82_FR_58986 82 FR 58747 - Contingency Measures for the 1997 PM2.5

82 FR 58747 - Contingency Measures for the 1997 PM2.5

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 239 (December 14, 2017)

Page Range58747-58749
FR Document2017-26899

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or ``Agency'') is taking final action to determine that the deficiency that formed the basis for a disapproval of the contingency measures submitted for the San Joaquin Valley nonattainment area for the 1997 fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) has been corrected. The effect of this action is to permanently stop the sanctions clocks triggered by the disapproval.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 239 (Thursday, December 14, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 239 (Thursday, December 14, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 58747-58749]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-26899]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[EPA-R09-OAR-2017-0580; FRL-9972-02-Region 9]


Contingency Measures for the 1997 PM2.5 Standards; California; 
San Joaquin Valley; Correction of Deficiency

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or ``Agency'') is 
taking final action to determine that the deficiency that formed the 
basis for a disapproval of the contingency measures submitted for the 
San Joaquin Valley nonattainment area for the 1997 fine particulate 
matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standards 
(NAAQS) has been corrected. The effect of this action is to permanently 
stop the sanctions clocks triggered by the disapproval.

DATES: This final rule is effective December 14, 2017.

ADDRESSES: The EPA has established a docket for this action under 
Docket No. EPA-R09-OAR-2017-0580. All documents in the docket are 
listed on the https://www.regulations.gov website. Although listed on 
the website, some information is not publicly available, e.g., 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as 
copyrighted material, is not placed on the internet and will be 
publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket 
materials are available through https://www.regulations.gov, or please 
contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section for additional availability information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rory Mays, EPA Region IX, (415) 972-
3227, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document, whenever ``we,'' 
``us,'' or ``our'' is used, we mean the EPA.

Table of Contents

I. Proposed Action
II. Public Comments and EPA Responses
III. Final Action
IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

I. Proposed Action

    On October 23, 2017 (82 FR 48944) (herein ``proposed rule''), we 
proposed to determine that the deficiency that formed the basis for a 
disapproval of the contingency measures submitted for the San Joaquin 
Valley \1\ nonattainment area for the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS 
(``1997 PM2.5 standards'') \2\ has been corrected. We did so 
based on the Agency's approval of California regulations establishing 
standards and other requirements relating to the control of emissions 
from new on-road and new and in-use off-road vehicles and engines 
(herein, ``waiver measures'') into the California State Implementation 
Plan (SIP), and a finding that the purposes of the contingency measure 
requirement, as applicable to the San Joaquin Valley based on its 
initial designation as a nonattainment area for the 1997 
PM2.5 standards, have been fulfilled.
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    \1\ The San Joaquin Valley PM2.5 nonattainment area 
is located in the southern half of California's central valley and 
includes all of San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, 
Tulare, and Kings counties, and the valley portion of Kern County. 
See 40 CFR 81.305.
    \2\ The EPA promulgated the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS at 62 FR 
38652 (July 18, 1997).
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    Our proposed rule provides a detailed background section that 
describes the relevant NAAQS, area designations, the relevant SIP 
submittal requirements, and the relevant SIP revisions submitted and 
either approved or disapproved by the EPA under Clean Air Act (CAA or 
``Act'') section 110.
    In short, under CAA section 172(c)(9), SIPs for areas designated as 
nonattainment for a NAAQS must be revised to provide for the 
implementation of specific measures (``contingency measures'') to take 
effect if the area fails to make reasonable further progress (RFP) or 
fails to attain by the applicable attainment date. The EPA disapproved 
the contingency measure element of a set of SIP revisions collectively 
referred to as the ``2008 PM2.5 Plan,'' which was developed 
and submitted by California to address SIP requirements triggered by 
the designation of the San Joaquin Valley as a nonattainment area for 
the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS.\3\
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    \3\ 76 FR 69896 (November 9, 2011) (final action on the 2008 
PM2.5 Plan).
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    In response to the EPA's disapproval of the contingency measure 
element of the 2008 PM2.5 Plan, California submitted a SIP 
revision referred to as the ``2013 Contingency Measure SIP.'' The 2013 
Contingency Measure SIP primarily relied upon California's waiver 
measures, i.e., California mobile source regulations that had been 
waived or authorized by the EPA under CAA section 209, to provide post-
attainment year emissions reductions equivalent to one year's worth of 
RFP.\4\
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    \4\ One year's worth of RFP is the yardstick the EPA has cited 
historically as the approximate quantity of emissions reductions 
that contingency measures should provide to satisfy CAA section 
172(c)(9). See, e.g., 81 FR 58010, at 58066 (August 24, 2016) (final 
rule implementing the PM2.5 NAAQS).
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    The EPA approved,\5\ but later disapproved,\6\ the 2013 Contingency 
Measure SIP in the wake of a court decision \7\ that undermined the 
basis for the EPA's approval. The court decision at issue held that 
waiver measures must be approved into the SIP if California relies upon 
them to meet CAA SIP requirements, thereby rejecting the EPA's 
longstanding practice allowing California SIP credit for waiver 
measures notwithstanding their absence from the SIP. Our disapproval of 
the 2013 Contingency Measure SIP became effective on June 13, 2016, and 
started a sanctions clock for imposition of offset sanctions 18 months 
after June 13, 2016, and highway sanctions 6 months later, pursuant to 
CAA section 179 and our regulations at 40 CFR 52.31, unless the State 
submits and the EPA approves, prior to the implementation of the 
sanctions, a SIP submission that corrects the deficiencies identified 
in the disapproval action.\8\
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    \5\ 79 FR 29327 (May 22, 2014) (final action approving the 2013 
Contingency Measure SIP).
    \6\ 81 FR 29498 (May 12, 2016) (final action disapproving the 
2013 Contingency Measure SIP).
    \7\ Committee for a Better Arvin v. EPA, 786 F.3d 1169 (9th Cir. 
2015) (``Committee for a Better Arvin'') (partially granting and 
partially denying petition for review).
    \8\ The offset sanction applies to New Source Review (NSR) 
permits for new major stationary sources or major modifications 
proposed in a nonattainment area, and it increases the ratio of 
emissions reductions (i.e., offsets) to increased emissions from the 
new or modified source, which must be obtained to receive an NSR 
permit, to 2 to 1. The highway sanction prohibits, with certain 
exceptions, the U.S. Department of Transportation from approving or 
funding transportation projects in a nonattainment area.
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    Since the disapproval of the 2013 Contingency Measure SIP, we have 
approved the waiver measures as

