[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 14, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 2147-2154]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-930]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[PA 098-4055; FRL -5946-7]


Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; 
Pennsylvania; 15 Percent Plan and 1990 VOC Emission Inventory for the 
Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Area

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA is granting conditional interim approval of the State 
Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of 
Pennsylvania, for the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley moderate ozone 
nonattainment area (the Pittsburgh area), to meet the 15 percent rate-
of-progress (the 15% plan), requirements of the Clean Air Act. EPA is 
granting conditional interim approval because the 15% plan submitted by 
Pennsylvania for the Pittsburgh area relies on an enhanced motor 
vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) program, for which EPA has 
granted

[[Page 2148]]

conditional interim approval. Conditional approval is also merited 
because EPA is granting conditional approval to the 1990 base year 
emissions inventory, upon which the 15% plan is dependent. Finally, EPA 
is conditionally approving the Pittsburgh 1990 (VOC) emission 
inventory, to allow Pennsylvania up to one year to supply accurate 
information for certain stationary emissions sources.

DATES: This action is effective on February 13, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the documents relevant to this action are 
available for public inspection during normal business hours at the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency--Region III, 841 Chestnut 
Building, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107 and the Pennsylvania 
Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Air Quality, P.O. Box 
8468, 400 Market Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian K. Rehn, Ozone/Carbon Monoxide 
and Mobile Sources Section (3AT21), USEPA--Region III, 841 Chestnut 
Building, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, or by telephone at: (215) 
566-2176 or via e-mail at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 22, 1997, EPA proposed 
conditional interim approval of the Pittsburgh area's 15% plan and 1990 
VOC emission inventory (62 FR 3254). The basis for EPA's action is that 
the Pittsburgh area's 15% plan on its face achieves the required 15% 
VOC emission reductions, but does not contain the required verification 
of emission calculations necessary for full approval. Furthermore, it 
relies upon the Pennsylvania enhanced inspection and maintenance (I/M) 
program which received final conditional interim approval on January 
28, 1997 (62 FR 4004). The details of the March 22, 1996 Pennsylvania 
15% plan submittal are contained in the January 22, 1997 notice and 
accompanying technical support document and will not be reiterated 
here. The discussion here will address additional information submitted 
by Pennsylvania on February 18, 1997 and EPA's responses to the public 
comments received on the proposed rulemaking notice. This action is 
being taken under section 110 of the Clean Air Act (the Act).

