[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 90 (Tuesday, May 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26830-26831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-11567]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6603-6]


Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Petition for Objection to 
Proposed State Operating Permit for Exxon Chemical Americas' (Exxon) 
Polypropylene Unit Baton Rouge Polyolefins Plant Baton Rouge, East 
Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of final order on petition to object to State operating 
permit.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces that the EPA Administrator has denied a 
petition to object to a proposed state operating permit issued by the 
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality for Exxon's Chemical 
Americas proposed polypropylene unit at its Polyolefins Plant in Baton 
Rouge, Louisiana. Pursuant to section 505(b)(2) of the Clean Air Act 
(Act), the petitioners may seek judicial review in the United States 
Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit within 60 days of this 
decision under section 307 of the Act.

ADDRESSES: You may review copies of the final order, the petition, and 
other supporting information at EPA, Region 6, 1445 Ross Avenue, 
Dallas, Texas 75202-2733. If you wish to examine these documents, you 
should make an appointment at least 24 hours before visiting day. The 
final order is also available electronically at the following address: 
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t5pfpr.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jole Luehrs, Chief, Air Permitting 
Section, Multimedia Planning and Permitting Division, EPA, Region 6, 
1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202-2733, telephone (214) 665-7250, 
or e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Act affords EPA a 45-day period to 
review, and object to as appropriate, operating permits proposed by 
State permitting authorities. Section 505(b)(2) of the Act authorizes 
any person to petition the EPA Administrator within 60 days after the 
expiration of this review period to object to State operating permits 
if EPA has not done so. Petitions must be based only on objections to 
the permit that were raised with reasonable specificity during the 
public comment period provided by the State, unless the petitioner 
demonstrates that it was impracticable to raise these issues during the 
comment period or the grounds for the issues arose after this period.
    Ms. Marylee Orr, Executive Director of the Louisiana Environmental 
Action Network (LEAN) submitted a petition to the Administrator on 
December 30, 1998, seeking EPA's objection to the title V operating 
permit issued for Exxon's proposed polypropylene unit at Exxon's 
polyolefins plant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The petition was submitted 
on behalf of the North Baton Rouge Environmental Association and LEAN 
(Petitioners). The petition objects to issuance of the Exxon permit on 
two grounds: (1) Alleged discrimination under Title VI of the Civil 
Rights Act; and (2) the Baton Rouge ozone

[[Page 26831]]

nonattainment area is not making reasonable further progress towards 
attainment, and that the additional emissions from the proposed 
polypropylene unit will adversely affect the ozone situation. Ms. Orr 
also submitted a letter supplementing the petition on behalf of LEAN on 
January 5, 1999, and another letter on March 1, 1999, requesting that 
the Exxon permit be reopened. The Region 6 Regional Administrator also 
addressed the second issue in a separate letter to the Petitioners.
    On April 12, 2000, the Administrator issued an order denying the 
petition. The order explains the reasons for denying the Petitioners' 
claims.

    Dated: April 28, 2000.
Carl E. Edlund,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 00-11567 Filed 5-8-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P