[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 17 (Monday, January 27, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3804-3806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1845]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52

[Region 2 Docket No. NJ16-2-160, FRL-5671-6]


Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Reasonably 
Available Control Technology for Oxides of Nitrogen for the State of 
New Jersey

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a 
request by New Jersey to revise its State Implementation Plan (SIP) for 
ozone. This revision of the SIP was submitted by the State to satisfy 
Clean Air Act (the Act) requirements for adoption of rules for the 
application of reasonably available control technology (RACT) to 
sources that emit oxides of nitrogen (NOX) in the entire State. 
EPA is approving Subchapter 19, ``Control and Prohibition of Air 
Pollution From Oxides of Nitrogen.''

EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule will be effective February 26, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the State submittal are available at the following 
addresses for inspection during normal business hours:

Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2 Office, Air Programs Branch, 
290 Broadway, 25th Floor, New York, New York 10007-1866
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Air 
Quality Management, Bureau of Air Pollution Control, 401 East State 
Street, CN027, Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Environmental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket and 
Information Center, Air Docket (6102), 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, 
D.C. 20460

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ted Gardella, Environmental Engineer, 
Air Programs Branch, Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway, 
25th Floor, New York, New York 10007-1866, (212) 637-4249.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 15, 1993, New Jersey submitted 
to EPA as a revision to its SIP, Subchapter 19, ``Control and 
Prohibition of Air Pollution From Oxides of Nitrogen,'' of Chapter 27, 
Title 7 of the New Jersey Administrative Code with an effective date of 
December 20, 1993. Subchapter 19 contains the NOX RACT 
requirements for the State. The SIP revision was submitted to satisfy 
section 182(f) of the Act which requires states with ozone 
nonattainment areas classified moderate or above or with areas in the 
ozone transport region to apply RACT to major stationary sources of 
NOX. On October 2, 1995, EPA published in the Federal Register (60 
FR 51379) a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) proposing to approve 
Subchapter 19 and provided for a 30-day public comment period. EPA 
received no comments regarding the NPR.
    Subsequently, national policy discussions regarding the 
approvability of state regulations that contain generic provisions in 
establishing RACT requirements for major sources of NOX and/or 
volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions resulted in additional 
Agency guidance. Generic provisions are those portions of a regulation 
which require the application of RACT to an emission point, but the 
degree of control is not specified in the rule and is to be determined 
on a case-by-case basis taking technological and economic factors into 
consideration. Under the Act, these individually determined RACT limits 
would then need to be submitted by a state as a SIP revision for EPA 
approval. On November 7, 1996, EPA issued a policy memorandum providing 
additional guidance for approving regulations which contain these 
``generic provisions.'' (Sally Shaver memorandum to EPA Division 
Directors, ``Approval Options for Generic RACT Rules Submitted to Meet 
the non-CTG VOC RACT Requirement and Certain NOX RACT 
Requirements'').
    EPA policy allows for the full approval of state generic RACT rules 
prior to EPA approval of all major source RACT determinations provided 
an analysis is completed that concludes that the remaining source RACT 
determinations involve a de minimis level of NOX emissions. Such 
an approval does not exempt the remaining sources from RACT; rather it 
is a de minimis deferral of the approval of these case-by-case RACT 
limits. EPA has evaluated data provided by New Jersey and has 
determined that two percent of the NOX emissions subject to RACT 
controls have not yet been regulated. EPA believes this amount to be de 
minimis. The two percent de minimis level is based on State submitted 
SIP revisions covering 22 facilities (out of approximately 40) whose 
RACT limits have been approved by EPA in a direct final action (See 62 
FR 2581, January 17, 1997). New Jersey is preparing SIP revision 
requests for the approximate 20 remaining sources which account for the 
remaining two percent of NOX emissions. While EPA has published a 
direct final approval for 22 source specific SIP revisions and does not 
anticipate adverse comments, even if the effective date is delayed EPA 
believes that full approval is appropriate because the unregulated 
emissions still do not exceed a de minimis threshold. Therefore, EPA 
has determined that New Jersey's NOX RACT regulation conforms with 
EPA's policy regarding the approval of generic RACT provisions or 
rules, thereby allowing EPA to grant full approval to Subchapter 19.
    As stated above, full approval of Subchapter 19 will not relieve 
sources of the obligation to develop, submit and implement RACT level 
controls. Nor will it relieve New Jersey of the obligation to ensure 
that all sources within the State comply with the NOX RACT 
requirements of the Act by adopting and implementing emission 
limitations. The approval of Subchapter 19 requires that all major 
sources of NOX must comply with RACT and this requirement is 
enforceable by EPA as well as citizen groups under Section 304 of the 
Act. If EPA determines that the regulated sources and the State are not 
complying with the requirement to adopt RACT, EPA could issue a SIP 
call or a finding of non-implementation of the SIP.