I. Pennsylvania's February 18, 1997 Supplement to the 15% Plan SIP

    The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) 
submitted a letter to EPA on February 18, 1997, within the required 
time frame, committing to satisfy all the conditions listed by EPA in 
the January 22, 1997 proposed rulemaking notice and within the time 
frames required by that notice. On February 18, 1997, PA DEP also 
submitted an addendum to its 15% plan, consisting of additional 
documentation to satisfy some of the conditions listed by EPA in its 
January 22, 1997 proposed conditional interim approval notice. 
Specifically, PA DEP submitted additional stationary source 
documentation (identified as Attachment 1 of its SIP addendum) to 
validate emissions reduction claims in the 15% plan from stationary 
sources benefitting from national emission standards for hazardous air 
pollutants (or NESHAPS) for benzene from coke production and related 
processes and from reasonably available control strategy (or RACT) for 
volatile organic compound (VOC) sources. Part of this documentation is 
the detailed emission inventory summary/breakdown, on a unit-by-unit 
basis, for the Allegheny County portion of the Pittsburgh area that was 
not included in PA DEP's March 22, 1996 submittal. Also included is a 
comparison of the VOC RACT and base year emission inventory totals for 
certain facilities identified by EPA in the proposed rulemaking as 
having inconsistent emissions levels.
    The PA DEP's February 18, 1997 SIP addendum also includes updated 
information for the non-road and area source portions of its 15% plan 
and base year inventory (Attachment 2 of the addendum). This attachment 
contains a revised VOC area source emissions summary table, by source 
category by county, as well as sample calculations for determining the 
emissions from those area source categories.
    Supplemental mobile source documentation is contained in Attachment 
3 of the SIP addendum. This documentation consists of a summary table 
containing MOBILE5 model emissions factors and vehicle miles of travel 
(VMT) estimates for various road facilities and time frames for the 
Allegheny County portion of the Pittsburgh area. The Commonwealth 
utilized a post-processor model called PPAQ to generate extensive 
numbers of MOBILE modeling runs and to combine those runs with VMT to 
produce county-wide on-highway mobile source emissions estimates. 
Because of the difficulty associated with documenting the operation of 
that model, the table in Attachment 3 of the SIP addendum provides a 
means to understand the methodology employed by the PPAQ model for the 
determination of highway motor vehicle emissions.
    Finally, the February 18, 1997 SIP addendum reflects organizational 
changes to PA DEP's 15% plan. First, credit for the portion of the 
enhanced I/M program that the Commonwealth previously claimed in the 
contingency measures portion of the SIP has been applied to the 15% 
plan control strategy measures portion of the plan. Second, the credit 
for waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (or TSDFs) that 
were included in the VOC control measures portion of the plan have been 
moved to the contingency measures portion of the plan. This plan 
reorganization does not alter the implementation of any control 
measure, nor does it affect the total reductions claimed to achieve the 
15% plan. Attachment 4 of the February 18, 1997 SIP addendum contains 
revised charts and tables to reflect these organizational changes to 
the SIP. Other notable control measure credit claim differences between 
the previous SIP and the amended version include: a decrease in 
Pennsylvania's claimed reductions from a pending federal reformulation 
rule for architectural, industrial and maintenance (or AIM) coatings 
category (changed from 5.05 tons per day to 4.93 tons per day); and an 
increase in claimed credit from the pending federal rule for the 
reformulation of autobody refinishing coatings (from 2.55 tons per day 
to 4.62 tons per day).
    EPA's evaluation of the February 18, 1997 addendum submitted by 
Pennsylvania is detailed in the technical support document (TSD) that 
is part of the docket to this rulemaking. Briefly, EPA has determined 
that Pennsylvania has resolved the inconsistencies with the 1990 VOC 
emissions inventory, with the exception of certain emissions sources at 
J & L Specialty Steel, Inc. and Indspec Chemical Corporation. 
Consequently, EPA is conditionally approving the 1990 VOC emission 
inventory submitted on March 22, 1996 for the Pittsburgh nonattainment 
area to allow Pennsylvania to resolve the uncertainty of the levels of 
emissions from these two facilities. Presently, the 1990 emissions 
inventory levels for these sources are not consistent with VOC RACT 
plans for those same sources. The PA DEP has committed to amend the 
1990 inventory to address this issue.
    The PA DEP's revised Pittsburgh 15% plan SIP claims total 15% 
control measure emissions reductions of 67.63 tons per day of VOC for 
all measures credited under the 15% plan (excluding growth and pre-1990 
control measures). A summary of control measures, and their 
corresponding emissions reductions, applied by the

[[Page 2149]]

Commonwealth to the 15% plan is provided below in Table 1. This table 
also lists the reductions levels EPA has deemed creditable towards the 
15% plan, per the Agency's review of the SIP. The PA DEP's summary 
totals shown below were taken from Table 5.2 of Attachment 4 to the 
February 18, 1997 SIP addendum, which provides a breakdown of PA DEP's 
total expected reductions from all creditable measures. This total is 
slightly more than the 67.48 tons per day previously expected by the 
Commonwealth. Therefore, the 15% plan revisions do not jeopardize the 
ability of the Pittsburgh area to meet the 15% target level of VOC 
emissions reductions required by the Act.

                      Table 1.--Expected Reductions From The Required VOC Control Measures                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                   Pennsylvania   EPA creditable
                                                                                     expected        reduction  
                Control measure                        Emissions category            reduction       estimates  
                                                                                    (tons/day)      (tons/day)  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Benzene NESHAPS for coke ovens & related        Point Source....................           35.00           35.20
 processes.                                                                                                     
AIM Coating Reformulation Federal Rule........  Area Source.....................            4.93            5.05
Autobody Refinishing Coating Reformulation      Area Source.....................            4.62            2.55
 Federal Rule.                                                                                                  
Consumer Products Reformulation Federal Rule..  Area Source.....................            4.35            4.35
Waste Transportation, Storage, and Disposal     Area Source.....................            0.00            0.00
 Facilities (TSDFs) Federal Rule.                                                                               
New Standards for Motor Vehicles (Tier I).....  On-Highway Mobile Sources.......            6.24            6.24
Motor Vehicle I/M Program.....................  On-Highway Mobile Sources.......           12.29           12.29
                                                                                 ===============================
      Total (tons/day)........................  ................................           67.43           65.68
                                                                                 -------------------------------
      Total Control Measure Reductions Needed   ................................  ..............           64.22
       in the Pittsburgh Area                                                                                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As a result of the additional documentation provided by PA DEP on 
February 18, 1997, Pennsylvania has substantially satisfied conditions 
#1 through #3 listed in the notice of proposed rulemaking. The 
remaining conditions (#4 and #5) pertain to the enhanced inspection and 
maintenance (I/M) program. Under the National Highway Systems 
Designation Act of 1995, states choosing to adopt decentralized I/M 
programs are allowed to assume a reasonable credit level for such a 
program, and be afforded time to evaluate the actual reductions of the 
program after a short demonstration period. Therefore, EPA cannot fully 
approve the reductions from an I/M program that are credited towards 
the 15% plan until the Commonwealth demonstrates that the associated 
reductions are appropriate and valid. As a result of these statutory 
changes, states are required to recalculate the benefits of their I/M 
programs, and the associated reductions in the 15% plans. Pennsylvania 
expects to satisfy those I/M related conditions of its 15% plan within 
the required time frames established by EPA's January 28, 1997 interim 
conditional rulemaking on that program (62 FR 4004).

