81_FR_78358 81 FR 78143 - California State Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Standards; Malfunction and Diagnostic System Requirements and Enforcement for 2004 and Subsequent Model Year Passenger Cars, Light Duty Trucks, and Medium Duty Vehicles and Engines; Notice of Decision

81 FR 78143 - California State Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Standards; Malfunction and Diagnostic System Requirements and Enforcement for 2004 and Subsequent Model Year Passenger Cars, Light Duty Trucks, and Medium Duty Vehicles and Engines; Notice of Decision

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 215 (November 7, 2016)

Page Range78143-78149
FR Document2016-26861

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is granting the California Air Resources Board's (``CARB'') request for a waiver of Clean Air Act preemption to enforce amendments to regulations entitled ``Malfunction and Diagnostic System Requirements--2004 and Subsequent Model-Year Passenger Cars, Light-Duty Trucks and Medium-Duty Vehicles and Engines'' (``OBD II Requirements'') and amendments to CARB's regulations entitled ``Enforcement of Malfunction and Diagnostic Systems Requirements for 2004 and Subsequent Model-Year Passenger Cars, Light-Duty Trucks, and Medium-Duty Vehicles and Engines'' (``OBD II Enforcement Regulation''). This decision is issued under the authority of the Clean Air Act (``CAA'' or ``the Act'').

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 215 (Monday, November 7, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 215 (Monday, November 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78143-78149]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-26861]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0573; FRL-9954-96-OAR]


California State Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Standards; 
Malfunction and Diagnostic System Requirements and Enforcement for 2004 
and Subsequent Model Year Passenger Cars, Light Duty Trucks, and Medium 
Duty Vehicles and Engines; Notice of Decision

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Decision.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is granting the 
California Air Resources Board's (``CARB'') request for a waiver of 
Clean Air Act preemption to enforce amendments to regulations entitled 
``Malfunction and Diagnostic System Requirements--2004 and Subsequent 
Model-Year Passenger Cars, Light-Duty Trucks and Medium-Duty Vehicles 
and Engines'' (``OBD II Requirements'') and amendments to CARB's 
regulations entitled ``Enforcement of Malfunction and Diagnostic 
Systems Requirements for 2004 and Subsequent Model-Year Passenger Cars, 
Light-Duty Trucks, and Medium-Duty Vehicles and Engines'' (``OBD II 
Enforcement Regulation''). This decision is issued under the authority 
of the Clean Air Act (``CAA'' or ``the Act'').

DATES: Petitions for review must be filed by January 6, 2017.

ADDRESSES: EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID 
EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0573. All documents relied upon in making this 
decision, including those submitted to EPA by CARB, are contained in 
the public docket. Publicly available docket materials are available 
either electronically through www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at 
the Air and Radiation Docket in the EPA Headquarters Library, EPA West 
Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC. The 
Public Reading Room is open to the public on all federal government 
working days from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; generally, it is open Monday 
through Friday, excluding holidays. The telephone number for the 
Reading Room is (202) 566-1744. The Air and Radiation Docket and 
Information Center's Web site is http://www.epa.gov/oar/docket.html. 
The email address for the Air and Radiation Docket is: [email protected], the telephone number is (202) 566-1742, and the fax 
number is (202) 566-9744. An electronic version of the public docket is 
available through the federal government's electronic public docket and 
comment system at http://www.regulations.gov. After opening the 
www.regulations.gov Web site, enter EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0573 in the ``Enter 
Keyword or ID'' fill-in box to view documents in the record. Although a 
part of the official docket, the public docket does not include 
Confidential Business Information (``CBI'') or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute.
    EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality (``OTAQ'') maintains 
a Web page that contains general information on its review of 
California waiver and authorization requests. Included on that page are 
links to prior waiver Federal Register notices, some of which are cited 
in today's notice; the page can be accessed at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/cafr.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Dickinson, Office of 
Transportation and Air Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. (6405J) NW., Washington, DC 20460. Telephone: 
(202) 343-9256. Fax: (202) 343-2800. Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    CARB initially adopted the OBD II regulation in July 1990 and has 
adopted a number of amendments subsequently. The OBD II regulation 
directs motor vehicle manufacturers to incorporate

[[Page 78144]]

vehicle onboard diagnostic systems meeting particular requirements on 
all new passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty vehicles and 
engines. Specifically, manufacturers are required to install OBD II 
systems that effectively monitor all emission-related components and 
systems on the motor vehicle for proper operation and for deterioration 
or malfunctions that cause emissions to exceed specific thresholds. The 
regulation also requires that OBD II systems provide specific 
diagnostic information in a standardized format through a standardized 
serial data link on-board the vehicles to ensure that service and 
repair technicians can properly and promptly repair identified 
malfunctions.
    EPA issued a waiver under section 209(b) of the CAA for the OBD II 
regulations, as last amended through 1995, on October 11, 1996.\1\ 
After the granting of the waiver, CARB adopted further amendments to 
the OBD II regulation in 1997 and 2003.\2\ CARB subsequently filed 
requests on December 24, 1997 and October 30, 2003, that the EPA 
respectively find the amendments to the OBD II Requirements adopted in 
1997 and 2003 be found to be within the scope of the previously granted 
OBD II waiver. The October 30, 2003, request further asked that OBD II 
Enforcement Regulation be found within the scope of the previously 
granted waivers for ``California's Enforcement of New and In-Use 
Vehicle Standards,'' title 13, Cal. Code Regs. Section 2100 et seq.\3\ 
EPA published a notice of opportunity for hearing and comment on the 
1997 and 2003 California requests on February 5, 2004.\4\
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    \1\ The decision was signed on October 2, 1996, and published at 
61 FR 53371 (October 11, 1996). Included in the waiver decision were 
the 1992, 1993, and 1995 amendments. CARB's initial OBD II 
regulations were codified at Title 13, California Code of 
Regulations (CCR), Section 1968.1
    \2\ The CARB Board (Board) initially approved the amendments at 
rulemakings held respectively on December 12, 1996 and April 25, 
2002. In 2003 (upon the final adoption of the amendments initially 
adopted in 2002), CARB codified the regulations at section 1968.2 
(this section carried over most of the monitoring requirements of 
section 1968.1, and apply to 2004 and subsequent model year 
vehicles). The 2003 amendments included several new provisions that 
expressly applied to vehicles after the date of the amendments. The 
2003 amendments also included OBD-II specific enforcement 
provisions, including requirements for post-assembly line evaluation 
of production vehicles (section 1968.2(j)) and in-use testing 
procedures at 1968.5
    \3\ See 61 FR 53371 (October 11, 1996), 43 FR 9344 (March 7, 
1978), and 43 FR 25729 (June 14, 1978) for grant of EPA's waivers 
for ``California's Enforcement of New and In-Use Vehicle Standards'' 
at title 13, CCR, section 2100 et seq. CARB's OBD II Requirements 
generally set monitoring requirements on various emission control 
components and the OBD II Enforcement Regulation generally sets 
forth the manufacturing testing requirements and expected follow up 
from manufacturers based on in-use testing results.
    \4\ See 69 FR 5542 (February 5, 2004). EPA has not issued a 
waiver determination regarding the 1997 and 2003 amendments.
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    On August 9, 2007, CARB adopted additional amendments to the OBD II 
Requirements and minor amendments to the OBD II Enforcement Regulation 
and to its emission warranty regulations. The 2007 OBD II Requirements 
amendments were made, inter alia, to address manufacturer compliance 
concerns and to align the monitoring requirements with those adopted by 
CARB in 2005 for heavy duty diesel engines.\5\ By letter dated January 
22, 2008, CARB requested that EPA find the 2007 amendments fall within 
the scope of the previous OBD II waiver.
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    \5\ Many of the amendments pertain to monitoring requirements 
for gasoline vehicles which CARB maintains were adopted to provide 
relief to manufacturers and to address their concerns about 
complying with the requirements. CARB also amended the OBD II 
requirements to address light- and medium-duty manufacturer concerns 
with complying with the malfunction thresholds for certain diesel 
emission controls and to better align the OBD II requirements with 
those that had been adopted for heavy-duty diesel engines in the HD 
OBD regulation. CARB also amended section 1968.5, including specific 
criteria in determining whether mandatory recall is appropriate for 
noncompliant OBD II systems that present valid testing of the 
affected vehicles in the California Smog Check program.
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    On April 5, 2010, CARB adopted additional amendments to the OBD II 
Requirements, but not to the OBD II Enforcement Regulation.\6\ The 2010 
OBD II Requirements amendments were made to primarily harmonize the 
medium-duty diesel vehicle requirements with revisions to monitoring 
requirements for heavy-duty diesel engines.\7\ By letter dated December 
15, 2010, CARB requested that EPA find that the 2010 OBD II 
Requirements amendments fall within the scope of the previous waiver or 
alternatively, that a new waiver be granted for the amendments.
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    \6\ The California Office of Administrative Law (OAL) approved 
the 2010 OBD II amendments on May 18, 2010 and the amendments 
primarily modify section 1968.2.
    \7\ The 2010 amendments include changes that relax the 
malfunction thresholds until the 2013 model year for three major 
emission controls: Particulate matter (PM) filters, oxides of 
nitrogen (NOX) catalysts, and NOX sensors.
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    On March 12, 2012, and on June 26, 2013, CARB adopted additional 
amendments to the OBD II Requirements and to the OBD II Enforcement 
Regulation. The 2012 OBD II Requirements amendments were primarily made 
to relax and/or clarify OBD II Requirements in response to manufacturer 
concerns. The 2013 OBD II Requirements amendments primarily affect 
medium-duty vehicles, to align the OBD II monitoring requirements with 
those adopted by CARB for heavy duty diesel engines. By letter dated 
February 12, 2014, CARB requested that EPA find that the 2012 and 2013 
OBD II amendments fall within the scope of the previous waiver or, 
alternatively, that a full waiver be granted for the amendments.
    The various amendments, noted above, to the OBD II Requirements are 
codified at title 13, California Code of Regulations, section 1968.2. 
The various amendments, noted above, to the OBD II Enforcement 
Regulations are codified at title 13, California Code of Regulations, 
section 1968.5. The scope of today's waiver specifically addresses the 
2007 through 2013 amendments, and sections 1968.2 and 1968.5.

II. Principles Governing this Review

A. Scope of Review

    Section 209(a) of the CAA provides:

    No State or any political subdivision thereof shall adopt or 
attempt to enforce any standard relating to the control of emissions 
from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines subject to this 
part. No State shall require certification, inspection or any other 
approval relating to the control of emissions from any new motor 
vehicle or new motor vehicle engine as condition precedent to the 
initial retail sale, titling (if any), or registration of such motor 
vehicle, motor vehicle engine, or equipment.\8\
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    \8\ CAA Sec.  209(a). 42 U.S.C. 7543(a).

    Section 209(b)(1) of the Act requires the Administrator, after an 
opportunity for public hearing, to waive application of the 
prohibitions of section 209(a) for any state that has adopted standards 
(other than crankcase emission standards) for the control of emissions 
from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines prior to March 30, 
1966, if the state determines that its state standards will be, in the 
aggregate, at least as protective of public health and welfare as 
applicable federal standards.\9\ However, no such waiver shall be 
granted if the Administrator finds that: (A) The protectiveness 
determination of the state is arbitrary and capricious; (B) the state 
does not need such state standards to meet compelling and extraordinary 
conditions; or (C) such state standards and accompanying enforcement 
procedures are not consistent with section 202(a) of the Act.\10\
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    \9\ CAA Sec.  209(b)(1). 42 U.S.C. 7543(b)(1). California is the 
only state that meets section 209(b)(1)'s requirement for obtaining 
a waiver. See S. Rep. No. 90-403 at 632 (1967).
    \10\ CAA Sec.  209(b)(1). 42 U.S.C. 7543(b)(1).

