[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 208 (Friday, October 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-26818]


[Federal Register: October 28, 1994]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 63

[AD-FRL-5099-4]
RIN 2060-AC19


National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for 
Source Categories: Organic Hazardous Air Pollutants From the Synthetic 
Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry and Other Processes Subject to 
the Negotiated Regulation for Equipment Leaks

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Partial Stay and Reconsideration.

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SUMMARY: Today's action announces a partial 3-month stay and 
reconsideration of certain national emission standards for hazardous 
air pollutants for certain sources. The effectiveness of provisions of 
the ``National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for 
Source Categories: Organic Hazardous Air Pollutants from the Synthetic 
Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry and Other Processes Subject to 
the Negotiated Regulation for Equipment Leaks'' 59 FR 19402 (April 22, 
1994) and 59 FR 29196 (June 6, 1994) (collectively known as the 
``hazardous organic NESHAP'' or the ``HON''), for compressors and for 
surge control vessels and bottoms receivers is stayed for 3 months 
pending reconsideration. The EPA is issuing this stay pursuant to Clean 
Air Act section 307(d)(7)(B), 42 U.S.C. 7607(d)(7)(B), which provides 
the Administrator authority to stay the effectiveness of a rule during 
reconsideration.
    Elsewhere in the Proposed Rules Section of today's Federal Register 
the EPA proposes (1) to defer compliance with the HON equipment leak 
provisions establishing standards for compressors and for surge control 
vessels and bottoms receivers, and (2) to extend the compliance date 
for sources affected by today's stay, for as long as is necessary to 
complete the rulemaking granting this deferral.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 28, 1994. This stay affects only those sources 
that had been required to comply with 40 CFR 63.164 and 63.170 as of 
October 24, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Jan Meyer at (919) 541-5254, 
Emission Standards Division (MD-13), US Environmental Protection 
Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    On April 22, 1994 (59 FR 19402), and June 6, 1994 (59 FR 29196), 
the EPA promulgated in the Federal Register national emission standards 
for hazardous air pollutants (``NESHAP'') for the synthetic organic 
chemical manufacturing industry (``SOCMI''), and for several other 
processes subject to the equipment leaks portion of the rule. These 
regulations were promulgated as subparts F, G, H, and I in 40 CFR part 
63, and are commonly referred to as the HON. Subpart H establishes 
standards for equipment leaks, including standards for compressors (40 
CFR 63.164) and for surge control vessels and bottoms receivers (40 CFR 
63.170). The final rule required existing sources to comply with 
subpart H beginning October 24, 1994, for some groups of SOCMI 
processes and for processes subject to subpart I (see 40 CFR 
63.100(k)(3)(i) and 63.190(e)(2)).
    A petition for reconsideration has been submitted to the EPA 
requesting the HON be revised in order for sources to have additional 
time to comply with the equipment leak provisions applicable to 
compressors and to surge control vessels and bottoms receivers. The 
petition contains new information demonstrating that compliance by 
October 24, 1994, with the standards applicable to compressors and to 
surge control vessels and bottoms receivers, is not possible because at 
many facilities major equipment modifications or replacements are 
necessary in order to comply with the standards. This new information, 
which the EPA did not have prior to the promulgation of the HON, is 
described more fully in the notice contained in the Proposed Rules 
section of today's Federal Register that proposes to defer compliance 
with the equipment leak provisions of the HON that are applicable to 
compressors and to surge control vessels and bottoms receivers. For 
these reasons, the EPA is staying the effectiveness of the provisions 
of the HON applicable to leaks from compressors and from surge control 
vessels and bottoms receivers for 3 months in order to respond to the 
petition for reconsideration and revise the rule as necessary to 
resolve this issue.
    This stay affects only those sources that had been required to 
comply with 40 CFR 63.164 and 63.170 as of October 24, 1994 (see 40 CFR 
63.100(k)(3)(i) and 63.190(e)(2)). It does not affect those sources 
required to comply as of January 23, 1995, or later (see 40 CFR 
63.100(k)(3)(ii) through (k)(3)(v). In the proposal contained in 
today's Federal Register, however, EPA is proposing a compliance 
extension for the sources required to comply as of January 23, 1995, or 
later, as well as the sources required to comply as of October 24, 
1994. Accordingly, today's stay does not affect all sources with 
compressors or surge control vessels and bottoms receivers.

II. Issuance of Stay

    The EPA hereby issues a 3-month administrative stay of the 
effectiveness of the HON equipment leak provisions applicable to 
compressors and to surge control vessels and bottoms receivers for 
sources required to comply beginning on October 24, 1994. The EPA will 
reconsider the compliance dates in the rule and, following the notice 
and comment procedures of section 307(d) of the Clean Air Act, will 
take appropriate action.

III. Authority for Stay and Reconsideration

    The administrative stay and reconsideration announced by this 
notice are being undertaken pursuant to section 307(d)(7)(B) of the 
Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7607(d)(7)(B). That provision authorizes the 
Administrator to stay the effectiveness of a rule for up to 3 months in 
order to consider a request for reconsideration. Reconsideration is 
appropriate if the grounds for an objection arose after the period for 
public comment and if the objection is of central relevance to the 
outcome of the rule.
    The grounds for reconsideration of this rule arose after the public 
comment period. The problems attendant to requiring compliance with the 
equipment leak provisions applicable to compressors and to surge 
control vessels and bottoms receivers only became apparent after the 
close of comment on the rule. Therefore, the EPA is staying the 
effectiveness of the rule for 3 months in order to allow time to 
reconsider this issue.

IV. Proposed Compliance Extension

    The EPA may not be able to complete the reconsideration (including 
any appropriate regulatory action) of the rule stayed by this notice 
within the 3-month period expressly provided in section 307(d)(7)(B). 
If the EPA does not complete the reconsideration in this timeframe, 
then it will be necessary to temporarily extend the applicable 
compliance dates. In the Proposed Rule Section of today's Federal 
Register, the EPA proposes a temporary extension of the compliance 
dates beyond 3 months if necessary in order to complete reconsideration 
and revision of the rules in question.
    Pursuant to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 605(b), I hereby certify 
that this action will not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small business entities.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 63

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Hazardous 
substances, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: October 24, 1994.

Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
    Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, chapter I, part 63, 
subparts F, H, and I are being amended as follows:

PART 63--NATIONAL EMISSION STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS 
FOR SOURCE CATEGORIES

    1. The authority citation for part 63 continues to read as follows:

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

    2. Section 63.100 is amended by adding paragraph (o) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 63.100   Applicability and designation of source.

* * * * *
    (o) Sections Stayed for Reconsideration. Notwithstanding any other 
provision of this subpart, the effectiveness of Secs. 63.164 and 63.170 
of subpart H is stayed from October 28, 1994, to January 26, 1995 only 
as applied to those sources subject to Sec. 63.100 (k)(3)(i).
    3. Section 63.190 is amended by adding paragraph (i) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 63.190   Applicability and designation of source.

* * * * *
    (i) Sections Stayed for Reconsideration. Notwithstanding any other 
provision of this subpart, the effectiveness of Secs. 63.164 and 63.170 
of subpart H is stayed from October 28, 1994, to January 26, 1995 only 
as applied to those sources subject to Sec. 63.190 (e)(2).

[FR Doc. 94-26818 Filed 10-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P