[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 29 (Monday, February 12, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 5363-5364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-2582]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 52 and 81
[Region II Docket No. 149, NJ26-1-7294; FRL-5409-5]
Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Carbon
Monoxide State Implementation Plan Revision States of New York, New
Jersey and Connecticut
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Solicitation of Comment.
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SUMMARY: Section 211(m) of the Clean Air Act requires that the
Administrator determine the period prone to high ambient concentrations
of carbon monoxide (CO) for each area requiring an oxygenated gasoline
program under that section. EPA previously proposed to determine that
the period when the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island
consolidated metropolitan statistical area is prone to high ambient
concentrations of CO extends from November 1 to the last day of
February. See 60 FR 47911 (September 15, 1995). EPA is here soliciting
comment on that proposed determination for a limited purpose, to invite
comment on additional information concerning emission modeling and data
for the New Jersey portion of the area.
DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before March 13,
1996.
ADDRESSES: All comments should be addressed to: William J. Muszynski,
P.E., Deputy Regional Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency,
Region II Office, 290 Broadway, New York, New York 10007-1866
Attention: William S. Baker.
Copies of the state submittal(s) are available at the following
addresses for inspection during normal business hours: Environmental
Protection Agency, Region II Office, Library 16th Floor, 290 Broadway,
New York, New York 10007-1866.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William S. Baker, Chief, Air Programs
Branch, Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway, New York, New
York 10007-1866, (212) 637-4249.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Motor vehicles are significant contributors of CO emissions, which
are harmful to human health. An important measure toward reducing these
emissions is the use of cleaner-burning oxygenated gasoline. Extra
oxygen in the fuel enhances fuel combustion and helps to offset fuel-
rich operating conditions, particularly during vehicle starting in cold
weather.
Section 211(m) of the Clean Air Act (Act) requires certain states
with areas that are nonattainment for the CO National Ambient Air
Quality Standards to implement oxygenated gasoline programs for the
period that the areas are prone to high ambient concentrations of CO.
The Administrator is to determine this control period for each area.
States with CO nonattainment areas at or above a 9.5 parts per million
(ppm) design value must implement oxygenated gasoline programs by
November 1, 1992 and submit these programs as SIP revisions.
The section 211(m) requirement applies to New Jersey, New York and
Connecticut because these states each contain a portion of the New
York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island nonattainment area, which has a
design value for CO above 9.5 ppm. The requirement had also originally
applied to Southern New Jersey as well; however that area, which is
part of the Philadelphia CO nonattainment area, is currently in
attainment for CO and, as such, is no longer required to implement an
oxygenated gasoline program. 60 FR 62741, December 7, 1995. The New
York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island CO nonattainment area is part of
the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island Consolidated Metropolitan
Statistical Area (CMSA) and includes the New Jersey Counties of Bergen,
Essex, Hudson, Union, and parts of Passaic. The nonattainment area in
Passaic County includes the Cities of Clifton, Paterson, and Passaic.
New Jersey's portion of the larger CMSA, within which oxygenated fuel
sale is required, consists of the following counties: Bergen, Essex,
Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union
and Warren.
On September 15, 1995, in the course of action on the New York CO
SIP, EPA proposed to find that the appropriate length of the control
period for the entire New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island CMSA is
four months (60 FR 47911). EPA also proposed to approve New York's
oxygenated fuels program and, in a separate notice, Connecticut's
oxygenated fuels program, both for a four-month control period (60 FR
47907, 60 FR 47911, September 15, 1995). On December 7, 1995, EPA
published a direct-final rule (with an accompanying proposal) to
redesignate the Southern New Jersey Camden County CO nonattainment area
to attainment. (60 FR 62741). Finally, in a related document published
in the Final Rules section of today's Federal Register EPA is issuing a
final limited approval of New Jersey's request to revise its CO State
Implementation Plan (SIP) to incorporate New Jersey's oxygenated
gasoline program for the Northern New Jersey portion of the New York-
Northern New Jersey-Long Island CMSA as it applies for the four months
from November 1 through the last day of February.
Length of Control Period
The following information, provided for background purposes only,
summarizes certain information provided in the proposed determination.
The Act provides for EPA to determine a single period during which
an entire nonattainment area is prone to high ambient concentrations of
CO. This uniform control period will apply, at least as a minimum, to
each state's portion of a multi-state nonattainment area. EPA
previously proposed a determination of the period prone to high ambient
concentrations of CO for the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island
CMSA. 60 FR 47911, (September 15, 1995). The comment period on that
proposed determination closed on October 15, 1995, and EPA received no
comments on the issue of the control period determination.