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[[Page 78145]]

    Key principles governing this review are that EPA should limit its 
inquiry to the specific findings identified in section 209(b)(1) of the 
Clean Air Act, and that EPA will give substantial deference to the 
policy judgments California has made in adopting its regulations. In 
previous waiver decisions, EPA has stated that Congress intended the 
Agency's review of California's decision-making to be narrow. EPA has 
rejected arguments that are not specified in the statute as grounds for 
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denying a waiver:

    The law makes it clear that the waiver requests cannot be denied 
unless the specific findings designated in the statute can properly 
be made. The issue of whether a proposed California requirement is 
likely to result in only marginal improvement in California air 
quality not commensurate with its costs or is otherwise an arguably 
unwise exercise of regulatory power is not legally pertinent to my 
decision under section 209, so long as the California requirement is 
consistent with section 202(a) and is more stringent than applicable 
Federal requirements in the sense that it may result in some further 
reduction in air pollution in California.\11\
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    \11\ ``Waiver of Application of Clean Air Act to California 
State Standards,'' 36 FR 17458 (Aug. 31, 1971). The more stringent 
standard expressed here, in 1971, was superseded by the 1977 
amendments to section 209, which established that California must 
determine that its standards are, in the aggregate, at least as 
protective of public health and welfare as applicable federal 
standards.
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    This principle of narrow EPA review has been upheld by the U.S. 
Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.\12\ Thus, EPA's 
consideration of all the evidence submitted concerning a waiver 
decision is circumscribed by its relevance to those questions that may 
be considered under section 209(b)(1).
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    \12\ See, e.g., Motor and Equip. Mfrs Assoc. v. EPA, 627 F.2d 
1095 (D.C. Cir. 1979) (``MEMA I'').
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    If California amends regulations that were previously waived by 
EPA, California may ask EPA to determine that the amendments are within 
the scope of the earlier waiver. A within-the-scope determination for 
such amendments is permissible without a full authorization review if 
three conditions are met. First, the amended regulations must not 
undermine California's previous determination that its standards, in 
the aggregate, are as protective of public health and welfare as 
applicable federal standards. Second, the amended regulations must not 
affect consistency with section 202(a) of the Act, following the same 
criteria discussed above in the context of full waivers. Third, the 
amended regulations must not raise any ``new issues'' affecting EPA's 
prior waivers.\13\
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    \13\ See ``California State Motor Vehicle Pollution Control 
Standards; Amendments Within the Scope of Previous Waiver of Federal 
Preemption,'' 46 FR 36742 (July 15, 1981).
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B. Burden and Standard of Proof

    As the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has made clear in 
MEMA I, opponents of a waiver request by California bear the burden of 
showing that the statutory criteria for a denial of the request have 
been met:

[T]he language of the statute and its legislative history indicate 
that California's regulations, and California's determinations that 
they must comply with the statute, when presented to the 
Administrator are presumed to satisfy the waiver requirements and 
that the burden of proving otherwise is on whoever attacks them. 
California must present its regulations and findings at the hearing 
and thereafter the parties opposing the waiver request bear the 
burden of persuading the Administrator that the waiver request 
should be denied.\14\
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    \14\ MEMA I, note 19, at 1121.

    The Administrator's burden, on the other hand, is to make a 
reasonable evaluation of the information in the record in coming to the 
waiver decision. As the court in MEMA I stated: ``here, too, if the 
Administrator ignores evidence demonstrating that the waiver should not 
be granted, or if he seeks to overcome that evidence with unsupported 
assumptions of his own, he runs the risk of having his waiver decision 
set aside as `arbitrary and capricious.'' ' \15\ Therefore, the 
Administrator's burden is to act ``reasonably.'' \16\
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    \15\ Id. at 1126.
    \16\ Id. at 1126.
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    With regard to the standard of proof, the court in MEMA I explained 
that the Administrator's role in a section 209 proceeding is to:

[. . .]consider all evidence that passes the threshold test of 
materiality and . . . thereafter assess such material evidence 
against a standard of proof to determine whether the parties 
favoring a denial of the waiver have shown that the factual 
circumstances exist in which Congress intended a denial of the 
waiver.\17\
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    \17\ Id. at 1122.

    In that decision, the court considered the standards of proof under 
section 209 for the two findings related to granting a waiver for an 
``accompanying enforcement procedure.'' Those findings involve: (1) 
Whether the enforcement procedures impact California's prior 
protectiveness determination for the associated standards, and (2) 
whether the procedures are consistent with section 202(a). The 
principles set forth by the court, however, are similarly applicable to 
an EPA review of a request for a waiver of preemption for a standard. 
The court instructed that ``the standard of proof must take account of 
the nature of the risk of error involved in any given decision, and it 
therefore varies with the finding involved. We need not decide how this 
standard operates in every waiver decision.'' \18\
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    \18\ Id.
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    With regard to the protectiveness finding, the court upheld the 
Administrator's position that, to deny a waiver, there must be ``clear 
and compelling evidence'' to show that proposed enforcement procedures 
undermine the protectiveness of California's standards.\19\ The court 
noted that this standard of proof also accords with the congressional 
intent to provide California with the broadest possible discretion in 
setting regulations it finds protective of the public health and 
welfare.\20\
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    \19\ Id.
    \20\ Id.
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    With respect to the consistency finding, the court did not 
articulate a standard of proof applicable to all proceedings, but found 
that the opponents of the waiver were unable to meet their burden of 
proof even if the standard were a mere preponderance of the evidence. 
Although MEMA I did not explicitly consider the standards of proof 
under section 209 concerning a waiver request for ``standards,'' as 
compared to a waiver request for accompanying enforcement procedures, 
there is nothing in the opinion to suggest that the court's analysis 
would not apply with equal force to such determinations. EPA's past 
waiver decisions have consistently made clear that: ``[E]ven in the two 
areas concededly reserved for Federal judgment by this legislation--the 
existence of `compelling and extraordinary' conditions and whether the 
standards are technologically feasible--Congress intended that the 
standards of EPA review of the State decision to be a narrow one.'' 
\21\
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    \21\ See, e.g., ``California State Motor Vehicle Pollution 
Control Standards; Waiver of Federal Preemption,'' 40 FR 23102 (May 
28, 1975), at 23103.
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C. Deference to California

    In previous waiver decisions, EPA has recognized that the intent of 
Congress in creating a limited review based on specifically listed 
criteria was to ensure that the federal government did not second-guess 
state policy choices. As the Agency explained in one prior waiver 
decision:

It is worth noting . . . I would feel constrained to approve a 
California approach to the problem which I might also feel unable to 
adopt at the federal level in my own capacity as a regulator.. . . 
Since a balancing of risks and costs against the potential

[[Page 78146]]

benefits from reduced emissions is a central policy decision for any 
regulatory agency under the statutory scheme outlined above, I 
believe I am required to give very substantial deference to 
California's judgments on this score.\22\
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    \22\ 40 FR 23102, 23103-04 (May 28, 1975).

    Similarly, EPA has stated that the text, structure, and history of 
the California waiver provision clearly indicate both a congressional 
intent and appropriate EPA practice of leaving the decision on 
``ambiguous and controversial matters of public policy'' to 
California's judgment.\23\ This interpretation is supported by relevant 
discussion in the House Committee Report for the 1977 amendments to the 
CAA. Congress had the opportunity through the 1977 amendments to 
restrict the preexisting waiver provision, but elected instead to 
expand California's flexibility to adopt a complete program of motor 
vehicle emission controls. The report explains that the amendment is 
intended to ratify and strengthen the preexisting California waiver 
provision and to affirm the underlying intent of that provision, that 
is, to afford California the broadest possible discretion in selecting 
the best means to protect the health of its citizens and the public 
welfare.\24\
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    \23\ 40 FR 23102, 23104 (May 28, 1975); 58 FR 4166 (January 13, 
1993).
    \24\ MEMA I, 627 F.2d at 1110 (citing H.R. Rep. No. 294, 95th 
Cong., 1st Sess. 301-02 (1977)).
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D. EPA's Administrative Process in Consideration of California's 
Requests

    On November 20, 2014, EPA published a notice of opportunity for 
public hearing and comment on California's waiver requests (November 
20, 2014 Notice). EPA scheduled a public hearing concerning CARB's 
request for January 14, 2015, and asked for written comments to be 
submitted by February 16, 2015.\25\ EPA's notice of CARB's requests 
invited public comment on the following: Whether CARB's 2007, 2010, 
2012, and 2013 OBD II amendments, individually or collectively 
assessed, should be considered under the within-the-scope analysis or 
under the ``full waiver criteria.'' To the extent such amendment(s) 
should be considered under the within-the-scope criteria, EPA requested 
comment on whether the amendment(s) ``(1) undermine California's 
previous determination that its standards, in the aggregate, are at 
least protective of public health and welfare as comparable Federal 
standards, (2) affect the consistency of California's requirements with 
section 202(a) of the Act, and (3) raise any ``new issue'' affecting 
EPA's previous waiver or authorization determinations.''
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    \25\ 79 FR 69106 (November 20, 2014).
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    To the extent any party believed that the 2007, 2010, 2012, or 2013 
OBD II amendments do not merit consideration as within-the-scope of the 
previous waiver, EPA also requested comment on whether those amendments 
meet the criteria for a full waiver, specifically ``Whether (a) 
California's determination that its motor vehicle emission standards 
are, in the aggregate, at least as protective of public health and 
welfare as applicable federal standards is arbitrary and capricious, 
(b) California needs such standards to meet compelling and 
extraordinary conditions, and (c) California's standards and 
accompanying enforcement procedures are consistent with section 202(a) 
of the Clean Air Act.''
    As noted above, EPA has previously given notice and taken comments 
on CARB's requests for within-the-scope determinations related to 
CARB's 1997 and 2003 OBD II amendments. Thus EPA sought additional 
comment on any relevant effects the more recent OBD II amendments may 
have on the prior 1997 and 2003 OBD II amendments. EPA received no 
comment or evidence suggesting that the more recent OBD II amendments, 
which are the subject of this waiver, would have any effect on them.
    Additionally, EPA received no requests for a public hearing, so EPA 
did not hold a hearing. EPA received no written comments on the 
November 20, 2014 Notice. EPA bases its waiver determination on the 
public record which in this instance consists of the waiver requests 
dated January 11, 2008, December 15, 2010, and February 12, 2014, and 
supporting materials submitted by CARB.

III. Discussion

    As noted, EPA previously issued CARB a waiver for its OBD II 
Requirements for light- and medium-duty vehicles in 1996. Since that 
time EPA has offered an opportunity for public hearing and took public 
comment on CARB's 1997 and 2003 OBD II Requirements and Enforcement 
Regulation amendments, and EPA has received three additional waiver 
requests from CARB relating to its 2007, 2010, 2012, and 2013 OBD II 
amendments. EPA may evaluate CARB's waiver request under the within-
the-scope criteria if three criteria are met, including whether CARB's 
regulation or amendments raise any new issues. EPA has generally found 
``new issues'' to exist if CARB's regulatory amendments include new 
more stringent standards or require updated emission control technology 
or other requirements on manufacturers or fleet operators. EPA believes 
that new issues may also exist when EPA has adopted its own emission 
standards, for the regulated industry, in the intervening years between 
when EPA last considered CARB's regulatory program. In this instance, 
as a result of the significant evolution of CARB's OBD II regulatory 
program since 1996, the sheer number of amendments--some in part 
designed to address a variety of manufacturers concerns with the 
technological feasibility of complying with previous versions of the 
OBD II regulations, EPA has evaluated these requests under the full 
waiver criteria.\26\ Evaluating the amendments under the criteria for a 
full waiver has provided EPA and other stakeholders with a full 
opportunity to explore whether CARB's standards are as protective of 
public health and welfare, in the aggregate, as applicable federal 
standards and whether CARB's standards (as amended) are technologically 
feasible and otherwise consistent with section 202(a). Given that 
CARB's 2007 and later OBD II amendments significantly modify the OBD II 
program after the amendments of 1997 and 2003, EPA has considered, and 
applied the full waiver criteria to, CARB's regulations as of the date 
of the adoption of the 2007 amendments up through the adoption of the 
most recent amendments in 2013.
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    \26\ EPA notes that no comment suggested that the amendments do 
not meet the criteria for a within-the-scope determination. EPA is 
making no decision on whether the amendments do or do not meet the 
criteria for a within-the-scope determination.
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A. California's Protectiveness Determination

    Section 209(b)(1)(A) of the Act sets forth the first of the three 
criteria governing a waiver request--whether California was arbitrary 
and capricious in its determination that its state standards will be, 
in the aggregate, at least as protective of public health and welfare 
as applicable federal standards. Section 209(b)(1)(A) of the CAA 
requires EPA to deny a waiver if the Administrator finds that 
California's protectiveness determination was arbitrary and capricious. 
However, a finding that California's determination was arbitrary and 
capricious must be based upon clear and convincing evidence that 
California's finding was unreasonable.\27\
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    \27\ MEMA I, 627 F.2d at 1122, 1124 (``Once California has come 
forward with a finding that the procedures it seeks to adopt will 
not undermine the protectiveness of its standards, parties opposing 
the waiver request must show that this finding is unreasonable.''); 
see also 78 FR 2112, at 2121 (Jan. 9, 2013).