[[Page 58748]]

revisions to the California SIP,\9\ and our approval of them as part of 
the SIP addresses the specific deficiency that formed the basis of our 
May 12, 2016 disapproval of the 2013 Contingency Measure SIP. Moreover, 
since the 2014 attainment year (for the 2008 PM2.5 Plan), 
the waiver measures and related vehicle fleet turnover have achieved 
post-attainment year emission reductions equivalent to approximately 
one year's worth of RFP as calculated for the 2008 PM2.5 
Plan. The waiver measures have thus provided for sufficient progress 
towards attainment of the 1997 PM2.5 standards while a new 
attainment plan is being prepared.\10\ Therefore, in our proposed rule 
we found that the purposes of the contingency measure requirement, as 
applicable to the San Joaquin Valley based on the area's designation in 
2005 for the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS, have been fulfilled, and we 
proposed to determine that the deficiency that formed the basis for the 
disapproval of the 2013 Contingency Measure SIP has been corrected. We 
are finalizing this determination in today's action.
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    \9\ 81 FR 39424 (June 16, 2016) and 82 FR 14446 (March 21, 
2017).
    \10\ In response to the EPA's determination of failure to attain 
the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS, 81 FR 84481 (November 23, 2016), 
the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District and 
California Air Resources Board are preparing a new attainment plan 
with contingency measures for the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS for 
the San Joaquin Valley.
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    For a more detailed discussion of the regulatory context and 
rationale for our action, please see the proposed rule.

II. Public Comments and EPA Responses

    The EPA's proposed action provided a 30-day public comment period 
which ended on November 22, 2017. During this period, we received no 
comments.

