[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 382-383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-51]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Federal Land Managers' Air Quality Related Values Work Group 
(FLAG)

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of final report.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest 
Service, is announcing the availability of the final FLAG Phase I 
Report, and the accompanying Response to Public Comments document.
    At the request of permit applicants and State and Federal permit 
review authorities, the Federal Land Managers (FLMs) (i.e., National 
Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture Forest Service) formed the Federal Land Managers' Air 
Quality Related Values Work Group (FLAG) to develop a more consistent 
approach for evaluating air pollution effects on their resources. The 
FLAG effort focused on how air pollutants, such as ozone, particulate 
matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrates, and sulfates, could 
affect the health and status of resources in areas managed by the three 
agencies. FLAG formed subgroups that concentrated on four issues: (1) 
Terrestrial effects of ozone; (2) aquatic and terrestrial effects of 
wet and dry pollutant deposition; (3) visibility; and (4) process and 
policy issues. The final report contains issue-specific technical and 
policy analyses, recommendations for evaluating air quality related 
values, and guidelines for completing and evaluating new source review 
permit applications. In developing the final recommendations and 
guidelines, the FLMs considered public comments received at a public 
meeting and during a 90-day public comment period. The FLMs have 
prepared a companion report that summarizes and responds to the public 
comments received.
    The FLMs recognize that permit applications may be at various 
stages of preparation, and may be based on previous guidance provided 
by the FLMs. Therefore, to ``grandfather'' those

[[Page 383]]

applications from the newly recommended guidance, the FLMs have 
established the following phase-in schedule for implementing the FLAG 
guidance. The FLMs expect that modeling protocols received after March 
1, 2001, for applications to be submitted after April 1, 2001, follow 
the recommendations and guidance provided in the FLAG report. For 
complete permit applications and modeling protocols received after 
April 1, 2001, the FLMs expect the application/protocol to follow the 
recommendations and guidance provided in the FLAG report. Please note 
that although the FLAG report contains a wealth of information and will 
be a very useful tool, it is only guidance, not a rule. To expedite the 
FLMs' review of permit applications, the FLMs strongly encourage all 
permit applicants and permitting authorities to prepare and review new 
source permit applications in accordance with the FLAG guidance. To do 
otherwise will likely result in delays in the permitting process.

DATES: The FLMs expect new complete permit applications and modeling 
protocols submitted after April 1, 2001, to follow the recommendations 
and guidance provided in the FLAG report. This will facilitate the 
FLMs' review of these applications and protocols.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the final FLAG Phase I Report and the accompanying 
Response to Public Comments document can be downloaded from the 
Internet at: http://www.aqd.nps.gov/ard/flagfree/ . A copy can also be 
obtained from John Bunyak, Air Resources Division, National Park 
Service, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, Colorado, 80225; e-mail: 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Bunyak at the above addresses or 
by calling (303) 969-2818.

    Dated: December 20, 2000.
Mark Scruggs,
Acting Chief, Air Resources Division.
[FR Doc. 01-51 Filed 1-2-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P