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[[Page 78147]]

    CARB made protectiveness determinations in adopting each of the OBD 
II amendments, and found that the OBD II Requirements and OBD II 
Enforcement Regulation would not cause California motor vehicle 
emissions standards, in the aggregate, to be less protective of the 
public health and welfare than applicable federal standards.\28\
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    \28\ See CARB Board Resolutions 06-26, 09-37, 12-11, 12-21, and 
12-29.
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    In adopting the initial OBD II Requirements and subsequent 
amendments thereto in 1989 through 1994, CARB resolved that its 
standards, in the aggregate, were at least as protective of public 
health and welfare as the applicable federal standards, including 
federal OBD standards. In granting the 1996 waiver, the Administrator 
held that she could not find the CARB's determination was arbitrary and 
capricious.\29\
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    \29\ See OBD II Waiver Decision Document at 34.
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    CARB maintains that its most recent round of amendments (the 2012 
and 2013 Amendments) do not disturb the finding from 1996, even though 
EPA has since adopted amendments to its federal OBD requirements. ``The 
2012 amended OBD II requirements, considered as a whole, continue to be 
more stringent than the federal OBD regulation for light-duty vehicles 
and trucks and heavy-duty trucks (under the federal regulation) of the 
same vehicle weight rating as the California medium-duty vehicle 
category. The Board affirmed this determination in Resolutions 12-11 
and 12-21.'' \30\ Likewise, with regard to the 2013 Amendments 
pertaining to the OBD II requirements set forth in section 1968.2 of 
the CCR and the OBD II Enforcement Regulation set forth at 1968.5 of 
the CCR, CARB notes that in the adoption of Resolution 12-29, the Board 
``expressly found that the 2013 Amendments to the OBD II Requirements 
and related enforcement regulations (sections 1968.2 and 1968.5) do not 
undermine California's previous determinations that its standards are, 
in the aggregate, at least as protective of the public health and 
welfare as applicable federal standards.'' \31\
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    \30\ See 2014 Waiver Request Support Document at 63.
    \31\ Id. at 55.
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    In addition, CARB notes similar protectiveness findings with regard 
to its 2007 and 2010 amendments. In the context of its 2007 amendments, 
CARB notes that generally the California OBD II Requirements set forth 
that components be monitored to indicate malfunctions when component 
deterioration or failures cause emissions to exceed 1.5 times the 
applicable tailpipe emission standards and that the regulation also 
requires components be monitored for functional performance even if the 
failure of such components does not cause emissions to exceed 1.5 times 
the applicable standard threshold. In contrast, CARB notes that the 
federal requirements only require monitoring of the catalyst, engine 
misfire, evaporative emission control system and oxygen sensors, and 
that other emission control systems and components need only be 
monitored if by their malfunctioning the vehicle would exceed 1.5 times 
the applicable tailpipe standard (thus, not for functional 
performance). CARB notes ``The amended OBD II requirements, considered 
as a whole, continue to be more stringent than the federal OBD 
regulation for light-duty vehicles and trucks and heavy-duty trucks 
(under the federal regulation) of the same vehicle weight rating as the 
California medium-duty vehicle category. The Board affirmed this 
determination in Resolution 12-29.'' \32\
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    \32\ Id. at 56.
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    EPA received no comments or evidence suggesting that CARB's 
protectiveness determination is arbitrary and capricious. In 
particular, no commenter disputes that California standards, whether 
looking at the particular California standards analyzed in this 
proceeding or the entire suite of California standards applicable to 
light- and medium-duty motor vehicles, are at least as stringent, in 
the aggregate, as applicable federal standards.
    Because no commenters have presented evidence to show that CARB's 
protectiveness determinations are arbitrary and capricious, and EPA is 
not otherwise aware of such evidence, EPA cannot find that California's 
protectiveness determinations are arbitrary and capricious nor deny the 
waiver requests under this waiver criterion.

B. Whether the Standards Are Necessary To Meet Compelling and 
Extraordinary Conditions

    Section 209(b)(1)(B) instructs EPA not to grant a waiver if the 
Agency finds that California ``does not need such State standards to 
meet compelling and extraordinary conditions.'' EPA's inquiry under 
this second criterion has traditionally been to determine whether 
California needs its own mobile source pollution program (i.e. set of 
standards) to meet compelling and extraordinary conditions, and not 
whether the specific standards (i.e., OBD II Requirements and OBD II 
Enforcement Regulation) that are the subject of the waiver request are 
necessary to meet such conditions.\33\ In recent waiver actions, EPA 
again examined the language of section 209(b)(1)(B) and reiterated this 
longstanding traditional interpretation as the better approach for 
analyzing the need for ``such State standards'' to meet ``compelling 
and extraordinary conditions.'' \34\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \33\ See California State Motor Vehicle Pollution Control 
Standards; Notice of Decision Granting a Waiver of Clean Air Act 
Preemption for California's 2009 and Subsequent Model Year 
Greenhouse Gas Emission Standards for New Motor Vehicles,'' 74 FR 
32744 (July 8, 2009), at 32761; see also ``California State Motor 
Vehicle Pollution Control Standards; Waiver of Federal Preemption 
Notice of Decision,'' 49 FR 18887 (May 3, 1984), at 18889-18890.
    \34\ See 78 FR 2112, at 2125-26 (Jan. 9, 2013) (``EPA does not 
look at whether the specific standards at issue are needed to meet 
compelling and extraordinary conditions related to that air 
pollutant.'' See also EPA's July 9, 2009 GHG Waiver Decision wherein 
EPA rejected the suggested interpretation of section 209(b)(1)(B) as 
requiring a review of the specific need for California's new motor 
vehicle greenhouse gas emission standards as opposed to the 
traditional interpretation (need for the program as a whole) applied 
to local or regional air pollution problems.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CARB confirmed in Resolutions 06-26 (2007 Amendments), 09-37 (2010 
Amendments) and 12-29 (2013 Amendments) that California continues to 
need its own motor vehicle program to meet serious ongoing air 
pollution problems.\35\ CARB asserted that ``[t]he geographical and 
climatic conditions and the tremendous growth in vehicle population and 
use that moved Congress to authorize California to establish vehicle 
standards in 1967 still exist today. EPA has long confirmed the ARB's 
judgment, on behalf of the State of California, on this matter . . . 
and therefore there can be no doubt of the continuing existence of 
compelling and extraordinary conditions justifying California's need 
for its own motor vehicle emissions control program.'' \36\ CARB also 
notes that ``[n]othing in these conditions has changed to warrant a 
change in EPA's confirmation, and therefore there can be no doubt of 
the continuing existence of compelling and extraordinary conditions 
justifying California's need for its own motor vehicle emission 
program.\37\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \35\ 2014 Waiver Request Support Document at 16-17.
    \36\ Id. at 17, 45 (citing 70 FR 50322, 50323 (August 26, 2005), 
77 FR 73459, 73461 (December 10, 2012).
    \37\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    There has been no evidence submitted to indicate that California's 
compelling and extraordinary conditions do not continue to exist. 
California, particularly the South Coast and San Joaquin Valley air 
basins, continues to experience some of the worst air quality in the 
nation and continues to be in

[[Page 78148]]

non-attainment with national ambient air quality standards for fine 
particulate matter and ozone.\38\ As previously stated, according to 
California ``nothing in [California's unique geographic and climatic] 
conditions has changed to warrant a change in this determination.'' 
\39\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \38\ 74 FR 32744, 32762-63 (July 8, 2009).
    \39\ 74 FR 32744, 32762 (July 8, 2009); 76 FR 77515, 77518 
(December 13, 2011).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Based on the record before us, EPA is unable to identify any change 
in circumstances or evidence to suggest that the conditions that 
Congress identified as giving rise to serious air quality problems in 
California no longer exist. Therefore, EPA cannot deny the waiver 
requests based on this waiver prong.

D. Consistency With Section 202(a)

    For the third and final criterion, EPA evaluates the OBD II 
Requirements and OBD II Enforcement Regulation that are subject to this 
waiver request for consistency with section 202(a) of the CAA. Under 
section 209(b)(1)(C) of the CAA, EPA must deny California's waiver 
request if EPA finds that California's standards and accompanying 
enforcement procedures are not consistent with section 202(a). Section 
202(a) requires that regulations ``shall take effect after such period 
as the Administrator finds necessary to permit the development and 
application of the relevant technology, considering the cost of 
compliance within that time.''
    EPA has previously stated that the determination is limited to 
whether those opposed to the waiver have met their burden of 
establishing that California's standards are technologically 
infeasible, or that California's test procedures impose requirements 
inconsistent with the federal test procedure. Infeasibility is shown by 
demonstrating that there is inadequate lead time, from the time of 
CARB's adoption, to permit the development of technology necessary to 
meet the OBD II Requirements and OBD II Enforcement Regulation that are 
subject to the waiver request, giving appropriate consideration to the 
cost of compliance within that time.\40\ California's accompanying 
enforcement procedures would also be inconsistent with section 202(a) 
if the federal and California test procedures conflicted, i.e., if 
manufacturers would be unable to meet both the California and federal 
test requirements with the same test vehicle.\41\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \40\ See, e.g., 38 FR 30136 (November 1, 1973) and 40 FR 30311 
(July 18, 1975).
    \41\ See, e.g., 43 FR 32182 (July 25, 1978).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    EPA has reviewed the information submitted to the record by CARB to 
determine whether the parties opposing the waiver (no comments opposing 
the waiver have been submitted) requests have met their burden to 
demonstrate that the OBD II Requirements and OBD II Enforcement 
Regulation subject to the waiver requests are not consistent with 
section 202(a). Regarding potential test procedure conflict, as CARB 
notes, there is no issue of test procedure inconsistency because the 
federal regulations provide that manufacturers of engines and vehicles 
certified to California's OBD II Requirements are allowed to 
demonstrate compliance with the federal standards due to the ``deemed 
to comply'' provisions of EPA's standards.\42\ EPA has received no 
adverse comment or evidence of test procedure inconsistency. Therefore, 
EPA cannot deny the waiver on the grounds of test procedure 
inconsistency.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \42\ See 40 CFR 1806-05(j).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    EPA did not receive comments arguing that the OBD II Requirements 
and OBD II Enforcement Regulation were infeasible when reviewed purely 
as a matter of technology or cost.
    In the context of CARB's 2007 amendments, CARB notes that ``[a]s 
set forth in detail in the ISORs [Initial Statement of Reasons] and the 
Final Statement of Reasons for the 2003 and 2007 amendments . . ., and 
in the ISOR and Final Statement of Reasons for the HD OBD rule . . ., 
CARB has identified specific technologies for near-term implementation 
dates for the amended monitoring requirements as they apply to gasoline 
and diesel light- and medium-duty vehicles. Consistent with EPA's 
continuum analysis for determining technical feasibility, all 
monitoring requirements that manufacturers are required to implement in 
the near term have been required since adoption of the 2003 amendments 
and sufficient lead time has been provided. Among other things, the 
amendments have provided additional lead time and phase-in schedules 
for several gasoline engine monitors (e.g., catalyst monitoring) and 
nearly all diesel engine monitors and have relaxed requirements for 
other monitors (e.g. secondary air system, monitoring on gasoline 
vehicles).'' \43\ CARB also notes the 2007 amendments specifically 
address concerns that were raised about the feasibility of the 2003 OBD 
II amendments as applied to light- and medium duty diesel vehicles 
beginning in model year 2004, including by providing higher interim 
malfunction thresholds through the 2012 model year for both light- and 
medium-duty vehicles and permanent malfunction thresholds for medium-
duty diesel engines starting with the 2013 model year.\44\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \43\ 2007 Waiver Support Document at 33.
    \44\ Id. at 33-34.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As previously explained, in the context of the November 20, 2014 
Notice, EPA requested and received no comments stating that the 2003 
OBD amendments when read together with the 2007 OBD amendments create 
requirements that are technologically infeasible. As noted above, CARB 
has provided additional lead time and phase-in schedules for several of 
their gasoline engine monitors (e.g., catalyst monitoring) 
requirements, and nearly all of CARB's diesel engine monitors 
requirements, and they have relaxed requirements for other monitors 
(e.g. secondary air system) on gasoline vehicles.
    CARB also addresses the technological feasibility of the new 
monitoring requirements associated with the 2007 amendments. CARB 
states and EPA agrees that most of the 2012 and 2013 amendments either 
relax or clarify existing provisions and therefore, largely provide 
additional compliance flexibility to the regulated industry. For 
example, CARB identified the use of front and rear oxygen sensor 
signals in order for manufacturers to monitor air-fuel ratios, and 
provided manufacturers with approximately five years of lead time and a 
phase-in of the requirement for most vehicles between the 2011 and 2013 
model years, along with the use of a higher interim threshold during 
the phase-in period. CARB also identified similar compliance 
flexibilities for diesel vehicles starting with the 2007 model year and 
based on CARB's HD OBD regulatory experience.\45\ CARB makes similar 
arguments with regards to its 2010 and later amendments. EPA also did 
not receive any comments arguing that the new monitoring requirements 
contained in the 2007 Amendments, and the additional requirements found 
in the 2010, 2012, and 2013 OBD Amendments were technologically 
infeasible or that the cost of compliance would be excessive, such that 
California's standards might be inconsistent with section 202(a).\46\ 
In EPA's review of the 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2013 OBD Amendments, we 
likewise cannot identify any requirements that appear technologically 
infeasible or excessively expensive for manufacturers to