II. Public Comments and Responses

    Pursuant to the January 22, 1997 proposed rulemaking notice, PA DEP 
submitted comments in the form of a SIP submittal addendum to EPA on 
February 18, 1997. The February 18, 1997 comments from PA DEP are not 
adverse in nature and do not take issue with EPA's proposed conditional 
approval action on its SIP revision. Rather, PA DEP's submittal of 
February 18, 1997 provides information relative to the conditions 
imposed in EPA's notice of proposed rulemaking. The PA DEP's comments 
and EPA's responses follow below.
    Comment #1: The PA DEP's February 18, 1997 supplemental submittal 
indicates that there is still a degree of uncertainty in the 
determination of 1990 emissions for J&L Specialty Steel, Inc. and 
Indspec Chemical Corp. The PA DEP agrees that it is necessary to amend 
the 1990 inventory in the future. PA DEP believes EPA should approve 
the remainder of the base year inventory, with these issues to be 
resolved at a later date.
    Response #1: As described above, Pennsylvania's February 18, 1997 
addendum to its March 22, 1996 submittal resolves most of the emission 
inventory and creditability issues discussed in EPA's proposed 
rulemaking notice. Supplemental documentation provided by PA DEP 
includes source specific information for stationary sources, a summary 
table demonstrating the methodology used for the highway motor vehicle 
modeling analysis, and sample calculations and summary tables for area 
and non-road emissions categories. As a result, EPA has determined that 
Pennsylvania has satisfied conditions related to this comment (i.e., 
conditions #1 and #2) from the January 22, 1997 proposed rulemaking 
notice (62 FR 3254). The remaining conditions of the proposed approval 
pertain to I/M and reductions from two benzene NESHAPs for coke 
production and related processes. For the enhanced I/M program, 
Pennsylvania is afforded additional time in accordance with the 
National Highway Systems Designation Act. Consequently, the inventory-
related defects identified in the January 1997 proposed rulemaking 
notice have been remedied. EPA's detailed analysis of the amended base 
year inventory is included in the TSD for this action.
    Comment #2: The PA DEP commented that the February 19, 1997 SIP 
addendum contains revised target level calculation, which should 
supersede those of the March 22, 1996 SIP. In particular, enhanced I/M 
program reductions from the contingency plan were moved to the control 
measure portion of the 15% plan, and TSDF category reductions expected 
from the promulgation of a federal rule have been moved from the 
control measure portion of the 15% plan to the contingency plan. The PA 
DEP also commented that EPA misinterpreted PA DEP's earlier emissions 
reduction claims associated with the national rules for the control of 
AIMs, TSDFs, and consumer products. Pennsylvania submitted, as part of 
its SIP addendum, new summary information that clarifies its claims for 
various VOC control measures. PA DEP commented that these revisions and 
clarifications should be considered by EPA in its final rulemaking 
action.
    Response #2: EPA acknowledges Pennsylvania's clarifying revision to 
the 15% plan, submitted after EPA's

[[Page 2150]]

