[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 179 (Thursday, September 14, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55524-55525]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23649]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6869-6]


Proposed Settlement Agreement

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of proposed settlement agreement; request for public 
comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 113(g) of the Clean Air Act, as 
amended, 42 U.S.C. 7413(g), notice is hereby given of a proposed 
settlement agreement in American Foundrymen's Society, et al. v. EPA, 
Civ. No. 00-1208 (D.C. Cir.), a case filed by the American Foundrymen's 
Society, the North American Die Casting Association, and the Non-
Ferrous Founders' Society (``Petitioners''). This case concerns the 
National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Secondary 
Aluminum Production (65 FR 15690, March 23, 2000). The proposed 
settlement agreement was lodged with the United States Court of Appeals 
for the District of Columbia Circuit on July 31, 2000.

DATES: Written comments on the proposed settlement agreement must be 
received by October 16, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Timothy D. Backstrom, Air 
and Radiation Law Office (2344A), Office of General Counsel, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20460. Copies of the proposed settlement agreement are 
available from Phyllis J. Cochran, (202) 564-7606. A copy of the 
proposed settlement agreement was also lodged with the Clerk of the 
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on 
July 31, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: On March 23, 2000, EPA published a 
final National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants 
(``NESHAP'') for Secondary Aluminum Production establishing Maximum 
Achievable Control Technology (``MACT'') requirements for this source 
category. (40 part 63, subpart RRR, 65 FR 15690) As promulgated, this 
standard applies to certain major and area source aluminum foundries 
and aluminum die casting facilities. However, in the preamble to the 
final rule, we stated our intention to remove aluminum foundries and 
aluminum die casters from subpart RRR and to develop alternate MACT 
requirements for these sources. We intend to collect further 
information from all such facilities using our authority under CAA 
section 114, 42 U.S.C. 7414, and to make a new determination concerning 
the MACT floor and MACT requirements for these facilities based on this 
information. We are preparing an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 
(``ANPR'') announcing our intention to develop alternate MACT 
requirements for aluminum foundries and die casters, and a Proposed 
Rule to stay the effectiveness of Subpart RRR as applied to aluminum 
foundries and die casters during the pendency of the MACT rulemaking.
    On May 16, 2000, the Petitioners filed a petition in the D.C. 
Circuit Court of Appeals for judicial review of the Secondary Aluminum 
NESHAP, which was docketed as American Foundrymen's Society et al. v. 
EPA, Civ. No. 00-1208. However, the parties in that action are in 
agreement that the issuance of a proposed rule to adopt alternate MACT 
requirements for aluminum foundries and die casters and a final rule to 
stay Subpart RRR as applied to these facilities should make the present 
petition for review moot and result in voluntary dismissal of the 
petition. Accordingly, the parties negotiated a settlement agreement 
describing the elements of this process,

[[Page 55525]]

and have jointly moved the Court to hold the case in abeyance while the 
agreement is finalized and implemented.
    The proposed settlement agreement provides that EPA will issue an 
ANPR announcing our intention to remove aluminum foundries and die 
casters from subpart RRR and to propose alternative MACT requirements 
for aluminum foundries and die casters, and a Proposed Rule to stay 
subpart RRR with respect to such sources, within six weeks. The 
agreement also provides that we will issue a Proposed Rule to remove 
aluminum foundries and die casters from subpart RRR and to adopt 
alternate MACT requirements for aluminum foundries and die casters, and 
will take final action concerning the proposed stay of subpart RRR with 
respect to such sources, within two years.
    The agreement also allows individual foundries or die casters who 
are subject to subpart RRR to satisfy their Initial Notification 
requirements under 40 CFR 63.9 by timely submission of a portion of a 
complete response to the Information Collection Request (``ICR'') that 
we will be issuing to all aluminum foundries and die casters pursuant 
to CAA section 114. In the agreement, the Petitioners agree to use 
their best efforts to facilitate issuance of the ICR and the timely 
submission of responses to it by the facilities that receive it. The 
Petitioners also agree to cooperate with us to identify appropriate 
facilities at which emission testing will be conducted.
    For a period of thirty (30) days following the date of publication 
of this notice, EPA will receive written comments relating to the 
proposed settlement agreement 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 settlement agreement will then be 
executed by the parties.

    Dated: August 31, 2000.
Anna L. Wolgast,
Acting for General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 00-23649 Filed 9-13-00; 8:45 am]
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