82_FR_12368 82 FR 12328 - Air Plan Approvals; TN; Prong 4-2010 NO2

82 FR 12328 - Air Plan Approvals; TN; Prong 4-2010 NO2

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 40 (March 2, 2017)

Page Range12328-12333
FR Document2017-04009

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to conditionally approve the visibility transport (prong 4) portions of revisions to the Tennessee State Implementation Plan (SIP), submitted by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), addressing the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) infrastructure SIP requirements for the 2010 1-hour Nitrogen Dioxide (NO<INF>2</INF>), 2010 1-hour Sulfur Dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>), and 2012 annual Fine Particulate Matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The CAA requires that each state adopt and submit a SIP for the implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of each NAAQS promulgated by EPA, commonly referred to as an ``infrastructure SIP.'' Specifically, EPA is proposing to conditionally approve the prong 4 portions of Tennessee's March 13, 2014, 2010 1-hour NO<INF>2</INF> and 2010 1-hour SO<INF>2</INF> infrastructure SIP submission and December 16, 2015, 2012 annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> infrastructure SIP submission. All other applicable infrastructure requirements for these SIP submissions have been or will be addressed in separate rulemakings.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 40 (Thursday, March 2, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 40 (Thursday, March 2, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 12328-12333]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04009]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 52

[EPA-R04-OAR-2016-0748; FRL-9959-07-Region 4]


Air Plan Approvals; TN; Prong 4-2010 NO2, SO2, and 2012 PM2.5 
NAAQS

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to 
conditionally approve the visibility transport (prong 4) portions of 
revisions to the Tennessee State Implementation Plan (SIP), submitted 
by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), 
addressing the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) infrastructure SIP 
requirements for the 2010 1-hour Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), 
2010 1-hour Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), and 2012 annual Fine 
Particulate Matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality 
Standards (NAAQS). The CAA requires that each state adopt and submit a 
SIP for the implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of each NAAQS 
promulgated by EPA, commonly referred to as an ``infrastructure SIP.'' 
Specifically, EPA is proposing to conditionally approve the prong 4 
portions of Tennessee's March 13, 2014, 2010 1-hour NO2 and 
2010 1-hour SO2 infrastructure SIP submission and December 
16, 2015, 2012 annual PM2.5 infrastructure SIP submission. 
All other applicable infrastructure requirements for these SIP 
submissions have been or will be addressed in separate rulemakings.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 3, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R04-
OAR-2016-0748 at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot 
be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. EPA may publish any comment 
received to its public docket. Do not submit electronically any 
information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) 
or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 
Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a 
written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment 
and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. EPA will 
generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of 
the primary submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or other file sharing 
system). For additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment 
policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general 
guidance on making effective comments, please visit http://www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sean Lakeman of the Air Regulatory 
Management Section, Air Planning and Implementation Branch, Air, 
Pesticides and Toxics Management Division, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW., Atlanta, Georgia 
30303-8960. Mr. Lakeman can be reached by telephone at (404) 562-9043 
or via electronic mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    By statute, SIPs meeting the requirements of sections 110(a)(1) and 
(2) of the CAA are to be submitted by states within three years after 
promulgation of a new or revised NAAQS to provide for the 
implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of the new or revised 
NAAQS. EPA has historically referred to these SIP submissions made for 
the purpose of satisfying the requirements of sections 110(a)(1) and 
110(a)(2) as ``infrastructure SIP'' submissions. Sections 110(a)(1) and 
(2) require states to address basic SIP elements such as for 
monitoring, basic program requirements, and legal authority that are 
designed to assure attainment and maintenance of the newly established 
or revised NAAQS. More specifically, section 110(a)(1) provides the 
procedural and timing requirements for infrastructure SIPs. Section 
110(a)(2) lists specific elements that states must meet for the 
infrastructure SIP requirements related to a newly established or 
revised NAAQS. The contents of an infrastructure SIP submission may 
vary depending upon the data and analytical tools available to the 
state, as well as the provisions already contained in the state's 
implementation plan at the time in which the state develops and submits 
the submission for a new or revised NAAQS.
    Section 110(a)(2)(D) has two components: 110(a)(2)(D)(i) and 
110(a)(2)(D)(ii). Section 110(a)(2)(D)(i) includes four distinct 
components, commonly referred to as ``prongs,'' that must be addressed 
in infrastructure SIP submissions. The first two prongs, which are 
codified in section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I), are provisions that prohibit 
any source or other type of emissions activity in one state from 
contributing significantly to nonattainment of the NAAQS in another 
state (prong 1) and from interfering with maintenance of the NAAQS in 
another state (prong 2). The third and fourth prongs, which are 
codified in section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II), are provisions that prohibit 
emissions activity in one state from interfering with measures required 
to prevent significant deterioration of air quality in another state 
(prong 3) or from interfering with measures to protect visibility in 
another state (prong 4). Section 110(a)(2)(D)(ii) requires SIPs to 
include provisions insuring compliance with sections 115 and 126 of the 
Act, relating to interstate and international pollution abatement.
    Through this action, EPA is proposing to conditionally approve the 
prong 4 portions of Tennessee's infrastructure SIP submissions for the 
2010 1-hour NO2, 2010 1-hour SO2, and 2012 annual 
PM2.5 NAAQS. All other applicable infrastructure SIP 
requirements for these SIP submissions have been or will be addressed 
in separate rulemakings. A brief background regarding the NAAQS 
relevant to today's proposal is provided below. For comprehensive 
information on these NAAQS, please refer to the Federal Register 
notices cited in the following subsections.

a. 2010 1-Hour NO2 NAAQS

    On January 22, 2010, EPA established a new 1-hour primary NAAQS for 
NO2 at a level of 100 parts per billion, based

[[Page 12329]]

on a 3-year average of the 98th percentile of the yearly distribution 
of 1-hour daily maximum concentrations. See 75 FR 6474 (February 9, 
2010). States were required to submit infrastructure SIP submissions 
for the 2010 1-hour NO2 NAAQS to EPA no later than January 
22, 2013. For the 2010 1-hour NO2 NAAQS, this proposed 
action only addresses the prong 4 element of Tennessee's infrastructure 
SIP submission received on March 13, 2014. EPA has taken action on the 
remainder of Tennessee's March 13, 2014, SIP submission through 
separate rulemakings.

b. 2010 1-Hour SO2 NAAQS

    On June 2, 2010, EPA revised the primary SO2 NAAQS to an 
hourly standard of 75 parts per billion based on a 3-year average of 
the annual 99th percentile of 1-hour daily maximum concentrations. See 
75 FR 35520 (June 22, 2010). States were required to submit 
infrastructure SIP submissions for the 2010 1-hour SO2 NAAQS 
to EPA no later than June 2, 2013. For the 2010 1-hour SO2 
NAAQS, this proposed action only addresses the prong 4 element of 
Tennessee's infrastructure SIP submission received on March 13, 2014. 
EPA has taken action on the remainder of Tennessee's March 13, 2014, 
SIP submission through separate rulemakings.

c. 2012 Annual PM2.5 NAAQS

    On December 14, 2012, EPA revised the primary annual 
PM2.5 NAAQS to 12 micrograms per cubic meter ([mu]g/m\3\) 
based on a 3-year average of the annual average PM2.5 
concentrations. See 78 FR 3086 (January 15, 2013). States were required 
to submit infrastructure SIP submissions for the 2012 PM2.5 
NAAQS to EPA no later than December 14, 2015. For the 2012 annual 
PM2.5 NAAQS, this proposed action only addresses the prong 4 
element of Tennessee's infrastructure SIP submission received on 
December 16, 2015. Several of the other infrastructure elements of 
Tennessee's December 16, 2015, SIP submission have been addressed 
through a separate rulemaking and the remaining elements will be 
addressed in a future rulemaking.

II. What is EPA's approach to the review of infrastructure SIP 
submissions?

    The requirement for states to make a SIP submission of this type 
arises out of section 110(a)(1). Pursuant to section 110(a)(1), states 
must make SIP submissions ``within 3 years (or such shorter period as 
the Administrator may prescribe) after the promulgation of a national 
primary ambient air quality standard (or any revision thereof),'' and 
these SIP submissions are to provide for the ``implementation, 
maintenance, and enforcement'' of such NAAQS. The statute directly 
imposes on states the duty to make these SIP submissions, and the 
requirement to make the submissions is not conditioned upon EPA's 
taking any action other than promulgating a new or revised NAAQS. 
Section 110(a)(2) includes a list of specific elements that ``each such 
plan'' submission must address.
    EPA has historically referred to these SIP submissions made for the 
purpose of satisfying the requirements of section 110(a)(1) and (2) as 
``infrastructure SIP'' submissions. Although the term ``infrastructure 
SIP'' does not appear in the CAA, EPA uses the term to distinguish this 
particular type of SIP submission from submissions that are intended to 
satisfy other SIP requirements under the CAA, such as ``nonattainment 
SIP'' or ``attainment plan SIP'' submissions to address the 
nonattainment planning requirements of part D of Title I of the CAA, 
``regional haze SIP'' submissions required by EPA rule to address the 
visibility protection requirements of section 169A of the CAA, and 
nonattainment new source review permit program submissions to address 
the permit requirements of CAA, Title I, part D.
    Section 110(a)(1) addresses the timing and general requirements for 
infrastructure SIP submissions and section 110(a)(2) provides more 
details concerning the required contents of these submissions. The list 
of required elements provided in section 110(a)(2) contains a wide 
variety of disparate provisions, some of which pertain to required 
legal authority, some of which pertain to required substantive program 
provisions, and some of which pertain to requirements for both 
authority and substantive program provisions.\1\ EPA therefore believes 
that while the timing requirement in section 110(a)(1) is unambiguous, 
some of the other statutory provisions are ambiguous. In particular, 
EPA believes that the list of required elements for infrastructure SIP 
submissions provided in section 110(a)(2) contains ambiguities 
concerning what is required for inclusion in an infrastructure SIP 
submission.
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    \1\ For example: Section 110(a)(2)(E)(i) provides that states 
must provide assurances that they have adequate legal authority 
under state and local law to carry out the SIP; Section 110(a)(2)(C) 
provides that states must have a SIP-approved program to address 
certain sources as required by part C of Title I of the CAA; and 
section 110(a)(2)(G) provides that states must have legal authority 
to address emergencies as well as contingency plans that are 
triggered in the event of such emergencies.
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    The following examples of ambiguities illustrate the need for EPA 
to interpret some section 110(a)(1) and section 110(a)(2) requirements 
with respect to infrastructure SIP submissions for a given new or 
revised NAAQS. One example of ambiguity is that section 110(a)(2) 
requires that ``each'' SIP submission must meet the list of 
requirements therein, while EPA has long noted that this literal 
reading of the statute is internally inconsistent and would create a 
conflict with the nonattainment provisions in part D of Title I of the 
CAA, which specifically address nonattainment SIP requirements.\2\ 
Section 110(a)(2)(I) pertains to nonattainment SIP requirements and 
part D addresses when attainment plan SIP submissions to address 
nonattainment area requirements are due. For example, section 172(b) 
requires EPA to establish a schedule for submission of such plans for 
certain pollutants when the Administrator promulgates the designation 
of an area as nonattainment, and section 107(d)(1)(B) allows up to two 
years or in some cases three years, for such designations to be 
promulgated.\3\ This ambiguity illustrates that rather than apply all 
the stated requirements of section 110(a)(2) in a strict literal sense, 
EPA must determine which provisions of section 110(a)(2) are applicable 
for a particular infrastructure SIP submission.
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    \2\ See, e.g., ``Rule To Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine 
Particulate Matter and Ozone (Clean Air Interstate Rule); Revisions 
to Acid Rain Program; Revisions to the NOX SIP Call; 
Final Rule,'' 70 FR 25162, at 25163-65 (May 12, 2005) (explaining 
relationship between timing requirement of section 110(a)(2)(D) 
versus section 110(a)(2)(I)).
    \3\ EPA notes that this ambiguity within section 110(a)(2) is 
heightened by the fact that various subparts of part D set specific 
dates for submission of certain types of SIP submissions in 
designated nonattainment areas for various pollutants. Note, e.g., 
that section 182(a)(1) provides specific dates for submission of 
emissions inventories for the ozone NAAQS. Some of these specific 
dates are necessarily later than three years after promulgation of 
the new or revised NAAQS.
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    Another example of ambiguity within section 110(a)(1) and (2) with 
respect to infrastructure SIPs pertains to whether states must meet all 
of the infrastructure SIP requirements in a single SIP submission, and 
whether EPA must act upon such SIP submission in a single action. 
Although section 110(a)(1) directs states to submit ``a plan'' to meet 
these requirements, EPA interprets the CAA to allow states to make 
multiple SIP submissions separately addressing infrastructure SIP 
elements for the same NAAQS. If states elect to make such multiple SIP 
submissions to meet the