January 22, 1997 action proposing conditional interim approval of the 
15% plan, was made in response to prior comment from EPA. In 
particular, EPA had objected to the partial allocation of enhanced I/M 
program VOC reductions between the 15% plan, as well as to the separate 
plan for contingency measures. EPA indicated that reductions from 
implementation of an enhanced I/M program were either to be credited 
wholly to the 15% plan, or wholly to the contingency measure plan. 
Therefore, PA DEP's action to shift the entire enhanced I/M program VOC 
reductions to the 15% plan was taken, in part, at EPA's behest.
    EPA supports the Commonwealth's resulting estimates for VOC 
reductions from the 15% plan control measures. However, EPA was unable 
to validate all the reductions claimed by PA DEP, based upon the 
supplemental information for the 1996 projected uncontrolled emissions 
inventory provided by the Commonwealth. For some area source control 
measures in the 15% plan, EPA arrived at slightly different control 
measure reduction estimates (based on the PA DEP's area source 
inventory information and the control measure reductions claimed by PA 
DEP) for the pending national reformulation rules applicable to the 
architectural and industrial maintenance coating and autobody 
refinishing source categories. The results of EPA's review of this 
information are summarized in table 1 of this notice, above. For 
complete details of EPA's review of the reduction claims for these 
programs, refer to the technical support document for this action.
    However, regardless of the changes to the control measures 
applicable to the 15% plan's target and the slight inaccuracies in 
calculation of the benefit of certain area source control measures, 
EPA's review yielded a similar overall net VOC reduction in the amended 
15% plan. EPA believes that the PA DEP's revised 15% plan will achieve 
a level of reduction necessary to satisfy Federal 15% plan 
requirements. Thus EPA considers PA DEP's revisions and minor errors as 
a minor accounting error, which does not affect the overall emissions 
reduction goal. EPA is therefore approving PA DEP's estimates (i.e., 
total creditable control measure reductions of 65.68 tons/day, versus 
PA DEP's claim of 67.43 tons/day) as the creditable level of reductions 
from the control measures contained in the 15% plan. These reductions 
satisfy the intent of the law, since only 64.22 tons/day of VOC 
reduction is necessary to meet the 15% plan requirements based upon 
Pennsylvania's target level calculation. For details of EPA's review, 
refer to the technical support document for this action.
    Comment #3: The PA DEP committed to remodel its enhanced I/M 
program benefits according to the methodology set forth in a December 
1996 EPA policy memorandum, in order to ensure that the program 
achieves the reductions claimed in the 15% plan. PA DEP also wished to 
clarify that this remodeling effort should not be confused with the I/M 
program performance modeling demonstration, which was submitted in a 
November 1, 1996 addendum to the I/M SIP.
    Response #3: EPA agrees with the PA DEP's comment. By submitting a 
commitment to remodel the enhanced I/M program benefits for the 15% 
plan, EPA can conditionally approve the Pittsburgh 15% plan, as 
specified in Condition #4 of EPA's January 22, 1997 proposed 
conditional interim approval action (62 FR 3254). EPA has not confused 
the I/M performance standard remodeling (as submitted in November of 
1996 to satisfy I/M program SIP requirements) with the modeling 
required for this 15% plan for the purpose of demonstrating reasonable-
further-progress towards attainment of national air quality standards.
    Comment #4: PA DEP expressed concern that EPA stated in its January 
22, 1996 proposed conditional interim approval rulemaking that EPA 
would review the whole 15% plan and the 1990 base year VOC inventory 
for Pittsburgh when the Commonwealth submits an amended 15% plan. PA 
DEP intends to submit the 15% plan enhanced I/M remodeling 
demonstration as a supplement to the plan. PA DEP expects that EPA will 
take action only upon the supplements, and will not re-review the 
entire plan and inventory.
    Response #4: EPA is acting today on the 15% plan and the 1990 base 
year VOC inventory submitted by the Commonwealth, as revised on 
February 18, 1997. Due to the remaining deficiencies, EPA must 
conditionally approve these SIP revisions. Until such time as the 
Commonwealth remedies the remaining deficiencies with this plan, upon 
which approval is conditioned, EPA cannot fully approve the plan. 
Furthermore, the plan can only be approved on an interim basis, until 
the Commonwealth completes and submits in NHSDA demonstration of the I/
M program. To the extent that the supplemental information to be 
submitted by the Commonwealth for the purposes of remedying the above 
deficiencies serves only to remedy those deficiencies, EPA would not 
re-review the entire SIP. However, if additional information is 
submitted by Pennsylvania, would influence EPA's previous rulemaking 
action, then EPA would need to re-review the entire 15% plan SIP 
revision, in light of the new supplemental information.

