Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; New Mexico; Transportation Conformity and Conformity of General Federal Actions

On February 10, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a direct final rule approving revisions to the New Mexico State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions amend the State transportation conformity provisions and remove the State general conformity provisions from the SIP, as allowed by the 2005 amendments to the Clean Air Act (CAA). The direct final rule was published without prior proposal because EPA anticipated no adverse comments. EPA stated in the direct final rule that if EPA received relevant, adverse comments by March 12, 2015, EPA would publish a timely withdrawal in the Federal Register. EPA received a relevant, adverse comment on March 10, 2015, and accordingly is withdrawing the direct final rule, and in a separate subsequent final rulemaking will address the comment received. The withdrawal is being taken pursuant to section 110 of the CAA.