Area ........................................................................................................................................................                 479.5             480
                                               Onroad .....................................................................................................................................................................              38.7             65.1
                                               Nonroad ...................................................................................................................................................................                6.0              6.0

                                                     Total ..................................................................................................................................................................             525             552



                                                 The EPA has reviewed the base year                                        emissions inventory that supported                                            projected in the 2012 SIP submission,
                                               emission inventory and believes it                                          attainment by December 2014. The 2014                                         the EPA presumes that the attainment
                                               satisfies the CAA section 172(c)(3)                                         attainment year emissions inventory                                           year emission inventory was not
                                               requirement for a comprehensive,                                            included the same source categories as                                        accurate. The quality-assured and
                                               accurate and current inventory of actual                                    the 2008 base year. Emissions in the                                          certified ambient air monitoring data
                                               2008 emissions of the relevant                                              2014 attainment year inventory were                                           from the Willamette Activity Center
                                               pollutants in the Oakridge NAA. Thus,                                       adjusted to account for emissions                                             monitoring site from 2012 through 2014,
                                               the EPA proposes to approve the base                                        increases due to anticipated growth
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                                                                                                                                                                                                         yields a design value of 40 mg/m3 and
                                               year emission inventory in the 2012 SIP                                     between 2008 and 2014 and emissions                                           confirms that the area did not attain the
                                               submittal.                                                                  decreases from implementation of the                                          2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS by
                                                                                                                           control strategies identified in the                                          December 31, 2014. Thus, the EPA
                                               2014 Projected Attainment Inventory for
                                                                                                                           RACM analysis.                                                                proposes to disapprove the projected
                                               the Nonattainment Area
                                                                                                                              Due to the fact that the Oakridge NAA                                      2014 attainment year inventory in the
                                                 The 2012 SIP submittal included a                                         failed to attain the PM2.5 NAAQS by the                                       2012 SIP submission.
                                               projected 2014 attainment year                                              December 31, 2014 attainment date


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                                                                        Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 145 / Thursday, July 28, 2016 / Proposed Rules                                         49595

                                               Federal Requirement for RACM,                            expeditious as practicable (80 FR                     sources of direct and precursor
                                               Including RACT                                           15369).                                               emissions for purposes of PM2.5. The
                                                  The general SIP planning                                                                                    LRAPA asserts that these two small
                                                                                                        Identification of RACM and RACT
                                               requirements for nonattainment areas                                                                           sources together emit less than one ton
                                                                                                           The LRAPA provided a RACM and                      per year of PM2.5 emissions and
                                               under subpart 1 include section                          RACT analysis in Appendix J of the
                                               172(c)(1), which requires                                                                                      contribute less than 1% to the 2008 base
                                                                                                        2012 SIP submission. The submission                   year emission inventory. The EPA
                                               implementation of all RACM (including                    explained that residential wood
                                               RACT). The language of section 172(c)                                                                          National Emission Inventory data for the
                                                                                                        combustion (RWC) sources (e.g.,                       Oakridge NAA as presented in
                                               requires that attainment plans provide                   woodstoves, fireplaces, pellet stoves)
                                               for the implementation of RACM                                                                                 Appendix D of the 2012 SIP submission
                                                                                                        account for 86% of emissions on worst-                (attachment 3.3d, pages 207–210)
                                               (including RACT) to provide for                          case winter days when exceedance of
                                               attainment of the NAAQS. Therefore,                                                                            identified precursor emissions for the
                                                                                                        the NAAQS is most likely to occur. The                base year of 2008. That data show there
                                               what constitutes RACM and RACT is                        other contributing sources were                       are no precursor emissions from
                                               related to what is necessary for                         identified as road dust (5%),                         industrial sources in the Oakridge NAA.