III. 1990 VOC Emissions Inventory

    The PA DEP's February 18, 1997 SIP addendum does not alter 
Pennsylvania's 1990 VOC base year emissions inventory for the 
Pittsburgh area. Rather, the Commonwealth has submitted additional 
documentation to satisfy the conditions of EPA's January 22, 1997 
proposed conditional approval of the base year inventory. In 
particular, EPA's concerns focused on the level of documentation of the 
inventory, which prevented recreation of the Commonwealth's inventory 
estimates in some instances. These inventory shortfalls focused on 
several stationary sources where EPA identified inconsistencies between 
source-specific Reasonable Available Control Plan (or RACT) plan 
inventories for several sources and PA DEP 1990 base year SIP inventory 
levels for the same sources. Also, further documentation was necessary 
to clarify the area source and non-road inventory, and to demonstrate 
the methodologies and outcomes of Pennsylvania's Post Processor for Air 
Quality (or PPAQ) model used to estimate highway mobile source 
emissions for the 1990 inventory. The documentation provided by 
Pennsylvania in the February 18, 1997 addendum to the SIP addresses 
EPA's concerns. For further information on the supplemental information 
provided by the PA DEP, and EPA's analysis of the Commonwealth's 
inventory, please refer to the TSD for this action.
    EPA is approving the Commonwealth's VOC inventory in today's 
action. However, this approval is being conditioned, due to missing 
emissions baselines for two stationary point sources--J & L Specialty 
Steel, Inc. and Indspec Chemical Corp. Each of these sources has listed 
base year emissions in their source-specific RACT SIP plans, which do 
not correspond to emissions in the Commonwealth's official base year 
1990 inventory. The PA DEP is still researching the 1990 emissions 
levels for these two sources, and therefore cannot definitively 
quantify them in the 1990 inventory at this time. EPA is therefore 
conditioning approval of the inventory upon the PA DEP's submission of 
the additional information for these sources. Since the 15% plan is 
being conditionally approved, based in part upon the 1990

[[Page 2151]]

inventory information, the inventory information must be submitted 
prior to expiration of the interim approval period for the 15% plan. 
Therefore, PA DEP must submit the missing emission inventory 
information by no later than July 27, 1998.
    Table 2, below, documents the point, area and non-road mobile and 
highway source 1990 VOC emissions totals for the Pittsburgh area, based 
upon Pennsylvania's March 22, 1996 base year emissions inventory.

                 Table 2.--County-by-County Summary for the Pittsburgh Ozone Nonattainment Area                 
                                   [1990 Emissions Inventory--VOC (tons/day)]                                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                        Non-road       Highway  
                         County                               Point         Area         mobile        mobile   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allegheny...............................................         80.44         73.3          15.48         76.54
Armstrong...............................................          1.1           3.3           1.01          3.9 
Beaver..................................................          5.77          8.19          1.91         12.8 
Butler..................................................          4.34          8.59          2.19          9.28
Fayette.................................................          0.57          7.53          1.42          7.8 
Washington..............................................          0.85         10.74          2.53         14.96
Westmoreland............................................          3.54         16.31          3.67         24.84
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
      Total.............................................         96.61        127.96         28.21        150.12
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    By today's action, EPA is granting conditional approval of the 1990 
VOC emissions inventory for the Pittsburgh area. EPA is not acting 
today upon the 1990 carbon monoxide or nitrogen oxide emissions 
inventories for the Pittsburgh area; nor is EPA acting today upon any 
1990 VOC emissions inventory other than for the Pittsburgh area. Those 
inventories will be the subject of a separate EPA rulemaking action.

IV. Creditable Measures for the 15% Plan

    The control measures described below are creditable toward the rate 
of progress requirements of the Act. Pennsylvania takes emission credit 
toward the 15% requirement through implementation of the following 
programs: (1) Two benzene national emissions standards for hazardous 
air pollutants (or NESHAPS)--for coke by-product recovery plants and 
for coke oven batteries; (2) EPA national rule for the reformulation of 
architectural, industrial, and maintenance (or AIM) coatings; (3) EPA 
national rule for the reformulation of consumer and commercial 
products; (4) EPA national rule for the reformulation of autobody 
refinishing surface coatings; (5) national emissions standards for new 
light-duty motor vehicles (i.e., Tier I standards); (6) motor vehicle 
inspection and maintenance program. A summary of the measures and 
associated reductions which are creditable towards satisfaction of the 
15% rate-of-progress requirements of the Clean Air Act are detailed in 
the right-hand column of Table 1 found earlier in rulemaking notice. 
Further details regarding EPA's review of the Commonwealth's control 
measures are contained in the TSD for this rulemaking action.

