[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 126 (Thursday, June 29, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 40093]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-16517]



[[Page 40093]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[KY119-200023; FRL-6726-8]


Adequacy Status of the Northern Kentucky Submitted Ozone 
Redesignation Request and Maintenance State Implementation Plan for 
Transportation Conformity Purposes

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 budgets for oxides of nitrogen 
and volatile organic compounds for the year 2010 in the Ozone 
Redesignation Request and Maintenance State Implementation Plan (SIP) 
submitted by the Commonwealth of Kentucky for Northern Kentucky are 
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 motor vehicle emissions 
budgets in the submitted Northern Kentucky Ozone Redesignation Request 
and Maintenance SIP must be used for future conformity determinations.

DATES: These budgets are effective July 14, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The finding 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'').
    The SIP is available for public viewing at the United States 
Environmental Protection Agency, 61 Forsyth Street, SW., Atlanta, 
Georgia 30303. You can request a copy of the SIP submission by 
contacting Dr. Robert W. Goodwin, Regulatory Planning Section, United 
States Environmental Protection Agency, 61 Forsyth Street, SW., 
Atlanta, Georgia 30303, Phone: (404) 562-9044, Fax: (404) 562-9019, E-
smail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Today's document is simply an announcement of a finding that we 
have already made. EPA Region 4 sent a letter to the Kentucky Division 
for Air Quality on May 24, 2000, stating that the motor vehicle 
emissions budgets in the submitted Northern Kentucky Ozone 
Redesignation Request and Maintenance SIP for the year 2010 are 
adequate. 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 
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). We've described our 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. 7401-7671q.

    Dated: June 21, 2000.
A. Stanley Meiburg,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 4.
[FR Doc. 00-16517 Filed 6-28-00; 8:45 am]
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