III. Final Action

    For the reasons given in our proposed rule and summarized herein, 
the EPA is making a final determination that the deficiency that formed 
the basis of our disapproval of the 2013 Contingency Measure SIP for 
the San Joaquin Valley for the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS has been 
corrected by the approval of the waiver measures as a revision to the 
California SIP and the finding that the waiver measures have achieved 
post-2014 attainment year emissions reductions sufficient to fulfill 
the purposes of the contingency measure requirement in CAA section 
172(c)(9). This final determination permanently stops the sanctions 
clocks triggered by our disapproval of the 2013 Contingency Measure 
SIP. See CAA section 179(a) and 40 CFR 52.31(d)(5).
    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(d), the EPA finds there is good 
cause for this action to become effective immediately upon publication. 
This is because a delayed effective date is unnecessary due to the 
nature of the determination made herein that a deficiency in a previous 
SIP approval has been corrected. The immediate effective date for this 
action is authorized under both 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1), which provides that 
rulemaking actions may become effective less than 30 days after 
publication if the rule ``grants or recognizes an exemption or relieves 
a restriction,'' and section 553(d)(3), which allows an effective date 
less than 30 days after publication ``as otherwise provided by the 
agency for good cause found and published with the rule.'' The purpose 
of the 30-day waiting period prescribed in section 553(d) is to give 
affected parties a reasonable time to adjust their behavior and prepare 
before the final rule takes effect. This rulemaking, however, does not 
create any new regulatory requirement such that affected parties would 
need time to prepare before the rule takes effect. Rather, today's rule 
makes a determination that has the effect of permanently stopping 
sanctions clocks triggered by a previous SIP disapproval action. For 
these reasons, the EPA finds good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) for 
this action to become effective on the date of publication of this 
action.

IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

    This action is a determination that a deficiency that is the basis 
for sanctions has been corrected and imposes no additional 
requirements. For that reason, this action:
     Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' subject to 
review by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Order 
12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993);
     Is not an Executive Order 13771 (82 FR 9339, February 2, 
2017) regulatory action because SIP approvals are exempted under 
Executive Order 12866;
     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 the 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, this action does not have Tribal implications as 
specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000), 
because it will not have a substantial direct effect on one or more 
Indian tribes, on the relationship between the federal government and 
Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities 
between the federal government and Indian tribes, as specified by 
Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000).
    The Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the 
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally 
provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating 
the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule, 
to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the 
United States. The EPA will submit a report containing this action and 
other required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of 
Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior 
to publication of the rule in the Federal Register. A major rule cannot 
take effect until 60 days after it is published in the Federal 
Register. This action is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 
804(2).
    Under section 307(b)(1) of the Clean Air Act, petitions for 
judicial review of this action must be filed in the United States Court 
of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by February 12, 2018. Filing a 
petition for reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule 
does not affect the finality of this rule for the purposes of judicial 
review nor does it extend the time within which a petition for judicial 
review may be filed, and shall not

[[Page 58749]]

postpone the effectiveness of such rule or action. This action may not 
be challenged later in proceedings to enforce its requirements (see 
section 307(b)(2)).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by 
reference, Intergovernmental relations, Nitrogen oxides, Sulfur oxides, 
Particulate matter.

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

    Dated: December 4, 2017.
Alexis Strauss,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region IX.
[FR Doc. 2017-26899 Filed 12-13-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P



                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations                                                 58747