V. 15% Rate-of-Progress Plan Calculation

               Rate-of-Progress Calculation for Pittsburgh              
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Category                             Tons/day 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990 Base Year Inventory...................................       402.20
Adjustments for pre-1990 new car standards/fuels...........       -28.70
                                                            ============
1990 Adjusted Base Year Inventory..........................       373.50
15% Reduction Requirement..................................        56.03
Pre-1990 VOC RACT requirements.............................          0.0
Pre-1990 FMVCP & RVP Reductions............................        28.70
                                                            ============
Required Reduction (w/o growth) ...........................        84.73
1990 Baseline Emissions....................................       402.20
Required Reductions (w/o adding growth)....................       -84.73
                                                            ============
1996 Target Level..........................................       317.47
                                                            ------------
1990-1996 Emissions Growth.................................       -20.51
                                                            ------------
Required Reductions (w/o growth)...........................        84.73
                                                            ============
Total Needed Reductions from VOC Control Measures..........        64.22
                                                            ------------
Creditable VOC Control Measure Reductions..................        65.68
------------------------------------------------------------------------

VI. Conditions for Approval of the 15% Plan/1990 VOC Inventory

    EPA is not taking rulemaking action today regarding the contingency 
plan (submitted by Pennsylvania in conjunction with the March 1996 15% 
plan). That plan will be the subject of a separate EPA rulemaking 
document. EPA is also not taking rulemaking action, at this time, on 
the 1990 NOX emission inventory submitted with the March 
1996 15% plan. The 1990 NOX

[[Page 2152]]

emission inventory will also be the subject of a separate rulemaking 
notice.

A. 15% Plan Approval Conditions

    EPA has evaluated this submittal for consistency with the Act, 
applicable EPA regulations, and EPA policy. In the January 22, 1997 
proposed rulemaking notice, EPA listed five conditions, which 
Pennsylvania would be required to meet within 12 months of the final 
rulemaking notice. Otherwise, the conditional approval of the 
Pittsburgh 15% plan and 1990 VOC emission inventory would be converted 
to a disapproval.
    The conditions listed in EPA's January 1997 proposed interim 
approval were:
    (1) Reconcile the 1990 VOC emissions inventory with all the 
appendices, tables and narratives throughout the 15% document;
    (2) After establishing consistent figures as described in (1) 
above, provide sample calculations for point source 1990, 1990 
adjusted, and 1996 projected emissions showing how each of these 
figures were obtained. The level of documentation must be equivalent to 
that required for approval of a 1990 emissions inventory as described 
in the emission inventory documents at the beginning of this technical 
support document;
    (3) Provide additional documentation for the emissions for those 
source categories where credit is claimed (i.e., benzene NESHAPs);
    (4) Provide a written commitment to remodel the I/M program as 
implemented in the Pittsburgh ozone nonattainment area in accordance 
with EPA guidance (December 23, 1996 memo entitled ``Modeling 15% VOC 
Reductions from I/M in 1999--Supplemental Guidance), submit the 
remodeling to EPA; and
    (5) Fulfill the conditions listed in the I/M SIP interim final 
conditional rulemaking notice (January 28, 1997, 62 FR 4004) and 
summarized here as: (a) geographic coverage and program start dates; 
(b) ongoing program evaluation; (c) test types, test procedures and 
emission standards; (d) test equipment specifications and; (e) motorist 
compliance enforcement demonstration.
    Through its February 18, 1997 addendum, Pennsylvania has 
substantially met conditions #1, #2, and #3 of EPA's proposed 
conditional interim approval. Although the full amount of emission 
reduction credit in some cases could not be fully substantiated based 
upon Pennsylvania's documentation, EPA is now satisfied that the 
documentation supports the level of credit being approved by EPA. 
However, the Commonwealth's 1990 base year inventory still lacks final 
estimates for two stationary sources--J & L Specialty Steel, Inc. of 
Beaver County and Indspec Chemical Corp. of Butler County. Therefore, 
EPA must maintain a form of condition #1 from its proposed rulemaking 
due to the uncertainty of these two sources' base year emissions.
    The emission reductions from the enhanced I/M program that is 
subject to the National Highway Systems Designation Act with its 
extended deadlines are required in order for the required 15% emission 
reduction to be achieved in the Pittsburgh nonattainment area. Under 
the National Highway Systems Designation Act of 1995, Pennsylvania's 
enhanced I/M program is receiving a conditional interim approval. As 
such, EPA can, at best, propose conditional interim approval of the 
Pittsburgh 15% plan. In its February 18, 1997 letter, Pennsylvania 
agreed to meet conditions #4 and #5 that pertain to I/M within the 
required time frames.
    The Commonwealth submitted a commitment on February 18, 1997 to 
remodel the I/M program, per EPA guidance. The Commonwealth submitted 
additional documentation to fully satisfy the #2 and #3 conditions of 
EPA's January 22, 1997 15% plan approval.
    As conditions #4 and #5 remain unfulfilled, EPA cannot grant full 
interim approval of the Pittsburgh 15% plan under section 110(k)(3) and 
Part D of the Clean Air Act, and section 172 of the National Highway 
Systems Designation Act. However, EPA believes that Congress did not 
intend the National Highway Systems Designation Act of 1995 (NHSDA) to 
jeopardize approval of States' 15% plans that relied upon I/M program 
reductions--due to revised I/M program implementation and demonstration 
time frames that stemmed from section 348 of the NHSDA. Since the NHSDA 
provides authority to approve I/M programs on an interim basis, for a 
period of eighteen months, EPA believes this interim approval can also 
be extended to approval of a 15% plan that relies upon I/M program VOC 
reductions. Therefore, EPA is granting interim approval of this 15% 
plan SIP within the same time frame and in conjunction with the interim 
approval period granted to the Pennsylvania enhanced I/M program (i.e., 
interim approval expires on July 27, 1998). EPA is conditionally 
approving the Pittsburgh 15% plan under section 110(k)(4) of the Clean 
Air Act due to the deficiencies stated above. Since the interim 
approval period of its revised enhanced I/M expires July 27, 1998, the 
Commonwealth must satisfy the conditions of the 15% plan, as stated 
above, by no later than July 28, 1998 as well.

