[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 110 (Thursday, June 6, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 28830-28831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-14113]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 73

[FRL-5513-5]
RIN 2060-AG41


Acid Rain Program; Elimination of Direct Sale and IPP Written 
Guarantee Program

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: Title IV of the Clean Air Act, as amended by the Clean Air Act 
Amendments of 1990 (the Act), authorized the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) to establish the Acid Rain Program to reduce the adverse 
health and ecological effects of acidic deposition. Title IV mandates 
that EPA hold yearly auctions and direct sales of allowances for a 
small portion of the total allowances allocated each year. EPA is also 
required to issue to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) guarantees to 
purchase allowances in the direct sale. The direct sale and IPP 
provisions were designed to help ensure that units, including new IPPs, 
have a public source of allowances beyond those already allocated 
initially. Because no allowances have been sold through the direct sale 
program since it began in 1993, EPA is proposing to revise its 
regulations in order to terminate the direct sales. The allowances 
available previously in the direct sale program will now be available 
in the annual allowance auctions. In addition, because the IPP written 
guarantee program is implemented through the direct sale program and no 
applications for such guarantees have been received, EPA is proposing 
to terminate the guarantee program.
    Because the rule revision is not expected to receive any adverse 
comments, the revision is also being issued as a direct final rule in 
the Final Rules section of this Federal Register.

DATES: Comments on the regulations proposed by this action must be 
received on or before July 8, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments. All written comments must be identified with the 
appropriate docket number (Docket No. A-96-19) and must be submitted in 
duplicate to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Air Docket 
Section (6102), Waterside Mall, Room M1500, 1st Floor, 401 M St. SW., 
Washington, DC 20460.
    Docket. Docket No. A-96-19, containing information considered

[[Page 28831]]

during development of the promulgated standards and requirements in 
this proposal, is available for public inspection and copying between 
8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at EPA's Air Docket 
Section at the above address. A reasonable fee may be charged for 
copying.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenon Smith, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Acid Rain Division (6204J), 401 M Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20460, (202) 233-9164, or call the Acid Rain Hotline at 
(202) 233-9620.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If no significant, adverse comments are 
timely received, no further activity is contemplated in relation to 
this proposed rule and the direct final rule in the Final Rules section 
of this Federal Register will automatically go into effect on the date 
specified in that rule. If significant, adverse comments are timely 
received on any portion of the direct final rule, that portion will be 
withdrawn and all public comment received on that portion will be 
addressed in a subsequent final rule based on the relevant portions of 
this proposed rule. Because the Agency will not institute a second 
comment period on this proposed rule, any parties interested in 
commenting should do so during this comment period.
    For further supplemental information, the detailed rationale, and 
the rule revision, see the information provided in the direct final 
rule in the Final Rules section of this Federal Register.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 73

    Environmental protection, Acid rain, Air pollution control, 
Electric Utilities, Reporting and record keeping requirements, and 
Sulfur dioxide.

    Dated: May 24, 1996.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-14113 Filed 6-5-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P