[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 129 (Monday, July 7, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 36214-36216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-17599]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[CA 105-0041a; FRL-5843-9]


Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plan for Yolo-Solano 
Air Quality Management District

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Direct final rule.

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SUMMARY: The EPA is taking direct final action to approve Yolo-Solano 
Air Quality Management District (District) Rule 3.1--General Permit 
Requirement, Rule 3.2--Exemptions, Rule 3.4--New Source Review, Rule 
3.14--Emission Reduction Credits, and Rule 3.15--Priority Reserve. EPA 
is approving these rules for the purpose of meeting requirements of the 
Clean Air Act, as amended in 1990 (CAA or Act) with regard to new 
source review (NSR) in areas that have not attained the national 
ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). This approval action will 
incorporate these rules into the federally approved State 
Implementation Plan (SIP) for California. The rules were submitted by 
the State to satisfy certain Federal requirements for an approvable NSR 
SIP. Thus, EPA is finalizing the approval of these rules into the 
California SIP under provisions of the CAA regarding EPA action on SIP 
submittals, SIPs for national primary and secondary ambient air quality 
standards and plan requirements for nonattainment areas. EPA is taking 
this action without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a 
non-controversial amendment and anticipates no adverse comments.

DATES: This action is effective on September 5, 1997 unless adverse or 
critical comments are received by August 6, 1997. If the effective date 
is delayed, a timely notice will be published in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted to Steve Ringer (AIR-3), EPA, 
Region 9, 75 Hawthorne St, San Francisco, CA 94105-3901. Copies of the 
rules and EPA's evaluation report of each rule are available for public 
inspection at EPA's Region 9 office during normal business hours at the 
following address: Permits Office (AIR-3), Air Division, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, San 
Francisco, CA 94105. Copies of the submitted rules are also available 
for inspection at the following locations:

California Air Resources Board, Stationary Source Division, Rule 
Evaluation Section, 2020 ``L'' Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District, 1947 Galileo Ct., Suite 
103, Davis, CA 95616.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Ringer, (AIR-3), Air Division, 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, 
San Francisco, CA 94105-3901. (415) 744-1260.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The air quality planning requirements for 
nonattainment NSR are set out in part D of title I of the Clean Air 
Act. EPA has issued a ``General Preamble'' describing EPA's preliminary 
views on how EPA intends to review SIPs and SIP revisions submitted 
under part D, including those State submittals containing nonattainment 
NSR SIP requirements [see 57 FR 13498 (April 16, 1992) and 57 FR 18070 
(April 28, 1992)]. Because EPA is describing its interpretations here 
only in broad terms, the reader should refer to the General Preamble 
for a more detailed discussion. EPA has also proposed regulations to 
implement the changes under the 1990 Amendments in the NSR provisions 
in parts C and D of Title I of the Act. [See 61 FR 38249 (July 23, 
1996)]. Upon final promulgation of those regulations, EPA will review 
those NSR SIP submittals on which it has already taken final action to 
determine whether additional SIP revisions are necessary.

I. Procedural Background

    The Act requires States to observe certain procedural requirements 
in developing implementation plans and plan revisions for submission to 
EPA. Section 110(a)(2) and section 110(l) of the Act provide that each 
implementation plan or revision to an implementation plan submitted by 
a State must be adopted after reasonable notice and public hearing. 
Section 172(c)(7) of the Act provides that plan provisions for 
nonattainment areas shall meet the applicable provisions of Section 
110(a)(2).
    Rule 3.1 was adopted by the District Board of Directors on February 
23, 1994, and submitted to EPA as an amendment to the SIP on October 
19, 1994. Rule 3.2 was adopted by the District on August 25, 1993, and 
submitted to EPA on March 29, 1994. Rule 3.4 was adopted by the 
District on December 11, 1996, and submitted to EPA on March 26, 1997. 
Rules 3.14 and 3.15 were adopted by the District on September 22, 1993, 
and submitted to EPA on March 29, 1994.
    EPA deemed the submittals complete on December 1, 1994, June 3, 
1994, May 14, 1997, and June 3, 1994, respectively. EPA made its 
determinations of completeness pursuant to EPA's completeness criteria 
that are set forth in 40 CFR part 51 appendix V.1
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    \1\ EPA adopted the completeness criteria on February 16, 1990 
(55 FR 5830) and, pursuant to section 110(k)(1)(A) of the CAA, 
revised the criteria on August 26, 1991 (56 FR 42216).
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II. Summary of Rule Contents

