[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 144 (Thursday, July 26, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 38947-38948]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-18648]



[[Page 38947]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 81

[Docket OR-01-005a; FRL 7018-6]


Finding of Attainment for PM-10; Oakridge, Oregon, PM-10 
Nonattainment Area

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Direct final rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA has determined that the Oakridge nonattainment area in 
Oregon has attained the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) 
for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than, or 
equal to a nominal ten micrometers (PM-10) as of December 31, 2000.

DATES: This direct final rule will be effective September 24, 2001, 
unless EPA receives adverse comment by August 27, 2001. If adverse 
comments are received, EPA will publish a timely withdrawal of the 
direct final rule in the Federal Register informing the public that the 
rule will not take effect.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be mailed to Steven K. Body, Office 
of Air Quality, Mailcode OAQ-107, EPA Region 10, 1200 Sixth Avenue, 
Seattle, Washington, 98101. Copies of documents relevant to this action 
are available for public review during normal business hours (8 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m. at this same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven K. Body, Office of Air Quality, 
EPA Region 10, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101, (206) 553-
0782.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document, the words ``we,'' 
``us,'' or ``our'' means the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Table of Contents

I. Background
    A. Designation and Classification of the Oakridge PM-10 
Nonattainment Area
    B. How Does EPA Make Attainment Determinations?
    C. What PM-10 Planning Has Occurred for the Oakridge PM-10 
Nonattainment Area?
II. EPA's Action
III. Administrative Requirements

I. Background

A. Designation and Classification of the Oakridge PM-10 Nonattainment 
Area

    Areas meeting the requirements of section 107(d)(4)(B) of the Clean 
Air Act (CAA or Act) were designated nonattainment for PM-10 by 
operation of law and classified ``moderate'' upon enactment of the 1990 
Clean Air Act Amendments. See generally 42 U.S.C. 7407(d)(4)(B). In 
addition, pursuant to section 107(d)(3) of the CAA, EPA is authorized 
to redesignate areas as nonattainment for PM-10 on the basis of air 
quality data, planning and control considerations, or any other air 
quality-related considerations that EPA deems appropriate. In 1991, EPA 
notified the Governor of Oregon that, because of recorded violations of 
the 24-hour PM-10 standard in the Oakridge area that occurred after 
January 1, 1989, EPA believed that the area's PM-10 designation should 
be revised to nonattainment. See 56 FR 16724 (April 22, 1991). After 
Oregon submitted additional information regarding the designation for 
the Oakridge area and after notice and an opportunity for public 
comment, EPA designated the Oakridge area nonattainment for PM-10 
effective January 20, 1994. See 58 FR 67334 (December 21, 1993).
    As a newly designated PM-10 nonattainment area, the Oakridge area 
was classified as a moderate nonattainment area by operation of law. 
See CAA section 188(a). Pursuant to section 188(c)(1) of the Act, the 
attainment date for the Oakridge area was to be no later than the end 
of the sixth calendar year after the area was designated nonattainment. 
Because the Oakridge area was designated nonattainment for PM-10 
effective January 20, 1994, the attainment date for the Oakridge area 
is December 31, 2000.

B. How Does EPA Make Attainment Determinations?

    Pursuant to sections 179(c) and 188(b)(2) of the Act, we have the 
responsibility of determining within six months of the applicable 
attainment date whether, based on air quality data, PM-10 nonattainment 
areas attained the PM-10 NAAQS by that date. Determinations under 
section 179(c)(1) of the Act are to be based upon the area's ``air 
quality as of the attainment date.'' Section 188(b)(2) is consistent 
with this requirement.
    Generally, we determine whether an area's air quality is meeting 
the PM-10 NAAQS for purposes of section 179(c)(1) and 188(b)(2) based 
upon data gathered at established state and local air monitoring 
stations (SLAMS) and national air monitoring stations (NAMS) in the 
nonattainment areas and entered into the EPA Aerometric Information 
Retrieval System (AIRS). Data entered into the AIRS has been determined 
to meet federal monitoring requirements (see 40 CFR 50.6, 40 CFR part 
50, appendix J, 40 CFR part 53, 40 CFR part 58, appendix A and B) and 
may be used to determine the attainment status of areas. We will also 
consider air quality data from other air monitoring stations in the 
nonattainment area provided that the stations meet the federal 
monitoring requirements for SLAMS. All data are reviewed to determine 
the area's air quality status in accordance with our guidance at 40 CFR 
part 50, appendix K.
    Attainment of the annual PM-10 standard is achieved when the annual 
arithmetic mean PM-10 concentration over a three-year period (for 
example 1998, 1999, and 2000 for areas with a December 31, 2000 
attainment date) is equal to or less than 50 micrograms per cubic meter 
(ug/m3). Attainment of the 24-hour standard is determined by 
calculating the expected number of days in a year with PM-10 
concentrations greater than 150 ug/m3. The 24-hour standard is attained 
when the expected number of days with levels above 150 ug/m3 (averaged 
over a three-year period) is less than or equal to one. Three 
consecutive years of air quality data are generally required to show 
attainment of the annual and 24-hour standards for PM-10. See 40 CFR 
part 50 and appendix K.

