[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 133 (Friday, July 11, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 37136-37138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-18254]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[CA014-0035; FRL-5850-4]


Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; California 
State Implementation Plan Revision, Four Local Air Pollution Control 
Districts

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA is finalizing the approval of revisions to the California 
State Implementation Plan (SIP) proposed in the Federal Register on 
June 12, 1996. The revisions concern rules from the following: El 
Dorado County Air Pollution Control District (EDCAPCD), Kern County Air 
Pollution Control District (KCAPCD), Placer County (PCAPCD), and Santa 
Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (SBCAPCD). This approval 
action will incorporate these rules into the federally approved SIP. 
The intended effect of approving these rules is to regulate emissions 
of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in accordance with the 
requirements of the Clean Air Act, as amended in 1990 (CAA or the Act). 
The revised rules control VOC emissions from graphic arts operations. 
Thus, EPA is finalizing the approval of these revisions 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.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This action is effective on August 11, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the rule revisions and EPA's evaluation report for 
each rule are available for public inspection at EPA's Region IX office 
during normal business hours. Copies of the submitted rule revisions 
are available for inspection at the following locations:

Rulemaking Section (Air-4), Air Division, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105.
Environmental Protection Agency, Air Docket (6102), 401 ``M'' Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20460.
El Dorado County APCD, 2850 Fairlane Court, Placerville, CA 95667.
Kern County APCD, 2700 M Street, Suite 290, Bakersfield, CA 93301.
Placer County APCD, 11464 B Avenue, Auburn, CA 95603.
Santa Barbara County APCD, 26 Castilian Drive, B-23, Goleta, CA 93117.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Andrew Steckel, Rulemaking Office, Air Division, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Region IX, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 
94105.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Applicability

    The rules being approved into the California SIP include the 
following: EDCAPCD Rule 231, ``Graphic Arts Operations''; KCAPCD Rule 
410.7, ``Graphic Arts''; PCAPCD Rule 239, ``Graphic Arts Operations''; 
and SBCAPCD Rule 354, ``Graphic Arts''. These rules were adopted by the 
local air pollution control agencies on the following respective dates: 
September 27, 1994; May 6, 1991; June 8, 1995; and June 28, 1994.
    The above rules were submitted by the California Air Resources 
Board (CARB) to EPA, in respective order, on November 30, 1994, May 30, 
1991, October 13, 1995, and July 13, 1994.

II. Background

    On June 12, 1996, EPA published a notice of direct final rulemaking 
action (61 FR 29659) and a action of proposed rulemaking (61 FR 
29725).\1\ This direct final rule would have appro9ved the rules 
described in the applicability section above, as well as South Coast 
Air Quality Management District Rule 1130.1, ``Screen Printing 
Operations'', into the California SIP. However, prior to the close of 
the comment period for the direct final rulemaking, EPA received a 
request from SCAQMD to withdraw Rule 1130.1 from the SIP. Because this 
request to withdraw was essentially an adverse comment, EPA was 
required by the provisions of the Administrative Procedures Act to 
withdraw the direct final rule. A Federal Register action withdrawing 
the direct final rule of June 12 was published on August 27, 1996 (61 
FR 43976).
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    \1\ Unless a direct final rulemaking is withdrawn (if EPA 
receives an adverse comment), such a notice of proposed rulemaking 
is moot. However, if EPA receives an adverse comment, the direct 
final rulemaking is withdrawn, and the notice of proposed 
rulemaking, together with the notice of direct final rulemaking, 
serves to propose approval for subsequent finalization.
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    As a result of SCAQMD's withdrawal request, EPA is finalizing the 
approval into the California SIP of the rules described in the 
rulemaking actions of June 12, with the exception of SCAQMD Rule 
1130.1. Therefore, EPA is approving the rules listed in the 
applicability section into the California SIP.
    The rules being approved in this action were submitted in response 
to EPA's 1988 SIP-Call and the CAA section 182(a)(2)(A) requirement 
that nonattainment areas fix their reasonably available control 
technology (RACT) rules for ozone in accordance with EPA guidance that 
interpreted the requirements of the pre-amendment Act. A detailed 
discussion of the background for each of these rules and nonattainment 
areas is provided in the Direct Final action of June 12, 1996.
    EPA has evaluated all of these rules for consistency with the 
requirements of the CAA and EPA regulations and EPA interpretation of 
these requirements as expressed in the various EPA policy

[[Page 37137]]

guidance documents referenced in the Direct Final action cited above. 
EPA has found that the rules meet the applicable EPA requirements. A 
detailed discussion of the rule provisions and evaluations has been 
provided in 61 FR 29659 and in technical support documents (TSDs) 
available at EPA's Region IX office (TSDs dated March 18, 1996).
    Final approval of SBCAPCD Rule 354, ``Graphic Arts'', will 
permanently stop the FIP clock associated with this rule.

III. Response to Public Comments

    A 30-day public comment period was provided in 61 FR 29659. As 
described above, EPA received one significant comment from the SCAQMD 
on SCAQMD Rule 1130.1. SCAQMD management requested that Rule 1130.1, as 
submitted to EPA on November 18, 1993, be withdrawn from consideration 
for SIP approval. The SCAQMD requested that this rule be withdrawn 
because, in light of information provided to them by the coating 
industry, they believed that the VOC limits of the rule as submitted to 
EPA were too stringent, and they were in the process of drafting and 
adopting a new version of the rule with less stringent limits.

IV. EPA Action

    EPA is finalizing action to approve the above rules for inclusion 
into the California SIP. EPA is approving the submittal under section 
110(k)(3) as meeting the requirements of section 110(a) and Part D of 
the CAA. This approval action will incorporate these rules into the 
federally approved SIP. The intended effect of approving these rules is 
to regulate emissions of VOCs in accordance with the requirements of 
the CAA.
    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.

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, 1996, 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 or 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 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 9, 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, Ozone, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Volatile organic compounds.

    Dated: June 15, 1997.
Felicia Marcus,
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 F--California

    2. Section 52.220 is amended by adding paragraph (c)(185)(i)(A)(9), 
(198)(i)(K), (207)(i)(B)(2), and (225) (i)(B)(3) to read as follows:

[[Page 37138]]

Sec. 52.220  Identification of plan.

* * * * *
    (c) * * * 
    (185) * * * 
    (i) * * * 
    (A) * * * 
    (9) Rule 410.7, adopted May 6, 1991.
* * * * *
    (198) * * * 
    (i) * * * 
    (K) Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District.
    (1) Rule 354, adopted June 28, 1994.
* * * * *
    (207)  * * * 
    (i)  * * * 
    (B)  * * * 
    (2) Rule 231, adopted September 27, 1994.
* * * * *
    (225)  * * * 
    (i)  * * * 
    (B)  * * * 
    (3) Rule 239, revised June 8, 1995.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 97-18254 Filed 7-10-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-M