[[Page 78149]]

implement within the timeframes provided by California at the time of 
adoption of the amendments. EPA therefore cannot find that the OBD II 
Requirements and OBD II Enforcement Regulations do not provide adequate 
lead time or are otherwise not technically feasible. In summary, no 
evidence is in the record to show that the OBD II Requirements and OBD 
II Enforcement Regulation are technologically infeasible, considering 
costs of compliance. Indeed, such a finding is particularly unlikely 
where CARB has continued to delay and phase-in the monitoring 
requirements and in some instances adjust the malfunction thresholds to 
be less burdensome. As such, the record does not support a finding that 
the OBD II Requirements and OBD II Enforcement Regulation are 
inconsistent with Section 202(a).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \45\ Id.
    \46\ See, e.g., 78 FR 2134 (Jan. 9, 2013), 47 FR 7306, 7309 
(Feb. 18, 1982), 43 FR 25735 (Jun. 17, 1978), and 46 FR 26371, 26373 
(May 12, 1981).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. Decision

    The Administrator has delegated the authority to grant California 
section 209(b) waivers to the Assistant Administrator for Air and 
Radiation. After evaluating CARB's amendments to the OBD II 
Requirements and OBD II Enforcement Regulation described above and 
CARB's submissions for EPA review, EPA is hereby granting a waiver for 
California's 2007, 2010, 2012, and 2013 amendments to its OBD II 
Requirements and OBD II Enforcement Regulation.
    This decision will affect not only persons in California, but also 
manufacturers nationwide who must comply with California's 
requirements. In addition, because other states may adopt California's 
standards for which a section 209(b) waiver has been granted under 
section 177 of the Act if certain criteria are met, this decision would 
also affect those states and those persons in such states. For these 
reasons, EPA determines and finds that this is a final action of 
national applicability, and also a final action of nationwide scope or 
effect for purposes of section 307(b)(1) of the Act. Pursuant to 
section 307(b)(1) of the Act, judicial review of this final action may 
be sought only in the United States Court of Appeals for the District 
of Columbia Circuit. Petitions for review must be filed by January 6, 
2017. Judicial review of this final action may not be obtained in 
subsequent enforcement proceedings, pursuant to section 307(b)(2) of 
the Act.

V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

    As with past waiver decisions, this action is not a rule as defined 
by Executive Order 12866. Therefore, it is exempt from review by the 
Office of Management and Budget as required for rules and regulations 
by Executive Order 12866.
    In addition, this action is not a rule as defined in the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601(2). Therefore, EPA has not prepared a 
supporting regulatory flexibility analysis addressing the impact of 
this action on small business entities.
    Further, the Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801, et seq., as 
added by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 
1996, does not apply because this action is not a rule for purposes of 
5 U.S.C. 804(3).

    Dated: October 24, 2016.
Janet McCabe,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 2016-26861 Filed 11-4-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P



                                                                            Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 215 / Monday, November 7, 2016 / Notices                                          78143

                                                vessels, and passenger vessels. The                     matter, and EPA invites any comments                  ADDRESSES:   EPA has established a
                                                mobile pumpout boats have a capacity                    relevant to this proposed determination.              docket for this action under Docket ID
                                                between 40 and 450 gallons and cover                    As noted above, EPA’s authority under                 EPA–HQ–OAR–2013–0573. All
                                                vast areas geographically as they are                   Clean Water Act section 312(f)(3) is to               documents relied upon in making this
                                                able to move to vessels, although some                  determine whether adequate pumpout                    decision, including those submitted to
                                                stay within their own marina or harbor                  facilities are reasonably available and               EPA by CARB, are contained in the
                                                area. In addition to the pumpouts                       EPA is therefore seeking comments on                  public docket. Publicly available docket
                                                described above, there are                              this determination only. If, after the                materials are available either
                                                approximately 140 licensed or certified                 public comment period ends, EPA                       electronically through
                                                pumper truck companies in Puget                         makes a final affirmative determination               www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at
                                                Sound that primarily pump out septic                    that adequate facilities for the safe and             the Air and Radiation Docket in the EPA
                                                tanks, but that can also pump out vessel                sanitary removal and treatment of                     Headquarters Library, EPA West
                                                sewage. The number of trucks in each                    sewage from all vessels are reasonably                Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution
                                                company ranges from 1–13, and                           available for the waters of Puget Sound,              Avenue NW., Washington, DC. The
                                                approximately half of these companies                   the State may, in accordance with CWA                 Public Reading Room is open to the
                                                contacted by the State are currently, or                section 312(f)(3), completely prohibit                public on all federal government
                                                are willing to, pump out commercial                     the discharge from all vessels of any                 working days from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
                                                vessel sewage.                                          sewage, whether treated or not, into                  p.m.; generally, it is open Monday
                                                  The State indicates that the number of                those waters.                                         through Friday, excluding holidays. The
                                                commercial vessels that are likely to be                                                                      telephone number for the Reading Room
                                                                                                          Dated: October 27, 2016.
                                                in regular need of pumpout facilities                                                                         is (202) 566–1744. The Air and
                                                with a NDZ would include the non-                       Dennis McLerran,
                                                                                                                                                              Radiation Docket and Information
                                                ocean going vessels that include                        Regional Administrator, Region 10.
                                                                                                                                                              Center’s Web site is http://www.epa.gov/
                                                tugboats, commercial fishing vessels,                   [FR Doc. 2016–26877 Filed 11–4–16; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                                                              oar/docket.html. The email address for
                                                small passenger vessels, NOAA research                  BILLING CODE 6560–50–P                                the Air and Radiation Docket is: a-and-
                                                and survey vessels, WSDOT Ferries,                                                                            r-docket@epa.gov, the telephone
                                                military and other government vessels,                                                                        number is (202) 566–1742, and the fax
                                                excursion and other commercial vessels.                 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
                                                                                                                                                              number is (202) 566–9744. An
                                                Given that the WSDOT Ferries, military                  AGENCY
                                                                                                                                                              electronic version of the public docket
                                                vessels, and Victoria Clipper vessels all                                                                     is available through the federal
                                                have dedicated stationary pumpouts,                     [EPA–HQ–OAR–2013–0573; FRL–9954–96–                   government’s electronic public docket
                                                this leaves an approximate 600 vessels                  OAR]                                                  and comment system at http://
                                                that would be in need of other pumpout                                                                        www.regulations.gov. After opening the
                                                facilities. With the two stationary                     California State Motor Vehicle
                                                                                                                                                              www.regulations.gov Web site, enter
                                                commercial pumpouts, at least 52                        Pollution Control Standards;
                                                                                                                                                              EPA–HQ–OAR–2013–0573 in the ‘‘Enter
                                                Sound-wide commercial pumper trucks,                    Malfunction and Diagnostic System
                                                                                                                                                              Keyword or ID’’ fill-in box to view
                                                and the two Sound-wide mobile                           Requirements and Enforcement for
                                                                                                                                                              documents in the record. Although a
                                                commercial pumpout barges described                     2004 and Subsequent Model Year
                                                                                                                                                              part of the official docket, the public
                                                above, this amounts to at least 56                      Passenger Cars, Light Duty Trucks,
                                                                                                                                                              docket does not include Confidential
                                                pumpouts available for commercial                       and Medium Duty Vehicles and
                                                                                                                                                              Business Information (‘‘CBI’’) or other
                                                vessels which results in an approximate                 Engines; Notice of Decision
                                                                                                                                                              information whose disclosure is
                                                ratio of 11:1. This estimated ratio may
                                                                                                        AGENCY: Environmental Protection                      restricted by statute.
                                                be conservative, given that a number of                                                                          EPA’s Office of Transportation and
                                                the mobile pumpout boats and pumper                     Agency (EPA).
                                                                                                        ACTION: Notice of Decision.                           Air Quality (‘‘OTAQ’’) maintains a Web
                                                trucks described above may also provide                                                                       page that contains general information
                                                commercial pumpout services. Based on                                                                         on its review of California waiver and
                                                                                                        SUMMARY:   The Environmental Protection
                                                this information, EPA tentatively                                                                             authorization requests. Included on that
                                                                                                        Agency (EPA) is granting the California
                                                determines that adequate pumpout                                                                              page are links to prior waiver Federal
                                                                                                        Air Resources Board’s (‘‘CARB’’) request
                                                facilities for the safe and sanitary                                                                          Register notices, some of which are
                                                                                                        for a waiver of Clean Air Act
                                                removal and treatment of sewage for                                                                           cited in today’s notice; the page can be
                                                                                                        preemption to enforce amendments to
                                                commercial vessels are reasonably                                                                             accessed at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/
                                                                                                        regulations entitled ‘‘Malfunction and
                                                available for the waters of Puget Sound.                                                                      cafr.htm.
                                                                                                        Diagnostic System Requirements—2004
                                                Table of Facilities                                     and Subsequent Model-Year Passenger                   FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                   A list of pumpout facilities, phone                  Cars, Light-Duty Trucks and Medium-                   David Dickinson, Office of
                                                numbers, locations, hours of operation,                 Duty Vehicles and Engines’’ (‘‘OBD II                 Transportation and Air Quality, U.S.
                                                water depth and fees is provided at this                Requirements’’) and amendments to                     Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
                                                link to the Washington Dept. of Ecology                 CARB’s regulations entitled                           Pennsylvania Ave. (6405J) NW.,
                                                Web site: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/                        ‘‘Enforcement of Malfunction and                      Washington, DC 20460. Telephone:
                                                programs/wq/nonpoint/CleanBoating/                      Diagnostic Systems Requirements for                   (202) 343–9256. Fax: (202) 343–2800.
                                                VesselPumpoutTables.pdf.                                2004 and Subsequent Model-Year                        Email: dickinson.david@epa.gov.
                                                   Based on the information above, EPA                  Passenger Cars, Light-Duty Trucks, and
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                                                                                                                                                              SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                proposes to make an affirmative                         Medium-Duty Vehicles and Engines’’
                                                determination that adequate facilities                  (‘‘OBD II Enforcement Regulation’’).                  I. Background
                                                for the safe and sanitary removal and                   This decision is issued under the                        CARB initially adopted the OBD II
                                                treatment of sewage from all vessels are                authority of the Clean Air Act (‘‘CAA’’               regulation in July 1990 and has adopted
                                                reasonably available for the waters of                  or ‘‘the Act’’).                                      a number of amendments subsequently.
                                                Puget Sound. A 30-day period for public                 DATES: Petitions for review must be filed             The OBD II regulation directs motor
                                                comment has been opened on this                         by January 6, 2017.                                   vehicle manufacturers to incorporate