[[Page 12330]]

infrastructure SIP requirements, EPA can elect to act on such 
submissions either individually or in a larger combined action.\4\ 
Similarly, EPA interprets the CAA to allow it to take action on the 
individual parts of one larger, comprehensive infrastructure SIP 
submission for a given NAAQS without concurrent action on the entire 
submission. For example, EPA has sometimes elected to act at different 
times on various elements and sub-elements of the same infrastructure 
SIP submission.\5\
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    \4\ See, e.g., ``Approval and Promulgation of Implementation 
Plans; New Mexico; Revisions to the New Source Review (NSR) State 
Implementation Plan (SIP); Prevention of Significant Deterioration 
(PSD) and Nonattainment New Source Review (NNSR) Permitting,'' 78 FR 
4339 (January 22, 2013) (EPA's final action approving the structural 
PSD elements of the New Mexico SIP submitted by the State separately 
to meet the requirements of EPA's 2008 PM2.5 NSR rule), 
and ``Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; 
New Mexico; Infrastructure and Interstate Transport Requirements for 
the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS,'' 78 FR 4337 (January 22, 2013) 
(EPA's final action on the infrastructure SIP for the 2006 
PM2.5 NAAQS).
    \5\ On December 14, 2007, the State of Tennessee, through the 
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, made a SIP 
revision to EPA demonstrating that the State meets the requirements 
of sections 110(a)(1) and (2). EPA proposed action for 
infrastructure SIP elements (C) and (J) on January 23, 2012 (77 FR 
3213) and took final action on March 14, 2012 (77 FR 14976). On 
April 16, 2012 (77 FR 22533) and July 23, 2012 (77 FR 42997), EPA 
took separate proposed and final actions on all other section 
110(a)(2) infrastructure SIP elements of Tennessee's December 14, 
2007 submission.
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    Ambiguities within section 110(a)(1) and (2) may also arise with 
respect to infrastructure SIP submission requirements for different 
NAAQS. Thus, EPA notes that not every element of section 110(a)(2) 
would be relevant, or as relevant, or relevant in the same way, for 
each new or revised NAAQS. The states' attendant infrastructure SIP 
submissions for each NAAQS therefore could be different. For example, 
the monitoring requirements that a state might need to meet in its 
infrastructure SIP submission for purposes of section 110(a)(2)(B) 
could be very different for different pollutants, because the content 
and scope of a state's infrastructure SIP submission to meet this 
element might be very different for an entirely new NAAQS than for a 
minor revision to an existing NAAQS.\6\
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    \6\ For example, implementation of the 1997 PM2.5 
NAAQS required the deployment of a system of new monitors to measure 
ambient levels of that new indicator species for the new NAAQS.
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    EPA notes that interpretation of section 110(a)(2) is also 
necessary when EPA reviews other types of SIP submissions required 
under the CAA. Therefore, as with infrastructure SIP submissions, EPA 
also has to identify and interpret the relevant elements of section 
110(a)(2) that logically apply to these other types of SIP submissions. 
For example, section 172(c)(7) requires attainment plan SIP submissions 
required by part D to meet the ``applicable requirements'' of section 
110(a)(2); thus, attainment plan SIP submissions must meet the 
requirements of section 110(a)(2)(A) regarding enforceable emission 
limits and control measures and section 110(a)(2)(E)(i) regarding air 
agency resources and authority. By contrast, it is clear that 
attainment plan SIP submissions required by part D would not need to 
meet the portion of section 110(a)(2)(C) that pertains to the PSD 
program required in part C of Title I of the CAA, because PSD does not 
apply to a pollutant for which an area is designated nonattainment and 
thus subject to part D planning requirements. As this example 
illustrates, each type of SIP submission may implicate some elements of 
section 110(a)(2) but not others.
    Given the potential for ambiguity in some of the statutory language 
of section 110(a)(1) and section 110(a)(2), EPA believes that it is 
appropriate to interpret the ambiguous portions of section 110(a)(1) 
and section 110(a)(2) in the context of acting on a particular SIP 
submission. In other words, EPA assumes that Congress could not have 
intended that each and every SIP submission, regardless of the NAAQS in 
question or the history of SIP development for the relevant pollutant, 
would meet each of the requirements, or meet each of them in the same 
way. Therefore, EPA has adopted an approach under which it reviews 
infrastructure SIP submissions against the list of elements in section 
110(a)(2), but only to the extent each element applies for that 
particular NAAQS.
    Historically, EPA has elected to use guidance documents to make 
recommendations to states for infrastructure SIPs, in some cases 
conveying needed interpretations on newly arising issues and in some 
cases conveying interpretations that have already been developed and 
applied to individual SIP submissions for particular elements.\7\ EPA 
most recently issued guidance for infrastructure SIPs on September 13, 
2013 (2013 Guidance).\8\ EPA developed this document to provide states 
with up-to-date guidance for infrastructure SIPs for any new or revised 
NAAQS. Within this guidance, EPA describes the duty of states to make 
infrastructure SIP submissions to meet basic structural SIP 
requirements within three years of promulgation of a new or revised 
NAAQS. EPA also made recommendations about many specific subsections of 
section 110(a)(2) that are relevant in the context of infrastructure 
SIP submissions.\9\ The guidance also discusses the substantively 
important issues that are germane to certain subsections of section 
110(a)(2). EPA interprets section 110(a)(1) and (2) such that 
infrastructure SIP submissions need to address certain issues and need 
not address others. Accordingly, EPA reviews each infrastructure SIP 
submission for compliance with the applicable statutory provisions of 
section 110(a)(2), as appropriate.
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    \7\ EPA notes, however, that nothing in the CAA requires EPA to 
provide guidance or to promulgate regulations for infrastructure SIP 
submissions. The CAA directly applies to states and requires the 
submission of infrastructure SIP submissions, regardless of whether 
or not EPA provides guidance or regulations pertaining to such 
submissions. EPA elects to issue such guidance in order to assist 
states, as appropriate.
    \8\ ``Guidance on Infrastructure State Implementation Plan (SIP) 
Elements under Clean Air Act Sections 110(a)(1) and 110(a)(2),'' 
Memorandum from Stephen D. Page, September 13, 2013.
    \9\ EPA's September 13, 2013, guidance did not make 
recommendations with respect to infrastructure SIP submissions to 
address Section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I). EPA issued the guidance shortly 
after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the D.C. Circuit 
decision in EME Homer City, 696 F.3d 7 (D.C. Cir. 2012) which had 
interpreted the requirements of section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I). In light 
of the uncertainty created by ongoing litigation, EPA elected not to 
provide additional guidance on the requirements of section 
110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I) at that time. As the guidance is neither binding 
nor required by statute, whether EPA elects to provide guidance on a 
particular section has no impact on a state's CAA obligations.
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    As an example, section 110(a)(2)(E)(ii) is a required element of 
section 110(a)(2) for infrastructure SIP submissions. Under this 
element, a state must meet the substantive requirements of section 128, 
which pertain to state boards that approve permits or enforcement 
orders and heads of executive agencies with similar powers. Thus, EPA 
reviews infrastructure SIP submissions to ensure that the state's SIP 
appropriately addresses the requirements of section 110(a)(2)(E)(ii) 
and section 128. The 2013 Guidance explains EPA's interpretation that 
there may be a variety of ways by which states can appropriately 
address these substantive statutory requirements, depending on the 
structure of an individual state's permitting or enforcement program 
(e.g., whether permits and enforcement orders are approved by a multi-
member board or by a head of an executive agency). However they are 
addressed by the state, the substantive requirements of

[[Page 12331]]

