[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 220 (Wednesday, November 13, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 58158]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-28431]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 69

[AD-FRL-5645-2]


Proposed Conditional Special Exemption From Requirements of the 
Clean Air Act for the Territory of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Territory of Guam

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: On September 13, 1995 (60 FR 47515), EPA proposed to grant the 
Territory of American Samoa (American Samoa) and the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) a conditional exemption from title 
V requirements and to grant the Territory of Guam (Guam) an extension 
of time in which to adopt a title V permit program. EPA proposed these 
conditional exemptions and this extension under the authority of 
section 325 of the Clean Air Act. EPA received comments during the 
public comment period requesting that EPA grant a permanent exemption 
to Guam. EPA also received a letter on December 18, 1995 from the 
Administrator of the Guam Environmental Protection Agency stating that 
Guam would develop an alternate local permitting program in exchange 
for a permanent exemption. In response to these comments and this 
commitment, EPA is proposing to conditionally exempt Guam, as well as 
American Samoa and CNMI, from title V of the Clean Air Act.
    In a separate part of this Federal Register, EPA is promulgating 
this action as a direct final rule without a prior proposal because the 
public comments received to date support granting a permanent 
exemption. A detailed rationale and conditions for this approval are 
set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse comments are received 
in response to this proposed rule, the direct final rule will take 
effect on January 13, 1997. If adverse comments are received during the 
comment period, EPA will publish timely notice in the Federal Register 
withdrawing the direct final rule for Guam, American Samoa and CNMI, 
and all public comments will be addressed in a subsequent final rule 
based on this proposal. The EPA will not institute an additional 
comment period on this action and any parties interested in commenting 
should do so at this time.

DATES: Comments on this proposed rule must be received in writing by 
December 13, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on this action should be addressed to: Norm 
Lovelace, Chief, Office of Pacific Islands and Native American 
Programs, US EPA-Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, 
California 94105. Supporting information used to develop the proposed 
conditional exemptions, including copies of the petitions, all comments 
received, and the response to comments document, are available for 
inspection during normal business hours at this location.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Norm Lovelace (telephone 415/744-1599, 
fax 415/744-1604), Chief, Office of Pacific Islands and Native American 
Programs or Sara Bartholomew (telephone 415/744-1250, fax 415/744-
1076), Operating Permits Section, Air and Toxics Division, at the 
address above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For additional information, please see the 
direct final rulemaking located in a separate part of this Federal 
Register.

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

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 69

    Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure, 
Air pollution control, Hazardous air pollutants, Intergovernmental 
relations, Nitrogen oxides, Operating permits, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur dioxide, Volatile organic compounds.

    Dated: October 28, 1996.
Carol M. Browner,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-28431 Filed 11-12-96; 8:45 am]
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