                                           VerDate Sep<11>2014   16:02 Nov 04, 2016   Jkt 241001   PO 00000   Frm 00037   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\07NON1.SGM   07NON1


                                                78144                       Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 215 / Monday, November 7, 2016 / Notices

                                                vehicle onboard diagnostic systems                      hearing and comment on the 1997 and                    II Requirements amendments primarily
                                                meeting particular requirements on all                  2003 California requests on February 5,                affect medium-duty vehicles, to align
                                                new passenger cars, light-duty trucks,                  2004.4                                                 the OBD II monitoring requirements
                                                and medium-duty vehicles and engines.                      On August 9, 2007, CARB adopted                     with those adopted by CARB for heavy
                                                Specifically, manufacturers are required                additional amendments to the OBD II                    duty diesel engines. By letter dated
                                                to install OBD II systems that effectively              Requirements and minor amendments                      February 12, 2014, CARB requested that
                                                monitor all emission-related                            to the OBD II Enforcement Regulation                   EPA find that the 2012 and 2013 OBD
                                                components and systems on the motor                     and to its emission warranty                           II amendments fall within the scope of
                                                vehicle for proper operation and for                    regulations. The 2007 OBD II                           the previous waiver or, alternatively,
                                                deterioration or malfunctions that cause                Requirements amendments were made,                     that a full waiver be granted for the
                                                emissions to exceed specific thresholds.                inter alia, to address manufacturer                    amendments.
                                                The regulation also requires that OBD II                compliance concerns and to align the                      The various amendments, noted
                                                systems provide specific diagnostic                     monitoring requirements with those                     above, to the OBD II Requirements are
                                                information in a standardized format                    adopted by CARB in 2005 for heavy                      codified at title 13, California Code of
                                                through a standardized serial data link                 duty diesel engines.5 By letter dated                  Regulations, section 1968.2. The various
                                                on-board the vehicles to ensure that                    January 22, 2008, CARB requested that                  amendments, noted above, to the OBD
                                                service and repair technicians can                      EPA find the 2007 amendments fall                      II Enforcement Regulations are codified
                                                properly and promptly repair identified                 within the scope of the previous OBD II                at title 13, California Code of
                                                malfunctions.                                           waiver.                                                Regulations, section 1968.5. The scope
                                                   EPA issued a waiver under section                       On April 5, 2010, CARB adopted                      of today’s waiver specifically addresses
                                                209(b) of the CAA for the OBD II                        additional amendments to the OBD II                    the 2007 through 2013 amendments,
                                                regulations, as last amended through                    Requirements, but not to the OBD II                    and sections 1968.2 and 1968.5.
                                                1995, on October 11, 1996.1 After the                   Enforcement Regulation.6 The 2010
                                                granting of the waiver, CARB adopted                    OBD II Requirements amendments were                    II. Principles Governing this Review
                                                further amendments to the OBD II                        made to primarily harmonize the                        A. Scope of Review
                                                regulation in 1997 and 2003.2 CARB                      medium-duty diesel vehicle
                                                subsequently filed requests on                          requirements with revisions to                           Section 209(a) of the CAA provides:
                                                December 24, 1997 and October 30,                       monitoring requirements for heavy-duty                    No State or any political subdivision
                                                2003, that the EPA respectively find the                diesel engines.7 By letter dated                       thereof shall adopt or attempt to enforce any
                                                amendments to the OBD II                                December 15, 2010, CARB requested                      standard relating to the control of emissions
                                                Requirements adopted in 1997 and 2003                   that EPA find that the 2010 OBD II                     from new motor vehicles or new motor
                                                be found to be within the scope of the                  Requirements amendments fall within                    vehicle engines subject to this part. No State
                                                                                                                                                               shall require certification, inspection or any
                                                previously granted OBD II waiver. The                   the scope of the previous waiver or
                                                                                                                                                               other approval relating to the control of
                                                October 30, 2003, request further asked                 alternatively, that a new waiver be                    emissions from any new motor vehicle or
                                                that OBD II Enforcement Regulation be                   granted for the amendments.                            new motor vehicle engine as condition
                                                found within the scope of the                              On March 12, 2012, and on June 26,                  precedent to the initial retail sale, titling (if
                                                previously granted waivers for                          2013, CARB adopted additional                          any), or registration of such motor vehicle,
                                                ‘‘California’s Enforcement of New and                   amendments to the OBD II                               motor vehicle engine, or equipment.8
                                                In-Use Vehicle Standards,’’ title 13, Cal.              Requirements and to the OBD II
                                                                                                                                                                  Section 209(b)(1) of the Act requires
                                                Code Regs. Section 2100 et seq.3 EPA                    Enforcement Regulation. The 2012 OBD
                                                                                                                                                               the Administrator, after an opportunity
                                                published a notice of opportunity for                   II Requirements amendments were
                                                                                                                                                               for public hearing, to waive application
                                                                                                        primarily made to relax and/or clarify
                                                                                                                                                               of the prohibitions of section 209(a) for
                                                   1 The decision was signed on October 2, 1996,
                                                                                                        OBD II Requirements in response to
                                                and published at 61 FR 53371 (October 11, 1996).                                                               any state that has adopted standards
                                                                                                        manufacturer concerns. The 2013 OBD
                                                Included in the waiver decision were the 1992,                                                                 (other than crankcase emission
                                                1993, and 1995 amendments. CARB’s initial OBD                                                                  standards) for the control of emissions
                                                                                                           4 See 69 FR 5542 (February 5, 2004). EPA has not
                                                II regulations were codified at Title 13, California
                                                Code of Regulations (CCR), Section 1968.1               issued a waiver determination regarding the 1997       from new motor vehicles or new motor
                                                   2 The CARB Board (Board) initially approved the      and 2003 amendments.                                   vehicle engines prior to March 30, 1966,
                                                amendments at rulemakings held respectively on             5 Many of the amendments pertain to monitoring      if the state determines that its state
                                                December 12, 1996 and April 25, 2002. In 2003           requirements for gasoline vehicles which CARB          standards will be, in the aggregate, at
                                                (upon the final adoption of the amendments              maintains were adopted to provide relief to
                                                                                                        manufacturers and to address their concerns about
                                                                                                                                                               least as protective of public health and
                                                initially adopted in 2002), CARB codified the
                                                regulations at section 1968.2 (this section carried     complying with the requirements. CARB also             welfare as applicable federal standards.9
                                                over most of the monitoring requirements of section     amended the OBD II requirements to address light-      However, no such waiver shall be
                                                1968.1, and apply to 2004 and subsequent model          and medium-duty manufacturer concerns with             granted if the Administrator finds that:
                                                year vehicles). The 2003 amendments included            complying with the malfunction thresholds for
                                                                                                        certain diesel emission controls and to better align
                                                                                                                                                               (A) The protectiveness determination of
                                                several new provisions that expressly applied to
                                                vehicles after the date of the amendments. The 2003     the OBD II requirements with those that had been       the state is arbitrary and capricious; (B)
                                                amendments also included OBD–II specific                adopted for heavy-duty diesel engines in the HD        the state does not need such state
                                                enforcement provisions, including requirements for      OBD regulation. CARB also amended section              standards to meet compelling and
                                                post-assembly line evaluation of production             1968.5, including specific criteria in determining
                                                                                                        whether mandatory recall is appropriate for
                                                                                                                                                               extraordinary conditions; or (C) such
                                                vehicles (section 1968.2(j)) and in-use testing
                                                procedures at 1968.5                                    noncompliant OBD II systems that present valid         state standards and accompanying
                                                   3 See 61 FR 53371 (October 11, 1996), 43 FR 9344     testing of the affected vehicles in the California     enforcement procedures are not
                                                (March 7, 1978), and 43 FR 25729 (June 14, 1978)        Smog Check program.                                    consistent with section 202(a) of the
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                                                                                                           6 The California Office of Administrative Law
                                                for grant of EPA’s waivers for ‘‘California’s                                                                  Act.10
                                                Enforcement of New and In-Use Vehicle Standards’’       (OAL) approved the 2010 OBD II amendments on
                                                at title 13, CCR, section 2100 et seq. CARB’s OBD       May 18, 2010 and the amendments primarily
                                                                                                                                                                 8 CAA  § 209(a). 42 U.S.C. 7543(a).
                                                II Requirements generally set monitoring                modify section 1968.2.
                                                                                                                                                                 9 CAA  § 209(b)(1). 42 U.S.C. 7543(b)(1). California
                                                requirements on various emission control                   7 The 2010 amendments include changes that

                                                components and the OBD II Enforcement                   relax the malfunction thresholds until the 2013        is the only state that meets section 209(b)(1)’s
                                                Regulation generally sets forth the manufacturing       model year for three major emission controls:          requirement for obtaining a waiver. See S. Rep. No.
                                                testing requirements and expected follow up from        Particulate matter (PM) filters, oxides of nitrogen    90–403 at 632 (1967).
                                                manufacturers based on in-use testing results.          (NOX) catalysts, and NOX sensors.                         10 CAA § 209(b)(1). 42 U.S.C. 7543(b)(1).




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                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 215 / Monday, November 7, 2016 / Notices                                                   78145

