[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 76 (Friday, April 19, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 19337-19339]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-9493]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 52 and 81

[Region II Docket No. NY56-240; FRL-7172-6]


Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation 
of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; State of New York

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: On November 23, 1999, the New York State Department of 
Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) submitted a request to EPA to 
redesignate the New York portion of the New York--Northern New Jersey--
Long Island Carbon Monoxide (CO) nonattainment area from nonattainment 
to attainment of the National Ambient Quality Standard (NAAQS) for CO. 
By this action, EPA is approving the NYSDEC's request to redesignate 
the New York portion of the New York--Northern New Jersey--Long Island 
CO nonattainment area to attainment of the NAAQS for CO.
    EPA is approving the New York request because it meets the 
redesignation requirements set forth in the Clean Air Act (CAA). In 
addition, EPA is approving New York's CO maintenance plan because it 
provides for continued attainment of the CO NAAQS.
    EPA is also approving the New York CO attainment demonstration that 
was submitted by NYSDEC on November 15, 1992. This action provides for 
full approval of the New York State Implementation Plan (SIP) for CO. 
The intended effect of this action is to approve a plan that 
demonstrates that the CO standard has been attained and will continue 
to be attained.
    In a related matter, EPA is approving New York's March 22, 2000 
submittal of the Downtown Brooklyn Master Plan component of the CO 
attainment demonstration. This removes several transportation control 
measures from the SIP that have been demonstrated as no longer 
necessary to attain and maintain the NAAQS for CO.
    Finally, EPA is using today's action as an opportunity to establish 
a Carbon Monoxide section in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 
Subpart for the New York SIP. This is an administrative change designed 
to make the CFR more clear to the reader.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This action will be effective May 20, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the State submittals are available at the 
following addresses for inspection during normal business hours:
    Environmental Protection Agency, Region II Office, Air Programs 
Branch, 290 Broadway, 20th Floor, New York, New York 10007-1866 New 
York Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Air 
Resources, 50 Wolf Road, Albany, New York 12233

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Henry Feingersh, Air Programs Branch, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway, New York, New York 
10007-1866, (212) 637-4249

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

1. Background
2. Public Comments
3. New Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section
4.  Conclusion
5. Administrative Requirements

1. Background

    The New York portion of the New York--Northern New Jersey--Long 
Island CO nonattainment area is classified as a moderate 2 area (an 
area that has a design value of 12.8--16.4 parts per million (ppm)). 
This area, which is part of the New York--Northern New Jersey--Long 
Island Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA), includes the 
Counties of Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond, Nassau, and 
Westchester. The remainder of New York State is in attainment for CO.
    This area was designated nonattainment for CO under the provisions 
of sections 186 and 187 of the CAA. The area was classified moderate 2 
because it had a design value of 13.5 ppm based on 1988 and 1989 data. 
(See 56 FR 56694 (November 6, 1991) and 57 FR 56762 (November 30, 
1992), codified at 40 CFR part 81, Sec. 81.333.) This design value was 
based on ambient CO data recorded in Kings County, New York.
    On September 21, 1990, New York submitted a revision to the New 
York SIP to attain the CO air quality standard in the Brooklyn portion 
of the New York City metropolitan area (Downtown Brooklyn Master Plan). 
On November 13, 1992, New York submitted to EPA proposed revisions to 
its CO SIP that addressed each of the requirements for a moderate CO 
nonattainment area. Finally, on March 21, 1994, New York submitted to 
EPA additional information pertaining to its CO SIP. On September 15, 
1995 (60 FR 47911), EPA proposed approval of these three submittals and 
on July 26, 1996 (61 FR 38594) EPA finalized those approvals. EPA did 
not act upon New York's CO attainment demonstration in those actions 
because it relied on emission reductions from the enhanced inspection 
and maintenance program which was not approved at that time.
    On November 23, 1999, the State of New York submitted a CO 
redesignation request and a maintenance plan for the New York portion 
of the New York--Northern New Jersey--Long Island CMSA. This submittal 
contained evidence that public hearings were held on September 7, 1999 
for the CO redesignation request including a maintenance plan and on 
September 9, 1999 for the Downtown Brooklyn Master Plan. The State 
submitted the final Downtown Brooklyn Master Plan SIP revision on March 
22, 2000.
    On May 7, 2001, (66 FR 22922), EPA approved the New York Inspection 
and Maintenance program, thereby, removing the last obstacle to 
approval of the CO attainment demonstration. With an approvable 
attainment demonstration, EPA also could take

[[Page 19338]]

actions on the State's redesignation request. Accordingly, EPA proposed 
approval of the State's redesignation request on August 30, 2001 (66 FR 
45806). The reader is referred to the proposal for a detailed 
discussion of EPA's action. The comment period was originally October 
1, 2001 but was later extended to November 15, 2001 because of 
disruptions in communications related to the events of September 11, 
2001.