Section 128 are necessarily included in EPA's evaluation of 
infrastructure SIP submissions because section 110(a)(2)(E)(ii) 
explicitly requires that the state satisfy the provisions of section 
128.
    As another example, EPA's review of infrastructure SIP submissions 
with respect to the PSD program requirements in section 110(a)(2)(C), 
(D)(i)(II), and (J) focuses upon the structural PSD program 
requirements contained in part C and EPA's PSD regulations. Structural 
PSD program requirements include provisions necessary for the PSD 
program to address all regulated sources and NSR pollutants, including 
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs). By contrast, structural PSD program 
requirements do not include provisions that are not required under 
EPA's regulations at 40 CFR 51.166 but are merely available as an 
option for the state, such as the option to provide grandfathering of 
complete permit applications with respect to the PM2.5 
NAAQS. Accordingly, the latter optional provisions are types of 
provisions EPA considers irrelevant in the context of an infrastructure 
SIP action.
    For other section 110(a)(2) elements, however, EPA's review of a 
state's infrastructure SIP submission focuses on assuring that the 
state's SIP meets basic structural requirements. For example, section 
110(a)(2)(C) includes, inter alia, the requirement that states have a 
program to regulate minor new sources. Thus, EPA evaluates whether the 
state has an EPA-approved minor new source review program and whether 
the program addresses the pollutants relevant to that NAAQS. In the 
context of acting on an infrastructure SIP submission, however, EPA 
does not think it is necessary to conduct a review of each and every 
provision of a state's existing minor source program (i.e., already in 
the existing SIP) for compliance with the requirements of the CAA and 
EPA's regulations that pertain to such programs.
    With respect to certain other issues, EPA does not believe that an 
action on a state's infrastructure SIP submission is necessarily the 
appropriate type of action in which to address possible deficiencies in 
a state's existing SIP. These issues include: (i) Existing provisions 
related to excess emissions from sources during periods of startup, 
shutdown, or malfunction (SSM) that may be contrary to the CAA and 
EPA's policies addressing such excess emissions; \10\ (ii) existing 
provisions related to ``director's variance'' or ``director's 
discretion'' that may be contrary to the CAA because they purport to 
allow revisions to SIP-approved emissions limits while limiting public 
process or not requiring further approval by EPA; and (iii) existing 
provisions for PSD programs that may be inconsistent with current 
requirements of EPA's ``Final NSR Improvement Rule,'' 67 FR 80186 
(December 31, 2002), as amended by 72 FR 32526 (June 13, 2007) (NSR 
Reform). Thus, EPA believes that it may approve an infrastructure SIP 
submission without scrutinizing the totality of the existing SIP for 
such potentially deficient provisions and may approve the submission 
even if it is aware of such existing provisions.\11\ It is important to 
note that EPA's approval of a state's infrastructure SIP submission 
should not be construed as explicit or implicit re-approval of any 
existing potentially deficient provisions that relate to the three 
specific issues just described.
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    \10\ Subsequent to issuing the 2013 Guidance, EPA's 
interpretation of the CAA with respect to the approvability of 
affirmative defense provisions in SIPs has changed. See ``State 
Implementation Plans: Response to Petition for Rulemaking; 
Restatement and Update of EPA's SSM Policy Applicable to SIPs; 
Findings of Substantial Inadequacy; and SIP Calls To Amend 
Provisions Applying to Excess Emissions During Periods of Startup, 
Shutdown and Malfunction,'' 80 FR 33839 (June 12, 2015). As a 
result, EPA's 2013 Guidance (p. 21 & n.30) no longer represents the 
EPA's view concerning the validity of affirmative defense 
provisions, in light of the requirements of section 113 and section 
304.
    \11\ By contrast, EPA notes that if a state were to include a 
new provision in an infrastructure SIP submission that contained a 
legal deficiency, such as a new exemption or affirmative defense for 
excess emissions during SSM events, then EPA would need to evaluate 
that provision for compliance against the rubric of applicable CAA 
requirements in the context of the action on the infrastructure SIP.
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    EPA's approach to review of infrastructure SIP submissions is to 
identify the CAA requirements that are logically applicable to that 
submission. EPA believes that this approach to the review of a 
particular infrastructure SIP submission is appropriate, because it 
would not be reasonable to read the general requirements of section 
110(a)(1) and the list of elements in section 110(a)(2) as requiring 
review of each and every provision of a state's existing SIP against 
all requirements in the CAA and EPA regulations merely for purposes of 
assuring that the state in question has the basic structural elements 
for a functioning SIP for a new or revised NAAQS. Because SIPs have 
grown by accretion over the decades as statutory and regulatory 
requirements under the CAA have evolved, they may include some outmoded 
provisions and historical artifacts. These provisions, while not fully 
up to date, nevertheless may not pose a significant problem for the 
purposes of ``implementation, maintenance, and enforcement'' of a new 
or revised NAAQS when EPA evaluates adequacy of the infrastructure SIP 
submission. EPA believes that a better approach is for states and EPA 
to focus attention on those elements of section 110(a)(2) of the CAA 
most likely to warrant a specific SIP revision due to the promulgation 
of a new or revised NAAQS or other factors.
    For example, EPA's 2013 Guidance gives simpler recommendations with 
respect to carbon monoxide than other NAAQS pollutants to meet the 
visibility requirements of section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II), because carbon 
monoxide does not affect visibility. As a result, an infrastructure SIP 
submission for any future new or revised NAAQS for carbon monoxide need 
only state this fact in order to address the visibility prong of 
section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II).
    Finally, EPA believes that its approach with respect to 
infrastructure SIP requirements is based on a reasonable reading of 
section 110(a)(1) and (2) because the CAA provides other avenues and 
mechanisms to address specific substantive deficiencies in existing 
SIPs. These other statutory tools allow EPA to take appropriately 
tailored action, depending upon the nature and severity of the alleged 
SIP deficiency. Section 110(k)(5) authorizes EPA to issue a ``SIP 
call'' whenever the Agency determines that a state's SIP is 
substantially inadequate to attain or maintain the NAAQS, to mitigate 
interstate transport, or to otherwise comply with the CAA.\12\ Section 
110(k)(6) authorizes EPA to correct errors in past actions, such as 
past approvals of SIP submissions.\13\

[[Page 12332]]

Significantly, EPA's determination that an action on a state's 
infrastructure SIP submission is not the appropriate time and place to 
address all potential existing SIP deficiencies does not preclude EPA's 
subsequent reliance on provisions in section 110(a)(2) as part of the 
basis for action to correct those deficiencies at a later time. For 
example, although it may not be appropriate to require a state to 
eliminate all existing inappropriate director's discretion provisions 
in the course of acting on an infrastructure SIP submission, EPA 
believes that section 110(a)(2)(A) may be among the statutory bases 
that EPA relies upon in the course of addressing such deficiency in a 
subsequent action.\14\
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    \12\ For example, EPA issued a SIP call to Utah to address 
specific existing SIP deficiencies related to the treatment of 
excess emissions during SSM events. See ``Finding of Substantial 
Inadequacy of Implementation Plan; Call for Utah State 
Implementation Plan Revisions,'' 74 FR 21639 (April 18, 2011).
    \13\ EPA has used this authority to correct errors in past 
actions on SIP submissions related to PSD programs. See ``Limitation 
of Approval of Prevention of Significant Deterioration Provisions 
Concerning Greenhouse Gas Emitting-Sources in State Implementation 
Plans; Final Rule,'' 75 FR 82536 (December 30, 2010). EPA has 
previously used its authority under section 110(k)(6) of the CAA to 
remove numerous other SIP provisions that the Agency determined it 
had approved in error. See, e.g., 61 FR 38664 (July 25, 1996) and 62 
FR 34641 (June 27, 1997) (corrections to American Samoa, Arizona, 
California, Hawaii, and Nevada SIPs); 69 FR 67062, November 16, 2004 
(corrections to California SIP); and 74 FR 57051 (November 3, 2009) 
(corrections to Arizona and Nevada SIPs).
    \14\ See, e.g., EPA's disapproval of a SIP submission from 
Colorado on the grounds that it would have included a director's 
discretion provision inconsistent with CAA requirements, including 
section 110(a)(2)(A). See, e.g., 75 FR 42342 at 42344 (July 21, 
2010) (proposed disapproval of director's discretion provisions); 76 
FR 4540 (January 26, 2011) (final disapproval of such provisions).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

III. What are the Prong 4 requirements?

    Section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II) requires a state's implementation plan 
to contain provisions prohibiting sources in that state from emitting 
pollutants in amounts that interfere with any other state's efforts to 
protect visibility under part C of the CAA (which includes sections 
169A and 169B). The 2013 Guidance states that these prong 4 
requirements can be satisfied by approved SIP provisions that EPA has 
found to adequately address any contribution of that state's sources to 
impacts on visibility program requirements in other states. The 2013 
Guidance also states that EPA interprets this prong to be pollutant-
specific, such that the infrastructure SIP submission need only address 
the potential for interference with protection of visibility caused by 
the pollutant (including precursors) to which the new or revised NAAQS 
applies.
    The 2013 Guidance lays out two ways in which a state's 
infrastructure SIP may satisfy prong 4. The first way is through an air 
agency's confirmation in its infrastructure SIP submission that it has 
an EPA-approved regional haze SIP that fully meets the requirements of 
40 CFR 51.308 or 51.309. 40 CFR 51.308 and 51.309 specifically require 
that a state participating in a regional planning process include all 
measures needed to achieve its apportionment of emission reduction 
obligations agreed upon through that process. A fully approved regional 
haze SIP will ensure that emissions from sources under an air agency's 
jurisdiction are not interfering with measures required to be included 
in other air agencies' plans to protect visibility.
    Alternatively, in the absence of a fully approved regional haze 
SIP, a state may meet the requirements of prong 4 through a 
demonstration in its infrastructure SIP submission that emissions 
within its jurisdiction do not interfere with other air agencies' plans 
to protect visibility. Such an infrastructure SIP submission would need 
to include measures to limit visibility-impairing pollutants and ensure 
that the reductions conform with any mutually agreed regional haze 
reasonable progress goals for mandatory Class I areas in other states.

IV. What is EPA's analysis of how Tennessee addressed Prong 4?

    Tennessee's March 13, 2014, 2010 1-hour NO2 and 2010 1-
hour SO2 submission cites to the State's regional haze SIP 
and Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) SIP as satisfying prong 4 
requirements.\15\ In its December 16, 2015, 2012 annual 
PM2.5 submission, the State notes that it is developing a 
regional haze SIP revision with the intent to obtain a fully approved 
regional haze SIP and that Tennessee's SIP will be adequate with regard 
to prong 4 if EPA approves that revision. As explained below, EPA has 
not yet fully approved Tennessee's existing regional haze SIP because 
the SIP relies on CAIR to satisfy the nitrogen oxides (NOX) 
and SO2 Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) 
requirements for the CAIR-subject electric generating units (EGUs) in 
the State and the requirement for a long-term strategy sufficient to 
achieve the state-adopted reasonable progress goals.\16\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \15\ In its March 13, 2014, submission, Tennessee states that 
its regional haze SIP and its ``CAIR SIP are sufficient to ensure 
emissions within its jurisdiction do not interfere with other 
agencies' plans to protect visibility.'' However, as Tennessee notes 
in its submittal, a state's infrastructure SIP submission can 
satisfy prong 4 solely through confirmation that the state has a 
fully approved regional haze SIP.
    \16\ CAIR, promulgated in 2005, required 27 states and the 
District of Columbia to reduce emissions of NOX and 
SO2 that significantly contribute to, or interfere with 
maintenance of, the 1997 NAAQS for fine particulates and/or ozone in 
any downwind state. CAIR imposed specified emissions reduction 
requirements on each affected State, and established several EPA-
administered cap and trade programs for EGUs that States could join 
as a means to meet these requirements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    EPA demonstrated that CAIR achieved greater reasonable progress 
toward the national visibility goal than BART for NOX and 
SO2 at BART-eligible EGUs in CAIR affected states, and 
revised the regional haze rule to provide that states participating in 
CAIR's cap-and-trade programs need not require affected BART-eligible 
EGUs to install, operate, and maintain BART for emissions of 
SO2 and NOX. See 70 FR 39104 (July 6, 2005). As a 
result, a number of states in the CAIR region designed their regional 
haze SIPs to rely on CAIR as an alternative to NOX and 
SO2 BART for CAIR-subject EGUs. These states also relied on 
CAIR as an element of a long-term strategy for achieving their 
reasonable progress goals.
    The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia 
Circuit (D.C. Circuit) initially vacated CAIR in 2008,\17\ but 
ultimately remanded the rule to EPA without vacatur to preserve the 
environmental benefits provided by CAIR.\18\ On August 8, 2011 (76 FR 
48208), acting on the D.C. Circuit's remand, EPA promulgated the Cross-
State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) to replace CAIR and thus to address 
the interstate transport of emissions contributing to nonattainment and 
interfering with maintenance of the two air quality standards covered 
by CAIR as well as the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \17\ North Carolina v. EPA, 531 F.3d 896 (D.C. Cir. 2008).
    \18\ North Carolina v. EPA, 550 F.3d 1176 (D.C. Cir. 2008).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Due to CAIR's status as a temporary measure following the D.C. 
Circuit's 2008 ruling, EPA could not fully approve regional haze SIP 
revisions to the extent that they relied on CAIR to satisfy the BART 
requirement and the requirement for a long-term strategy sufficient to 
achieve the state-adopted reasonable progress goals. On these grounds, 
EPA finalized a limited approval and limited disapproval of Tennessee's 
regional haze SIP on April 24, 2012 (77 FR 24392), triggering the 
requirement for EPA to promulgate a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) 
unless Tennessee submitted and EPA approved a SIP revision that 
corrected the deficiencies.
    Numerous parties filed petitions for review of CSAPR in the D.C. 
Circuit, and on August 21, 2012, the court issued its ruling, vacating 
and remanding CSAPR to EPA and ordering continued implementation of 
CAIR. EME Homer City Generation, L.P. v. EPA, 696 F.3d 7, 38 (D.C. Cir. 
2012). The D.C. Circuit's vacatur of CSAPR was reversed by the United 
States Supreme Court on April 29, 2014, and the case was remanded to 
the D.C. Circuit to resolve remaining issues in accordance with the 
high court's ruling. EPA v. EME Homer City Generation, L.P., 134 S. Ct. 
1584 (2014). On remand, the D.C.