                                               attainment in a given area.                              transportation (7.9%) and industrial and                 In the 2012 SIP submission, the
                                                  Subpart 4 also requires states to                     other unidentified area sources (1.1%).               LRAPA reviewed the two stationary
                                               develop attainment plans that evaluate                   The LRAPA also conducted a speciation                 sources and determined that the air
                                               potential control measures and impose                    analysis, included in Appendix E of the               pollution control technology installed
                                               RACM and RACT on sources within a                        2012 SIP submission, which                            on these sources are the current
                                               moderate nonattainment area that are                     demonstrated that 96% of total                        standard for the industry. The rock
                                               necessary to expeditiously attain the                    particulate matter is from organic and                crusher controls emissions of PM2.5
                                               NAAQS. Section 189(a)(1)(C) requires                     elemental carbon, with significantly                  using water spray. The concrete batch
                                               that moderate nonattainment plans                        smaller amounts of secondary inorganic                plant uses baghouse controls to reduce
                                               provide for implementation of RACM                       aerosols including nitrate (0.4%), sulfate            PM2.5 emissions. The SIP submission
                                               and RACT no later than four years after                  (1%) and ammonium (.03%). Based on                    did not propose or contain any
                                               the area is designated as nonattainment.                 these and other analyses, the LRAPA                   additional control technologies for
                                               As with subpart 1, the terms RACM and                    concluded that RWC was the major                      purposes of meeting RACT based on the
                                               RACT are not defined within subpart 4.                   contributor to PM2.5 concentrations on                existing particulate matter control
                                               Nor do the provisions of subpart 4                       worst-case winter days and focused its                measures and the minimal contribution
                                               specify how states are to meet the                       RACM analysis on this source category.                to PM2.5 concentrations from the two
                                               RACM and RACT requirements.                                 Emissions from RWC for winter home                 small stationary sources. Operating
                                               However, the EPA’s longstanding                          heating has been a long-standing air                  permits for these two sources were not
                                               guidance in the General Preamble                         pollution problem for the Oakridge                    included in the 2012 SIP submission.
                                               provides recommendations for                             NAA, first identified when EPA
                                               determining which control measures                       designated the area nonattainment for                 The EPA’s Evaluation of RACM
                                               constitute RACM and RACT for                             the PM10 NAAQS. The Oakridge                          Including RACT
                                               purposes of meeting the statutory                        nonattainment area PM10 SIP adopted a                   The measures selected and
                                               requirements of subpart 4. 57 FR 13540–                  control strategy that specifically                    implemented by the LRAPA to meet
                                               41.                                                      addressed emissions from RWC (64 FR                   RACM including RACT requirements
                                                  For both RACM and RACT, the EPA                       12751). In the 2012 SIP submission for                did not provide for attainment of the
                                               notes that an overarching principle is                   the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS, the LRAPA                       PM2.5 NAAQS by the attainment date in
                                               that if a given control measure is not                   likewise focused on RWC emissions and                 the 2012 SIP submission of December
                                               needed to attain the relevant NAAQS in                   described a suite of control measures                 31, 2014. In addition, the RWC
                                               a given area as expeditiously as                         that included measures in effect from                 curtailment program included in the
                                               practicable, then that control measure                   the previous approved PM10 attainment                 2012 SIP submission, identified as
                                               would not be required as RACM or                         plan as well as new measures                          Oakridge City Ordinance 889, was
                                               RACT because it would not be                             specifically intended to address PM2.5.               rescinded and is no longer in effect. A
                                               reasonable to impose controls that are                   While the LRAPA described several                     new replacement ordinance, Oakridge
                                               not in fact needed for attainment                        control measures in the 2012 PM2.5 SIP                City Ordinance 914 has not yet been
                                               purposes. Accordingly, a RACM and                        submission, it only relied on emission                submitted to EPA for incorporation into
                                               RACT analysis is a process to identify                   reductions from measures implemented                  the SIP. Based on the foregoing, the
                                               emissions sources, evaluate potential                    after the base year of 2008. These                    suite of control measures in the 2012
                                               emissions controls, and impose those                     measures are:                                         SIP submission do not represent RACM
                                               control measures and technologies that                      • RWC curtailment during adverse                   and RACT and fail to meet the
                                               are reasonable and necessary to bring                    meteorological conditions and air                     requirements of section 172(c)(1) and
                                               the area into attainment as                              quality advisories are issued: Oakridge               section 189(a)(1)(C) of the CAA.
