[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 185 (Monday, September 24, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 48850-48851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-23625]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[TX-104-1-7401b; FRL-7063-3]


Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Texas; 
Revisions to General Rules and Regulations for Control of Air Pollution 
by Permits for New Sources and Modifications

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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[[Page 48851]]

SUMMARY: The EPA is proposing to take direct final action to approve 
revisions of the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP). Specifically, 
EPA is approving revisions to regulations of the Texas Natural Resource 
Conservation Commission (TNRCC) which relate to definitions in Texas' 
general rules and to regulations relating to the permitting of new 
sources and modifications. The revisions that EPA is approving in this 
action are to recodify several provisions of the existing SIP without 
substantive changes and approve provisions for permit alterations which 
will strengthen the SIP as it pertains to the permitting of new and 
modified sources. Approval of these revisions will bring the federally-
approved SIP which pertains to the permitting of new and modified 
sources more closely in line with Texas' existing program. This action 
will better serve the State, the public, and the regulated community by 
making the approved SIP more closely match the rules that Texas 
currently implements. The approval of these revisions is independent 
of, and will not adversely affect, other SIP actions that EPA and TNRCC 
are currently undertaking to ensure the attainment and maintenance of 
air quality in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston-Galveston, and Beaumont-
Port Arthur regions of Texas. The EPA is approving revisions which 
Texas submitted in 1998 to the extent that they are equivalent to 
revisions that Texas previously submitted in 1993. The EPA is taking no 
action on certain provisions which relate to emissions reduction 
credits and offsets, permit exemptions, permit renewals, and emergency 
orders, which are not in the current SIP and for reasons discussed in 
the direct final action.
    In the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of this Federal Register, 
EPA is approving the State's SIP revision as a direct final rule 
without prior proposal because EPA views this as a noncontroversial 
revision and anticipates no adverse comment. The EPA has explained its 
reasons for this approval in the preamble to the direct final rule. If 
EPA receives no relevant adverse comment, EPA will not take further 
action on this proposed rule. If EPA receives relevant adverse comment, 
EPA will withdraw the direct final rule and it will not take effect. 
The EPA will address all public comments in a subsequent final rule 
based on this proposed rule. The EPA will not institute a second 
comment period on this action. Any parties interested in commenting 
must do so at this time.

DATES: Written comments must be received by October 24, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Please address written comments on this action to Ms. Jole 
C. Luehrs, Chief, Air Permits Section, Attention: Stanley M. Spruiell, 
at the EPA Region 6 Office listed below. Copies of documents relevant 
to this action are available for public inspection during normal 
business hours at the following locations. Anyone wanting to examine 
these documents should make an appointment with the appropriate office 
at least two working days in advance.

    EPA, Region 6, Air Permits Section (6PD-R), 1445 Ross Avenue, 
Dallas, Texas 75202-2733.

TNRCC, Office of Air Quality, 12124 Park 35 Circle, Austin, Texas 
78753.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stanley M. Spruiell of the Air Permits 
Section at (214) 665-7212, or at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document concerns revisions to 
regulations of TNRCC which relate to definitions in Texas' general 
rules and to regulations relating to the permitting of new sources and 
modifications. For further information, please see the information 
provided in the direct final action that is located in the ``Rules and 
Regulations'' section of this Federal Register publication.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.

    Dated: September 12, 2001.
Gregg A. Cooke,
Regional Administrator, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 01-23625 Filed 9-21-01; 8:45 am]
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