[[Page 12333]]

Circuit affirmed CSAPR in most respects, but invalidated without 
vacating some of the CSAPR budgets as to a number of states. EME Homer 
City Generation, L.P. v. EPA, 795 F.3d 118 (D.C. Cir. 2015). EPA began 
implementation of CSAPR, which replaced CAIR, on January 1, 2015. 
Therefore, Tennessee cannot rely on CAIR to satisfy the BART 
requirement and the requirement for a long-term strategy sufficient to 
achieve the state-adopted reasonable progress goals.
    As mentioned above, a state may meet the requirements of prong 4 
without a fully approved regional haze SIP by showing that its SIP 
contains adequate provisions to prevent emissions from within the state 
from interfering with other states' measures to protect visibility. 
Tennessee did not, however, provide a demonstration in any of the 
infrastructure SIP submissions subject to this proposed action that 
emissions within its jurisdiction do not interfere with other states' 
plans to protect visibility.
    As discussed above, Tennessee does not have a fully approved 
regional haze SIP that meets the requirements of 40 CFR 51.308 and has 
not otherwise shown that its SIP contains adequate provisions to 
prevent emissions from within the state from interfering with other 
states' measures to protect visibility. Therefore, on December 7, 2016, 
Tennessee submitted a commitment letter to EPA requesting conditional 
approval of the prong 4 portions of the aforementioned infrastructure 
SIP revisions. In this letter, Tennessee commits to submit an 
infrastructure SIP revision, within one year of final conditional 
approval, that will satisfy the prong 4 requirements for the 2010 1-
hour NO2 NAAQS, 2010 1-hour SO2 NAAQS, and 2012 
annual PM2.5 NAAQS through reliance on a fully approved 
regional haze SIP or through an analysis showing that emissions from 
sources in Tennessee will not interfere with the attainment of the 
reasonable progress goals of other states. If the revised 
infrastructure SIP revision relies on a fully approved regional haze 
SIP revision to satisfy prong 4 requirements, Tennessee also commits to 
providing the necessary regional haze SIP revision to EPA within one 
year of EPA's final conditional approval.
    If Tennessee meets its commitment within one year of final 
conditional approval, the prong 4 portions of the conditionally 
approved infrastructure SIP submissions will remain a part of the SIP 
until EPA takes final action approving or disapproving the new SIP 
revision(s). However, if the State fails to submit these revisions 
within the one-year timeframe, the conditional approval will 
automatically become a disapproval one year from EPA's final 
conditional approval and EPA will issue a finding of disapproval. EPA 
is not required to propose the finding of disapproval. If the 
conditional approval is converted to a disapproval, the final 
disapproval triggers the FIP requirement under CAA section 110(c).

V. Proposed Action

    As described above, EPA is proposing to conditionally approve the 
prong 4 portions of Tennessee's March 13, 2014, 2010 1-hour 
NO2 and 2010 1-hour SO2 infrastructure SIP 
submission and December 16, 2015, 2012 PM2.5 infrastructure 
SIP submission. All other outstanding applicable infrastructure 
requirements for these SIP submissions have been or will be addressed 
in separate rulemakings.

VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

    Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP 
submission that complies with the provisions of the Act and applicable 
federal regulations. See 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a). Thus, in 
reviewing SIP submissions, EPA's role is to approve state choices, 
provided that they meet the criteria of the CAA. Accordingly, this 
proposed action merely proposes to approve state law as meeting federal 
requirements and does not impose additional requirements beyond those 
imposed by state law. For that reason, this proposed action:
     Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' subject to 
review by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Orders 
12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993) and 13563 (76 FR 3821, January 21, 
2011);
     does not impose an information collection burden under the 
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
     is certified as not having a significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
     does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or 
uniquely affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4);
     does not have Federalism implications as specified in 
Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999);
     is not an economically significant regulatory action based 
on health or safety risks subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 
19885, April 23, 1997);
     is not a significant regulatory action subject to 
Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001);
     is not subject to requirements of Section 12(d) of the 
National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 
note) because application of those requirements would be inconsistent 
with the CAA; and
     does not provide EPA with the discretionary authority to 
address, as appropriate, disproportionate human health or environmental 
effects, using practicable and legally permissible methods, under 
Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).
    The SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian reservation land or 
in any other area where EPA or an Indian tribe has demonstrated that a 
tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian country, the rule does 
not have tribal implications as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 
FR 67249, November 9, 2000), nor will it impose substantial direct 
costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

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

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.

    Dated: February 21, 2017.
Kenneth R. Lapierre,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 4.
[FR Doc. 2017-04009 Filed 3-1-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P



                                                 12328                    Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 40 / Thursday, March 2, 2017 / Proposed Rules

                                                    (f) Presumption of receipt. For                      December 16, 2015, 2012 annual PM2.5                  requirements, and legal authority that
                                                 purposes of paragraph (b) of this                       infrastructure SIP submission. All other              are designed to assure attainment and
                                                 section, the Register shall presume that                applicable infrastructure requirements                maintenance of the newly established or
                                                 but for the general disruption or                       for these SIP submissions have been or                revised NAAQS. More specifically,
                                                 suspension of postal or other                           will be addressed in separate                         section 110(a)(1) provides the
                                                 transportation or communications                        rulemakings.                                          procedural and timing requirements for
                                                 services, including a disruption or                     DATES: Comments must be received on                   infrastructure SIPs. Section 110(a)(2)
                                                 suspension of a Copyright Office                        or before April 3, 2017.                              lists specific elements that states must
                                                 electronic system, or but for the                                                                             meet for the infrastructure SIP
                                                                                                         ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
                                                 misdelivery, misplacement, or loss of                                                                         requirements related to a newly
                                                                                                         identified by Docket ID No. EPA–R04–
                                                 materials sent to the Copyright Office;:                                                                      established or revised NAAQS. The
                                                                                                         OAR–2016–0748 at http://
                                                 *      *    *     *    *                                                                                      contents of an infrastructure SIP
                                                                                                         www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
                                                    (5) Materials submitted or attempted                                                                       submission may vary depending upon
                                                                                                         instructions for submitting comments.
                                                 to be submitted through a Copyright                                                                           the data and analytical tools available to
                                                                                                         Once submitted, comments cannot be
                                                 Office electronic system would have                                                                           the state, as well as the provisions
                                                                                                         edited or removed from Regulations.gov.
                                                 been received in the Copyright Office on                                                                      already contained in the state’s
                                                                                                         EPA may publish any comment received
                                                 the date the attempt was made. If it is                                                                       implementation plan at the time in
                                                                                                         to its public docket. Do not submit
                                                 unclear when an attempt was made, the                                                                         which the state develops and submits
                                                                                                         electronically any information you
                                                 Register will determine the effective                                                                         the submission for a new or revised
                                                                                                         consider to be Confidential Business
                                                 date of receipt on a case-by-case basis.                                                                      NAAQS.
                                                                                                         Information (CBI) or other information
                                                                                                                                                                  Section 110(a)(2)(D) has two
                                                 (17 U.S.C. 702, 709)                                    whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
                                                                                                                                                               components: 110(a)(2)(D)(i) and
                                                                                                         Multimedia submissions (audio, video,
                                                   Dated: February 23, 2017.                                                                                   110(a)(2)(D)(ii). Section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)
                                                                                                         etc.) must be accompanied by a written
                                                 Sarang V. Damle,                                                                                              includes four distinct components,
                                                                                                         comment. The written comment is
                                                 General Counsel and Associate Register of                                                                     commonly referred to as ‘‘prongs,’’ that
                                                                                                         considered the official comment and
                                                 Copyrights.                                                                                                   must be addressed in infrastructure SIP
                                                                                                         should include discussion of all points
                                                 [FR Doc. 2017–03907 Filed 3–1–17; 8:45 am]                                                                    submissions. The first two prongs,
                                                                                                         you wish to make. EPA will generally
                                                 BILLING CODE 1410–30–P                                                                                        which are codified in section
                                                                                                         not consider comments or comment
                                                                                                                                                               110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I), are provisions that
                                                                                                         contents located outside of the primary
                                                                                                                                                               prohibit any source or other type of
                                                                                                         submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or
                                                 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION                                                                                      emissions activity in one state from
                                                                                                         other file sharing system). For
                                                 AGENCY                                                                                                        contributing significantly to
                                                                                                         additional submission methods, the full               nonattainment of the NAAQS in another
                                                                                                         EPA public comment policy,                            state (prong 1) and from interfering with
                                                 40 CFR Parts 52                                         information about CBI or multimedia                   maintenance of the NAAQS in another
                                                 [EPA–R04–OAR–2016–0748; FRL–9959–07–                    submissions, and general guidance on                  state (prong 2). The third and fourth
                                                 Region 4]                                               making effective comments, please visit               prongs, which are codified in section
                                                                                                         http://www2.epa.gov/dockets/                          110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II), are provisions that
                                                 Air Plan Approvals; TN; Prong 4–2010                    commenting-epa-dockets.
                                                 NO2, SO2, and 2012 PM2.5 NAAQS                                                                                prohibit emissions activity in one state
                                                                                                         FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      from interfering with measures required
                                                 AGENCY:  Environmental Protection                       Sean Lakeman of the Air Regulatory                    to prevent significant deterioration of air
                                                 Agency.                                                 Management Section, Air Planning and                  quality in another state (prong 3) or
                                                 ACTION: Proposed rule.                                  Implementation Branch, Air, Pesticides                from interfering with measures to
                                                                                                         and Toxics Management Division, U.S.                  protect visibility in another state (prong
                                                 SUMMARY:   The Environmental Protection                 Environmental Protection Agency,                      4). Section 110(a)(2)(D)(ii) requires SIPs
                                                 Agency (EPA) is proposing to                            Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW.,                      to include provisions insuring
                                                 conditionally approve the visibility                    Atlanta, Georgia 30303–8960. Mr.                      compliance with sections 115 and 126
                                                 transport (prong 4) portions of revisions               Lakeman can be reached by telephone at                of the Act, relating to interstate and
                                                 to the Tennessee State Implementation                   (404) 562–9043 or via electronic mail at              international pollution abatement.
                                                 Plan (SIP), submitted by the Tennessee                  lakeman.sean@epa.gov.                                    Through this action, EPA is proposing
                                                 Department of Environment and                           SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            to conditionally approve the prong 4
                                                 Conservation (TDEC), addressing the                                                                           portions of Tennessee’s infrastructure
                                                 Clean Air Act (CAA or Act)                              I. Background
                                                                                                                                                               SIP submissions for the 2010 1-hour
                                                 infrastructure SIP requirements for the                    By statute, SIPs meeting the                       NO2, 2010 1-hour SO2, and 2012 annual
                                                 2010 1-hour Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2),                     requirements of sections 110(a)(1) and                PM2.5 NAAQS. All other applicable
                                                 2010 1-hour Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), and                   (2) of the CAA are to be submitted by                 infrastructure SIP requirements for these
                                                 2012 annual Fine Particulate Matter                     states within three years after                       SIP submissions have been or will be
                                                 (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality                    promulgation of a new or revised                      addressed in separate rulemakings. A
                                                 Standards (NAAQS). The CAA requires                     NAAQS to provide for the                              brief background regarding the NAAQS
                                                 that each state adopt and submit a SIP                  implementation, maintenance, and                      relevant to today’s proposal is provided
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                                                 for the implementation, maintenance,                    enforcement of the new or revised                     below. For comprehensive information
                                                 and enforcement of each NAAQS                           NAAQS. EPA has historically referred to               on these NAAQS, please refer to the
                                                 promulgated by EPA, commonly                            these SIP submissions made for the                    Federal Register notices cited in the
                                                 referred to as an ‘‘infrastructure SIP.’’               purpose of satisfying the requirements                following subsections.
                                                 Specifically, EPA is proposing to                       of sections 110(a)(1) and 110(a)(2) as
                                                 conditionally approve the prong 4                       ‘‘infrastructure SIP’’ submissions.                   a. 2010 1-Hour NO2 NAAQS
                                                 portions of Tennessee’s March 13, 2014,                 Sections 110(a)(1) and (2) require states                On January 22, 2010, EPA established
                                                 2010 1-hour NO2 and 2010 1-hour SO2                     to address basic SIP elements such as                 a new 1-hour primary NAAQS for NO2
                                                 infrastructure SIP submission and                       for monitoring, basic program                         at a level of 100 parts per billion, based


