[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 244 (Tuesday, December 21, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71453-71454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32862]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6511-9]


Proposed Settlement Agreement, Clean Air Act Citizen Suit

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Consent Decree; Request for Public Comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 113(g) of the Clean Air Act, as 
amended (``Act''), 42 U.S.C. 7413(g), notice is hereby given of a 
proposed partial consent decree, which was lodged with the United 
States District Court for the District of Columbia by the United States 
Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'') on December 1, 1999, to 
address a lawsuit filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council, 
Environmental Defense Fund, Conservation Law Foundation, Clean Air 
Council, Natural Resources Council of Maine, and Sierra Club 
(collectively referred to as ``NRDC''). This lawsuit, which was filed 
pursuant to section 304(a) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 7604(a), addresses 
EPA's alleged failure to meet a mandatory deadline under section 110(c) 
of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 7410(c), to promulgate federal implementation 
plans establishing attainment demonstrations for certain ozone 
nonattainment areas classified as serious or severe and located in the 
eastern part of the United States and to impose sanctions in those 
areas. NRDC v. EPA, No. 1:99CV02976 (D.D.C.).

DATES: Written comments on the proposed consent decree must be received 
by January 20, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Jan M. Tierney, Air and 
Radiation Law Office (2344-A), Office of General Counsel, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 
20460. Copies of the proposed consent decree are available from Phyllis 
J. Cochran, (202) 564-7606. A copy of the proposed consent decree was 
lodged with the Clerk of the United States District Court for the 
District of Columbia on December 1, 1999.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NRDC alleges that EPA has a mandatory duty 
to promulgate federal implementation plans (FIPs) and impose sanctions 
on 10 nonattainment areas located in 13 States and the District of 
Columbia. There are four areas that are classified as serious ozone 
nonattainment areas for the 1-hour ozone standard: Greater Connecticut 
located in Connecticut; Metropolitan Washington located in Washington, 
DC, Maryland and Virginia; Springfield/Western Massachusetts located in 
Massachusetts; and Atlanta located in Georgia. There are six areas 
classified as severe ozone nonattainment for the 1-hour ozone standard: 
New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island located in Connecticut, New 
York and New Jersey; Philadelphia-Wilmington-Trenton located in 
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey; Baltimore located in 
Maryland; Houston-Galveston-Brazoria located in Texas; Chicago-Gary-
Lake County located in Illinois and Indiana; and Milwaukee-Racine 
located in Wisconsin.
    The proposed partial consent decree provides, in part, that EPA 
will promulgate full attainment FIPs by May 15, 2001 for the serious 
areas without fully approved attainment demonstration SIPs as of that 
date and will promulgate full attainment demonstration FIPs by June 14, 
2002 for the severe areas without fully approved attainment 
demonstration SIPs as of that date. In addition, the consent decree 
provides for the FIP promulgation dates to be advanced (to February 28, 
2001 for serious areas and July 31, 2001 for severe areas) if by May 
31, 2000, EPA does not either (1) find that for purposes of 
transportation conformity the areas have adequate motor vehicle 
emissions budgets associated with submitted attainment demonstration 
SIPs, or (2) disapprove the submitted attainment demonstration SIPs. 
Finally, the consent decree provides that plaintiffs will file for 
dismissal of two lawsuits that are pending in the United States Court 
of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and that were filed by 
some or all of the plaintiffs in the District Court

[[Page 71454]]

case. These two cases are: Delaware Valley Citizens' Council for Clean 
Air v. Browner, No. 96-1316 (D.C. Cir.) (challenge to EPA's findings of 
failure to submit certain portions of the attainment demonstration), 
and Delaware Valley Citizens' Council for Clean Air v. Browner, No. 98-
1079 (D.C. Cir.) (challenge to EPA's ``Guidance for Implementing the 1-
Hour Ozone and Pre-Existing PM10 NAAQS,'' issued by Richard D. Wilson, 
Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, dated December 
29, 1997 (63 FR 8196 (Feb. 18, 1998)).
    For a period of thirty (30) days following the date of publication 
of this notice, the Agency will receive written comments relating to 
the proposed consent decree from persons who were not named as parties 
or interveners to the litigation in question. EPA or the Department of 
Justice may withdraw or withhold consent to the proposed consent decree 
if the comments disclose facts or considerations that indicate that 
such consent is inappropriate, improper, inadequate, or inconsistent 
with the requirements of the Act. Unless EPA or the Department of 
Justice determine, following the comment period, that consent is 
inappropriate, the final consent decree will be entered with the court 
and will establish deadlines for promulgation of federal implementation 
plans in the absence of approved state plans.

    Dated: December 9, 1999.
Gary S. Guzy,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 99-32862 Filed 12-20-99; 8:45 am]
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