                                               expeditiously as practicable, but by no                  City ordinance 889;                                   Accordingly, we are proposing to
                                               later than the applicable attainment date                   • Motor vehicle emission reductions                disapprove the RACM and RACT
                                               for the area. However, the EPA has long-                 due to federal emissions requirements;                provisions of the 2012 SIP submission.
                                               applied a policy that states evaluate the                and,
                                               combined effect of reasonably available                     • Woodstove change outs of                         Attainment Demonstration and
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                                               control measures that were not                           uncertified stoves to EPA certified                   Modeling
                                               necessary to demonstrate attainment by                   stoves since 2008.                                       Section 189(a)(1)(B) requires that a
                                               the statutory attainment, and if they                       In its RACT analysis, the LRAPA                    PM2.5 moderate area SIP contain either
                                               collectively advance the attainment date                 identified two industrial stationary                  a demonstration that the plan will
                                               by at least one-year the measures should                 sources in the nonattainment area, a                  provide for attainment by the applicable
                                               be adopted to satisfy the statutory                      rock crusher and ready-mix concrete                   attainment date, or a demonstration that
                                               requirement that attainment be as                        plant, which are described as minor                   attainment by such date is


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                                               49596                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 145 / Thursday, July 28, 2016 / Proposed Rules

                                               impracticable. In the attainment                         value for PM2.5. The procedure for its                December 31, 2014. However, the
                                               demonstration of the 2012 SIP                            calculation is presented in Appendix N                Oakridge NAA failed to attain by
                                               submission, the LRAPA described how                      to 40 CFR 50, ‘‘Interpretation of the                 December 31, 2014. The attainment plan
                                               the attainment plan would provide the                    National Ambient Air Quality Standards                control measures therefore did not
                                               emissions reductions needed to bring                     for Particulate Matter,’’ EPA Guidance                achieve the necessary emission
                                               the Oakridge NAA into attainment with                    on the Use of Models and Other                        reductions that would have been
                                               the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS no later                    Analyses for Demonstrating Attainment                 necessary to demonstrate RFP or meet
                                               than December 31, 2014.                                  of Air Quality Goals for O3, PM2.5, and               quantitative milestones, assuming such
                                                  All attainment demonstrations must                    Regional Haze,’’ and the June 28, 2011,               requirements were addressed in the
                                               project air quality below the standard                   memorandum from Tyler Fox to                          2012 SIP submittal. Accordingly, the
                                               using air quality modeling. The ODEQ                     Regional Air Program Managers,                        EPA is proposing to disapprove the RFP
                                               submitted a modeled demonstration that                   ‘‘Update to the 24-hour PM2.5 Modeled                 and quantitative milestones elements for
                                               is consistent with the recommendations                   Attainment Test.’’ Ambient PM2.5                      the 2012 SIP submission.
                                               contained in the EPA’s modeling                          concentrations from 2006 to 2010 were
                                               guidance document ‘‘Guidance on the                                                                            Contingency Measures
                                                                                                        used to calculate a baseline design value
                                               Use of Models and Other Analyses for                     of 39.5 mg/m3. Detailed methods on the                   Section 172(c)(9) of the CAA requires
                                               Demonstrating Attainment of Air                          baseline design value calculation are in              that an attainment plan provide for
                                               Quality Goals for Ozone, PM2.5, and                      Appendix G of the 2012 SIP submission.                implementation of specific contingency
                                               Regional Haze’’ (EPA–454/B–07–002,                          Quality-assured and certified ambient              measures in the event that an area fails
                                               April 2007) and the June 28, 2011,                       air monitoring data from the Willamette               to attain a standard by its applicable
                                               memorandum from Tyler Fox to                             Activity Center monitoring site from                  attainment date, or fails to meet RFP.