                                              enforce its requirements (see section                    INFORMATION CONTACT         section for                to address SIP requirements triggered by
                                              307(b)(2)).                                              additional availability information.                   the designation of the San Joaquin
                                                                                                       FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rory                  Valley as a nonattainment area for the
                                              List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
                                                                                                       Mays, EPA Region IX, (415) 972–3227,                   1997 PM2.5 NAAQS.3
                                                Environmental protection, Air                          mays.rory@epa.gov.                                        In response to the EPA’s disapproval
                                              pollution control, Incorporation by                      SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                             of the contingency measure element of
                                              reference, Intergovernmental relations,                  Throughout this document, whenever                     the 2008 PM2.5 Plan, California
                                              Interstate transport, Particulate matter,                ‘‘we,’’ ‘‘us,’’ or ‘‘our’’ is used, we mean            submitted a SIP revision referred to as
                                              Reporting and recordkeeping                              the EPA.                                               the ‘‘2013 Contingency Measure SIP.’’
                                              requirements.                                                                                                   The 2013 Contingency Measure SIP
                                                 Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
                                                                                                       Table of Contents                                      primarily relied upon California’s
                                                                                                       I. Proposed Action                                     waiver measures, i.e., California mobile
                                               Dated: November 30, 2017.
                                                                                                       II. Public Comments and EPA Responses                  source regulations that had been waived
                                              Michelle L. Pirzadeh,                                    III. Final Action                                      or authorized by the EPA under CAA
                                              Acting Regional Administrator, Region 10.                IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews              section 209, to provide post-attainment
                                              [FR Doc. 2017–26894 Filed 12–13–17; 8:45 am]                                                                    year emissions reductions equivalent to
                                                                                                       I. Proposed Action
                                              BILLING CODE 6560–50–P                                                                                          one year’s worth of RFP.4
                                                                                                          On October 23, 2017 (82 FR 48944)                      The EPA approved,5 but later
                                                                                                       (herein ‘‘proposed rule’’), we proposed                disapproved,6 the 2013 Contingency
                                              ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION                                 to determine that the deficiency that                  Measure SIP in the wake of a court
                                              AGENCY                                                   formed the basis for a disapproval of the              decision 7 that undermined the basis for
                                                                                                       contingency measures submitted for the                 the EPA’s approval. The court decision
                                              40 CFR Part 52                                           San Joaquin Valley 1 nonattainment area                at issue held that waiver measures must
                                                                                                       for the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS (‘‘1997 PM2.5                 be approved into the SIP if California
                                              [EPA–R09–OAR–2017–0580; FRL–9972–02–                     standards’’) 2 has been corrected. We did
                                              Region 9]                                                                                                       relies upon them to meet CAA SIP
                                                                                                       so based on the Agency’s approval of                   requirements, thereby rejecting the
                                              Contingency Measures for the 1997                        California regulations establishing                    EPA’s longstanding practice allowing
                                              PM2.5 Standards; California; San                         standards and other requirements                       California SIP credit for waiver
                                              Joaquin Valley; Correction of                            relating to the control of emissions from              measures notwithstanding their absence
                                              Deficiency                                               new on-road and new and in-use off-                    from the SIP. Our disapproval of the
                                                                                                       road vehicles and engines (herein,                     2013 Contingency Measure SIP became
                                              AGENCY:  Environmental Protection                        ‘‘waiver measures’’) into the California               effective on June 13, 2016, and started
                                              Agency (EPA).                                            State Implementation Plan (SIP), and a                 a sanctions clock for imposition of offset
                                              ACTION: Final rule.                                      finding that the purposes of the                       sanctions 18 months after June 13, 2016,
                                                                                                       contingency measure requirement, as                    and highway sanctions 6 months later,
                                              SUMMARY:   The Environmental Protection                  applicable to the San Joaquin Valley                   pursuant to CAA section 179 and our
                                              Agency (EPA or ‘‘Agency’’) is taking                     based on its initial designation as a                  regulations at 40 CFR 52.31, unless the
                                              final action to determine that the                       nonattainment area for the 1997 PM2.5                  State submits and the EPA approves,
                                              deficiency that formed the basis for a                   standards, have been fulfilled.                        prior to the implementation of the
                                              disapproval of the contingency                              Our proposed rule provides a detailed               sanctions, a SIP submission that corrects
                                              measures submitted for the San Joaquin                   background section that describes the                  the deficiencies identified in the
                                              Valley nonattainment area for the 1997                   relevant NAAQS, area designations, the                 disapproval action.8
                                              fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national                 relevant SIP submittal requirements,                      Since the disapproval of the 2013
                                              ambient air quality standards (NAAQS)                    and the relevant SIP revisions submitted               Contingency Measure SIP, we have
                                              has been corrected. The effect of this                   and either approved or disapproved by                  approved the waiver measures as
                                              action is to permanently stop the                        the EPA under Clean Air Act (CAA or
                                              sanctions clocks triggered by the                        ‘‘Act’’) section 110.                                     3 76 FR 69896 (November 9, 2011) (final action on
                                              disapproval.                                                In short, under CAA section 172(c)(9),              the 2008 PM2.5 Plan).
                                                                                                       SIPs for areas designated as                              4 One year’s worth of RFP is the yardstick the EPA
                                              DATES:  This final rule is effective                                                                            has cited historically as the approximate quantity
                                                                                                       nonattainment for a NAAQS must be
                                              December 14, 2017.                                                                                              of emissions reductions that contingency measures
                                                                                                       revised to provide for the                             should provide to satisfy CAA section 172(c)(9).
                                              ADDRESSES: The EPA has established a                     implementation of specific measures                    See, e.g., 81 FR 58010, at 58066 (August 24, 2016)
                                              docket for this action under Docket No.                  (‘‘contingency measures’’) to take effect              (final rule implementing the PM2.5 NAAQS).
                                              EPA–R09–OAR–2017–0580. All                               if the area fails to make reasonable                      5 79 FR 29327 (May 22, 2014) (final action
                                              documents in the docket are listed on                    further progress (RFP) or fails to attain              approving the 2013 Contingency Measure SIP).
                                              the https://www.regulations.gov                          by the applicable attainment date. The
                                                                                                                                                                 6 81 FR 29498 (May 12, 2016) (final action

