| Page Range | 13280-13282 | |
| FR Document | 2017-04689 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 46 (Friday, March 10, 2017)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 13280-13282] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-04689] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 40 CFR Part 52 [EPA-R09-OAR-2016-0415; FRL-9959-44-Region 9] Approval of California Air Plan Revisions, Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Proposed rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a revision to the Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District (AVAQMD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision concerns emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOX ) from passenger vehicles. We are proposing to approve a local rule to regulate these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action. DATES: Any comments must arrive by April 10, 2017. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R09- OAR-2016-0415 at http://www.regulations.gov, or via email to [email protected]. For comments submitted at Regulations.gov, follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. For either manner of submission, the EPA may publish any comment received to its public docket. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA will generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of the primary submission (i.e. on the Web, cloud, or other file sharing system). For additional submission methods, please contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. For 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. [[Page 13281]] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Buss, EPA Region IX, (415) 947-4152, [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document, ``we,'' ``us'' and ``our'' refer to the EPA. Table of Contents I. The State's Submittal A. What rule did the State submit? B. Are there other versions of this rule? C. What is the purpose of the submitted rule? II. The EPA's Evaluation and Action A. How is the EPA evaluating the rule? B. Does the rule meet the evaluation criteria? C. Public Comment and Proposed Action III. Incorporation by Reference IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews I. The State's Submittal A. What rule did the State submit? Table 1 lists the rule addressed by this proposal with the date that it was adopted by the local air agency and submitted by the California Air Resources Board. Table 1--Submitted Rule ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Local agency Rule No. Rule title Adopted Submitted ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AVAQMD............................. 2200 Transportation Outreach 07/20/99 10/29/99 Program. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On April 29, 2000, the submittal for AVAQMD Rule 2200 was deemed by operation of law to meet the completeness criteria in 40 CFR part 51, appendix V, which must be met before formal EPA review. B. Are there other versions of this rule? There are no previous versions of Rule 2200 in the SIP, however, when the District succeeded the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) on July 1, 1997 as the air agency in the Antelope Valley, the SCAQMD rules in effect within the Antelope Valley on that date became AVAPCD Rules, including Rule 2202: ``On Road Motor Vehicle Mitigation Options.'' On January 20, 1998 the District rescinded Rule 2202 and subsequently replaced it with Rule 2200. While we can act on only the most recently submitted version, we have reviewed materials provided with previous submittals. C. What is the purpose of the submitted rule? Rule 2200 provides a mechanism for obtaining documentation of emission reductions resulting from trip reduction programs. According to the District, the rule is expected to help reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOX ) emissions by encouraging individuals to select rideshare alternatives to driving alone and by educating employees and the public others about the health impacts of motor vehicle pollution. VOCs and NOX help produce ground-level ozone, and PM, which harm human health and the environment. Section 110(a) of the CAA requires States to submit regulations that control VOC and NOX emissions. The EPA's technical support document (TSD) has more information about this rule. II. The EPA's Evaluation and Action A. How is the EPA evaluating the rule? SIP rules must be enforceable (see CAA section 110(a)(2)), must not interfere with applicable requirements concerning attainment and reasonable further progress or other CAA requirements (see CAA section 110(l)), and must not modify certain SIP control requirements in nonattainment areas without ensuring equivalent or greater emissions reductions (see CAA section 193). Further, CAA section 182(d)(1)(B) permits states with severe or extreme nonattainment areas to ``submit a revision at any time requiring employers in such area[s] to implement programs to reduce work-related vehicle trips and miles travelled by employees. Such revision shall be developed in accordance with guidance issued by the Administrator pursuant to [the CAA] and may require that employers in such area[s] increase average passenger occupancy per vehicle in commuting trips between home and the workplace during peak travel periods.'' 42 U.S.C. 7511a. Guidance and policy documents that we use to evaluate enforceability, revision/relaxation and rule stringency requirements for the applicable criteria pollutants include the following: ``Guidance on Incorporating Voluntary Mobile Source Emission Reduction Programs in State Implementation Plans (SIPs),'' Memorandum from Richard D. Wilson, October 24, 1997. B. Does the rule meet the evaluation criteria? We believe this rule is consistent with CAA requirements and relevant guidance regarding enforceability, and SIP revisions. The rule, however, establishes a framework for documenting emissions reductions from trip reduction programs without requiring any specific trip reduction programs. In addition, the submittal does not contain a good faith estimate of emission reductions. For these two reasons, it is not appropriate to credit this rule with emission reductions in a SIP at this time. The TSD has more information on our evaluation. C. Public Comment and Proposed Action As authorized in section 110(k)(3) of the Act, the EPA proposes to fully approve the submitted rule because we believe it fulfills all relevant requirements. We will accept comments from the public on this proposal until April 10, 2017. Unless we receive convincing new information during the comment period, we intend to publish a final approval action that will incorporate this rule into the federally enforceable SIP. III. Incorporation by Reference In this rule, the EPA is proposing to include in a final EPA rule regulatory text that includes incorporation by reference. In accordance with requirements of 1 CFR 51.5, the EPA is proposing to incorporate by reference the AVAQMD the rule described in Table 1 of this notice. The EPA has made, and will continue to make, these documents available electronically through www.regulations.gov and in hard copy at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region IX (Air-4), 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA, 94105-3901. IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews Under the Clean Air Act, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP submission that complies with the provisions of the Act and applicable federal regulations. 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a). Thus, in reviewing SIP submissions, EPA's role is to approve State choices, provided that they meet the criteria of the Clean Air Act. Accordingly, this proposed action merely proposes to approve State law as [[Page 13282]] 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 Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993); 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 Clean Air Act; and Does not provide EPA with the discretionary authority to address disproportionate human health or environmental effects with practical, appropriate, and legally permissible methods under Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994). In addition, the SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian reservation land or in any other area where the EPA or an Indian tribe has demonstrated that a tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian country, the rule does not have tribal implications and will not impose substantial direct costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000). List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52 Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental relations, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Volatile organic compounds. Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq. Dated: August 24, 2016. Alexis Strauss, Acting Regional Administrator, Region IX. [FR Doc. 2017-04689 Filed 3-9-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Proposed Rules | |
| Action | Proposed rule. | |
| Dates | Any comments must arrive by April 10, 2017. | |
| Contact | Jeffrey Buss, EPA Region IX, (415) 947-4152, [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 13280 | |
| CFR Associated | Environmental Protection; Air Pollution Control; Incorporation by Reference; Intergovernmental Relations; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements and Volatile Organic Compounds |