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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 40 / Thursday, March 2, 2017 / Proposed Rules                                                      12329

                                                 on a 3-year average of the 98th                         national primary ambient air quality                    inclusion in an infrastructure SIP
                                                 percentile of the yearly distribution of 1-             standard (or any revision thereof),’’ and               submission.
                                                 hour daily maximum concentrations.                      these SIP submissions are to provide for                   The following examples of
                                                 See 75 FR 6474 (February 9, 2010).                      the ‘‘implementation, maintenance, and                  ambiguities illustrate the need for EPA
                                                 States were required to submit                          enforcement’’ of such NAAQS. The                        to interpret some section 110(a)(1) and
                                                 infrastructure SIP submissions for the                  statute directly imposes on states the                  section 110(a)(2) requirements with
                                                 2010 1-hour NO2 NAAQS to EPA no                         duty to make these SIP submissions,                     respect to infrastructure SIP
                                                 later than January 22, 2013. For the 2010               and the requirement to make the                         submissions for a given new or revised
                                                 1-hour NO2 NAAQS, this proposed                         submissions is not conditioned upon                     NAAQS. One example of ambiguity is
                                                 action only addresses the prong 4                       EPA’s taking any action other than                      that section 110(a)(2) requires that
                                                 element of Tennessee’s infrastructure                   promulgating a new or revised NAAQS.                    ‘‘each’’ SIP submission must meet the
                                                 SIP submission received on March 13,                    Section 110(a)(2) includes a list of                    list of requirements therein, while EPA
                                                 2014. EPA has taken action on the                       specific elements that ‘‘each such plan’’               has long noted that this literal reading
                                                 remainder of Tennessee’s March 13,                      submission must address.                                of the statute is internally inconsistent
                                                 2014, SIP submission through separate                      EPA has historically referred to these               and would create a conflict with the
                                                 rulemakings.                                            SIP submissions made for the purpose                    nonattainment provisions in part D of
                                                                                                         of satisfying the requirements of section               Title I of the CAA, which specifically
                                                 b. 2010 1-Hour SO2 NAAQS                                                                                        address nonattainment SIP
                                                                                                         110(a)(1) and (2) as ‘‘infrastructure SIP’’
                                                    On June 2, 2010, EPA revised the                     submissions. Although the term                          requirements.2 Section 110(a)(2)(I)
                                                 primary SO2 NAAQS to an hourly                          ‘‘infrastructure SIP’’ does not appear in               pertains to nonattainment SIP
                                                 standard of 75 parts per billion based on               the CAA, EPA uses the term to                           requirements and part D addresses
                                                 a 3-year average of the annual 99th                     distinguish this particular type of SIP                 when attainment plan SIP submissions
                                                 percentile of 1-hour daily maximum                      submission from submissions that are                    to address nonattainment area
                                                 concentrations. See 75 FR 35520 (June                   intended to satisfy other SIP                           requirements are due. For example,
                                                 22, 2010). States were required to                      requirements under the CAA, such as                     section 172(b) requires EPA to establish
                                                 submit infrastructure SIP submissions                   ‘‘nonattainment SIP’’ or ‘‘attainment                   a schedule for submission of such plans
                                                 for the 2010 1-hour SO2 NAAQS to EPA                    plan SIP’’ submissions to address the                   for certain pollutants when the
                                                 no later than June 2, 2013. For the 2010                nonattainment planning requirements of                  Administrator promulgates the
                                                 1-hour SO2 NAAQS, this proposed                         part D of Title I of the CAA, ‘‘regional                designation of an area as nonattainment,
                                                 action only addresses the prong 4                       haze SIP’’ submissions required by EPA                  and section 107(d)(1)(B) allows up to
                                                 element of Tennessee’s infrastructure                   rule to address the visibility protection               two years or in some cases three years,
                                                 SIP submission received on March 13,                    requirements of section 169A of the                     for such designations to be
                                                 2014. EPA has taken action on the                       CAA, and nonattainment new source                       promulgated.3 This ambiguity illustrates
                                                 remainder of Tennessee’s March 13,                      review permit program submissions to                    that rather than apply all the stated
                                                 2014, SIP submission through separate                   address the permit requirements of                      requirements of section 110(a)(2) in a
                                                 rulemakings.                                            CAA, Title I, part D.                                   strict literal sense, EPA must determine
                                                                                                            Section 110(a)(1) addresses the timing               which provisions of section 110(a)(2)
                                                 c. 2012 Annual PM2.5 NAAQS
                                                                                                         and general requirements for                            are applicable for a particular
                                                    On December 14, 2012, EPA revised                                                                            infrastructure SIP submission.
                                                 the primary annual PM2.5 NAAQS to 12                    infrastructure SIP submissions and
                                                                                                                                                                    Another example of ambiguity within
                                                 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m3)                      section 110(a)(2) provides more details
                                                                                                                                                                 section 110(a)(1) and (2) with respect to
                                                 based on a 3-year average of the annual                 concerning the required contents of
                                                                                                                                                                 infrastructure SIPs pertains to whether
                                                 average PM2.5 concentrations. See 78 FR                 these submissions. The list of required                 states must meet all of the infrastructure
                                                 3086 (January 15, 2013). States were                    elements provided in section 110(a)(2)                  SIP requirements in a single SIP
                                                 required to submit infrastructure SIP                   contains a wide variety of disparate                    submission, and whether EPA must act
                                                 submissions for the 2012 PM2.5 NAAQS                    provisions, some of which pertain to                    upon such SIP submission in a single
                                                 to EPA no later than December 14, 2015.                 required legal authority, some of which                 action. Although section 110(a)(1)
                                                 For the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS, this                   pertain to required substantive program                 directs states to submit ‘‘a plan’’ to meet
                                                 proposed action only addresses the                      provisions, and some of which pertain                   these requirements, EPA interprets the
                                                 prong 4 element of Tennessee’s                          to requirements for both authority and                  CAA to allow states to make multiple
                                                 infrastructure SIP submission received                  substantive program provisions.1 EPA                    SIP submissions separately addressing
                                                 on December 16, 2015. Several of the                    therefore believes that while the timing                infrastructure SIP elements for the same
                                                 other infrastructure elements of                        requirement in section 110(a)(1) is                     NAAQS. If states elect to make such
                                                 Tennessee’s December 16, 2015, SIP                      unambiguous, some of the other                          multiple SIP submissions to meet the
                                                 submission have been addressed                          statutory provisions are ambiguous. In
                                                 through a separate rulemaking and the                   particular, EPA believes that the list of                 2 See, e.g., ‘‘Rule To Reduce Interstate Transport

                                                 remaining elements will be addressed in                 required elements for infrastructure SIP                of Fine Particulate Matter and Ozone (Clean Air
                                                 a future rulemaking.                                    submissions provided in section                         Interstate Rule); Revisions to Acid Rain Program;
                                                                                                         110(a)(2) contains ambiguities                          Revisions to the NOX SIP Call; Final Rule,’’ 70 FR
                                                                                                                                                                 25162, at 25163–65 (May 12, 2005) (explaining
                                                 II. What is EPA’s approach to the                       concerning what is required for                         relationship between timing requirement of section
                                                 review of infrastructure SIP
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                                                                                                                                                                 110(a)(2)(D) versus section 110(a)(2)(I)).
                                                 submissions?                                               1 For example: Section 110(a)(2)(E)(i) provides        3 EPA notes that this ambiguity within section

                                                                                                         that states must provide assurances that they have      110(a)(2) is heightened by the fact that various
                                                    The requirement for states to make a                 adequate legal authority under state and local law      subparts of part D set specific dates for submission
                                                 SIP submission of this type arises out of               to carry out the SIP; Section 110(a)(2)(C) provides     of certain types of SIP submissions in designated
                                                 section 110(a)(1). Pursuant to section                  that states must have a SIP-approved program to         nonattainment areas for various pollutants. Note,
                                                 110(a)(1), states must make SIP                         address certain sources as required by part C of        e.g., that section 182(a)(1) provides specific dates
                                                                                                         Title I of the CAA; and section 110(a)(2)(G) provides   for submission of emissions inventories for the
                                                 submissions ‘‘within 3 years (or such                   that states must have legal authority to address        ozone NAAQS. Some of these specific dates are
                                                 shorter period as the Administrator may                 emergencies as well as contingency plans that are       necessarily later than three years after promulgation
                                                 prescribe) after the promulgation of a                  triggered in the event of such emergencies.             of the new or revised NAAQS.