B. 1990 VOC Emissions Inventory Approval Conditions

    In addition, EPA is approving the 1990 VOC base year emissions 
inventory for the Pittsburgh ozone nonattainment area, submitted with 
the 15% plan on March 22, 1996, and revised on February 18, 1997. 
However, EPA is not approving the 1990 estimates for two stationary 
point sources--J & L Specialty Steel, Inc. and Indspec Chemical Corp. 
The PA DEP expressed in its February 1997 addendum to the 15% plan that 
the inventory estimates for those two sources are being researched.
    EPA is conditioning approval of the 1990 base year inventory for 
Pittsburgh, based upon missing information for two stationary sources 
for which the baseline emissions are uncertain. Since the 1990 VOC 
emissions inventory is an important aspect of the 15% plan, this 
condition must be satisfied in order to grant full approval of the 15% 
plan. Since EPA's interim approval of the 15% plan expires on July 28, 
1998, the above emissions inventory condition must be satisfied by July 
27, 1998 as well.

VII. Final Action

    EPA is granting conditional interim approval of the Pittsburgh 15% 
plan and conditional approval of the 1990 VOC emissions inventory for 
Pittsburgh as revisions to the Pennsylvania SIP. By today's action, EPA 
is granting approval to emission credits for the Pittsburgh 15% plan on 
an interim basis, pending verification of the enhanced I/M program's 
actual performance, pursuant to section 348 of the NHSDA. Interim 
approval of the Pittsburgh area 15% plan will expire at the end of the 
18-month period granted to the Pennsylvania enhanced I/M plan, and will 
be replaced by appropriate EPA action based on evaluation of the I/M 
program's performance. If the evaluation indicates a shortfall in 
emission reductions compared to the remodeling that the 15% plan is 
conditioned on, the Commonwealth will need to find additional emission 
credits. Failure of the PA DEP to make up for an emissions shortfall 
from the enhanced I/M program may subject the Pittsburgh area to 
sanctions and imposition of a federal implementation plan (or FIP). EPA 
has already approved the Pennsylvania enhanced I/M program on a 
conditional interim basis (January 28, 1997, 62 FR

[[Page 2153]]

4004). This approval of the Pennsylvania enhanced I/M program was taken 
under section 110 of the Act and, although the credits provided by this 
program may expire, the approval of the I/M regulations does not 
expire. As explained above, the credits provided by the enhanced I/M 
program on an interim basis for the 15% plan may be adjusted based on 
EPA's evaluation of the enhanced I/M program's performance.
    Approval of the 1990 base year VOC emissions inventory is being 
conditioned upon uncertain emissions for two ``major'' stationary 
sources. When Pennsylvania provides clarification on the emissions 
levels from these two sources, EPA will approve the 1990 base year VOC 
inventory for Pittsburgh.
    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.

