[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 89 (Monday, May 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26605-26606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-11432]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6602-4]


Adequacy Status of the Submitted Revised Carbon Monoxide 
Attainment Demonstration for the New Jersey Portion of the New York-
Northern New Jersey-Long Island Moderate Carbon Monoxide Nonattainment 
Area

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of adequacy.

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SUMMARY: In this document, EPA is notifying the public that we have 
found that the motor vehicle emissions budget for carbon monoxide in 
the submitted revised attainment demonstration for the New Jersey 
portion of the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island nonattainment 
area is adequate for transportation conformity purposes. On March 2, 
1999, the D.C. Circuit Court ruled that submitted SIPs cannot be used 
for conformity determinations until EPA has affirmatively found them 
adequate. As a result of our finding, the New Jersey portion of the New 
York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island nonattainment area must use the 
motor vehicle emission budget from this submitted revised carbon 
monoxide attainment demonstration for future conformity determinations.

DATES: This finding is effective May 23, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew B. Cairns, Mobile Source Team, 
Air Programs Branch, Environmental Protection Agency--Region 2, 290 
Broadway, 25th Floor, New York New York 10007-1866, (212) 637-3895, 
[email protected].
    The finding and the response to comments will be available at EPA's 
conformity website: http://www.epa.gov/oms/traq, (once there, click on 
the ``Conformity'' button, then look for ``Adequacy Review of SIP 
Submissions for Conformity'').

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Today's document is simply an announcement of a finding that we 
have already made. EPA Region 2 sent a letter to the New Jersey 
Department of Environmental Protection on April 6, 2000, stating that 
the motor vehicle emissions budget for carbon monoxide in the submitted 
revised attainment demonstration (dated December 10, 1999) for the New 
Jersey portion of the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island 
nonattainment area is adequate for transportation conformity purposes. 
This finding will also be announced on EPA's conformity website: http://www.epa.gov/oms/traq, (once there, click on the ``Conformity'' button, 
then look for ``Adequacy Review of SIP Submissions for Conformity'').
    Transportation conformity is required by section 176(c) of the 
Clean Air Act. EPA's conformity rule requires that transportation 
plans, programs, and projects conform to state air quality 
implementation plans (SIPs) and establishes the criteria and procedures

[[Page 26606]]

for determining whether or not they do. Conformity to a SIP means that 
transportation activities will not produce new air quality violations, 
worsen existing violations, or delay timely attainment of the national 
ambient air quality standards.
    The criteria by which we determine whether a SIP's motor vehicle 
emission budgets are adequate for conformity purposes are outlined in 
40 CFR 93.118(e)(4). Please note that an adequacy review is separate 
from EPA's completeness review, and it also should not be used to 
prejudge EPA's ultimate approval of the SIP. Even if we find a budget 
adequate, the SIP could later be disapproved.
    We've described out process for determining the adequacy of 
submitted SIP budgets in guidance (May 14, 1999 memo titled 
``Conformity Guidance on Implementation of March 2, 1999 Conformity 
Court Decision''). We followed this guidance in making our adequacy 
determination.

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

    Dated: April 6, 2000.
William J. Muszynski,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 2.
[FR Doc. 00-11432 Filed 5-5-00; 8:45 am]
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