                                                  Key principles governing this review                   B. Burden and Standard of Proof                       standard of proof must take account of
                                                are that EPA should limit its inquiry to                   As the U.S. Court of Appeals for the                the nature of the risk of error involved
                                                the specific findings identified in                      D.C. Circuit has made clear in MEMA I,                in any given decision, and it therefore
                                                section 209(b)(1) of the Clean Air Act,                  opponents of a waiver request by                      varies with the finding involved. We
                                                and that EPA will give substantial                       California bear the burden of showing                 need not decide how this standard
                                                deference to the policy judgments                                                                              operates in every waiver decision.’’ 18
                                                                                                         that the statutory criteria for a denial of
                                                California has made in adopting its                                                                               With regard to the protectiveness
                                                                                                         the request have been met:
                                                regulations. In previous waiver                                                                                finding, the court upheld the
                                                decisions, EPA has stated that Congress                  [T]he language of the statute and its                 Administrator’s position that, to deny a
                                                intended the Agency’s review of                          legislative history indicate that California’s        waiver, there must be ‘‘clear and
                                                                                                         regulations, and California’s determinations          compelling evidence’’ to show that
                                                California’s decision-making to be                       that they must comply with the statute, when
                                                narrow. EPA has rejected arguments that                                                                        proposed enforcement procedures
                                                                                                         presented to the Administrator are presumed
                                                are not specified in the statute as                      to satisfy the waiver requirements and that           undermine the protectiveness of
                                                grounds for denying a waiver:                            the burden of proving otherwise is on                 California’s standards.19 The court
                                                                                                         whoever attacks them. California must                 noted that this standard of proof also
                                                   The law makes it clear that the waiver
                                                requests cannot be denied unless the specific            present its regulations and findings at the           accords with the congressional intent to
                                                findings designated in the statute can                   hearing and thereafter the parties opposing           provide California with the broadest
                                                properly be made. The issue of whether a                 the waiver request bear the burden of                 possible discretion in setting regulations
                                                proposed California requirement is likely to             persuading the Administrator that the waiver          it finds protective of the public health
                                                result in only marginal improvement in                   request should be denied.14                           and welfare.20
                                                California air quality not commensurate with                The Administrator’s burden, on the                    With respect to the consistency
                                                its costs or is otherwise an arguably unwise                                                                   finding, the court did not articulate a
                                                exercise of regulatory power is not legally
                                                                                                         other hand, is to make a reasonable
                                                                                                         evaluation of the information in the                  standard of proof applicable to all
                                                pertinent to my decision under section 209,
                                                so long as the California requirement is                 record in coming to the waiver decision.              proceedings, but found that the
                                                consistent with section 202(a) and is more               As the court in MEMA I stated: ‘‘here,                opponents of the waiver were unable to
                                                stringent than applicable Federal                        too, if the Administrator ignores                     meet their burden of proof even if the
                                                requirements in the sense that it may result             evidence demonstrating that the waiver                standard were a mere preponderance of
                                                in some further reduction in air pollution in            should not be granted, or if he seeks to              the evidence. Although MEMA I did not
                                                California.11                                                                                                  explicitly consider the standards of
                                                                                                         overcome that evidence with
                                                   This principle of narrow EPA review                                                                         proof under section 209 concerning a
                                                                                                         unsupported assumptions of his own,
                                                has been upheld by the U.S. Court of                                                                           waiver request for ‘‘standards,’’ as
                                                                                                         he runs the risk of having his waiver
                                                Appeals for the District of Columbia                                                                           compared to a waiver request for
                                                                                                         decision set aside as ‘arbitrary and
                                                Circuit.12 Thus, EPA’s consideration of                                                                        accompanying enforcement procedures,
                                                                                                         capricious.’’ ’ 15 Therefore, the
                                                all the evidence submitted concerning a                                                                        there is nothing in the opinion to
                                                                                                         Administrator’s burden is to act
                                                waiver decision is circumscribed by its                                                                        suggest that the court’s analysis would
                                                                                                         ‘‘reasonably.’’ 16
                                                relevance to those questions that may be                                                                       not apply with equal force to such
                                                                                                            With regard to the standard of proof,
                                                considered under section 209(b)(1).                                                                            determinations. EPA’s past waiver
                                                   If California amends regulations that                 the court in MEMA I explained that the
                                                                                                         Administrator’s role in a section 209                 decisions have consistently made clear
                                                were previously waived by EPA,                                                                                 that: ‘‘[E]ven in the two areas
                                                California may ask EPA to determine                      proceeding is to:
                                                                                                                                                               concededly reserved for Federal
                                                that the amendments are within the                       [. . .]consider all evidence that passes the          judgment by this legislation—the
                                                scope of the earlier waiver. A within-                   threshold test of materiality and . . .               existence of ‘compelling and
                                                the-scope determination for such                         thereafter assess such material evidence
                                                                                                         against a standard of proof to determine
                                                                                                                                                               extraordinary’ conditions and whether
                                                amendments is permissible without a                                                                            the standards are technologically
                                                                                                         whether the parties favoring a denial of the
                                                full authorization review if three                       waiver have shown that the factual                    feasible—Congress intended that the
                                                conditions are met. First, the amended                   circumstances exist in which Congress                 standards of EPA review of the State
                                                regulations must not undermine                           intended a denial of the waiver.17                    decision to be a narrow one.’’ 21
                                                California’s previous determination that
                                                its standards, in the aggregate, are as                    In that decision, the court considered              C. Deference to California
                                                protective of public health and welfare                  the standards of proof under section 209                In previous waiver decisions, EPA has
                                                as applicable federal standards. Second,                 for the two findings related to granting              recognized that the intent of Congress in
                                                the amended regulations must not affect                  a waiver for an ‘‘accompanying                        creating a limited review based on
                                                consistency with section 202(a) of the                   enforcement procedure.’’ Those findings               specifically listed criteria was to ensure
                                                Act, following the same criteria                         involve: (1) Whether the enforcement                  that the federal government did not
                                                discussed above in the context of full                   procedures impact California’s prior                  second-guess state policy choices. As
                                                waivers. Third, the amended regulations                  protectiveness determination for the                  the Agency explained in one prior
                                                must not raise any ‘‘new issues’’                        associated standards, and (2) whether                 waiver decision:
                                                affecting EPA’s prior waivers.13                         the procedures are consistent with
                                                                                                         section 202(a). The principles set forth              It is worth noting . . . I would feel
                                                                                                                                                               constrained to approve a California approach
                                                  11 ‘‘Waiver  of Application of Clean Air Act to        by the court, however, are similarly                  to the problem which I might also feel unable
                                                California State Standards,’’ 36 FR 17458 (Aug. 31,      applicable to an EPA review of a request              to adopt at the federal level in my own
                                                1971). The more stringent standard expressed here,       for a waiver of preemption for a                      capacity as a regulator.. . . Since a balancing
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                                                in 1971, was superseded by the 1977 amendments           standard. The court instructed that ‘‘the             of risks and costs against the potential
                                                to section 209, which established that California
                                                must determine that its standards are, in the
                                                aggregate, at least as protective of public health and   of Previous Waiver of Federal Preemption,’’ 46 FR       18 Id.

                                                welfare as applicable federal standards.                 36742 (July 15, 1981).                                  19 Id.
                                                  12 See, e.g., Motor and Equip. Mfrs Assoc. v. EPA,       14 MEMA I, note 19, at 1121.                          20 Id.
                                                                                                           15 Id. at 1126.
                                                627 F.2d 1095 (D.C. Cir. 1979) (‘‘MEMA I’’).                                                                     21 See, e.g., ‘‘California State Motor Vehicle
                                                  13 See ‘‘California State Motor Vehicle Pollution        16 Id. at 1126.
                                                                                                                                                               Pollution Control Standards; Waiver of Federal
                                                Control Standards; Amendments Within the Scope             17 Id. at 1122.                                     Preemption,’’ 40 FR 23102 (May 28, 1975), at 23103.



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                                                78146                       Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 215 / Monday, November 7, 2016 / Notices

                                                benefits from reduced emissions is a central            issue’’ affecting EPA’s previous waiver               require updated emission control
                                                policy decision for any regulatory agency               or authorization determinations.’’                    technology or other requirements on
                                                under the statutory scheme outlined above, I               To the extent any party believed that              manufacturers or fleet operators. EPA
                                                believe I am required to give very substantial          the 2007, 2010, 2012, or 2013 OBD II                  believes that new issues may also exist
                                                deference to California’s judgments on this
                                                score.22
                                                                                                        amendments do not merit consideration                 when EPA has adopted its own
                                                                                                        as within-the-scope of the previous                   emission standards, for the regulated
                                                   Similarly, EPA has stated that the                   waiver, EPA also requested comment on                 industry, in the intervening years
                                                text, structure, and history of the                     whether those amendments meet the                     between when EPA last considered
                                                California waiver provision clearly                     criteria for a full waiver, specifically              CARB’s regulatory program. In this
                                                indicate both a congressional intent and                ‘‘Whether (a) California’s determination              instance, as a result of the significant
                                                appropriate EPA practice of leaving the                 that its motor vehicle emission                       evolution of CARB’s OBD II regulatory
                                                decision on ‘‘ambiguous and                             standards are, in the aggregate, at least             program since 1996, the sheer number
                                                controversial matters of public policy’’                as protective of public health and                    of amendments—some in part designed
                                                to California’s judgment.23 This                        welfare as applicable federal standards               to address a variety of manufacturers
                                                interpretation is supported by relevant                 is arbitrary and capricious, (b) California           concerns with the technological
                                                discussion in the House Committee                       needs such standards to meet                          feasibility of complying with previous
                                                Report for the 1977 amendments to the                   compelling and extraordinary                          versions of the OBD II regulations, EPA
                                                CAA. Congress had the opportunity                       conditions, and (c) California’s                      has evaluated these requests under the
                                                through the 1977 amendments to restrict                 standards and accompanying                            full waiver criteria.26 Evaluating the
                                                the preexisting waiver provision, but                   enforcement procedures are consistent                 amendments under the criteria for a full
                                                elected instead to expand California’s                  with section 202(a) of the Clean Air                  waiver has provided EPA and other
                                                flexibility to adopt a complete program                 Act.’’                                                stakeholders with a full opportunity to
                                                of motor vehicle emission controls. The                    As noted above, EPA has previously                 explore whether CARB’s standards are
                                                report explains that the amendment is                   given notice and taken comments on                    as protective of public health and
                                                intended to ratify and strengthen the                   CARB’s requests for within-the-scope                  welfare, in the aggregate, as applicable
                                                preexisting California waiver provision                 determinations related to CARB’s 1997                 federal standards and whether CARB’s
                                                and to affirm the underlying intent of                  and 2003 OBD II amendments. Thus                      standards (as amended) are
                                                that provision, that is, to afford                      EPA sought additional comment on any                  technologically feasible and otherwise
                                                California the broadest possible                        relevant effects the more recent OBD II               consistent with section 202(a). Given
                                                discretion in selecting the best means to               amendments may have on the prior                      that CARB’s 2007 and later OBD II
                                                protect the health of its citizens and the              1997 and 2003 OBD II amendments.                      amendments significantly modify the
                                                public welfare.24                                       EPA received no comment or evidence                   OBD II program after the amendments of
                                                D. EPA’s Administrative Process in                      suggesting that the more recent OBD II                1997 and 2003, EPA has considered,
                                                Consideration of California’s Requests                  amendments, which are the subject of                  and applied the full waiver criteria to,
                                                                                                        this waiver, would have any effect on                 CARB’s regulations as of the date of the
                                                   On November 20, 2014, EPA                            them.                                                 adoption of the 2007 amendments up
                                                published a notice of opportunity for                      Additionally, EPA received no                      through the adoption of the most recent
                                                public hearing and comment on                           requests for a public hearing, so EPA                 amendments in 2013.
                                                California’s waiver requests (November                  did not hold a hearing. EPA received no
                                                20, 2014 Notice). EPA scheduled a                       written comments on the November 20,                  A. California’s Protectiveness
                                                public hearing concerning CARB’s                        2014 Notice. EPA bases its waiver                     Determination
                                                request for January 14, 2015, and asked                 determination on the public record                       Section 209(b)(1)(A) of the Act sets
                                                for written comments to be submitted by                 which in this instance consists of the                forth the first of the three criteria
                                                February 16, 2015.25 EPA’s notice of                    waiver requests dated January 11, 2008,               governing a waiver request—whether
                                                CARB’s requests invited public                          December 15, 2010, and February 12,                   California was arbitrary and capricious
                                                comment on the following: Whether                       2014, and supporting materials                        in its determination that its state
                                                CARB’s 2007, 2010, 2012, and 2013                       submitted by CARB.                                    standards will be, in the aggregate, at
                                                OBD II amendments, individually or                                                                            least as protective of public health and
                                                collectively assessed, should be                        III. Discussion
                                                                                                                                                              welfare as applicable federal standards.
                                                considered under the within-the-scope                      As noted, EPA previously issued                    Section 209(b)(1)(A) of the CAA requires
                                                analysis or under the ‘‘full waiver                     CARB a waiver for its OBD II                          EPA to deny a waiver if the
                                                criteria.’’ To the extent such                          Requirements for light- and medium-                   Administrator finds that California’s
                                                amendment(s) should be considered                       duty vehicles in 1996. Since that time                protectiveness determination was
                                                under the within-the-scope criteria, EPA                EPA has offered an opportunity for                    arbitrary and capricious. However, a
                                                requested comment on whether the                        public hearing and took public                        finding that California’s determination
                                                amendment(s) ‘‘(1) undermine                            comment on CARB’s 1997 and 2003                       was arbitrary and capricious must be
                                                California’s previous determination that                OBD II Requirements and Enforcement                   based upon clear and convincing
                                                its standards, in the aggregate, are at                 Regulation amendments, and EPA has                    evidence that California’s finding was
                                                least protective of public health and                   received three additional waiver                      unreasonable.27
                                                welfare as comparable Federal                           requests from CARB relating to its 2007,
                                                standards, (2) affect the consistency of                2010, 2012, and 2013 OBD II                             26 EPA notes that no comment suggested that the

                                                California’s requirements with section                  amendments. EPA may evaluate CARB’s                   amendments do not meet the criteria for a within-
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                                                202(a) of the Act, and (3) raise any ‘‘new                                                                    the-scope determination. EPA is making no
                                                                                                        waiver request under the within-the-                  decision on whether the amendments do or do not
                                                                                                        scope criteria if three criteria are met,             meet the criteria for a within-the-scope
                                                  22 40  FR 23102, 23103–04 (May 28, 1975).
                                                  23 40
                                                                                                        including whether CARB’s regulation or                determination.
                                                         FR 23102, 23104 (May 28, 1975); 58 FR 4166                                                             27 MEMA I, 627 F.2d at 1122, 1124 (‘‘Once
                                                (January 13, 1993).
                                                                                                        amendments raise any new issues. EPA
                                                                                                                                                              California has come forward with a finding that the
                                                   24 MEMA I, 627 F.2d at 1110 (citing H.R. Rep. No.    has generally found ‘‘new issues’’ to                 procedures it seeks to adopt will not undermine the
                                                294, 95th Cong., 1st Sess. 301–02 (1977)).              exist if CARB’s regulatory amendments                 protectiveness of its standards, parties opposing the
                                                   25 79 FR 69106 (November 20, 2014).                  include new more stringent standards or               waiver request must show that this finding is