VIII. Administrative Requirements

A. Executive Order 12866

    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.
    Conditional approvals of SIP submittals under section 110 and 
subchapter I, part D of the CAA do not create any new requirements but 
simply approve requirements that the State is already imposing. 
Therefore, because this Federal SIP approval does not impose any new 
requirements, EPA 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) .
    If the conditional approval is converted to a disapproval under 
section 110(k), based on the State's failure to meet the commitment, it 
will not affect any existing State requirements applicable to small 
entities. Federal disapproval of the State submittal does not affect 
its State-enforceability.
    Moreover, EPA's disapproval of the submittal does not impose a new 
Federal requirement. Therefore, EPA certifies that this disapproval 
action does not have a significant impact on a substantial number of 
small entities because it does not remove existing requirements nor 
does it substitute a new federal requirement.

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 
the 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 being 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 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 section 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 March 16, 1998. 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 conditional interim approval action of the 15% 
plan and conditional approval action of the 1990 VOC base year 
inventory for the Pittsburgh area action may not be challenged later in 
proceedings to enforce their requirements. (See section 307(b)(2).)

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Hydrocarbons, 
Ozone, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: December 16, 1997.
W. Michael McCabe,
Regional Administrator, Region III.
    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. et seq.

Subpart NN--Pennsylvania

    2. Section 52.2026 is amended by adding paragraphs (d) and (e) to 
read as follows:


Sec. 52.2026  Conditional approval.

* * * * *
    (d) The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's March 22, 1996 submittal for 
the 15 Percent Rate of Progress Plan (or 15% plan) for the Pittsburgh 
ozone nonattainment area, is hereby conditionally approved based on 
certain contingencies, for an interim period. This interim period 
corresponds to an 18-month period granted to the Pennsylvania 
inspection and maintenance (I/M) program (January 28, 1997). That 
interim approval period expires July 27, 1998. However, Pennsylvania 
must also remedy the following conditions no later than July

[[Page 2154]]

27, 1998. The conditions for approvability is as follows:
    (1) Provide final estimates for two stationary sources from the 
1990 base year emissions inventory and adjust the total 1990 VOC base 
year inventory, accordingly. The two sources are: J & L Specialty Steel 
Inc., Midland and Indspec Chemical Corp., Petrolia Plant.
    (2) Remodel the I/M program (as implemented in the Pittsburgh ozone 
nonattainment area) in accordance with EPA guidance (December 23, 1996 
memo entitled ``Modeling 15% VOC Reductions from I/M in 1999--
Supplemental Guidance) and to submit that remodeling to EPA; and
    (3) Fulfill the conditions listed in the conditional interim 
approval notice granted by EPA to Pennsylvania's enhanced I/M program 
(January 28, 1997), by the deadlines set forth in that rulemaking. The 
conditions of that EPA's I/M approval are summarized here as: 
geographic coverage and program start dates; ongoing program 
evaluation; test types, test procedures and emission standards; test 
equipment specifications and; motorist compliance enforcement 
demonstration.
    (e) The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's March 22, 1996 submittal for 
the 1990 VOC Base Year Emissions Inventory for the Pittsburgh ozone 
nonattainment area (summarized in the table in this paragraph), is 
hereby conditionally approved based on the following contingency:
    (1) Provide final estimates for two facilities sources from the 
1990 base year emissions inventory and adjust the total 1990 VOC base 
year inventory to reflect those estimates, by no later than July 27, 
1998. The two affected sources are: J & L Specialty Steel Inc., Midland 
and Indspec Chemical Corp., Petrolia Plant.

                      County-by-County Summary For the Pittsburgh Ozone Nonattainment Area                      
                                   [1990 Emissions Inventory--VOC (tons/day)]                                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                        Non-road       Highway  
                         County                               Point         Area         mobile        mobile   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Allegheny...............................................         80.44         73.3          15.48         76.54
Armstrong...............................................          1.1           3.3           1.01          3.9 
Beaver..................................................          5.77          8.19          1.91         12.8 
Butler..................................................          4.34          8.59          2.19          9.28
Fayette.................................................          0.57          7.53          1.42          7.8 
Washington..............................................          0.85         10.74          2.53         14.96
Westmoreland............................................          3.54         16.31          3.67         24.84
                                                         -------------------------------------------------------
      Total.............................................         96.61        127.96         28.21        150.12
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) [Reserved]

[FR Doc. 98-930 Filed 1-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P