Conclusion

    EPA has evaluated Subchapter 19 for consistency with the Act's 
provisions, EPA regulations and policy and has determined this 
regulation is fully approvable. Therefore, this rule makes final the 
action proposed at 60 FR 51379 dated October 2, 1995.

Administrative Requirements

Executive Order 12866
    This action has been classified as a Table 3 action for signature 
by the Regional Administrator under the procedures published in the 
Federal Register on January 19, 1989 (54 FR 2214-2225), as revised by a 
July 10, 1995 memorandum from Mary Nichols, Assistant Administrator for 
Air and Radiation. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has 
exempted this regulatory action from E.O. 12866 review.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
    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

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entities with jurisdiction over populations of less than 50,000.
    SIP approvals under section 110 and subchapter I, part D of the Act 
do not create any new requirements but simply approve requirements that 
a state is already imposing. Therefore, because the federal SIP 
approval does not impose any new requirements, I certify that it does 
not have a significant impact on any small entities affected. Moreover, 
due to the nature of the Federal-State relationship under the Act, 
preparation of a flexibility analysis would constitute federal inquiry 
into the economic reasonableness of state action. The Act forbids EPA 
to base its actions concerning SIPs on such grounds. Union Electric Co. 
v. U.S. EPA, 427 U.S. 246, 255-66 (1976); 42 U.S.C. 7410(a)(2).
Unfunded Mandates
    Under section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 
(``Unfunded Mandates Act''), signed into law on March 22, 1995, EPA 
must prepare a budgetary impact statement to accompany any proposed or 
final rule that includes a Federal mandate that may result in estimated 
annual costs to state, local, or tribal governments in the aggregate; 
or to private sector, of $100 million or more. Under Section 205, EPA 
must select the most cost-effective and least burdensome alternative 
that achieves the objectives of the rule and is consistent with 
statutory requirements. Section 203 requires EPA to establish a plan 
for informing and advising any small governments that may be 
significantly or uniquely impacted by the rule.
    EPA has determined that the approval action promulgated does not 
include a federal mandate that may result in estimated annual costs of 
$100 million or more to either state, local, or tribal governments in 
the aggregate, or to the private sector. This federal action approves 
pre-existing requirements under state or local law, and imposes no new 
requirements. Accordingly, no additional annual costs to state, local, 
or tribal governments, or to the private sector, result from this 
action.
Submission to Congress and the General Accounting Office
    Under 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A), as added by the Small Business 
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, EPA submitted a report 
containing this rule and other required information to the U.S. Senate, 
the U.S. House of Representatives and the Comptroller General of the 
General Accounting Office prior to publication of the rule in today's 
Federal Register. This rule is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 
U.S.C. 804(2).
Petitions for Judicial Review
    Under section 307(b)(1) of the Act, petitions for judicial review 
of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for 
the appropriate circuit by March 28, 1997. Filing a petition for 
reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule does not affect 
the finality of this rule for the purposes of judicial review nor does 
it extend the time within which a petition for judicial review may be 
filed, and shall not postpone the effectiveness of such rule or action. 
This action may not be challenged later in proceedings to enforce its 
requirements. (See section 307(b)(2).)

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by 
reference, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Volatile organic compounds.

    Dated: December 31, 1996.
William J. Muszynski,
Deputy Regional Administrator.

    Part 52, 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 FF--New Jersey

    2. Section 52.1570 is amended by adding new paragraph (c)(60) to 
read as follows:


Sec. 52.1570  Identification of plan.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (60) A revision to the New Jersey State Implementation Plan (SIP) 
for ozone for adoption of rules for application of reasonably available 
control technology (RACT) for oxides of nitrogen (NOX) dated 
November 15, 1993, submitted by the New Jersey Department of 
Environmental Protection and Energy.
    (i) Incorporation by reference:
    (A) Title 7, Chapter 27, Subchapter 19, of the New Jersey 
Administrative Code entitled ``Control and Prohibition of Air Pollution 
from Oxides of Nitrogen,'' effective December 20, 1993.
    (ii) Additional information:
    (A) November 15, 1993 letter from Jeanne Fox, NJDEPE, to William J. 
Muszynski, EPA, requesting EPA approval of Subchapter 19.
    3. Section 52.1605 is amended by adding a new entry for Subchapter 
19 under the heading ``Title 7, Chapter 27'' to the table in numerical 
order to read as follows:


Sec. 52.1605  EPA--approved New Jersey regulations.

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        State regulation            State effective date        EPA approved date               Comments        
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                
*                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                
Title 7, Chapter 27                                                                                             
                                                                                                                
*                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                
                                                        *                                                       
Subchapter 19, ``Control and     Dec. 20, 1993............  [January 27, 1997 and FR                            
 Prohibition of Air Pollution                                page citation]                                     
 from Oxides of Nitrogen.''.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                
*                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                
                                                        *                                                       
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[FR Doc. 97-1845 Filed 1-24-97; 8:45 am]
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