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                                                                            Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 215 / Monday, November 7, 2016 / Notices                                                        78147

                                                   CARB made protectiveness                             deterioration or failures cause emissions               that are the subject of the waiver request
                                                determinations in adopting each of the                  to exceed 1.5 times the applicable                      are necessary to meet such conditions.33
                                                OBD II amendments, and found that the                   tailpipe emission standards and that the                In recent waiver actions, EPA again
                                                OBD II Requirements and OBD II                          regulation also requires components be                  examined the language of section
                                                Enforcement Regulation would not                        monitored for functional performance                    209(b)(1)(B) and reiterated this
                                                cause California motor vehicle                          even if the failure of such components                  longstanding traditional interpretation
                                                emissions standards, in the aggregate, to               does not cause emissions to exceed 1.5                  as the better approach for analyzing the
                                                be less protective of the public health                 times the applicable standard threshold.                need for ‘‘such State standards’’ to meet
                                                and welfare than applicable federal                     In contrast, CARB notes that the federal                ‘‘compelling and extraordinary
                                                standards.28                                            requirements only require monitoring of                 conditions.’’ 34
                                                   In adopting the initial OBD II                       the catalyst, engine misfire, evaporative                  CARB confirmed in Resolutions 06–
                                                Requirements and subsequent                             emission control system and oxygen                      26 (2007 Amendments), 09–37 (2010
                                                amendments thereto in 1989 through                      sensors, and that other emission control                Amendments) and 12–29 (2013
                                                1994, CARB resolved that its standards,                 systems and components need only be                     Amendments) that California continues
                                                in the aggregate, were at least as                      monitored if by their malfunctioning the                to need its own motor vehicle program
                                                protective of public health and welfare                 vehicle would exceed 1.5 times the                      to meet serious ongoing air pollution
                                                as the applicable federal standards,                    applicable tailpipe standard (thus, not                 problems.35 CARB asserted that ‘‘[t]he
                                                including federal OBD standards. In                     for functional performance). CARB                       geographical and climatic conditions
                                                granting the 1996 waiver, the                           notes ‘‘The amended OBD II                              and the tremendous growth in vehicle
                                                Administrator held that she could not                   requirements, considered as a whole,                    population and use that moved
                                                find the CARB’s determination was                       continue to be more stringent than the                  Congress to authorize California to
                                                arbitrary and capricious.29                             federal OBD regulation for light-duty                   establish vehicle standards in 1967 still
                                                   CARB maintains that its most recent                  vehicles and trucks and heavy-duty                      exist today. EPA has long confirmed the
                                                round of amendments (the 2012 and                       trucks (under the federal regulation) of                ARB’s judgment, on behalf of the State
                                                2013 Amendments) do not disturb the                     the same vehicle weight rating as the                   of California, on this matter . . . and
                                                finding from 1996, even though EPA has                  California medium-duty vehicle                          therefore there can be no doubt of the
                                                since adopted amendments to its federal                 category. The Board affirmed this                       continuing existence of compelling and
                                                OBD requirements. ‘‘The 2012 amended                    determination in Resolution 12–29.’’ 32                 extraordinary conditions justifying
                                                OBD II requirements, considered as a                      EPA received no comments or                           California’s need for its own motor
                                                whole, continue to be more stringent                    evidence suggesting that CARB’s                         vehicle emissions control program.’’ 36
                                                than the federal OBD regulation for                     protectiveness determination is arbitrary               CARB also notes that ‘‘[n]othing in these
                                                light-duty vehicles and trucks and                      and capricious. In particular, no                       conditions has changed to warrant a
                                                heavy-duty trucks (under the federal                    commenter disputes that California                      change in EPA’s confirmation, and
                                                regulation) of the same vehicle weight                  standards, whether looking at the                       therefore there can be no doubt of the
                                                rating as the California medium-duty                    particular California standards analyzed                continuing existence of compelling and
                                                vehicle category. The Board affirmed                    in this proceeding or the entire suite of               extraordinary conditions justifying
                                                this determination in Resolutions 12–11                 California standards applicable to light-               California’s need for its own motor
                                                and 12–21.’’ 30 Likewise, with regard to                and medium-duty motor vehicles, are at                  vehicle emission program.37
                                                the 2013 Amendments pertaining to the                   least as stringent, in the aggregate, as                   There has been no evidence submitted
                                                OBD II requirements set forth in section                applicable federal standards.                           to indicate that California’s compelling
                                                1968.2 of the CCR and the OBD II                          Because no commenters have                            and extraordinary conditions do not
                                                Enforcement Regulation set forth at                     presented evidence to show that CARB’s                  continue to exist. California,
                                                1968.5 of the CCR, CARB notes that in                   protectiveness determinations are                       particularly the South Coast and San
                                                the adoption of Resolution 12–29, the                   arbitrary and capricious, and EPA is not                Joaquin Valley air basins, continues to
                                                Board ‘‘expressly found that the 2013                   otherwise aware of such evidence, EPA                   experience some of the worst air quality
                                                Amendments to the OBD II                                cannot find that California’s                           in the nation and continues to be in
                                                Requirements and related enforcement                    protectiveness determinations are
                                                regulations (sections 1968.2 and 1968.5)                arbitrary and capricious nor deny the                      33 See California State Motor Vehicle Pollution

                                                do not undermine California’s previous                  waiver requests under this waiver                       Control Standards; Notice of Decision Granting a
                                                                                                                                                                Waiver of Clean Air Act Preemption for California’s
                                                determinations that its standards are, in               criterion.                                              2009 and Subsequent Model Year Greenhouse Gas
                                                the aggregate, at least as protective of                                                                        Emission Standards for New Motor Vehicles,’’ 74
                                                the public health and welfare as                        B. Whether the Standards Are Necessary                  FR 32744 (July 8, 2009), at 32761; see also
                                                applicable federal standards.’’ 31                      To Meet Compelling and Extraordinary                    ‘‘California State Motor Vehicle Pollution Control
                                                   In addition, CARB notes similar                      Conditions                                              Standards; Waiver of Federal Preemption Notice of
                                                                                                                                                                Decision,’’ 49 FR 18887 (May 3, 1984), at 18889–
                                                protectiveness findings with regard to                     Section 209(b)(1)(B) instructs EPA not               18890.
                                                its 2007 and 2010 amendments. In the                    to grant a waiver if the Agency finds                      34 See 78 FR 2112, at 2125–26 (Jan. 9, 2013)

                                                context of its 2007 amendments, CARB                    that California ‘‘does not need such                    (‘‘EPA does not look at whether the specific
                                                                                                                                                                standards at issue are needed to meet compelling
                                                notes that generally the California OBD                 State standards to meet compelling and                  and extraordinary conditions related to that air
                                                II Requirements set forth that                          extraordinary conditions.’’ EPA’s                       pollutant.’’ See also EPA’s July 9, 2009 GHG Waiver
                                                components be monitored to indicate                     inquiry under this second criterion has                 Decision wherein EPA rejected the suggested
                                                malfunctions when component                             traditionally been to determine whether                 interpretation of section 209(b)(1)(B) as requiring a
                                                                                                                                                                review of the specific need for California’s new
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                                                                                                        California needs its own mobile source                  motor vehicle greenhouse gas emission standards as
                                                unreasonable.’’); see also 78 FR 2112, at 2121 (Jan.    pollution program (i.e. set of standards)               opposed to the traditional interpretation (need for
                                                9, 2013).                                               to meet compelling and extraordinary                    the program as a whole) applied to local or regional
                                                   28 See CARB Board Resolutions 06–26, 09–37, 12–
                                                                                                        conditions, and not whether the specific                air pollution problems.
                                                11, 12–21, and 12–29.                                                                                              35 2014 Waiver Request Support Document at 16–
                                                   29 See OBD II Waiver Decision Document at 34.        standards (i.e., OBD II Requirements                    17.
                                                   30 See 2014 Waiver Request Support Document at       and OBD II Enforcement Regulation)                         36 Id. at 17, 45 (citing 70 FR 50322, 50323 (August

                                                63.                                                                                                             26, 2005), 77 FR 73459, 73461 (December 10, 2012).
                                                   31 Id. at 55.                                          32 Id.   at 56.                                          37 Id.




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                                                78148                       Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 215 / Monday, November 7, 2016 / Notices