                                               Regional Air Program Managers,                           2012 through 2014, yields a design                    These measures should consist of other
                                               ‘‘Update to the 24-hour PM2.5 Modeled                    value of 40 mg/m3 and confirms that the               available control measures not included
                                               Attainment Test.’’ States should base                    area did not attain the 2006 24-hour                  in the control strategy and must be fully
                                               modeling on national (e.g., EPA),                        PM2.5 NAAQS by December 31, 2014.                     adopted rules or measures that take
                                               regional (e.g., Western Regional Air                     Therefore, EPA is proposing to                        effect without any further action by the
                                               Partnership) or local modeling, or a                     disapprove the attainment                             state or the EPA. Contingency measures
                                               combination thereof, if appropriate. The                 demonstration portion of the 2012 SIP                 should also contain trigger mechanisms
                                               April 2007 guidance indicates that                       submission because the area failed to                 and an implementation schedule, and
                                               states should review supplemental                        attain by the projected attainment date.              should provide for emission reductions
                                               analyses, in combination with the                                                                              equivalent to one year’s worth of RFP
                                                                                                        Reasonable Further Progress and                       (57 FR 13498).
                                               modeling analysis, in a ‘‘weight of
                                                                                                        Quantitative Milestones                                  While the LRAPA discussed
                                               evidence’’ assessment to determine
                                               whether each area is likely to achieve                      For PM2.5 nonattainment areas, two                 contingency measures in the 2012 SIP
                                               timely attainment.                                       statutory provisions apply regarding                  submission, the ordinance enacting the
                                                  The LRAPA used a proportional ‘‘roll-                 RFP and quantitative milestones. First,               contingency measures was not included
                                               forward’’ model to project air quality                   under subpart 1, CAA section 172(c)(2)                in the SIP submission. Because the
                                               levels into the future. The linear model                 requires attainment plans to provide for              regulatory text of the contingency
                                               the LRAPA used for the Oakridge NAA                      RFP, which is defined in CAA section                  measures was not included in the 2012
                                               considered the concentrations of                         171(l) as ‘‘such annual incremental                   SIP submission, the EPA is proposing to
                                               individual chemical species analyzed                     reductions in emissions of the relevant               disapprove the 2012 SIP submission
                                               from the PM2.5 filters. The model does                   air pollutant as are required by [Part D              with respect to the contingency measure
                                               not account for secondary chemistry                      of Title I] or may reasonably be required             requirements of the CAA.
                                               because inert species comprise more                      by the Administrator for the purpose of
                                                                                                        ensuring attainment of the applicable                 Motor Vehicle Emissions Budget
                                               than 97% of the total PM2.5 in the
                                               Oakridge NAA. The EPA believes that                      national ambient air quality standard by                 Section 176(c) of the CAA requires
                                               the roll-forward model is an appropriate                 the applicable date.’’ Reasonable further             federal actions in nonattainment and
                                               approach for the Oakridge NAA due to                     progress is a requirement to assure that              maintenance areas to ‘‘conform to’’ the
                                               the limited number of emission sources                   states make steady, incremental progress              goals of SIPs. This means that such
                                               and source categories, the limited                       toward attaining air quality standards,               actions will not cause or contribute to
                                               contribution of secondary aerosol, and                   rather than deferring implementation of               violations of a NAAQS, worsen the
                                               the even dispersal of emission sources                   control measures and thereby emission                 severity of an existing violation, or
                                               across the area. The LRAPA determined                    reductions until before the date by                   delay timely attainment of any NAAQS
                                               the emission changes of each species                     which the standard is to be attained.                 or any interim milestone. Actions
                                               from the base year to a future attainment                Second, CAA section 189(c) requires                   involving Federal Highway
                                               year based on emissions growth or                        that attainment plans for the PM2.5                   Administration (FHWA) or Federal
                                               emissions reduction from trends in                       NAAQS to include ‘‘quantitative                       Transit Administration (FTA) funding
                                               technology and population, and                           milestones which are to be achieved                   or approval are subject to the
