[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 21, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-14537]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 21, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[MD18-1-5993; FRL-4999-3]

Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; 
State of Maryland-Emission Statement Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA is proposing approval of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) 
revision submitted by the State of Maryland. This revision consists of 
an emission statement program for stationary sources which emit 
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and/or nitrogen oxides (NOx) at or 
above specified actual emission threshold levels. This program applies 
throughout the State of Maryland. The SIP revision was submitted by the 
State to satisfy the Clean Air Act's requirements for an emission 
statement program as part of the ozone SIP for the State of Maryland.
DATES: Comments on this proposed action must be received in writing by 
July 21, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be mailed to Thomas J. Maslany, Director, Air, 
Radiation, and Toxics Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Region III, 841 Chestnut Building, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107. 
Copies of the documents relevant to this action are available for 
public inspection during normal business hours at the following 
locations: Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, Air, Radiation, 
and Toxics Division, 841 Chestnut Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107; Air 
and Radiation Management Administration, Maryland Department of the 
Environment, 2500 Broening Highway, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Enid A. Gerena, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Air, Radiation, and Toxics Division, 841 Chestnut 
Building, Philadelphia, PA 19107, (215) 597-8239.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 13, 1992, the State of 
Maryland's Department of the Environment (MDE) submitted a revision to 
Maryland's SIP which requires owners of stationary sources that emit 
VOCs and/or NOx, above specified actual emission applicability 
thresholds, to submit annual statements certifying emissions.

I. Background

    The air quality planning and State Implementation Plan (SIP) 
requirements for ozone nonattainment and transport areas are set out in 
subparts I and II of part D of title I of the Clean Air Act, as amended 
by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, (CAAor ``the Act''). EPA 
published a ``General Preamble'' describing its preliminary views on 
how it intends to review SIP's and SIP revisions submitted under title 
I of the CAA, including those State submittals for ozone transport 
areas within the States (see 57 FR 13498 (April 16, 1992) (``SIP: 
General Preamble for the Implementation of title I of the Clean Air Act 
Amendments of 1990''), 57 FR 18070 (April 28, 1992) (``Appendices to 
the General Preamble''), and 57 FR 55620 (November 25, 1992) (``SIP: 
NOx Supplement to the General Preamble'')).
    EPA also issued a draft guidance document describing the 
requirements for the emission statement programs discussed in this 
document, entitled ``Guidance on the Implementation of an Emission 
Statement Program'' (July, 1992). The Agency is also conducting a 
rulemaking process to modify 40 CFR part 51 to reflect the requirements 
of the emission statement program.
    Section 182 of the Act sets out a graduated control program for 
ozone nonattainment areas. Section 182(a) sets out requirements 
applicable in marginal nonattainment areas, which are also made 
applicable by section 182 (b), (c), (d), and (e) to all other ozone 
nonattainment areas. Among the requirements in section 182(a) is a 
program for stationary sources to prepare and submit to the State each 
year emission statements certifying their actual emissions of VOCs and 
NOx. This section of the Act provides that the States are to submit a 
revision to their SIPs by November 15, 1992 establishing this emission 
statement program.
    If a source emits either VOC or NOx at or above the designated 
minimum reporting level, the other pollutant should be included in the 
emission statement, even if it is emitted at levels below the specified 
cutoffs.
    The States may waive, with EPA approval, the requirement for an 
emission statement for classes or categories of sources with less than 
25 tons per year of actual plant-wide NOx or VOC emissions in 
nonattainment areas if the class or category is included in the base 
year and periodic inventories and emissions are calculated using 
emission factors established by EPA (such as those found in EPA 
publication AP-42) or other methods acceptable to EPA.
    At minimum the emission statement data should include:
     Certification of data accuracy;
     Source identification information;
     Operating schedule;
     Emissions information (to include annual and typical ozone 
season day emissions);
     Control equipment information; and
     Process data.

    EPA developed emission statements data elements to be consistent 
with other source and State reporting requirements. This consistency is 
essential to assist States with quality assurance for emission 
estimates and to facilitate consolidation of all EPA reporting 
requirements.

II. Description of the State Submittal

A. Procedural Background

    The State of Maryland held public hearings on September 21 
(Frederick), September 22 (Columbia), and September 23, 1992 
(Centreville) for the purpose of soliciting public comment on proposed 
regulatory revisions concerning emission statements for stationary 
sources. Following the public hearings, the regulatory revisions were 
adopted by the Secretary of the Environment on November 13, 1992, 
submitted to EPA on November 13, 1992 as a revision to the SIP, and 
became effective in the State of Maryland on December 7, 1992.