                                                non-attainment with national ambient                       EPA has reviewed the information                   for both light- and medium-duty
                                                air quality standards for fine particulate              submitted to the record by CARB to                    vehicles and permanent malfunction
                                                matter and ozone.38 As previously                       determine whether the parties opposing                thresholds for medium-duty diesel
                                                stated, according to California ‘‘nothing               the waiver (no comments opposing the                  engines starting with the 2013 model
                                                in [California’s unique geographic and                  waiver have been submitted) requests                  year.44
                                                climatic] conditions has changed to                     have met their burden to demonstrate                     As previously explained, in the
                                                warrant a change in this                                that the OBD II Requirements and OBD                  context of the November 20, 2014
                                                determination.’’ 39                                     II Enforcement Regulation subject to the              Notice, EPA requested and received no
                                                   Based on the record before us, EPA is                waiver requests are not consistent with               comments stating that the 2003 OBD
                                                unable to identify any change in                        section 202(a). Regarding potential test              amendments when read together with
                                                circumstances or evidence to suggest                    procedure conflict, as CARB notes, there              the 2007 OBD amendments create
                                                that the conditions that Congress                       is no issue of test procedure                         requirements that are technologically
                                                identified as giving rise to serious air                inconsistency because the federal                     infeasible. As noted above, CARB has
                                                quality problems in California no longer                regulations provide that manufacturers                provided additional lead time and
                                                exist. Therefore, EPA cannot deny the                   of engines and vehicles certified to                  phase-in schedules for several of their
                                                waiver requests based on this waiver                    California’s OBD II Requirements are                  gasoline engine monitors (e.g., catalyst
                                                prong.                                                  allowed to demonstrate compliance                     monitoring) requirements, and nearly all
                                                D. Consistency With Section 202(a)                      with the federal standards due to the                 of CARB’s diesel engine monitors
                                                                                                        ‘‘deemed to comply’’ provisions of                    requirements, and they have relaxed
                                                   For the third and final criterion, EPA               EPA’s standards.42 EPA has received no                requirements for other monitors (e.g.
                                                evaluates the OBD II Requirements and                   adverse comment or evidence of test                   secondary air system) on gasoline
                                                OBD II Enforcement Regulation that are                  procedure inconsistency. Therefore,                   vehicles.
                                                subject to this waiver request for                      EPA cannot deny the waiver on the                        CARB also addresses the
                                                consistency with section 202(a) of the                  grounds of test procedure inconsistency.              technological feasibility of the new
                                                CAA. Under section 209(b)(1)(C) of the                     EPA did not receive comments                       monitoring requirements associated
                                                CAA, EPA must deny California’s                         arguing that the OBD II Requirements                  with the 2007 amendments. CARB states
                                                waiver request if EPA finds that                        and OBD II Enforcement Regulation                     and EPA agrees that most of the 2012
                                                California’s standards and                              were infeasible when reviewed purely                  and 2013 amendments either relax or
                                                accompanying enforcement procedures                     as a matter of technology or cost.                    clarify existing provisions and therefore,
                                                are not consistent with section 202(a).                    In the context of CARB’s 2007                      largely provide additional compliance
                                                Section 202(a) requires that regulations                amendments, CARB notes that ‘‘[a]s set                flexibility to the regulated industry. For
                                                ‘‘shall take effect after such period as                forth in detail in the ISORs [Initial                 example, CARB identified the use of
                                                the Administrator finds necessary to                    Statement of Reasons] and the Final                   front and rear oxygen sensor signals in
                                                permit the development and application                  Statement of Reasons for the 2003 and                 order for manufacturers to monitor air-
                                                of the relevant technology, considering                 2007 amendments . . ., and in the ISOR                fuel ratios, and provided manufacturers
                                                the cost of compliance within that                      and Final Statement of Reasons for the                with approximately five years of lead
                                                time.’’                                                 HD OBD rule . . ., CARB has identified                time and a phase-in of the requirement
                                                   EPA has previously stated that the                   specific technologies for near-term                   for most vehicles between the 2011 and
                                                determination is limited to whether                     implementation dates for the amended                  2013 model years, along with the use of
                                                those opposed to the waiver have met                    monitoring requirements as they apply
                                                their burden of establishing that                                                                             a higher interim threshold during the
                                                                                                        to gasoline and diesel light- and                     phase-in period. CARB also identified
                                                California’s standards are                              medium-duty vehicles. Consistent with
                                                technologically infeasible, or that                                                                           similar compliance flexibilities for
                                                                                                        EPA’s continuum analysis for                          diesel vehicles starting with the 2007
                                                California’s test procedures impose                     determining technical feasibility, all
                                                requirements inconsistent with the                                                                            model year and based on CARB’s HD
                                                                                                        monitoring requirements that                          OBD regulatory experience.45 CARB
                                                federal test procedure. Infeasibility is                manufacturers are required to
                                                shown by demonstrating that there is                                                                          makes similar arguments with regards to
                                                                                                        implement in the near term have been
                                                inadequate lead time, from the time of                                                                        its 2010 and later amendments. EPA
                                                                                                        required since adoption of the 2003
                                                CARB’s adoption, to permit the                                                                                also did not receive any comments
                                                                                                        amendments and sufficient lead time
                                                development of technology necessary to                                                                        arguing that the new monitoring
                                                                                                        has been provided. Among other things,
                                                meet the OBD II Requirements and OBD                                                                          requirements contained in the 2007
                                                                                                        the amendments have provided
                                                II Enforcement Regulation that are                                                                            Amendments, and the additional
                                                                                                        additional lead time and phase-in
                                                subject to the waiver request, giving                                                                         requirements found in the 2010, 2012,
                                                                                                        schedules for several gasoline engine
                                                appropriate consideration to the cost of                                                                      and 2013 OBD Amendments were
                                                                                                        monitors (e.g., catalyst monitoring) and
                                                compliance within that time.40                                                                                technologically infeasible or that the
                                                                                                        nearly all diesel engine monitors and
                                                California’s accompanying enforcement                                                                         cost of compliance would be excessive,
                                                                                                        have relaxed requirements for other
                                                procedures would also be inconsistent                                                                         such that California’s standards might
                                                                                                        monitors (e.g. secondary air system,
                                                with section 202(a) if the federal and                                                                        be inconsistent with section 202(a).46 In
                                                                                                        monitoring on gasoline vehicles).’’ 43
                                                California test procedures conflicted,                                                                        EPA’s review of the 2007, 2010, 2012
                                                                                                        CARB also notes the 2007 amendments
                                                i.e., if manufacturers would be unable to                                                                     and 2013 OBD Amendments, we
                                                                                                        specifically address concerns that were
                                                meet both the California and federal test                                                                     likewise cannot identify any
                                                                                                        raised about the feasibility of the 2003
                                                requirements with the same test                                                                               requirements that appear
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                                                                                                        OBD II amendments as applied to light-
                                                vehicle.41                                                                                                    technologically infeasible or excessively
                                                                                                        and medium duty diesel vehicles
                                                                                                                                                              expensive for manufacturers to
                                                                                                        beginning in model year 2004, including
                                                  38 74 FR 32744, 32762–63 (July 8, 2009).
                                                  39 74
                                                                                                        by providing higher interim malfunction                 44 Id.   at 33–34.
                                                        FR 32744, 32762 (July 8, 2009); 76 FR
                                                77515, 77518 (December 13, 2011).                       thresholds through the 2012 model year                  45 Id.
                                                  40 See, e.g., 38 FR 30136 (November 1, 1973) and                                                              46 See, e.g., 78 FR 2134 (Jan. 9, 2013), 47 FR 7306,
                                                40 FR 30311 (July 18, 1975).                              42 See40 CFR 1806–05(j).                            7309 (Feb. 18, 1982), 43 FR 25735 (Jun. 17, 1978),
                                                  41 See, e.g., 43 FR 32182 (July 25, 1978).              43 2007 Waiver Support Document at 33.              and 46 FR 26371, 26373 (May 12, 1981).



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                                                                            Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 215 / Monday, November 7, 2016 / Notices                                          78149

                                                implement within the timeframes                         exempt from review by the Office of                   ADDRESSES:   EPA has established a
                                                provided by California at the time of                   Management and Budget as required for                 docket for this action under Docket ID
                                                adoption of the amendments. EPA                         rules and regulations by Executive                    EPA–HQ–OAR–2014–0699. All
                                                therefore cannot find that the OBD II                   Order 12866.                                          documents relied upon in making this
                                                Requirements and OBD II Enforcement                        In addition, this action is not a rule             decision, including those submitted to
                                                Regulations do not provide adequate                     as defined in the Regulatory Flexibility              EPA by CARB, are contained in the
                                                lead time or are otherwise not                          Act, 5 U.S.C. 601(2). Therefore, EPA has              public docket. Publicly available docket
                                                technically feasible. In summary, no                    not prepared a supporting regulatory                  materials are available either
                                                evidence is in the record to show that                  flexibility analysis addressing the                   electronically through
                                                the OBD II Requirements and OBD II                      impact of this action on small business               www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at
                                                Enforcement Regulation are                              entities.                                             the Air and Radiation Docket in the EPA
                                                technologically infeasible, considering                    Further, the Congressional Review                  Headquarters Library, EPA West
                                                costs of compliance. Indeed, such a                     Act, 5 U.S.C. 801, et seq., as added by               Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution
                                                finding is particularly unlikely where                  the Small Business Regulatory                         Avenue NW., Washington, DC. The
                                                CARB has continued to delay and                         Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, does                Public Reading Room is open to the
                                                phase-in the monitoring requirements                    not apply because this action is not a                public on all federal government
                                                and in some instances adjust the                        rule for purposes of 5 U.S.C. 804(3).                 working days from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
                                                malfunction thresholds to be less                                                                             p.m.; generally, it is open Monday
                                                                                                          Dated: October 24, 2016.
                                                burdensome. As such, the record does                                                                          through Friday, excluding holidays. The
                                                not support a finding that the OBD II                   Janet McCabe,
                                                                                                                                                              telephone number for the Reading Room
                                                Requirements and OBD II Enforcement                     Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Air
                                                                                                        and Radiation.
                                                                                                                                                              is (202) 566–1744. The Air and
                                                Regulation are inconsistent with Section                                                                      Radiation Docket and Information
                                                202(a).                                                 [FR Doc. 2016–26861 Filed 11–4–16; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                                                              Center’s Web site is http://www.epa.gov/
                                                                                                        BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
                                                IV. Decision                                                                                                  oar/docket.html. The email address for
                                                                                                                                                              the Air and Radiation Docket is: a-and-
                                                   The Administrator has delegated the                                                                        r-docket@epa.gov, the telephone
                                                authority to grant California section                   ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
                                                                                                                                                              number is (202) 566–1742, and the fax
                                                209(b) waivers to the Assistant                         AGENCY
                                                                                                                                                              number is (202) 566–9744. An
                                                Administrator for Air and Radiation.                                                                          electronic version of the public docket
                                                After evaluating CARB’s amendments to                   [EPA–HQ–OAR–2014–0699; FRL–9954–95–                   is available through the federal
                                                the OBD II Requirements and OBD II                      OAR]                                                  government’s electronic public docket
                                                Enforcement Regulation described
                                                                                                        California State Motor Vehicle                        and comment system at http://
                                                above and CARB’s submissions for EPA
                                                                                                        Pollution Control Standards;                          www.regulations.gov. After opening the
                                                review, EPA is hereby granting a waiver
                                                                                                        Malfunction and Diagnostic System                     www.regulations.gov Web site, enter
                                                for California’s 2007, 2010, 2012, and
                                                                                                        Requirements for 2010 and                             EPA–HQ–OAR–2014–0699 in the ‘‘Enter
                                                2013 amendments to its OBD II
                                                                                                        Subsequent Model Year Heavy-Duty                      Keyword or ID’’ fill-in box to view
                                                Requirements and OBD II Enforcement
                                                                                                        Engines; Notice of Decision                           documents in the record. Although a
                                                Regulation.
                                                   This decision will affect not only                                                                         part of the official docket, the public
                                                persons in California, but also                         AGENCY: Environmental Protection                      docket does not include Confidential
                                                manufacturers nationwide who must                       Agency.                                               Business Information (‘‘CBI’’) or other
                                                comply with California’s requirements.                  ACTION: Notice of decision.                           information whose disclosure is
                                                In addition, because other states may                                                                         restricted by statute.
                                                                                                        SUMMARY:   The Environmental Protection                  EPA’s Office of Transportation and
                                                adopt California’s standards for which a
                                                                                                        Agency (EPA) is granting the California               Air Quality (‘‘OTAQ’’) maintains a Web
                                                section 209(b) waiver has been granted
                                                                                                        Air Resources Board’s (CARB’s) request                page that contains general information
                                                under section 177 of the Act if certain
                                                                                                        for a waiver of Clean Air Act                         on its review of California waiver and
                                                criteria are met, this decision would
                                                                                                        preemption for amendments made in                     authorization requests. Included on that
                                                also affect those states and those
                                                                                                        2013 (‘‘2013 HD OBD Amendments’’) to                  page are links to prior waiver Federal
                                                persons in such states. For these
                                                                                                        its Malfunction and Diagnostic System                 Register notices, some of which are
                                                reasons, EPA determines and finds that
                                                                                                        Requirements for 2010 and Subsequent                  cited in today’s notice; the page can be
                                                this is a final action of national
                                                                                                        Model Year Heavy-Duty Engine (HD                      accessed at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/
                                                applicability, and also a final action of
                                                                                                        OBD Requirements) and to its                          cafr.htm.
                                                nationwide scope or effect for purposes
                                                of section 307(b)(1) of the Act. Pursuant               Enforcement of Malfunction and                        FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                to section 307(b)(1) of the Act, judicial               Diagnostic System Requirements for                    David Dickinson, Office of
                                                review of this final action may be sought               2010 and Subsequent Model-Year                        Transportation and Air Quality, U.S.
                                                only in the United States Court of                      Heavy-Duty Engines (‘‘HD OBD                          Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
                                                Appeals for the District of Columbia                    Enforcement Regulation’’), collectively               Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Telephone:
                                                Circuit. Petitions for review must be                   referred to herein as HD OBD                          (202) 343–9256. Email:
                                                filed by January 6, 2017. Judicial review               Regulations. EPA also confirms that                   dickinson.david@epa.gov.
                                                of this final action may not be obtained                certain of the 2013 HD OBD                            SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                                                                        Amendments are within the scope of the
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                                                in subsequent enforcement proceedings,
                                                                                                        previous waiver for the HD OBD                        I. Background
                                                pursuant to section 307(b)(2) of the Act.
                                                                                                        Requirements and HD OBD Enforcement                      CARB initially adopted the HD OBD
                                                V. Statutory and Executive Order                        Regulation. This decision is issued                   Requirements in December 2005. The
                                                Reviews                                                 under the authority of the Clean Air Act              HD OBD Requirements require
                                                  As with past waiver decisions, this                   (‘‘CAA’’ or ‘‘the Act’’).                             manufacturers to install compliant HD
                                                action is not a rule as defined by                      DATES: Petitions for review must be filed             OBD systems with diesel and gasoline
                                                Executive Order 12866. Therefore, it is                 by January 6, 2017.                                   powered engines used in vehicles


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Document Created: 2018-02-14 08:21:23
Document Modified: 2018-02-14 08:21:23
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of Decision.
DatesPetitions for review must be filed by January 6, 2017.
ContactDavid Dickinson, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. (6405J) NW., Washington, DC 20460. Telephone: (202) 343-9256. Fax: (202) 343-2800. Email: [email protected]
FR Citation81 FR 78143 

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