EPA has applied established Agency guidance (announced for
availability at 57 FR 47853, October 20, 1992) regarding oxygenated
gasoline control periods to determine the proper control period length
for the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island CMSA. As part of the
1992 guidance document, based on air quality data from 1990 and 1991,
EPA suggested that the proper control period for the New York-Northern
New Jersey-Long Island CMSA was October 1 through April 30. However,
the 1992 guidance does not establish a binding norm regarding control
periods and provides that the determination of the control period will
be an issue to be finally decided by EPA as part of the review of
individual state SIP revisions for oxygenated gasoline programs.
Section 211(m), cited in the 1992 EPA guidance, requires control
period length to be decided by the EPA Administrator based on the
period an area is prone to high CO concentrations. The three-state New
York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island CMSA has not recorded an
exceedance of the CO national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) in
the
[[Page 5364]]
three months proposed to be dropped since October of 1991. Furthermore,
since 1992 the CMSA has not been prone to high ambient concentrations
of CO during those three months. Under the approach used in EPA's
guidance, ``prone to high ambient concentrations of carbon monoxide''
is a criterion more stringent than the NAAQS, in that the CO levels
which characterize an area as being prone to high CO concentrations
during a specific period may be lower than the NAAQS and therefore not
necessarily exceed it.
EPA believes that implementation of new programs under the Clean
Air Act in each state in the CMSA will adequately ensure continued
observance of reduced levels of CO during the months of October, March
and April. Reformulated gasoline (RFG) is a year round clean gasoline
program, which provides gasoline oxygenated to 2.0 percent. This
program was initiated on January 1, 1995, in the CMSA (see 59 FR 7716,
February 16, 1994). EPA believes that implementation of an enhanced
inspection and maintenance (I/M) program [40 CFR Part 51, Subpart S]
and the turnover of the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island CMSA
fleet to newer, cleaner vehicles, combined with the use of RFG will
ensure continued lower CO emissions from motor vehicles for the CMSA
during October, March and April, even in the absence of the higher
minimum oxygen content.
While the established guidance bases the determination of control
period only on air quality monitoring data (which exists for the entire
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island CMSA for 1992 to 1995), EPA
believes that it is prudent also to provide a technical analysis
further supporting the reduction of oxygen content during the shoulder
months in the area. EPA performed a series of computer model runs to
support the contention that in future years, starting with Autumn 1996,
without sales of gasoline oxygenated to 2.7 percent, but with
implementation of federal RFG and enhanced I/M (or an inspection
program deemed equivalent thereto), combined with vehicle turnover, CO
emissions will continue to be lower during October, March and April in
the area.
Since, after the implementation of the oxygenated fuels program,
the first observance of low CO levels during those months was in 1993,
average vehicle emissions from that year were used as an upper limit in
determining the adequacy of CO control without higher oxygen content in
October, March and April. Modelled levels of CO below the levels
observed in the shoulder months in 1993 will provide further assurance
that the shorter control period will not result in high CO levels
during those three months.
Solicitation of Comment
EPA invites comment on the following information, which EPA
believes provides additional support for its proposed determination
regarding the appropriate control period for this CMSA. The
solicitation of comment is therefore limited to comments related to
this additional information. EPA is not soliciting comment for any
other purpose, and will not consider as timely any comments addressing
other points.
EPA performed a comparison of average vehicle emissions using the
most current version of EPA's emission factor model for mobile sources,
MOBILE5a. All modeling assumed implementation of RFG (with 2.0 percent
oxygen content) and implementation of an enhanced I/M program (or an
equivalent inspection program) in New Jersey for the 1996-1997 season
and future CO seasons. MOBILE5a variables such as vehicle speeds and a
vehicle miles traveled growth rate were specific to New Jersey
(supplied by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and
the New Jersey Department of Transportation). For further details
regarding the MOBILE5a runs and the subsequent comparisons, the reader
is referred to the technical support document for this notice and the
related notice issuing a limited approval for New Jersey's program.
Modeling further assures that after removing 2.7 percent oxygenated
gasoline, but accounting for the effects of RFG, enhanced I/M and
vehicle turnover, vehicle emissions of CO, through calendar year 2020
(based on an average day in the CO season in each of those years), will
still be at least 18 percent less than vehicle emissions of CO in 1993
with 2.7 percent oxygenated gasoline during October, March and April.
This supports EPA's belief that, even with elimination of oxygenated
gasoline program requirements in the shoulder months in the area, the
area will not be prone to ``high'' ambient concentrations during those
months. The modeling results do not affect EPA's determination that a
four month control period complying with the statutory minimum length
is still required. Should future ambient air quality data show that
high CO levels do in fact occur in the shoulder months, contrary to
EPA's predictions, EPA would reevaluate its determination of the period
prone to high ambient concentrations of CO.
Dated: January 19, 1996.
William J. Muszynski,
Acting Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-2582 Filed 2-9-96; 8:45 am]
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