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                                                 12330                    Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 40 / Thursday, March 2, 2017 / Proposed Rules

                                                 infrastructure SIP requirements, EPA                     and interpret the relevant elements of                Guidance).8 EPA developed this
                                                 can elect to act on such submissions                     section 110(a)(2) that logically apply to             document to provide states with up-to-
                                                 either individually or in a larger                       these other types of SIP submissions.                 date guidance for infrastructure SIPs for
                                                 combined action.4 Similarly, EPA                         For example, section 172(c)(7) requires               any new or revised NAAQS. Within this
                                                 interprets the CAA to allow it to take                   attainment plan SIP submissions                       guidance, EPA describes the duty of
                                                 action on the individual parts of one                    required by part D to meet the                        states to make infrastructure SIP
                                                 larger, comprehensive infrastructure SIP                 ‘‘applicable requirements’’ of section                submissions to meet basic structural SIP
                                                 submission for a given NAAQS without                     110(a)(2); thus, attainment plan SIP                  requirements within three years of
                                                 concurrent action on the entire                          submissions must meet the                             promulgation of a new or revised
                                                 submission. For example, EPA has                         requirements of section 110(a)(2)(A)                  NAAQS. EPA also made
                                                 sometimes elected to act at different                    regarding enforceable emission limits                 recommendations about many specific
                                                 times on various elements and sub-                       and control measures and section                      subsections of section 110(a)(2) that are
                                                 elements of the same infrastructure SIP                  110(a)(2)(E)(i) regarding air agency                  relevant in the context of infrastructure
                                                 submission.5                                             resources and authority. By contrast, it              SIP submissions.9 The guidance also
                                                    Ambiguities within section 110(a)(1)                  is clear that attainment plan SIP                     discusses the substantively important
                                                 and (2) may also arise with respect to                   submissions required by part D would                  issues that are germane to certain
                                                 infrastructure SIP submission                            not need to meet the portion of section               subsections of section 110(a)(2). EPA
                                                 requirements for different NAAQS.                        110(a)(2)(C) that pertains to the PSD                 interprets section 110(a)(1) and (2) such
                                                 Thus, EPA notes that not every element                   program required in part C of Title I of              that infrastructure SIP submissions need
                                                 of section 110(a)(2) would be relevant,                  the CAA, because PSD does not apply                   to address certain issues and need not
                                                 or as relevant, or relevant in the same                  to a pollutant for which an area is                   address others. Accordingly, EPA
                                                 way, for each new or revised NAAQS.                      designated nonattainment and thus                     reviews each infrastructure SIP
                                                 The states’ attendant infrastructure SIP                 subject to part D planning requirements.              submission for compliance with the
                                                 submissions for each NAAQS therefore                     As this example illustrates, each type of             applicable statutory provisions of
                                                 could be different. For example, the                     SIP submission may implicate some                     section 110(a)(2), as appropriate.
                                                 monitoring requirements that a state                     elements of section 110(a)(2) but not                    As an example, section 110(a)(2)(E)(ii)
                                                 might need to meet in its infrastructure                 others.                                               is a required element of section
                                                 SIP submission for purposes of section                      Given the potential for ambiguity in               110(a)(2) for infrastructure SIP
                                                 110(a)(2)(B) could be very different for                 some of the statutory language of section             submissions. Under this element, a state
                                                 different pollutants, because the content                110(a)(1) and section 110(a)(2), EPA                  must meet the substantive requirements
                                                 and scope of a state’s infrastructure SIP                believes that it is appropriate to                    of section 128, which pertain to state
                                                 submission to meet this element might                    interpret the ambiguous portions of                   boards that approve permits or
                                                 be very different for an entirely new                    section 110(a)(1) and section 110(a)(2)               enforcement orders and heads of
                                                 NAAQS than for a minor revision to an                    in the context of acting on a particular              executive agencies with similar powers.
                                                 existing NAAQS.6                                         SIP submission. In other words, EPA                   Thus, EPA reviews infrastructure SIP
                                                    EPA notes that interpretation of                      assumes that Congress could not have                  submissions to ensure that the state’s
                                                 section 110(a)(2) is also necessary when                 intended that each and every SIP                      SIP appropriately addresses the
                                                 EPA reviews other types of SIP                           submission, regardless of the NAAQS in                requirements of section 110(a)(2)(E)(ii)
                                                 submissions required under the CAA.                      question or the history of SIP                        and section 128. The 2013 Guidance
                                                 Therefore, as with infrastructure SIP                    development for the relevant pollutant,               explains EPA’s interpretation that there
                                                 submissions, EPA also has to identify
                                                                                                          would meet each of the requirements, or               may be a variety of ways by which states
                                                   4 See, e.g., ‘‘Approval and Promulgation of
                                                                                                          meet each of them in the same way.                    can appropriately address these
                                                 Implementation Plans; New Mexico; Revisions to           Therefore, EPA has adopted an                         substantive statutory requirements,
                                                 the New Source Review (NSR) State                        approach under which it reviews                       depending on the structure of an
                                                 Implementation Plan (SIP); Prevention of                 infrastructure SIP submissions against                individual state’s permitting or
                                                 Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Nonattainment        the list of elements in section 110(a)(2),
                                                 New Source Review (NNSR) Permitting,’’ 78 FR
                                                                                                                                                                enforcement program (e.g., whether
                                                 4339 (January 22, 2013) (EPA’s final action              but only to the extent each element                   permits and enforcement orders are
                                                 approving the structural PSD elements of the New         applies for that particular NAAQS.                    approved by a multi-member board or
                                                 Mexico SIP submitted by the State separately to             Historically, EPA has elected to use               by a head of an executive agency).
                                                 meet the requirements of EPA’s 2008 PM2.5 NSR            guidance documents to make
                                                 rule), and ‘‘Approval and Promulgation of Air
                                                                                                                                                                However they are addressed by the
                                                 Quality Implementation Plans; New Mexico;                recommendations to states for                         state, the substantive requirements of
                                                 Infrastructure and Interstate Transport                  infrastructure SIPs, in some cases
                                                 Requirements for the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS,’’ 78 FR           conveying needed interpretations on                      8 ‘‘Guidance on Infrastructure State
                                                 4337 (January 22, 2013) (EPA’s final action on the       newly arising issues and in some cases                Implementation Plan (SIP) Elements under Clean
                                                 infrastructure SIP for the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS).                                                                  Air Act Sections 110(a)(1) and 110(a)(2),’’
                                                   5 On December 14, 2007, the State of Tennessee,
                                                                                                          conveying interpretations that have                   Memorandum from Stephen D. Page, September 13,
                                                 through the Tennessee Department of Environment          already been developed and applied to                 2013.
                                                 and Conservation, made a SIP revision to EPA             individual SIP submissions for                           9 EPA’s September 13, 2013, guidance did not
                                                 demonstrating that the State meets the requirements      particular elements.7 EPA most recently               make recommendations with respect to
                                                 of sections 110(a)(1) and (2). EPA proposed action                                                             infrastructure SIP submissions to address Section
                                                 for infrastructure SIP elements (C) and (J) on
                                                                                                          issued guidance for infrastructure SIPs
                                                                                                                                                                110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I). EPA issued the guidance shortly
                                                                                                          on September 13, 2013 (2013
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                                                 January 23, 2012 (77 FR 3213) and took final action                                                            after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the
                                                 on March 14, 2012 (77 FR 14976). On April 16,                                                                  D.C. Circuit decision in EME Homer City, 696 F.3d
                                                 2012 (77 FR 22533) and July 23, 2012 (77 FR                7 EPA notes, however, that nothing in the CAA       7 (D.C. Cir. 2012) which had interpreted the
                                                 42997), EPA took separate proposed and final             requires EPA to provide guidance or to promulgate     requirements of section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I). In light of
                                                 actions on all other section 110(a)(2) infrastructure    regulations for infrastructure SIP submissions. The   the uncertainty created by ongoing litigation, EPA
                                                 SIP elements of Tennessee’s December 14, 2007            CAA directly applies to states and requires the       elected not to provide additional guidance on the
                                                 submission.                                              submission of infrastructure SIP submissions,         requirements of section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I) at that
                                                   6 For example, implementation of the 1997 PM           regardless of whether or not EPA provides guidance    time. As the guidance is neither binding nor
                                                                                                    2.5
                                                 NAAQS required the deployment of a system of             or regulations pertaining to such submissions. EPA    required by statute, whether EPA elects to provide
                                                 new monitors to measure ambient levels of that new       elects to issue such guidance in order to assist      guidance on a particular section has no impact on
                                                 indicator species for the new NAAQS.                     states, as appropriate.                               a state’s CAA obligations.



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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 40 / Thursday, March 2, 2017 / Proposed Rules                                                     12331

