[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 28, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 33351-33353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: X95-10628]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 52 and 81

[A-1-FRL-5249-5]


Clean Air Act Promulgation of Extension of Attainment Date for 
Ozone Nonattainment Area; Maine

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA is extending the attainment date for the Hancock and Waldo 
Counties, a marginal ozone nonattainment area in Maine to November 15, 
1994. This extension is based in part on monitored air quality readings 
for the national ambient air quality standard for ozone during 1993. 
This notice also updates tables in 40 CFR 52.1024 and 40 CFR 81.320 
concerning attainment dates in the State of Maine.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This extension becomes effective July 28, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard P. Burkhart, Air, Pesticides 
and Toxics Management Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Region I, JFK Federal Bldg., Boston, MA 02203. Phone: 617-565-3244.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On Feb. 22, 1995 (60 FR 9813), EPA published 
a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) for the State of Maine. The NPR 
proposed extending the attainment deadline for ozone for Hancock and 
Waldo Counties, and asked for public comment. No comments were 
received.

CAA Requirements and EPA Actions Concerning Designation and 
Classification

    Section 107(d)(4) of the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 (CAA) 
required the States and EPA to designate areas as attainment, 
nonattainment, or unclassifiable for ozone as well as other pollutants 
for which national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) have been set. 
Section 181(a)(1) (table 1) required that ozone nonattainment areas be 
classified as marginal, moderate, serious, severe, or extreme, 
depending on their air quality.
    In a series of Federal Register notices, EPA completed this process 
by designating and classifying all areas of the country for ozone. See, 
e.g., 56 FR 58694 (Nov. 6, 1991); 57 FR 56762 (Nov. 30, 1992); 59 FR 
18967 (April 21, 1994).
    Areas designated nonattainment for ozone are required to meet 
attainment dates specified under the Act. For areas classified marginal 
through extreme, the attainment dates range from November 15, 1993 
through November 15, 2010. A discussion of the attainment dates is 
found in 57 FR 13498 (April 16, 1992) (the General Preamble).
    The Hancock and Waldo Counties, Maine area was designated 
nonattainment and classified marginal for ozone pursuant to 56 FR 58694 
(Nov. 6, 1991). By this classification, its attainment date became 
November 15, 1993.

CAA Requirements and EPA Actions Concerning Meeting the Attainment 
Date

    Section 181(b)(2)(A) requires the Administrator, within six months 
of the attainment date, to determine whether ozone nonattainment areas 
attained the NAAQS. For ozone, EPA determines attainment status on the 
basis of the expected number of exceedances of the NAAQS over the 
three-year period up to, and including, the attainment date. See 
General Preamble, 57 FR 13506. In the case of ozone marginal 
nonattainment areas, the three-year period is 1991-93. CAA section 
181(b)(2)(A) further states that, for areas classified as marginal, 
moderate, or serious, if the Administrator determines that the area did 
not attain the standard by its attainment date, the area must be 
reclassified upwards.
    However, CAA section 181(a)(5) provides an exemption from these 
bump [[Page 33352]] up requirements. Under this exemption, EPA may 
grant up to two one-year extensions of the attainment date under 
specified conditions:

    Upon application by any State, the Administrator may extend for 
1 additional year (hereinafter referred to as the ``Extension 
Year'') the date specified in table 1 of paragraph (1) of this 
subsection if--
    (A) the State has complied with all requirements and commitments 
pertaining to the area in the applicable implementation plan, and
    (B) no more than 1 exceedance of the national ambient air 
quality standard level for ozone has occurred in the area in the 
year preceding the Extension Year.
    No more than 2 one-year extensions may be issued under this 
paragraph for a single nonattainment area.

    EPA interprets this provision to authorize the granting of a one-
year extension under the following, minimum, conditions: (i) The State 
requests a one-year extension, (ii) all requirements and commitments in 
the EPA-approved SIP for the area have been complied with, and (iii) 
the area has no more than one measured exceedance of the NAAQS during 
the year that includes the attainment date (or the subsequent year, if 
a second one-year extension is requested).

EPA Action

    On February 22, 1994 (60 FR 9813) EPA proposed to grant a one-year 
extension of the attainment date for the Hancock and Waldo Counties, 
Maine nonattainment area. Air quality monitors for this area revealed 
two exceedances of the ozone National Ambient Air quality Standard 
during the three year period from 1991 to 1993. Both exceedances 
occurred in 1991, at a monitor located in Hancock County at a site 
operated by the National Park Service. The site had data capture 
problems in both 1991 and 1992. In 1993 the Maine Department of 
Environmental Protection took over maintenance of the site and data 
capture improved greatly. Since 1991 the site has not had any 
exceedances of the NAAQS. EPA received no comments on this proposal.
    Today EPA is granting the request for extension. Accordingly, EPA 
is proposing to establish a new attainment date for the Hancock and 
Waldo Counties, Maine area as November 15, 1994.
Regulatory Process

    Under E.O. 12866, this action has been exempted from the Office of 
Management and Budget's review.
    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 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. Attainment date extensions under section 181(a)(5) of the CAA 
do not create any new requirements; therefore, I certify that this 
action will not have a significant impact on small entities.

List of Subjects

40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Intergovernmental 
relations, Ozone.

40 CFR Part 81

    Air pollution control, National parks, Wilderness areas.

    Dated: May 22, 1995.
John P. DeVillars,
Regional Administrator, Region I.

    Chapter I, title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended 
as follows:

PART 52--[AMENDED]

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

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

Subpart U--Maine

    2. Section 52.1024 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 52.1024  Attainment dates for national standards.

    The following table presents the latest dates by which the national 
standards are to be attained.

                              Attainment Dates Established by Clean Air Act of 1990                             
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Pollutant                      
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
    Air quality control region and nonattainment area             SO2                                           
                                                         --------------------  PM-10     NO2       CO       O3  
                                                          Primary  Secondary                                    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AQCR 107:                                                                                                       
    Androscoggin County.................................      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (g)
    Kennebec County.....................................      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (g)
    Knox County.........................................      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (g)
    Lincoln County......................................      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (g)
    Waldo County........................................      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (d)
    Oxford Cnty. (Part) See 40 CFR 81.320...............      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (e)
    Franklin Cnty. (Part) See 40 CFR 81.320.............      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (e)
    Somerset Cnty. (Part) See 40 CFR 81.320.............      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (e)
AQCR 108:                                                                                                       
    Aroostook Cnty. (Part) See 40 CFR 81.320............      (a)       (b)       (c)      (a)      (a)      (a)
    Remainder of AQCR...................................      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (a)
AQCR 109:                                                                                                       
    Hancock County......................................      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (d)
    Millinocket.........................................      (e)       (e)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (a)
    Remainder of AQCR...................................      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (a)
AQCR 110:                                                                                                       
    York County.........................................      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (g)
    Cumberland County...................................      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (g)
    Sagadahoc County....................................      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (g)
    Oxford Cnty. (Part) See 40 CFR 81.320...............      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)      (e)
AQCR 111................................................      (a)       (b)       (a)      (a)      (a)     (a) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a Air quality levels presently below primary standards or area is unclassifiable.                               
                                                                                                                
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b Air quality levels presently below secondary standards or area is unclassifiable.                             
c 12/31/94.                                                                                                     
d 11/15/94 (one-year extension granted).                                                                        
e 11/15/95.                                                                                                     
g 11/15/96.