                                              website. Although listed on the website,                                                                        disapproving the 2013 Contingency Measure SIP).
                                                                                                       EPA disapproved the contingency                           7 Committee for a Better Arvin v. EPA, 786 F.3d
                                              some information is not publicly                         measure element of a set of SIP                        1169 (9th Cir. 2015) (‘‘Committee for a Better
                                              available, e.g., Confidential Business                   revisions collectively referred to as the              Arvin’’) (partially granting and partially denying
                                              Information (CBI) or other information                   ‘‘2008 PM2.5 Plan,’’ which was                         petition for review).
                                              whose disclosure is restricted by statute.               developed and submitted by California
                                                                                                                                                                 8 The offset sanction applies to New Source

                                              Certain other material, such as                                                                                 Review (NSR) permits for new major stationary
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES




                                                                                                                                                              sources or major modifications proposed in a
                                              copyrighted material, is not placed on                      1 The San Joaquin Valley PM
                                                                                                                                       2.5 nonattainment      nonattainment area, and it increases the ratio of
                                              the internet and will be publicly                        area is located in the southern half of California’s   emissions reductions (i.e., offsets) to increased
                                              available only in hard copy form.                        central valley and includes all of San Joaquin,        emissions from the new or modified source, which
                                              Publicly available docket materials are                  Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Tulare, and        must be obtained to receive an NSR permit, to 2 to
                                                                                                       Kings counties, and the valley portion of Kern         1. The highway sanction prohibits, with certain
                                              available through https://                               County. See 40 CFR 81.305.                             exceptions, the U.S. Department of Transportation
                                              www.regulations.gov, or please contact                      2 The EPA promulgated the 1997 PM
                                                                                                                                                2.5 NAAQS     from approving or funding transportation projects
                                              the person identified in the FOR FURTHER                 at 62 FR 38652 (July 18, 1997).                        in a nonattainment area.



                                         VerDate Sep<11>2014    15:57 Dec 13, 2017   Jkt 244001   PO 00000   Frm 00041   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\14DER1.SGM   14DER1