                                                 Section 128 are necessarily included in                 emissions; 10 (ii) existing provisions                 include some outmoded provisions and
                                                 EPA’s evaluation of infrastructure SIP                  related to ‘‘director’s variance’’ or                  historical artifacts. These provisions,
                                                 submissions because section                             ‘‘director’s discretion’’ that may be                  while not fully up to date, nevertheless
                                                 110(a)(2)(E)(ii) explicitly requires that               contrary to the CAA because they                       may not pose a significant problem for
                                                 the state satisfy the provisions of section             purport to allow revisions to SIP-                     the purposes of ‘‘implementation,
                                                 128.                                                    approved emissions limits while                        maintenance, and enforcement’’ of a
                                                                                                         limiting public process or not requiring               new or revised NAAQS when EPA
                                                    As another example, EPA’s review of
                                                                                                         further approval by EPA; and (iii)                     evaluates adequacy of the infrastructure
                                                 infrastructure SIP submissions with
                                                                                                         existing provisions for PSD programs                   SIP submission. EPA believes that a
                                                 respect to the PSD program
                                                                                                         that may be inconsistent with current                  better approach is for states and EPA to
                                                 requirements in section 110(a)(2)(C),                   requirements of EPA’s ‘‘Final NSR                      focus attention on those elements of
                                                 (D)(i)(II), and (J) focuses upon the                    Improvement Rule,’’ 67 FR 80186                        section 110(a)(2) of the CAA most likely
                                                 structural PSD program requirements                     (December 31, 2002), as amended by 72                  to warrant a specific SIP revision due to
                                                 contained in part C and EPA’s PSD                       FR 32526 (June 13, 2007) (NSR Reform).                 the promulgation of a new or revised
                                                 regulations. Structural PSD program                     Thus, EPA believes that it may approve                 NAAQS or other factors.
                                                 requirements include provisions                         an infrastructure SIP submission
                                                 necessary for the PSD program to                                                                                  For example, EPA’s 2013 Guidance
                                                                                                         without scrutinizing the totality of the               gives simpler recommendations with
                                                 address all regulated sources and NSR                   existing SIP for such potentially
                                                 pollutants, including Greenhouse Gases                                                                         respect to carbon monoxide than other
                                                                                                         deficient provisions and may approve                   NAAQS pollutants to meet the visibility
                                                 (GHGs). By contrast, structural PSD                     the submission even if it is aware of                  requirements of section
                                                 program requirements do not include                     such existing provisions.11 It is                      110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II), because carbon
                                                 provisions that are not required under                  important to note that EPA’s approval of               monoxide does not affect visibility. As
                                                 EPA’s regulations at 40 CFR 51.166 but                  a state’s infrastructure SIP submission                a result, an infrastructure SIP
                                                 are merely available as an option for the               should not be construed as explicit or                 submission for any future new or
                                                 state, such as the option to provide                    implicit re-approval of any existing                   revised NAAQS for carbon monoxide
                                                 grandfathering of complete permit                       potentially deficient provisions that                  need only state this fact in order to
                                                 applications with respect to the PM2.5                  relate to the three specific issues just
                                                                                                                                                                address the visibility prong of section
                                                 NAAQS. Accordingly, the latter                          described.
                                                                                                                                                                110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II).
                                                 optional provisions are types of                           EPA’s approach to review of
                                                                                                         infrastructure SIP submissions is to                      Finally, EPA believes that its
                                                 provisions EPA considers irrelevant in
                                                                                                         identify the CAA requirements that are                 approach with respect to infrastructure
                                                 the context of an infrastructure SIP
                                                                                                         logically applicable to that submission.               SIP requirements is based on a
                                                 action.
                                                                                                         EPA believes that this approach to the                 reasonable reading of section 110(a)(1)
                                                    For other section 110(a)(2) elements,                review of a particular infrastructure SIP              and (2) because the CAA provides other
                                                 however, EPA’s review of a state’s                      submission is appropriate, because it                  avenues and mechanisms to address
                                                 infrastructure SIP submission focuses                   would not be reasonable to read the                    specific substantive deficiencies in
                                                 on assuring that the state’s SIP meets                  general requirements of section                        existing SIPs. These other statutory tools
                                                 basic structural requirements. For                      110(a)(1) and the list of elements in                  allow EPA to take appropriately tailored
                                                 example, section 110(a)(2)(C) includes,                 section 110(a)(2) as requiring review of               action, depending upon the nature and
                                                 inter alia, the requirement that states                 each and every provision of a state’s                  severity of the alleged SIP deficiency.
                                                 have a program to regulate minor new                    existing SIP against all requirements in               Section 110(k)(5) authorizes EPA to
                                                 sources. Thus, EPA evaluates whether                    the CAA and EPA regulations merely for                 issue a ‘‘SIP call’’ whenever the Agency
                                                 the state has an EPA-approved minor                     purposes of assuring that the state in                 determines that a state’s SIP is
                                                 new source review program and                           question has the basic structural                      substantially inadequate to attain or
                                                 whether the program addresses the                       elements for a functioning SIP for a new               maintain the NAAQS, to mitigate
                                                 pollutants relevant to that NAAQS. In                   or revised NAAQS. Because SIPs have                    interstate transport, or to otherwise
                                                 the context of acting on an                             grown by accretion over the decades as                 comply with the CAA.12 Section
                                                 infrastructure SIP submission, however,                 statutory and regulatory requirements                  110(k)(6) authorizes EPA to correct
                                                 EPA does not think it is necessary to                   under the CAA have evolved, they may                   errors in past actions, such as past
                                                 conduct a review of each and every                                                                             approvals of SIP submissions.13
                                                 provision of a state’s existing minor                     10 Subsequent to issuing the 2013 Guidance,

                                                 source program (i.e., already in the                    EPA’s interpretation of the CAA with respect to the      12 For example, EPA issued a SIP call to Utah to

                                                                                                         approvability of affirmative defense provisions in     address specific existing SIP deficiencies related to
                                                 existing SIP) for compliance with the                   SIPs has changed. See ‘‘State Implementation Plans:    the treatment of excess emissions during SSM
                                                 requirements of the CAA and EPA’s                       Response to Petition for Rulemaking; Restatement       events. See ‘‘Finding of Substantial Inadequacy of
                                                 regulations that pertain to such                        and Update of EPA’s SSM Policy Applicable to           Implementation Plan; Call for Utah State
                                                 programs.                                               SIPs; Findings of Substantial Inadequacy; and SIP      Implementation Plan Revisions,’’ 74 FR 21639
                                                                                                         Calls To Amend Provisions Applying to Excess           (April 18, 2011).
                                                    With respect to certain other issues,                Emissions During Periods of Startup, Shutdown and        13 EPA has used this authority to correct errors in

                                                 EPA does not believe that an action on                  Malfunction,’’ 80 FR 33839 (June 12, 2015). As a       past actions on SIP submissions related to PSD
                                                                                                         result, EPA’s 2013 Guidance (p. 21 & n.30) no          programs. See ‘‘Limitation of Approval of
                                                 a state’s infrastructure SIP submission is              longer represents the EPA’s view concerning the        Prevention of Significant Deterioration Provisions
                                                 necessarily the appropriate type of
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                                                                                                         validity of affirmative defense provisions, in light   Concerning Greenhouse Gas Emitting-Sources in
                                                 action in which to address possible                     of the requirements of section 113 and section 304.    State Implementation Plans; Final Rule,’’ 75 FR
                                                 deficiencies in a state’s existing SIP.                   11 By contrast, EPA notes that if a state were to    82536 (December 30, 2010). EPA has previously
                                                                                                         include a new provision in an infrastructure SIP       used its authority under section 110(k)(6) of the
                                                 These issues include: (i) Existing                      submission that contained a legal deficiency, such     CAA to remove numerous other SIP provisions that
                                                 provisions related to excess emissions                  as a new exemption or affirmative defense for          the Agency determined it had approved in error.
                                                 from sources during periods of startup,                 excess emissions during SSM events, then EPA           See, e.g., 61 FR 38664 (July 25, 1996) and 62 FR
                                                 shutdown, or malfunction (SSM) that                     would need to evaluate that provision for              34641 (June 27, 1997) (corrections to American
                                                                                                         compliance against the rubric of applicable CAA        Samoa, Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada
                                                 may be contrary to the CAA and EPA’s                    requirements in the context of the action on the       SIPs); 69 FR 67062, November 16, 2004 (corrections
                                                 policies addressing such excess                         infrastructure SIP.                                                                                Continued




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                                                 12332                    Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 40 / Thursday, March 2, 2017 / Proposed Rules

                                                 Significantly, EPA’s determination that                  agency’s jurisdiction are not interfering              that states participating in CAIR’s cap-
                                                 an action on a state’s infrastructure SIP                with measures required to be included                  and-trade programs need not require
                                                 submission is not the appropriate time                   in other air agencies’ plans to protect                affected BART-eligible EGUs to install,
                                                 and place to address all potential                       visibility.                                            operate, and maintain BART for
                                                 existing SIP deficiencies does not                         Alternatively, in the absence of a fully             emissions of SO2 and NOX. See 70 FR
                                                 preclude EPA’s subsequent reliance on                    approved regional haze SIP, a state may                39104 (July 6, 2005). As a result, a
                                                 provisions in section 110(a)(2) as part of               meet the requirements of prong 4                       number of states in the CAIR region
                                                 the basis for action to correct those                    through a demonstration in its                         designed their regional haze SIPs to rely
                                                 deficiencies at a later time. For example,               infrastructure SIP submission that                     on CAIR as an alternative to NOX and
                                                 although it may not be appropriate to                    emissions within its jurisdiction do not               SO2 BART for CAIR-subject EGUs.
                                                 require a state to eliminate all existing                interfere with other air agencies’ plans               These states also relied on CAIR as an
                                                 inappropriate director’s discretion                      to protect visibility. Such an                         element of a long-term strategy for
                                                 provisions in the course of acting on an                 infrastructure SIP submission would                    achieving their reasonable progress
                                                 infrastructure SIP submission, EPA                       need to include measures to limit                      goals.
                                                 believes that section 110(a)(2)(A) may be                visibility-impairing pollutants and                       The United States Court of Appeals
                                                 among the statutory bases that EPA                       ensure that the reductions conform with                for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C.
                                                 relies upon in the course of addressing                  any mutually agreed regional haze                      Circuit) initially vacated CAIR in
                                                 such deficiency in a subsequent                          reasonable progress goals for mandatory                2008,17 but ultimately remanded the
                                                 action.14                                                Class I areas in other states.                         rule to EPA without vacatur to preserve
                                                 III. What are the Prong 4 requirements?                                                                         the environmental benefits provided by
                                                                                                          IV. What is EPA’s analysis of how
                                                                                                                                                                 CAIR.18 On August 8, 2011 (76 FR
                                                    Section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II) requires a                Tennessee addressed Prong 4?
                                                                                                                                                                 48208), acting on the D.C. Circuit’s
                                                 state’s implementation plan to contain                     Tennessee’s March 13, 2014, 2010                     remand, EPA promulgated the Cross-
                                                 provisions prohibiting sources in that                   1-hour NO2 and 2010 1-hour SO2                         State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) to
                                                 state from emitting pollutants in                        submission cites to the State’s regional               replace CAIR and thus to address the
                                                 amounts that interfere with any other                    haze SIP and Clean Air Interstate Rule                 interstate transport of emissions
                                                 state’s efforts to protect visibility under              (CAIR) SIP as satisfying prong 4                       contributing to nonattainment and
                                                 part C of the CAA (which includes                        requirements.15 In its December 16,                    interfering with maintenance of the two
                                                 sections 169A and 169B). The 2013                        2015, 2012 annual PM2.5 submission,                    air quality standards covered by CAIR as
                                                 Guidance states that these prong 4                       the State notes that it is developing a                well as the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS.
                                                 requirements can be satisfied by                         regional haze SIP revision with the                       Due to CAIR’s status as a temporary
                                                 approved SIP provisions that EPA has                     intent to obtain a fully approved                      measure following the D.C. Circuit’s
                                                 found to adequately address any                          regional haze SIP and that Tennessee’s                 2008 ruling, EPA could not fully
                                                 contribution of that state’s sources to                  SIP will be adequate with regard to                    approve regional haze SIP revisions to
                                                 impacts on visibility program                            prong 4 if EPA approves that revision.                 the extent that they relied on CAIR to
                                                 requirements in other states. The 2013                   As explained below, EPA has not yet                    satisfy the BART requirement and the
                                                 Guidance also states that EPA interprets                 fully approved Tennessee’s existing                    requirement for a long-term strategy
                                                 this prong to be pollutant-specific, such                regional haze SIP because the SIP relies               sufficient to achieve the state-adopted
                                                 that the infrastructure SIP submission                   on CAIR to satisfy the nitrogen oxides                 reasonable progress goals. On these
                                                 need only address the potential for                      (NOX) and SO2 Best Available Retrofit                  grounds, EPA finalized a limited
                                                 interference with protection of visibility               Technology (BART) requirements for                     approval and limited disapproval of
                                                 caused by the pollutant (including                       the CAIR-subject electric generating                   Tennessee’s regional haze SIP on April
                                                 precursors) to which the new or revised                  units (EGUs) in the State and the                      24, 2012 (77 FR 24392), triggering the
                                                 NAAQS applies.                                           requirement for a long-term strategy                   requirement for EPA to promulgate a
                                                    The 2013 Guidance lays out two ways
                                                                                                          sufficient to achieve the state-adopted                Federal Implementation Plan (FIP)
                                                 in which a state’s infrastructure SIP may
                                                                                                          reasonable progress goals.16                           unless Tennessee submitted and EPA
                                                 satisfy prong 4. The first way is through
                                                                                                            EPA demonstrated that CAIR                           approved a SIP revision that corrected
                                                 an air agency’s confirmation in its
                                                                                                          achieved greater reasonable progress                   the deficiencies.
                                                 infrastructure SIP submission that it has
                                                                                                          toward the national visibility goal than                  Numerous parties filed petitions for
                                                 an EPA-approved regional haze SIP that
                                                                                                          BART for NOX and SO2 at BART-eligible                  review of CSAPR in the D.C. Circuit,
                                                 fully meets the requirements of 40 CFR
                                                                                                          EGUs in CAIR affected states, and                      and on August 21, 2012, the court
                                                 51.308 or 51.309. 40 CFR 51.308 and
                                                                                                          revised the regional haze rule to provide              issued its ruling, vacating and
                                                 51.309 specifically require that a state
                                                                                                                                                                 remanding CSAPR to EPA and ordering
                                                 participating in a regional planning                        15 In its March 13, 2014, submission, Tennessee
                                                                                                                                                                 continued implementation of CAIR.
                                                 process include all measures needed to                   states that its regional haze SIP and its ‘‘CAIR SIP   EME Homer City Generation, L.P. v.
                                                 achieve its apportionment of emission                    are sufficient to ensure emissions within its
                                                                                                                                                                 EPA, 696 F.3d 7, 38 (D.C. Cir. 2012). The
                                                 reduction obligations agreed upon                        jurisdiction do not interfere with other agencies’
                                                 through that process. A fully approved                   plans to protect visibility.’’ However, as Tennessee   D.C. Circuit’s vacatur of CSAPR was
                                                 regional haze SIP will ensure that
                                                                                                          notes in its submittal, a state’s infrastructure SIP   reversed by the United States Supreme
                                                                                                          submission can satisfy prong 4 solely through          Court on April 29, 2014, and the case
                                                 emissions from sources under an air                      confirmation that the state has a fully approved
                                                                                                                                                                 was remanded to the D.C. Circuit to
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                                                                                                          regional haze SIP.
                                                 to California SIP); and 74 FR 57051 (November 3,            16 CAIR, promulgated in 2005, required 27 states    resolve remaining issues in accordance
                                                 2009) (corrections to Arizona and Nevada SIPs).          and the District of Columbia to reduce emissions of    with the high court’s ruling. EPA v. EME
                                                    14 See, e.g., EPA’s disapproval of a SIP submission   NOX and SO2 that significantly contribute to, or       Homer City Generation, L.P., 134 S. Ct.
                                                 from Colorado on the grounds that it would have          interfere with maintenance of, the 1997 NAAQS for
                                                                                                          fine particulates and/or ozone in any downwind
                                                                                                                                                                 1584 (2014). On remand, the D.C.
                                                 included a director’s discretion provision
                                                 inconsistent with CAA requirements, including            state. CAIR imposed specified emissions reduction
                                                                                                                                                                   17 North Carolina v. EPA, 531 F.3d 896 (D.C. Cir.
                                                 section 110(a)(2)(A). See, e.g., 75 FR 42342 at 42344    requirements on each affected State, and
                                                 (July 21, 2010) (proposed disapproval of director’s      established several EPA-administered cap and trade     2008).
                                                 discretion provisions); 76 FR 4540 (January 26,          programs for EGUs that States could join as a means      18 North Carolina v. EPA, 550 F.3d 1176 (D.C. Cir.