B. Components of Maryland's Emission Statement Program

    There are several key and specific components of an acceptable 
emission statement program. Specifically, the State must submit a 
revision to its SIP which consists of an emission statement program 
which meets the minimum requirements for reporting by the sources and 
the State. For the emission statement program to be approvable, the 
state's SIP must include, at a minimum, definitions and provisions for 
applicability, compliance, and specific source reporting requirements 
and reporting forms.
    Maryland's revision consists of amendments to COMAR 26.11.01 
General Administrative Procedures. These amendments, revise COMAR 
26.11.01.01, Definitions, and add 26.11.01.05-1, Emission Statements.
    Section .01, Definitions, has been revised by amending or adding 
the definitions of the following terms: Actual emissions; Capture 
efficiency; Certifying individual; Control efficiency; Oxides of 
nitrogen; Percent seasonal throughput; Standard Industrial 
Classification; and Typical ozone season day.
    Section .05-1, Emission Statements, requires that a person who owns 
or operates any installation, source, or premises located in areas 
designated by the CAA as marginal, moderate, serious, severe or extreme 
ozone nonattainment area to report the levels of emissions from the 
sources emitting 25 tons per year (TPY) or more of VOCs and NOx, in 
order to track emission reductions and attain the ozone National 
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Because the entire State of 
Maryland is in the Northeast Ozone Transport Region, emission statement 
reporting provisions also apply to sources in all remaining areas of 
the State which emit 100 TPY of NOx or 50 TPY of VOC. Section .05-1, 
Emission Statements, requires that a certifying official for each 
facility provide the State with a statement reporting emissions by 
April 1 of each year, beginning with April 1, 1993, for the emissions 
discharged during the previous calendar year. Section .05-1, Emission 
Statements, delineates specific requirements for the content of these 
annual emission statements, including the use of the reporting form 
developed by the MDE.

C. Enforceability

    The State of Maryland has provisions in its SIP (MD. Env. Code Ann. 
Section 2-609, 2-609.1, 2-610, 2-610.1) which ensure that the emission 
statement requirements of section 182(a)(3)(B) and sections 184(b)(2) 
and 182(f) of the CAA as required by COMAR 26.11.01, sections .01 and 
.05-1 are adequately enforced. Once EPA completes the rulemaking 
process approving the Maryland's Emission Statement program as part of 
the SIP, it will be federally enforceable.
    EPA has determined that the submittal made by the State of Maryland 
satisfies the relevant requirements of the CAA and EPA's guidance 
document, ``Guidance on the Implementation of an Emission Statement 
Program'' (July 1992). EPA's detailed review of Maryland's Emission 
Statement Program is contained in a Technical Support Document (TSD) 
which is available, upon request, from the EPA Regional Office listed 
in the Addresses section of this document.

III. Proposed Action

    EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the Maryland SIP to 
include an Emission Statement Program consisting of revisions to 
regulation COMAR 26.11.01., General Administrative Provisions, to amend 
section .01, Definitions, and add section .05-1, Emission Statements. 
This revision was submitted to EPA by the State of Maryland on November 
13, 1992. The EPA is requesting public comments on all aspects of the 
issues discussed in this document. These comments will be considered 
before taking final action. Interested parties may participate in the 
Federal rulemaking procedure by submitting written comments to the EPA 
Regional Office listed in the Addresses section of this document.
    Nothing in this action should be construed as permitting or 
allowing or establishing a precedent for any future request for 
revision of any SIP. Each request for revision to the SIP shall be 
considered separately in light of specific technical, economic, and 
environmental factors and in relation to relevant statutory and 
regulatory requirements.
    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 600 et seq., EPA 
must prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis assessing the impact of 
any proposed or final rule on small entities. 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604. 
Alternatively, EPA may certify that the rule will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
Small entities include small businesses, small not-for-profit 
enterprises, and government entities with jurisdiction over populations 
of less than 50,000.
    SIP approvals under section 110 and subchapter I, part D of the Act 
do not create any new requirements, but simply approve requirements 
that the State is already imposing. Therefore, because the Federal SIP-
approval does not impose any new requirements, the Administrator 
certifies that it does not have a significant impact on small entities. 
Moreover, due to the nature of the Federal-state relationship under the 
CAA, preparation of a regulatory flexibility analysis would constitute 
Federal inquiry into the economic reasonableness of state action. The 
CAA forbids EPA to base its actions concerning SIPs on such grounds. 
Union Electric Co. v. U.S. E.P.A. , 427 U.S. 246, 256-66 (S.Ct. 1976); 
42 U.S.C. 7410 (a)(2).
    This action to propose approval of Maryland's SIP Emission 
Statements Program has been classified as a Table 2 action for 
signature by the Regional Administrator under the procedures published 
in the Federal Register on January 19, 1989 (54 FR 2214-2225), as 
revised by an October 4, 1993 memorandum from Michael H. Shapiro, 
Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation. A future document 
will inform the general public of these tables. On January 6, 1989, the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) waived Table 2 and Table 3 SIP 
revisions (54 FR 2222) from the requirements of section 3 of Executive 
Order 12291 for a period of two years. The EPA has submitted a request 
for a permanent waiver for Table 2 and 3 SIP revisions. The OMB has 
agreed to continue the waiver until such time as it rules on EPA's 
request. This request continues in effect under Executive Order 12866, 
which superseded Executive Order 12291 on September 30, 1993.
    The Administrator's decision to approve or disapprove Maryland's 
SIP Emission Statements revision will be based on whether it meets the 
requirements of section 110(a)(2)(A)-(K), and part D of the Clean Air 
Act, as amended, and EPA regulations in 40 CFR part 52.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental Protection, Air pollution control, Intergovernmental 
relations, Nitrogen dioxide, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
Volatile organic compounds.


    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q

    Dated: April 15, 1994.
Stanley L. Laskowski,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region III.
[FR Doc. 94-14537 Filed 6-20-94; 8:45 am]
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