                                              58748            Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations

                                              revisions to the California SIP,9 and our                   In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(d),                  • Does not have Federalism
                                              approval of them as part of the SIP                      the EPA finds there is good cause for                 implications as specified in Executive
                                              addresses the specific deficiency that                   this action to become effective                       Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10,
                                              formed the basis of our May 12, 2016                     immediately upon publication. This is                 1999);
                                              disapproval of the 2013 Contingency                      because a delayed effective date is                     • Is not an economically significant
                                              Measure SIP. Moreover, since the 2014                    unnecessary due to the nature of the                  regulatory action based on health or
                                              attainment year (for the 2008 PM2.5                      determination made herein that a                      safety risks subject to Executive Order
                                              Plan), the waiver measures and related                   deficiency in a previous SIP approval                 13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997);
                                              vehicle fleet turnover have achieved                     has been corrected. The immediate                       • Is not a significant regulatory action
                                              post-attainment year emission                            effective date for this action is                     subject to Executive Order 13211 (66 FR
                                              reductions equivalent to approximately                   authorized under both 5 U.S.C.                        28355, May 22, 2001);
                                              one year’s worth of RFP as calculated                    553(d)(1), which provides that                          • Is not subject to requirements of
                                              for the 2008 PM2.5 Plan. The waiver                      rulemaking actions may become                         Section 12(d) of the National
                                              measures have thus provided for                          effective less than 30 days after                     Technology Transfer and Advancement
                                              sufficient progress towards attainment                   publication if the rule ‘‘grants or                   Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) because
                                              of the 1997 PM2.5 standards while a new                  recognizes an exemption or relieves a                 application of those requirements would
                                              attainment plan is being prepared.10                     restriction,’’ and section 553(d)(3),                 be inconsistent with the CAA; and
                                              Therefore, in our proposed rule we                       which allows an effective date less than                • Does not provide the EPA with the
                                              found that the purposes of the                           30 days after publication ‘‘as otherwise              discretionary authority to address
                                              contingency measure requirement, as                      provided by the agency for good cause                 disproportionate human health or
                                              applicable to the San Joaquin Valley                     found and published with the rule.’’                  environmental effects with practical,
                                              based on the area’s designation in 2005                  The purpose of the 30-day waiting                     appropriate, and legally permissible
                                              for the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS, have been                      period prescribed in section 553(d) is to             methods under Executive Order 12898
                                              fulfilled, and we proposed to determine                  give affected parties a reasonable time to            (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).
                                              that the deficiency that formed the basis                adjust their behavior and prepare before                In addition, this action does not have
                                              for the disapproval of the 2013                          the final rule takes effect. This                     Tribal implications as specified by
                                              Contingency Measure SIP has been                         rulemaking, however, does not create                  Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249,
                                              corrected. We are finalizing this                        any new regulatory requirement such                   November 9, 2000), because it will not
                                              determination in today’s action.                         that affected parties would need time to              have a substantial direct effect on one or
                                                 For a more detailed discussion of the                 prepare before the rule takes effect.                 more Indian tribes, on the relationship
                                              regulatory context and rationale for our                 Rather, today’s rule makes a                          between the federal government and
                                              action, please see the proposed rule.                    determination that has the effect of                  Indian tribes, or on the distribution of
                                                                                                       permanently stopping sanctions clocks                 power and responsibilities between the
                                              II. Public Comments and EPA                                                                                    federal government and Indian tribes, as
                                              Responses                                                triggered by a previous SIP disapproval
                                                                                                       action. For these reasons, the EPA finds              specified by Executive Order 13175 (65
                                                 The EPA’s proposed action provided                    good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) for               FR 67249, November 9, 2000).
                                              a 30-day public comment period which                                                                             The Congressional Review Act, 5
                                                                                                       this action to become effective on the
                                              ended on November 22, 2017. During                                                                             U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the Small
                                                                                                       date of publication of this action.
                                              this period, we received no comments.                                                                          Business Regulatory Enforcement
                                                                                                       IV. Statutory and Executive Order                     Fairness Act of 1996, generally provides
                                              III. Final Action                                        Reviews                                               that before a rule may take effect, the
                                                 For the reasons given in our proposed                    This action is a determination that a              agency promulgating the rule must
                                              rule and summarized herein, the EPA is                   deficiency that is the basis for sanctions            submit a rule report, which includes a
                                              making a final determination that the                    has been corrected and imposes no                     copy of the rule, to each House of the
                                              deficiency that formed the basis of our                  additional requirements. For that                     Congress and to the Comptroller General
                                              disapproval of the 2013 Contingency                                                                            of the United States. The EPA will
                                                                                                       reason, this action:
                                              Measure SIP for the San Joaquin Valley                      • Is not a ‘‘significant regulatory                submit a report containing this action
                                              for the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS has been                        action’’ subject to review by the Office              and other required information to the
                                              corrected by the approval of the waiver                  of Management and Budget under                        U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of
                                              measures as a revision to the California                 Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735,                   Representatives, and the Comptroller
                                              SIP and the finding that the waiver                      October 4, 1993);                                     General of the United States prior to
                                              measures have achieved post-2014                            • Is not an Executive Order 13771 (82              publication of the rule in the Federal
                                              attainment year emissions reductions                     FR 9339, February 2, 2017) regulatory                 Register. A major rule cannot take effect
                                              sufficient to fulfill the purposes of the                action because SIP approvals are                      until 60 days after it is published in the
                                              contingency measure requirement in                       exempted under Executive Order 12866;                 Federal Register. This action is not a
                                              CAA section 172(c)(9). This final                           • Does not impose an information                   ‘‘major rule’’ as defined by 5 U.S.C.
                                              determination permanently stops the                      collection burden under the provisions                804(2).
                                              sanctions clocks triggered by our                        of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44                      Under section 307(b)(1) of the Clean
                                              disapproval of the 2013 Contingency                      U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);                                 Air Act, petitions for judicial review of
                                              Measure SIP. See CAA section 179(a)                         • Is certified as not having a                     this action must be filed in the United
                                              and 40 CFR 52.31(d)(5).                                  significant economic impact on a                      States Court of Appeals for the
                                                                                                       substantial number of small entities                  appropriate circuit by February 12,
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                                                 9 81 FR 39424 (June 16, 2016) and 82 FR 14446