                                                 2011) (final disapproval of such provisions).            to meet these requirements.                            2008).



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                                                                         Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 40 / Thursday, March 2, 2017 / Proposed Rules                                                 12333

                                                 Circuit affirmed CSAPR in most                          submit these revisions within the one-                safety risks subject to Executive Order
                                                 respects, but invalidated without                       year timeframe, the conditional                       13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997);
                                                 vacating some of the CSAPR budgets as                   approval will automatically become a                    • is not a significant regulatory action
                                                 to a number of states. EME Homer City                   disapproval one year from EPA’s final                 subject to Executive Order 13211 (66 FR
                                                 Generation, L.P. v. EPA, 795 F.3d 118                   conditional approval and EPA will issue               28355, May 22, 2001);
                                                 (D.C. Cir. 2015). EPA began                             a finding of disapproval. EPA is not                    • is not subject to requirements of
                                                 implementation of CSAPR, which                          required to propose the finding of                    Section 12(d) of the National
                                                 replaced CAIR, on January 1, 2015.                      disapproval. If the conditional approval              Technology Transfer and Advancement
                                                 Therefore, Tennessee cannot rely on                     is converted to a disapproval, the final              Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) because
                                                 CAIR to satisfy the BART requirement                    disapproval triggers the FIP requirement              application of those requirements would
                                                 and the requirement for a long-term                     under CAA section 110(c).                             be inconsistent with the CAA; and
                                                 strategy sufficient to achieve the state-                                                                       • does not provide EPA with the
                                                 adopted reasonable progress goals.                      V. Proposed Action                                    discretionary authority to address, as
                                                    As mentioned above, a state may meet                   As described above, EPA is proposing                appropriate, disproportionate human
                                                 the requirements of prong 4 without a                   to conditionally approve the prong 4                  health or environmental effects, using
                                                 fully approved regional haze SIP by                     portions of Tennessee’s March 13, 2014,               practicable and legally permissible
                                                 showing that its SIP contains adequate                  2010 1-hour NO2 and 2010 1-hour SO2                   methods, under Executive Order 12898
                                                 provisions to prevent emissions from                    infrastructure SIP submission and                     (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).
                                                 within the state from interfering with                  December 16, 2015, 2012 PM2.5                           The SIP is not approved to apply on
                                                 other states’ measures to protect                       infrastructure SIP submission. All other              any Indian reservation land or in any
                                                 visibility. Tennessee did not, however,                 outstanding applicable infrastructure                 other area where EPA or an Indian tribe
                                                 provide a demonstration in any of the                   requirements for these SIP submissions                has demonstrated that a tribe has
                                                 infrastructure SIP submissions subject                  have been or will be addressed in                     jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian
                                                 to this proposed action that emissions                  separate rulemakings.                                 country, the rule does not have tribal
                                                 within its jurisdiction do not interfere                                                                      implications as specified by Executive
                                                 with other states’ plans to protect                     VI. Statutory and Executive Order                     Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9,
                                                 visibility.                                             Reviews                                               2000), nor will it impose substantial
                                                    As discussed above, Tennessee does                      Under the CAA, the Administrator is                direct costs on tribal governments or
                                                 not have a fully approved regional haze                 required to approve a SIP submission                  preempt tribal law.
                                                 SIP that meets the requirements of 40                   that complies with the provisions of the
                                                 CFR 51.308 and has not otherwise                                                                              List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
                                                                                                         Act and applicable federal regulations.
                                                 shown that its SIP contains adequate                    See 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a).                 Environmental protection, Air
                                                 provisions to prevent emissions from                    Thus, in reviewing SIP submissions,                   pollution control, Incorporation by
                                                 within the state from interfering with                  EPA’s role is to approve state choices,               reference, Intergovernmental relations,
                                                 other states’ measures to protect                       provided that they meet the criteria of               Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Particulate
                                                 visibility. Therefore, on December 7,                   the CAA. Accordingly, this proposed                   matter, Reporting and recordkeeping
                                                 2016, Tennessee submitted a                             action merely proposes to approve state               requirements, Volatile organic
                                                 commitment letter to EPA requesting                     law as meeting federal requirements and               compounds.
                                                 conditional approval of the prong 4                     does not impose additional                              Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
                                                 portions of the aforementioned                          requirements beyond those imposed by
                                                 infrastructure SIP revisions. In this                                                                           Dated: February 21, 2017.
                                                                                                         state law. For that reason, this proposed             Kenneth R. Lapierre,
                                                 letter, Tennessee commits to submit an                  action:
                                                 infrastructure SIP revision, within one                                                                       Acting Regional Administrator, Region 4.
                                                                                                            • Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory
                                                 year of final conditional approval, that                                                                      [FR Doc. 2017–04009 Filed 3–1–17; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                         action’’ subject to review by the Office
                                                 will satisfy the prong 4 requirements for                                                                     BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
                                                                                                         of Management and Budget under
                                                 the 2010 1-hour NO2 NAAQS, 2010 1-
                                                                                                         Executive Orders 12866 (58 FR 51735,
                                                 hour SO2 NAAQS, and 2012 annual
                                                 PM2.5 NAAQS through reliance on a                       October 4, 1993) and 13563 (76 FR 3821,
                                                                                                                                                               ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
                                                 fully approved regional haze SIP or                     January 21, 2011);
                                                                                                                                                               AGENCY
                                                 through an analysis showing that                           • does not impose an information
                                                 emissions from sources in Tennessee                     collection burden under the provisions                40 CFR Part 320
                                                 will not interfere with the attainment of               of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44
                                                                                                         U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);                                 [EPA–HQ–SFUND–2015–0781; FRL–FRL
                                                 the reasonable progress goals of other                                                                        9959–85–OLEM]
                                                 states. If the revised infrastructure SIP                  • is certified as not having a
                                                 revision relies on a fully approved                     significant economic impact on a                      RIN 2050–AG61
                                                 regional haze SIP revision to satisfy                   substantial number of small entities
                                                                                                         under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5               Financial Responsibility Requirements
                                                 prong 4 requirements, Tennessee also
                                                                                                         U.S.C. 601 et seq.);                                  Under CERCLA § 108(b) for Classes of
                                                 commits to providing the necessary
                                                                                                            • does not contain any unfunded                    Facilities in the Hardrock Mining
                                                 regional haze SIP revision to EPA
                                                                                                         mandate or significantly or uniquely                  Industry; Extension of Comment
                                                 within one year of EPA’s final
                                                                                                         affect small governments, as described                Period
pmangrum on DSK3GDR082PROD with PROPOSALS




                                                 conditional approval.
                                                    If Tennessee meets its commitment                    in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act                   AGENCY:  Environmental Protection
                                                 within one year of final conditional                    of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–4);                              Agency (EPA).
                                                 approval, the prong 4 portions of the                      • does not have Federalism                         ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of
                                                 conditionally approved infrastructure                   implications as specified in Executive                comment period.
                                                 SIP submissions will remain a part of                   Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10,
                                                 the SIP until EPA takes final action                    1999);                                                SUMMARY:   The Environmental Protection
                                                 approving or disapproving the new SIP                      • is not an economically significant               Agency (EPA) is extending the comment
                                                 revision(s). However, if the State fails to             regulatory action based on health or                  period for the proposed rule entitled


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Document Created: 2017-03-02 00:09:35
Document Modified: 2017-03-02 00:09:35
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionProposed Rules
ActionProposed rule.
DatesComments must be received on or before April 3, 2017.
ContactSean Lakeman of the Air Regulatory Management Section, Air Planning and Implementation Branch, Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960. Mr. Lakeman can be reached by telephone at (404) 562-9043 or via electronic mail at [email protected]
FR Citation82 FR 12328 
CFR AssociatedEnvironmental Protection; Air Pollution Control; Incorporation by Reference; Intergovernmental Relations; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Particulate Matter; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements and Volatile Organic Compounds

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