                                               considering both national control                        every 3 years until the area is                       transportation conformity rule (40 CFR
                                               measures (such as Tier 2 gasoline                        redesignated to attainment and which                  part 93, subpart A). Under this rule,
                                               vehicle standards), and control                          demonstrate reasonable further progress               metropolitan planning organizations
                                               measures included as part of the SIP                     . . . toward attainment by the                        (MPOs) in nonattainment and
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                                               submission. These emission changes                       applicable date.’’                                    maintenance areas coordinate with state
                                               and resulting changes in ambient                            In the 2012 SIP submission, the                    air quality and transportation agencies,
                                               chemical species levels were summed to                   LRAPA did not address RFP and                         the EPA, and the FHWA and the FTA
                                               estimate future year projected PM2.5                     quantitative milestone requirements.                  to demonstrate that their long-range
                                               concentrations.                                          The 2012 SIP submission projected                     transportation plans and transportation
                                                  The attainment demonstration starts                   attainment of the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS                    improvement programs (TIPs) conform
                                               with estimating the baseline design                      within five years of designation, or by               to applicable SIPs. This demonstration


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                                                                        Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 145 / Thursday, July 28, 2016 / Proposed Rules                                             49597

                                               is typically determined by showing that                  Federal Implementation Plan Provisions                    • The attainment year emission
                                               estimated emissions from existing and                    That Apply if a State Fails To Submit                   inventory to meet the section 172(c)(3)
                                               planned highway and transit systems                      an Approvable Plan                                      requirement for emissions inventories,
                                               are less than or equal to the motor                         In addition to sanctions, if the EPA                   • the section 172(c)(1) requirement
                                               vehicle emissions budgets (budgets)                      finds that a state failed to submit the                 for reasonably available control
                                               contained in a SIP.                                      required SIP revision or finalizes                      measures (RACM), including reasonably
                                                  For budgets to be approvable, they                    disapproval of the required SIP revision,               available control technology (RACT),
                                               must meet, at a minimum, the EPA’s                       or a portion thereof, the EPA must                        • the section 189(a)(1)(B) requirement
                                               adequacy criteria (40 CFR 93.118(e)(4)).                 promulgate a FIP no later than 2 years                  for an attainment demonstration,
                                               One of the adequacy criteria requires                    from the date of the finding if the                       • Transportation conformity and
                                               that motor vehicle emissions budgets                     deficiency has not been corrected                       MVEB,
                                               when considered together with all other                  within that time period.                                  • Section 172(c)(2) and section 189(c)
                                               emissions sources, are consistent with                                                                           requirements for RFP and quantitative
                                               the applicable requirements for                          Ramifications Regarding Conformity                      milestones, and
                                               reasonable further progress, attainment                     One consequence if EPA finalizes                       • Section 172(c)(9) requirement for
                                               or maintenance (40 CFR                                   disapproval of a control strategy SIP                   contingency measures.
                                               93.118(e)(4)(iv)). In this case the                      submission is a conformity freeze.2 If we               V. Statutory and Executive Order
                                               applicable requirement is attainment of                  finalize the disapproval of the                         Reviews
                                               the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS. The                        attainment demonstration SIP without a
                                               Oakridge NAA failed to attain the 2006                   protective finding, a conformity freeze                    Under the CAA, the Administrator is
                                               24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS by December 31,                      will be in place as of the effective date               required to approve a SIP submission
                                               2014, and the submitted motor vehicle                    of the disapproval (40 CFR                              that complies with the provisions of the
                                               emissions budgets therefore do not meet                  93.120(a)(2)).3 The Oakridge NAA is an                  Act and applicable Federal regulations.
                                               the aforementioned adequacy criterion.                   isolated rural area as defined in the                   42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a).