                                              (March 21, 2017).
                                                                                                       under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5               2018. Filing a petition for
                                                 10 In response to the EPA’s determination of          U.S.C. 601 et seq.);                                  reconsideration by the Administrator of
                                              failure to attain the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS, 81 FR               • Does not contain any unfunded                    this final rule does not affect the finality
                                              84481 (November 23, 2016), the San Joaquin Valley        mandate or significantly or uniquely                  of this rule for the purposes of judicial
                                              Unified Air Pollution Control District and               affect small governments, as described                review nor does it extend the time
                                              California Air Resources Board are preparing a new
                                              attainment plan with contingency measures for the        in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act                   within which a petition for judicial
                                              1997 PM2.5 NAAQS for the San Joaquin Valley.             of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–4);                              review may be filed, and shall not


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                                                               Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 239 / Thursday, December 14, 2017 / Rules and Regulations                                      58749

                                              postpone the effectiveness of such rule                  communications equipment, subject to                  has no potential to affect historic
                                              or action. This action may not be                        conditions that ensure no effects on                  properties under any circumstances, the
                                              challenged later in proceedings to                       historic properties. The Commission                   agency may unilaterally eliminate the
                                              enforce its requirements (see section                    also consolidates historic preservation               review process for such undertakings.
                                              307(b)(2)).                                              requirements in a single new rule.                    36 CFR 800.3(a)(1).
                                                                                                       DATES: Effective January 16, 2018.                       3. In 2004, the Commission, the
                                              List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52                                                                             ACHP, and the National Conference of
                                                                                                       FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                Environmental protection, Air                          David Sieradzki, David.Sieradzki@                     State Historic Preservation Officers
                                              pollution control, Incorporation by                      fcc.gov, of the Wireless                              agreed to the establishment of the
                                              reference, Intergovernmental relations,                  Telecommunications Bureau,                            Nationwide Programmatic Agreement
                                              Nitrogen oxides, Sulfur oxides,                                                                                for Review of Effects on Historic
                                                                                                       Competition & Infrastructure Policy
                                              Particulate matter.                                                                                            Properties for Certain Undertakings
                                                                                                       Division, 202–418–1368.
                                                  Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.                                                                          2004 NPA). 47 CFR part 1. Of particular
                                                                                                       SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a
                                                                                                                                                             relevance here, the 2004 NPA excludes
                                                Dated: December 4, 2017.                               summary of the Commission’s Report                    the construction of replacement
                                              Alexis Strauss,                                          and Order in WT Docket No. 17–79;                     structures from historic preservation
                                              Acting Regional Administrator, Region IX.                FCC 17–153, adopted November 16,                      review under defined conditions, but
                                              [FR Doc. 2017–26899 Filed 12–13–17; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                       2017, and released on November 17,                    only if the structure being replaced
                                                                                                       2017. The document is available for                   meets the definition of a ‘‘tower,’’
                                              BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
                                                                                                       download at http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/                 meaning that it was constructed for the
                                                                                                       edocs_public/. The complete text of this              sole or primary purpose of supporting
                                                                                                       document is also available for                        Commission-authorized antennas. See
                                              DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND                                   inspection and copying during normal
                                              SECURITY                                                                                                       47 CFR part 1, Appendix C, section
                                                                                                       business hours in the FCC Reference                   III.B. A structure that does not qualify
                                              Coast Guard                                              Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th              as a tower, such as a pole that initially
                                                                                                       Street SW, Room CY–A257,                              was erected to support electric utility
                                              46 CFR Part 67                                           Washington, DC 20554. To request                      lines, does not fall within the exclusion
                                                                                                       materials in accessible formats for                   under the 2004 NPA even if it is later
                                              [USCG–2016–0531]                                         people with disabilities (Braille, large              used to support Commission-authorized
                                                                                                       print, electronic files, audio format),               antennas. Consequently, if such a pole