C. What PM-10 Planning Has Occurred for the Oakridge PM-10 
Nonattainment Area?

    After the Oakridge area was designated nonattainment for PM-10, the 
Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority (LRAPA), in cooperation with 
local officials, developed a control strategy that consisted of a 
residential wood burning combustion program. The program included 
public education and outreach efforts on how to burn wood with reduced 
emissions as well as a wood stove curtailment program designed to 
reduce wood burning during periods of adverse meteorology. On March 15, 
1999, EPA took direct final action approving the PM-10 SIP for 
Oakridge. See 64 FR 12751.

II. EPA's Action

    As discussed above, whether an area has attained the PM-10 NAAQS is 
based exclusively upon measured air quality levels over the most recent 
and complete three calendar year period. See 40 CFR part 50 and 40 CFR 
part 50, appendix K. For an area such as Oakridge, with a December 31, 
2000 attainment date, EPA considers the data reported for calendar 
years 1998, 1999, and 2000.
    LRAPA has established one PM-10 SLAMS monitoring site in the 
Oakridge PM-10 nonattainment area at 47674 School Street. LRAPA began 
monitoring

[[Page 38948]]

for PM-10 at that site in 1989. The site operated in 1989 through 2000. 
The monitoring site meets EPA SLAMS network design and siting 
requirements, set forth at 40 CFR part 58, appendices D and E, and 
continues to monitor for PM-10.
    There were no exceedences of the 24-hour PM-10 standard in the 
years 1998, 1999, and 2000. Therefore, the expected exceedence rate is 
0.0, which shows attainment of the 24-hour PM-10 standard. The average 
of the annual PM-10 concentration averaged over the three years prior 
to the attainment date (1998, 1999, and 2000) is 19.4 ug/m3. This 
concentration is below the level of the annual standard of 50 ug/m3. 
Therefore, EPA finds that the Oakridge area attained the PM-10 
standards by the attainment date of December 31, 2000.
    This finding of attainment should not be confused, however, with a 
redesignation to attainment under CAA section 107(d) because Oregon has 
not, for the Oakridge area, submitted a maintenance plan as required 
under section 175(A) of the CAA or met the other CAA requirements for 
redesignations to attainment. The designation status in 40 CFR part 81 
will remain moderate nonattainment for the Oakridge PM-10 nonattainment 
area until such time as Oregon meets the CAA requirements for 
redesignations to attainment.

III. Administrative Requirements

    Under Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and Review'' (58 
FR 51735, October 4, 1993), this action is not a ``significant 
regulatory action'' and therefore is not subject to review by the 
Office of Management and Budget. For this reason, this action is also 
not subject to Executive Order 13211, ``Actions Concerning Regulations 
That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution or Use'' (66 FR 
28355, May 22, 2001). Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 
601 et seq.), the Administrator certifies that this action will not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities because it merely makes a determination based on air quality 
data and does not impose any requirements. This action does not contain 
any unfunded mandates and does not significantly or uniquely affect 
small governments, as described in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 
1995 (Public Law 104-4) because it does not impose any enforceable 
duties.
    This action also does not have tribal implications because it will 
not have a substantial direct effect on one or more Indian tribes, on 
the relationship between the Federal Government and Indian tribes, or 
on the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal 
Government and Indian tribes, as specified by Executive Order 13175, 
``Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments'' (65 FR 
67249, November 9, 2000). This action also does not have Federalism 
implications because it will not have substantial direct effects on the 
States, on the relationship between the national government and the 
States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the 
various levels of government, as specified in Executive Order 13132, 
``Federalism'' (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999). The action merely makes 
a determination based on air quality data and does not impose any 
requirements and therefore does not alter the relationship or the 
distribution of power and responsibilities between the State and the 
Federal government established in the Clean Air Act.
    This action also is not subject to Executive Order 13045, 
``Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety 
Risks'' (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997) because it is not a significant 
regulatory action under Executive Order 12866.
    This action does not involved technical standards. Thus, the 
requirements of section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and 
Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) do not apply. In addition, 
this action does not impose an information collection burden under the 
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et 
seq.).
    Because this in not a ``major'' rule as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2), 
EPA will not submit a report containing this rule and other required 
information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and 
the Comptroller General of the United States prior to publication of 
this rule in the Federal Register, as specified in the Congressional 
Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.
    Under section 307(b)(1) of the Clean Air Act, petitions for 
judicial review of this action must be filed in the United States Court 
of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by September 24, 2001. Filing a 
petition for reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule 
does not affect the finality of this rule for the purposes of judicial 
review nor does it extend the time within which a petition for judicial 
review may be filed, and shall not postpone the effectiveness of such 
rule or action. This action may not be challenged later in proceedings 
to enforce its requirements. See CAA section 307(b)(2).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 81

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Intergovernmental 
relations, Particulate matter, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

    Dated: July 16, 2001.
Ronald A. Kreizenbeck,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 10.
[FR Doc. 01-18648 Filed 7-25-01; 8:45 am]
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