                                               Accordingly, EPA is proposing to                         transportation conformity rule (40 CFR                  Thus, in reviewing SIP submissions, the
                                               disapprove the submitted budgets.                        93.101). As such it does not have a                     EPA’s role is to approve state choices,
                                                                                                        metropolitan planning organization                      provided that they meet the criteria of
                                               III. Consequences of a Disapproved SIP                   (MPO), and there is no long range                       the CAA. Accordingly, this proposed
                                                 This section explains the                              transportation plan or TIP that would be                action merely approves state law as
                                               consequences of a disapproval of a SIP                   subject to a freeze. However the freeze                 meeting Federal requirements and does
                                               under the CAA. The Act provides for                      does mean that no projects in the                       not impose additional requirements
                                               the imposition of sanctions and the                      Oakridge NAA may be found to conform                    beyond those imposed by state law. For
                                               promulgation of a federal                                until another attainment demonstration                  that reason, this action:
                                               implementation plan (FIP) if a state fails               SIP is submitted and the motor vehicle                     • Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory
                                               to submit and the EPA approve a plan                     emissions budgets are found adequate or                 action’’ subject to review by the Office
                                               revision that corrects the deficiencies                  the attainment demonstration is                         of Management and Budget under
                                               identified by the EPA in its disapproval.                approved.                                               Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735,
                                                                                                                                                                October 4, 1993) and 13563 (76 FR 3821,
                                               The Act’s Provisions for Sanctions                       IV. The EPA’s Proposed Action                           January 21, 2011);
                                                  If the EPA finalizes disapproval of a                 Proposed Approval                                          • does not impose an information
                                               required SIP submission, such as an                                                                              collection burden under the provisions
                                                                                                          We propose to approve the following                   of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44
                                               attainment plan submission, or a                         elements of the 2012 SIP submission:                    U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
                                               portion thereof, CAA section 179(a)                        • Description of the Oakridge NAA
                                               provides for the imposition of sanctions                                                                            • is certified as not having a
                                                                                                        and listing as nonattainment, and
                                               unless the deficiency is corrected within                  • The base year 2008 emission                         significant economic impact on a
                                               18 months of the final rulemaking of                     inventory to meet the section 172(c)(3)                 substantial number of small entities
                                               disapproval. The first sanction would                    requirement for emissions inventories.                  under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
                                               apply 18 months after the EPA                                                                                    U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
                                                                                                        Proposed Disapproval                                       • does not contain any unfunded
                                               disapproves the SIP submission, or
                                                                                                          We propose to disapprove the                          mandate or significantly or uniquely
                                               portion therefore. Under EPA’s
                                                                                                        following elements of the 2012 SIP                      affect small governments, as described
                                               sanctions regulations, 40 CFR 52.31, the
                                                                                                        submission:                                             in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
                                               first sanction imposed would be 2:1
                                                                                                                                                                of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–4);
                                               offsets for sources subject to the new
                                                                                                        or approved during the time that the highway               • does not have Federalism
                                               source review requirements under
                                                                                                        sanction is imposed in an area. (See 61 FR 14363).      implications as specified in Executive
                                               section 173 of the Act. If the state has                    2 Control strategy SIP revisions as defined in the
                                                                                                                                                                Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10,
                                               still failed to submit a SIP submission                  transportation conformity include reasonable            1999);
                                               to correct the identified deficiencies for               further progress plans and attainment
                                                                                                                                                                   • is not an economically significant
                                               which the EPA proposes full or                           demonstrations (40 CFR 93.101).
                                                                                                           3 EPA would give a protective finding if the         regulatory action based on health or
                                               conditional approval 6 months after the                                                                          safety risks subject to Executive Order
                                                                                                        submitted control strategy SIP contains adopted
                                               first sanction is imposed, the second                    control measures or written commitments to adopt        13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997);
                                               sanction will apply. The second                          enforceable control measures that fully satisfy the        • is not a significant regulatory action
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                                               sanction is a prohibition on the                         emissions reductions requirements relevant to the
                                                                                                                                                                subject to Executive Order 13211 (66 FR
                                               approval or funding certain highway                      statutory provision for which the implementation
                                                                                                        plan revision was submitted, such as reasonable         28355, May 22, 2001);
                                               projects.1                                               further progress or attainment (40 CFR 93.101 and          • is not subject to requirements of
                                                                                                        93.120(a)(2) and (3)). The submitted attainment         Section 12(d) of the National
                                                 1 On April 1, 1996 the US Department of                plan for the Oakridge NAA does not contain all
                                               Transportation published a notice in the Federal         necessary controls to attain the 2006 24-hour PM2.5
                                                                                                                                                                Technology Transfer and Advancement
                                               Register describing the criteria to be used to           NAAQS and therefore is not eligible for a protective    Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) because
                                               determine which highway projects can be funded           finding.                                                application of those requirements would


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                                               49598                    Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 145 / Thursday, July 28, 2016 / Proposed Rules

                                               be inconsistent with the Clean Air Act;                  (NIOSH) respirator certification                      I. Executive Summary
                                               and                                                      requirements pertaining to respiratory
