[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 28, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16364-16365]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7718]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 51 and 52

[FRL-6567-1]


Notice of Availability for Draft Guidance Document on BACT and 
LAER for Tier2/Gasoline Sulfur Refinery Projects

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The EPA is making available for public review and comment a 
preliminary draft of its pending guidance on BACT and LAER for Tier 2/
gasoline sulfur refinery projects.
    On February 10, 2000, EPA issued new emissions standards (``Tier 2 
standards'') for all passenger vehicles, including sport utility 
vehicles, minivans, vans and pick-up trucks. To ensure the 
effectiveness of low emission control technologies in these vehicles, 
this rule also sets new standards to significantly reduce the sulfur 
content in gasoline. In order to meet these sulfur in gasoline 
requirements, many refiners will have to make modifications to their 
existing facilities, which could be subject to the major new source 
review (NSR) preconstruction permitting requirements under parts C and 
D of the Clean Air Act. The refiners subject to major NSR will be 
required to undergo a pollution control technology evaluation to apply 
either best available control technology (BACT) or lowest achievable 
emission rate (LAER), depending on the applicable program requirements. 
To provide greater certainty and to expedite the NSR permitting process 
for refinery projects undertaken to comply with the recently issued 
gasoline sulfur standards, EPA intends to provide Federal guidance on 
BACT and LAER for these type of projects.
    A draft of EPA's guidance and a supporting background document on 
BACT and LAER for certain refinery construction projects undertaken to 
comply with the new gasoline sulfur standards is available for public 
review and comment. The EPA does not intend to respond to individual 
comments, but rather to consider comments and information from the 
public in the preparation of a final guidance document.

DATES: The comment period on the draft guidance will close on April 27, 
2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Pamela J. Smith, Information 
Transfer and Program Integration Division (MD-12), Office of Air 
Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, North 
Carolina 27711, telephone 919-541-0641, telefax 919-541-5509 or E-mail 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Solomon, Information Transfer 
and Program Integration Division (MD-12), Office of Air Quality 
Planning and Standards, U.S. EPA, Research Triangle Park, North 
Carolina 27711, telephone 919-541-5375, telefax 919-541-5509 or E-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A copy of the draft guidance document and a 
supporting technical background document may be obtained by calling or 
E-mailing Pamela J. Smith. The draft guidance may also be downloaded 
from the NSR Website http://www.epa.gov/ttn/nsr under the topic 
``What's New on NSR.''


[[Page 16365]]


    Dated: March 17, 2000.
Jeffrey Clark,
Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 00-7718 Filed 3-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P