                                              Vessel Documentation Regulations—                        send an email to FCC504@fcc.gov or call               must be replaced to support a
                                              Technical Amendments                                     the Consumer & Governmental Affairs                   communications antenna and no other
                                              Correction                                               Bureau at 202–418–0530 (voice), 202–                  exclusion applies, the pole replacement
                                                                                                       418–0432 (TTY).                                       is subject to review.
                                                In rule document 2017–20023                                                                                     4. In the Notice of Proposed
                                              beginning on page 43858 in the issue of                  I. Streamlining the Historic
                                                                                                       Preservation Review Process                           Rulemaking in the present proceeding,
                                              Wednesday, September 20, 2017, make                                                                            the Commission initiated a broad
                                              the following correction:                                   1. Enhancing the nation’s wireless                 examination of the regulatory
                                                                                                       infrastructure is essential to meeting the            impediments to wireless network
                                              § 67.3   [Corrected]
                                                                                                       exploding demand for robust mobile                    infrastructure investment and
                                              ■ In § 67.3, on page 43863, in the third                 services and delivering the next                      deployment, and how we may remove
                                              column, in the sixth through eighth                      generation of applications using                      or reduce such impediments, consistent
                                              lines, ‘‘redesignate paragraphs (a) and                  transformative new network                            with the law and the public interest, in
                                              (b) as paragraphs (1) and (2);’’ should                  technologies. Review of deployment                    order to promote the rapid deployment
                                              read ‘‘redesignate paragraphs (a)                        proposals pursuant to Section 106 of the              of advanced wireless broadband service
                                              through (c) as paragraphs (1) through                    National Historic Preservation Act                    to all Americans. See Accelerating
                                              (3);’’.                                                  (NHPA), 54 U.S.C. 306108, generally                   Wireless Broadband Deployment by
                                              [FR Doc. C1–2017–20023 Filed 12–13–17; 8:45 am]          serves the public policy objective of                 Removing Barriers to Infrastructure
                                              BILLING CODE 1301–00–D                                   preserving the nation’s historic heritage.            Deployment, 32 FCC Rcd 3330 (2017)
                                                                                                       Not all infrastructure deployments,                   (2017 Wireless Infrastructure NPRM) ;
                                                                                                       however, have the potential to affect                 see also Proposed Rule, 82 FR 21761
                                              FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS                                   historic properties. Where such                       (May 10, 2017). The Commission
                                              COMMISSION                                               potential effects do not exist, requiring             specifically sought comment on whether
                                                                                                       an individual historic preservation                   to expand the categories of undertakings
                                              47 CFR Part 1                                            review can impose needless burdens                    that are excluded from historic
                                                                                                       and slow infrastructure deployment.                   preservation review to include pole
                                              [WT Docket No. 17–79; FCC 17–153]                           2. Section 106 of the NHPA, 54 U.S.C.              replacements, and whether such a step
                                                                                                       306108, requires federal agencies to take             would facilitate wireless facility siting
                                              Accelerating Wireless Broadband
                                                                                                       into account the effect (if any) of their             while creating no or foreseeably
                                              Deployment by Removing Barriers to
                                                                                                       proposed undertakings on historic                     minimal potential for adverse impacts to
                                              Infrastructure Investment
                                                                                                       properties before proceeding with such                historic properties. The Commission
                                              AGENCY:  Federal Communications                          undertakings. Agencies are responsible                asked whether the construction of
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES




                                              Commission.                                              for deciding whether or not particular                replacement poles should be excluded
                                              ACTION: Final rule.                                      types of activities qualify as                        from Section 106 review, provided that
                                                                                                       undertakings under the definitions in                 the replacement pole is not substantially
                                              SUMMARY:   The Federal Communications                    the regulations of the Advisory Council               larger than the pole it is replacing, and
                                              Commission (Commission) eliminates                       on Historic Preservation (ACHP). See 36               solicited input on whether any
                                              historic preservation review of                          CFR 800.3(a), 800.16(y). Where an                     additional conditions would be
                                              replacement utility poles that support                   agency determines that a type of activity             appropriate.


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Document Created: 2018-10-25 10:52:03
Document Modified: 2018-10-25 10:52:03
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal rule.
DatesThis final rule is effective December 14, 2017.
ContactRory Mays, EPA Region IX, (415) 972- 3227, [email protected]
FR Citation82 FR 58747 
CFR AssociatedEnvironmental Protection; Air Pollution Control; Incorporation by Reference; Intergovernmental Relations; Nitrogen Oxides; Sulfur Oxides and Particulate Matter

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