    The Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District submitted to EPA 
for adoption into the applicable NSR SIP Rules 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.14, and 
3.15, which constitute the District's new source permitting rules. Rule 
3.1 contains the District's general requirement that new and modifying 
sources must obtain an authority to construct (ATC) permit prior to 
construction. Rule 3.2 contains a list of exemptions from the ATC 
permit requirements. Rule 3.4 contains the District's NSR definitions, 
administrative requirements, and the standards which a stationary 
source must meet in order to obtain an ATC permit. Rule 3.14 creates an 
administrative mechanism for certifying emission reduction credits 
(ERCs), and Rule 3.15 establishes the District's Priority Reserve bank 
for ERCs.
    Rules 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.14, and 3.15 represent comprehensive 
revisions to the District's NSR permitting regulations. These rules 
subsume all elements of the District NSR rules that are currently in 
the SIP, and are thus intended to supersede District Rules 3.1, 3.2, 
3.3, 3.4, 3.4.1, 3.4.2, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, 3.12, and 3.13 
which were approved into the SIP by EPA on various dates between March 
31, 1972 and April 17, 1989.
    The District is composed of Yolo County and part of Solano County, 
and is designated as a severe ozone nonattainment area. The District is 
designated attainment for PM10, NO2, SO2 and CO. For the detailed area 
designations that apply to the District, please refer to 40 CFR 
Sec. 81.305. The CAA air quality planning requirements for 
nonattainment NSR are set out in part D of Title I of the Act, with

[[Page 36215]]

implementing regulations at 40 CFR Secs. 51.160 through 51.165. EPA has 
determined that the District's submittal satisfies these requirements.
    For a more detailed description of how the submitted Rules meet the 
Act's applicable requirements, please refer to EPA's technical support 
document (TSD) for this action.

III. Action

    EPA has evaluated Rules 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.14, and 3.15 and has 
determined that they are consistent with the CAA, EPA regulations and 
EPA policy. Therefore, District Rules 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 3.14, and 3.15 are 
being approved under section 110(k)(3) of the CAA as meeting the 
requirements of section 110(a), and part D of Title I of the Act.

IV. Administrative Review

    Nothing in this action should be construed as permitting or 
allowing or establishing a precedent for any future request for 
revision to any state implementation plan. Each request for revision to 
the state implementation plan shall be considered separately in light 
of specific technical, economic and environmental factors and in 
relation to relevant statutory and regulatory requirements.
    EPA is taking this action without prior proposal in part because 
the District has provided public workshops in the development of the 
submitted rules, and provided the opportunity for public comment prior 
to adoption of the submitted rules. At that time, no significant 
comments were received by the District. The Agency therefore views this 
as a non-controversial amendment and anticipates no adverse comments. 
However, in a separate document in this Federal Register publication, 
EPA is proposing to approve the SIP revision should adverse or critical 
comments be filed. This action will be effective September 5, 1997, 
unless, by August 6, 1997, adverse or critical comments are received.
    If EPA receives such comments, this action will be withdrawn before 
the effective date by publishing a subsequent document that will 
withdraw the final action. All public comments received will then be 
addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this action serving as a 
proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period on this 
action. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do 
so at this time. If no such comments are received, the public is 
advised that this action will be effective September 5, 1997.

V. Administrative Requirements

A. 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.

B. 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 entities with jurisdiction over populations of less than 
50,000.
    SIP approvals under section 110 and subchapter I, part D of the 
Clean Air Act do not create any new requirements but simply approve 
requirements that the State is already imposing. Therefore, because the 
Federal SIP approval does not impose any new requirements, the 
Administrator certifies 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 CAA, preparation of a flexibility 
analysis would constitute Federal inquiry into the economic 
reasonableness of state action. The Clean Air 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).

C. 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 
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 this approval action does not include a 
Federal mandate that may result in estimated 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 Federal 
requirements. Accordingly, no additional costs to State, local, or 
tribal governments, or to the private sector, result from this action.

D. 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).

E. Petitions for Judicial Review

    Under section 307(b)(1) of the Clean Air Act, petitions for 
judicial review of this action must be filed in the United States Court 
of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by September 5, 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, Hydrocarbons, 
Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental relations, New source 
review, Nitrogen dioxide, Particulate matter, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur dioxide, Volatile organic compounds.

    Dated: June 4, 1997.
Felicia Marcus,
Regional Administrator.

    Part 52, chapter I, title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations is 
amended as follows:

[[Page 36216]]

PART 52--[AMENDED]

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

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

Subpart F--California

    2. Section 52.220 is amended by adding paragraphs (c)(196)(i)(D), 
(c)(202)(i)(F), (c)(245) and adding and reserving paragraph (c)(244) to 
read as follows:


Sec. 52.220  Identification of plan.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (196) * * *
    (i) * * *
    (D) Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District.
    (1) Rule 3.2, adopted on August 25, 1993; and rules 3.14 and 3.15, 
adopted on September 22, 1993.
* * * * *
    (202) * * *
    (i) * * *
    (F) Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District.
    (1) Rule 3.1, adopted on February 23, 1994.
* * * * *
    (244) [Reserved]
* * * * *
    (245) New and amended regulations for the following APCDs were 
submitted on March 26, 1997, by the Governor's designee.
    (i) Incorporation by reference.
    (A) Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District.
    (1) Rule 3.4, adopted on December 11, 1996.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 97-17599 Filed 7-3-97; 8:45 am]
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