                                                                                                                                                              A. Does this action apply to me?
                                                  • does not provide the EPA with the                   protection of workers from exposure to
                                               discretionary authority to address, as                   chemicals. EPA is also proposing                         You may be potentially affected by
                                               appropriate, disproportionate human                      changes to the significant new uses of                this action if you manufacture (defined
                                               health or environmental effects, using                   chemical substances regulations based                 by TSCA to include import), process, or
                                               practicable and legally permissible                      on issues that have been identified by                use chemical substances subject to
                                               methods, under Executive Order 12898                     EPA and issues raised by public                       regulations in 40 CFR part 721. The
                                               (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).                         commenters for Significant New Use                    following list of North American
                                                  The SIP is not approved to apply on                   Rules (SNURs) previously proposed and                 Industrial Classification System
                                               any Indian reservation land or in any                    issued under these regulations.                       (NAICS) codes is not intended to be
                                               other area where the EPA or an Indian                    Additionally, EPA is proposing a minor                exhaustive, but rather provides a guide
                                               tribe has demonstrated that a tribe has                  change to reporting requirements for                  to help readers determine whether this
                                               jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian                   premanufacture notices (PMNs) and                     document applies to them. Potentially
                                               country, the rule does not have tribal                   other TSCA section 5 notices. EPA                     affected entities may include:
                                               implications and will not impose                         expects these changes to have minimal                    • Manufacturers or processors of
                                               substantial direct costs on tribal                       impacts on the costs and burdens of                   chemical substances (NAICS codes 325
                                               governments or preempt tribal law as                     complying, while updating the                         and 324), e.g., chemical manufacturing,
                                               specified by Executive Order 13175 (65                   significant new use reporting                         and petroleum and coals manufacturing.
                                               FR 67249, November 9, 2000).                             requirements to assist in addressing any
                                                                                                        potential effects to human health and                 B. What is the Agency’s authority for
                                               List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52                                                                             taking this action?
                                                                                                        the environment.
                                                 Environmental protection, Air                          DATES: Comments must be received on                      Section 5(a)(2) of TSCA (15 U.S.C.
                                               pollution control, Incorporation by                      or before September 26, 2016.                         2604(a)(2)) authorizes EPA to determine
                                               reference, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone,                                                                            that a use of a chemical substance is a
                                                                                                        ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
                                               Particulate matter, Reporting and                                                                              ‘‘significant new use.’’ EPA must make
                                               recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur                       identified by docket identification (ID)
                                                                                                        number EPA–HQ–OPPT–2014–0650, by                      this determination by rule after
                                               oxides, Volatile organic compounds.                                                                            considering all relevant factors,
                                                                                                        one of the following methods:
                                                Dated: July 18, 2016.                                      • Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://              including those listed in TSCA section
                                               Michelle L. Pirzadeh,                                    www.regulations.gov. Follow the online                5(a)(2). Such rules are called
                                               Acting Regional Administrator, Region 10.                instructions for submitting comments.                 ‘‘significant new use rules’’ (SNURs).
