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Air Plan Approval; Indiana; Volatile Organic Compounds; Cold Cleaner Degreasing

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to the volatile organic compound (VOC) rules contained in the Indiana State Implementation Plan (SIP). The India...

Environmental Protection Agency
  1. 40 CFR Part 52
  2. [EPA-R05-OAR-2021-0477; FRL-9848-02-R5]

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to the volatile organic compound (VOC) rules contained in the Indiana State Implementation Plan (SIP). The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (Indiana) modified its rules to allow the use of a VOC control device for cold cleaning degreasing operations as a compliance option to using low vapor pressure solvent for cleaning or degreasing machine parts. Rule language was also updated for clarity and consistency. EPA proposed to approve this action on August 30, 2023, and received no adverse comments.

DATES:

This final rule is effective on January 17, 2024.

ADDRESSES:

EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID No. EPA-R05-OAR-2021-0477. All documents in the docket are listed on the www.regulations.gov website. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, i.e., 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 either through www.regulations.gov or at the Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Air and Radiation Division, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604. This facility is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays and facility closures due to COVID-19. We recommend that you telephone Matt Rau, at (312) 886-6524 before visiting the Region 5 office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Matt Rau, Environmental Engineer, Control Strategies Section, Air Programs Branch (AR-18J), Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, (312) 886-6524, .

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Throughout this document whenever “we,” “us,” or “our” is used, we mean EPA.

I. Background Information

On August 30, 2023 (88 FR 59834), EPA proposed to approve into the Indiana SIP revisions to 326 Indiana Administrative Code (IAC) Article 8 Volatile Organic Compound Rules sections 326 IAC 8-3-1 “Applicability and exemptions”, effective January 4, 2023, and 326 IAC 8-3-2 “Cold cleaner degreaser control equipment and operating requirements”, 326 IAC 8-3-3 “Open top vapor degreaser operation”, 326 IAC 8-3-4 “Conveyorized degreaser control equipment and operating requirements”, and 326 IAC 8-3-8 “Material requirements for cold cleaner degreasers”, effective June 9, 2021. An explanation of the Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements, a detailed analysis of the revisions, and EPA's reasons for proposing approval were provided in the notice of proposed rulemaking (88 FR 59834) and will not be restated here. The public comment period for this proposed rule ended on September 29, 2023.

During the comment period, EPA received two comments that expressed support for the proposed VOC rule revisions. Therefore, EPA is finalizing our action as proposed.

II. Final Action

EPA is approving Indiana's VOC control rule sections 326 IAC 8-3-1, 326 IAC 8-3-2, 326 IAC 8-3-3, 326 IAC 8-3-4, and 326 IAC 8-3-8 as revisions to the Indiana SIP.

III. Incorporation by Reference

In this rule, EPA is finalizing regulatory text that includes incorporation by reference. In accordance with requirements of 1 CFR 51.5, EPA is finalizing the incorporation by reference of the Indiana Regulations described in section I of this preamble and set forth in the amendments to 40 CFR part 52 below. EPA has made, and will continue to make, these documents generally available through www.regulations.gov, and at the EPA Region 5 Office (please contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this preamble for more information). Therefore, these materials have been approved by EPA for inclusion in the SIP, have been incorporated by reference by EPA into that plan, are fully federally enforceable under sections 110 and 113 of the CAA as of the effective date of the final rulemaking of EPA's approval, and will be incorporated by reference in the next update to the SIP compilation.[1]

IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP submission that complies with the provisions of the CAA 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 CAA. Accordingly, this action merely approves state law as meeting Federal requirements and does not impose additional requirements beyond those imposed by state law. For that reason, this action:

In addition, 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 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). ( printed page 87360)

Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions To Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, 59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994) directs Federal agencies to identify and address “disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects” of their actions on minority populations and low-income populations to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law. EPA defines environmental justice (EJ) as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” EPA further defines the term fair treatment to mean that “no group of people should bear a disproportionate burden of environmental harms and risks, including those resulting from the negative environmental consequences of industrial, governmental, and commercial operations or programs and policies.”

Indiana did not evaluate EJ considerations as part of its SIP submittal; the CAA and applicable implementing regulations neither prohibit nor require such an evaluation. EPA did not perform an EJ analysis and did not consider EJ in this action. Consideration of EJ is not required as part of this action, and there is no information in the record inconsistent with the stated goal of E.O. 12898 of achieving environmental justice for people of color, low-income populations, and Indigenous peoples.

This action is subject to the Congressional Review Act, and EPA will submit a rule report to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United States. This action is not a “major rule” as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA, petitions for judicial review of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by February 16, 2024. Filing a petition for reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule does not affect the finality of this action 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 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
  • Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
  • Volatile organic compounds

Dated: December 11, 2023.

Debra Shore,

Regional Administrator, Region 5.

For the reasons stated in the preamble, title 40 CFR part 52 is amended as follows:

PART 52—APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS

1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:

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

2. In § 52.770, the table in paragraph (c) is amended by revising the entries for “8-3-1”, “8-3-2”, “8-3-3”, “8-3-4”, and “8-3-8” under “Article 8. Volatile Organic Compound Rules”, “Rule 3. Organic Solvent Degreasing Operations” to read as follows:

Identification of plan.
* * * * *

(c) * * *

EPA-Approved Indiana Regulations

Indiana citation Subject Indiana effective date EPA approval date Notes
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
Article 8. Volatile Organic Compound Rules
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
Rule 3. Organic Solvent Degreasing Operations
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
8-3-1 Applicability and Exemptions 1/4/2023 12/18/2023, [INSERT FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION]
8-3-2 Cold cleaner degreaser control equipment and operating requirements 6/9/2021 12/18/2023, [INSERT FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION]
8-3-3 Open top vapor degreaser operation 6/9/2021 12/18/2023, [INSERT FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION]
8-3-4 Conveyorized degreaser control equipment and operating requirements 6/9/2012 12/18/2023, [INSERT FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION]
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
8-3-8 Material requirements for cold cleaner degreasers 6/9/2021 12/18/2023, [INSERT FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION]
*         *         *         *         *         *         *
* * * * *

Footnotes

1.  62 FR 27968 (May 22, 1997).

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[FR Doc. 2023-27552 Filed 12-15-23; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

Legal Citation

Federal Register Citation

Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.

88 FR 87359

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Suggested Web Citation

Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.

“Air Plan Approval; Indiana; Volatile Organic Compounds; Cold Cleaner Degreasing,” thefederalregister.org (December 18, 2023), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2023-27552/air-plan-approval-indiana-volatile-organic-compounds-cold-cleaner-degreasing.