[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 10, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51574-51576]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25254]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[CA 242-0292c; FRL-7067-2]


Interim Final Determination That the State of California Has 
Corrected Deficiencies and Stay of Sanctions, Ventura County Air 
Pollution Control District

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Interim final determination.

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SUMMARY: Elsewhere in today's Federal Register, EPA has published a 
direct final rulemaking fully approving the State of California's 
submittal of a revision to the Ventura County Air Pollution Control 
District (VCAPCD) portion of the State Implementation Plan (SIP). We 
have also published a proposed rulemaking. If a person submits adverse 
comments on our direct final action, we will withdraw our direct final 
rule and will consider any comments received before taking final action 
on the State's submittal. Based on the full approval, we are making an 
interim final determination by this action that the State has corrected 
the deficiencies for which a sanctions clock began on February 14, 
2000. This action will stay the imposition of the offset sanction and 
defer the imposition of the highway sanction. Although this action is 
effective upon publication, we will take comment. If no comments are 
received on our approval of the State's submittal and on our interim 
final determination, the direct final action published in today's 
Federal Register will also finalize our determination that the State 
has corrected the deficiencies that started the sanctions clock. If 
comments are received on our approval or on this interim final 
determination, we will publish a final rule taking into consideration 
any comments received.

DATES: This interim final determination is effective October 10, 2001. 
Although this action is effective upon publication, we will take 
comments which must be received by November 9, 2001. If comments are 
received on our approval or on this interim final determination, we 
will publish a final rule taking into consideration any comments 
received.

ADDRESSES: Mail comments to Andy Steckel, Rulemaking Office Chief (AIR-
4), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX, 75 Hawthorne 
Street, San Francisco, CA 94105.
    You can inspect copies of the submitted rule revision and EPA's 
technical support document (TSD) at

[[Page 51575]]

our Region IX office during normal business hours. You may also see 
copies of the submitted rule revision and TSD at the following 
locations: Environmental Protection Agency, Air Docket (6102), Ariel 
Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460.

California Air Resources Board, Stationary Source Division, Rule 
Evaluation Section, 1001 ``I'' Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Ventura County Air Pollution Control District, 669 County Square Drive, 
Ventura, CA 93003.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Al Petersen, Rulemaking Office (AIR-
4), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX; (415) 744-1135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document, ``we,'' ``us'' and 
``our'' refer to EPA.

I. Background

    On October 13, 1995, the State of California submitted a revision 
to the VCAPCD portion of the SIP, which we disapproved in part on 
January 13, 2000. See 65 FR 2052. Our disapproval action started an 18-
month clock beginning on February 14, 2000 for the imposition of one 
sanction (followed by a second sanction 6 months later) and a 24-month 
clock for promulgation of a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP). The 
State subsequently submitted revised SIP rules on December 11, 2000. We 
have taken direct final action on this submittal pursuant to our 
modified direct final policy set forth at 59 FR 24054 (May 10, 1994). 
In the Rules and Regulations section of today's Federal Register, we 
have issued a direct final full approval of the State of California's 
submittal of its SIP revision. In addition, in the Proposed Rules 
section of today's Federal Register, we have proposed full approval of 
the State's submittal. Based on the direct final full approval set 
forth in today's Federal Register, we believe that it is more likely 
than not that the State has corrected the original disapproval 
deficiencies. Therefore, we are taking this final rulemaking action, 
effective on publication, finding that the State has corrected the 
deficiencies. However, we are also providing the public with an 
opportunity to comment on this final action. If, based on any comments 
on this action and any comments on our direct final full approval of 
the State's submittal, we determine that the State's submittal is not 
fully approvable and this final action was inappropriate, we will 
either propose or take final action finding that the State has not 
corrected the original disapproval deficiencies. As appropriate, we 
will also issue an interim final determination or a final determination 
that the deficiency has been corrected.
    This action does not stop the sanctions clock that started for this 
area on February 14, 2000. However, this action will stay the 
imposition of the offsets sanction and will defer the imposition of the 
highway sanction. If our direct final action fully approving the 
State's submittal becomes effective, such action will permanently stop 
the sanction clock and will permanently lift any imposed, stayed or 
deferred sanction. If we must withdraw the direct final action based on 
adverse comments and we subsequently determine that the State, in fact, 
did not correct the disapproval deficiencies, we will also determine 
that the State did not correct the deficiencies and the sanctions 
consequences described in the sanctions rule will apply. See 59 FR 
39832 (August 4, 1994), codified at 40 CFR 52.31.

II. EPA Action

    We are taking interim final action finding that the State has 
corrected the disapproval deficiencies that started the sanctions 
clock. Based on this action, imposition of the offset sanction will be 
stayed and imposition of the highway sanction will be deferred until 
our direct final action fully approving the State's submittal becomes 
effective or until we take action proposing or finally disapproving in 
whole or part the State submittal. If our direct final action fully 
approving the State submittal becomes effective, at that time any 
sanctions clocks will be permanently stopped and any imposed, stayed, 
or deferred sanctions will be permanently lifted.
    Because we have preliminarily determined that the State has an 
approvable submittal, relief from sanctions should be provided as 
quickly as possible. Therefore, we are invoking the good cause 
exception to the 30-day notice requirement of the Administrative 
Procedure Act because the purpose of this notice is to relieve a 
restriction. See 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1).

III. Administrative Requirements

    Under Executive Order 12866 (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. This action 
merely stays and defers federal sanctions. Accordingly, the 
administrator certifies that this rule will not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities under the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). Because this rule 
only stays an imposed sanction and defers the imposition of another, it 
does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or uniquely 
affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-4). For the same reason, this rule also 
does not significantly or uniquely affect the communities of tribal 
governments, as specified by Executive Order 13084 (63 FR 27655, May 
10, 1998). This rule 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 (64 
FR 43255, August 10, 1999), because it merely stays a sanction and 
defers another one, and does not alter the relationship or the 
distribution of power and responsibilities established in the Clean Air 
Act. This rule also is not subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 
19885, April 23, 1997), because it is not economically significant.
    This rule does not contain 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. As required 
by section 3 of Executive Order 12988 (61 FR 4729, February 7, 1996), 
in issuing this rule, EPA has taken the necessary steps to eliminate 
drafting errors and ambiguity, minimize potential litigation, and 
provide a clear legal standard for affected conduct. EPA has complied 
with Executive Order 12630 (53 FR 8859, March 15, 1988) by examining 
the takings implications of the rule in accordance with the ``Attorney 
General's Supplemental Guidelines for the Evaluation of Risk and 
Avoidance of Unanticipated Takings'' issued under the executive order.
    This rule does not impose an information collection burden under 
the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.).
    The Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the 
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally 
provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating 
the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule, 
to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the 
United States. However, section 808 provides that any rule for which 
the issuing agency for good cause finds (and incorporates the finding 
and a brief statement of reasons therefor in the rule) that notice and 
public procedure thereon are impractible, unnecessary, or

[[Page 51576]]

contrary to the public interest, shall take effect at such time as the 
agency promulgating the rule determines. 5 U.S.C. 808(2). As stated 
previously, EPA has made such a good cause finding, including the 
reasons therefor, and established an effective date of October 10, 
2001. EPA will 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 
the rule in the Federal Register. This rule is not a ``major rule'' as 
defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Intergovernmental 
regulations, Nitrogen oxides, Ozone, Reporting and recordkeeping.

    Dated: September 17, 2001.
Jane Diamond,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region IX.
[FR Doc. 01-25254 Filed 10-9-01; 8:45 am]
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