                                               [FR Doc. 2016–17714 Filed 7–27–16; 8:45 am]              Do not submit electronically any                      Once EPA determines that a use of a
                                               BILLING CODE 6560–50–P                                   information you consider to be                        chemical substance is a significant new
                                                                                                        Confidential Business Information (CBI)               use, TSCA section 5(a)(1)(B) requires
                                                                                                        or other information whose disclosure is              persons to submit a significant new use
                                               ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION                                 restricted by statute.                                notice (SNUN) to EPA at least 90 days
                                               AGENCY                                                      • Mail: Document Control Office                    before they manufacture or process the
                                                                                                        (7407M), Office of Pollution Prevention               chemical substance for that use (15
                                               40 CFR Parts 720, 721, and 723                           and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental                      U.S.C. 2604(a)(1)(B)). Section 5(a)(1)(A)
                                               [EPA–HQ–OPPT–2014–0650; FRL–9944–47]                     Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania                  of TSCA requires persons to notify EPA
                                                                                                        Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460–0001.                  at least 90 days before manufacturing a
                                               RIN 2070–AJ94
                                                                                                           • Hand Delivery: To make special                   new chemical substance for commercial
                                                                                                        arrangements for hand deliver or                      purposes (under TSCA manufacture
                                               Significant New Uses of Chemical                                                                               includes import). Section 3(9) of TSCA
                                               Substances; Updates to the Hazard                        delivery of boxed information, please
                                                                                                        follow the instructions at: http://                   defines a ‘‘new chemical substance’’ as
                                               Communication Program and                                                                                      any substance that is not on the TSCA
                                               Regulatory Framework; Minor                              www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html.
                                                                                                        Additional instructions on commenting                 Inventory of Chemical Substances
                                               Amendments to Reporting                                                                                        compiled by EPA under section 8(b) of
                                               Requirements for Premanufacture                          or visiting the docket, along with more
                                                                                                        information about dockets generally, is               TSCA.
                                               Notices
                                                                                                        available at http://www.epa.gov/                      C. What action is the Agency taking?
                                               AGENCY:  Environmental Protection                        dockets.
                                               Agency (EPA).                                                                                                    EPA is proposing changes to general
                                                                                                        FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:              For     requirements for SNURs in 40 CFR part
                                               ACTION: Proposed rule.                                   technical information contact: Jim                    721, Significant New Uses of Chemical
                                               SUMMARY:   EPA is proposing changes to                   Alwood, Chemical Control Division,                    Substances. Most of the proposed
                                               the existing regulations governing                       Office of Pollution Prevention and                    changes are changes to the standard
                                               significant new uses of chemical                         Toxics, Environmental Protection                      significant new uses for new chemical
                                               substances under the Toxic Substances                    Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.,                   SNURs identified in subpart B which
                                               Control Act (TSCA) to align these                        Washington, DC 20460–0001; telephone                  apply to chemical substances when they
                                               regulations with revisions to the                        number: (202) 564–8974; email address:                are cited in subpart E. Other proposed
                                               Occupational Safety and Health                           alwood.jim@epa.gov.                                   changes are procedural changes to the
Lhorne on DSK30JT082PROD with PROPOSALS




                                               Administration’s (OSHA) Hazard                             For general information contact: The                general provisions in subpart A that
                                               Communications Standard (HCS),                           TSCA-Hotline, ABVI-Goodwill, 422                      apply to all SNURs. EPA is also
                                               which are proposed to be cross                           South Clinton Ave., Rochester, NY                     clarifying in the preamble of this
                                               referenced, and with changes to the                      14620; telephone number: (202) 554–                   proposed rule some definitions
                                               OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard                     1404; email address: TSCA-Hotline@                    contained in 40 CFR part 721 and
                                               and the National Institute for                           epa.gov.                                              proposing a minor change to reporting
                                               Occupational Safety and Health                           SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            requirements for TSCA section 5 notices


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Document Created: 2016-07-28 01:47:31
Document Modified: 2016-07-28 01:47:31
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionProposed Rules
ActionProposed rule.
DatesComments must be received on or before August 29, 2016.
ContactChristi Duboiski at (360) 753-9081,
FR Citation81 FR 49592 
CFR AssociatedEnvironmental Protection; Air Pollution Control; Incorporation by Reference; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements; Sulfur Oxides and Volatile Organic Compounds

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