2. Public Comments

    No adverse comments were received in response to EPA's proposed 
action on this New York SIP revision.

3. New Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Section

    EPA is using this action as an opportunity to add a new section to 
40 CFR Part 52 entitled ``Control strategy: Carbon Monoxide'' to 
clearly identify the State's CO implementation plan and attainment 
status. This is an administrative change designed to display this 
action as well as previous CFR entries pertaining exclusively to CO in 
New York in a more clear and accessible format. Future CFR entries 
pertaining to CO in New York State will also be included in this 
section.
    This section will now include a summary of the September 29, 1993 
(58 FR 50851) EPA approval of a CO redesignation request and 
maintenance plan for Onondaga County. The details of this approval can 
be found in 40 CFR 52.1670(c)(86). In addition, today's rulemaking on 
the New York metropolitan area CO SIP will be incorporated into the new 
section. Any future actions pertaining specifically to the New York CO 
SIP will also be included here.

4. Conclusion

    EPA has evaluated New York's submittals for consistency with the 
CAA and Agency regulations and policy. EPA is approving New York's 1992 
CO attainment demonstration along with the required control measures 
because it demonstrates attainment of the CO standard and meets CAA 
requirements. EPA is approving New York's CO maintenance plan because 
it meets the requirements set forth in section 175A of the CAA. In 
addition, the Agency is approving the request for redesignating the New 
York portion of the New York--Northern New Jersey--Long Island CO 
nonattainment area to attainment, because New York State has 
demonstrated compliance with the requirements of section 107(d)(3)(E) 
for redesignation. Additionally, EPA is approving the update to the 
Downtown Brooklyn Master Plan dated March 22, 2000. Finally, EPA is 
establishing a new section of the CFR to present the New York CO SIP.

5. Administrative Requirements

    Under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993), this 
final action is not a ``significant regulatory action'' and therefore 
is not subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget. This 
final action merely approves state law as meeting federal requirements 
and imposes no additional requirements beyond those imposed by state 
law. Accordingly, the Administrator certifies that this final 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 proposes to approve pre-existing requirements under 
state law and does not impose any additional enforceable duty beyond 
that required by state law, 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 final 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 final 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 approves a state rule implementing a federal 
standard, and does not alter the relationship or the distribution of 
power and responsibilities established in the CAA. This final rule also 
is not subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997), 
because it is not economically significant.
    In reviewing SIP submissions, EPA's role is to approve state 
choices, provided that they meet the criteria of the CAA. In this 
context, in the absence of a prior existing requirement for the state 
to use voluntary consensus standards (VCS), EPA has no authority to 
disapprove a SIP submission for failure to use VCS. It would thus be 
inconsistent with applicable law for EPA, when it reviews a SIP 
submission, to use VCS in place of a SIP submission that otherwise 
satisfies the provisions of the CAA. 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 
final 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. 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). This rule will be 
effective May 20, 2002.
    Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA, petitions for judicial review 
of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for 
the appropriate circuit by June 18, 2002. 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 section 307(b)(2).)

List of Subjects

40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Carbon monoxide, 
Intergovernmental relations, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

40 CFR Part 81

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, National parks, 
Wilderness areas.


[[Page 19339]]


    Dated: April 2, 2002.
Jane M. Kenny,
Regional Administrator, Region 2.


    Chapter I, title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended 
as follows:

PART 52--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:

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

Subpart HH--New York

    2. Section 52.1682 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 52.1682  Control strategy: Carbon monoxide.

    (a) Approval--The November 13, 1992 revision to the carbon monoxide 
state implementation plan for Onondaga County. This revision included a 
maintenance plan which demonstrated continued attainment of the 
National Ambient Air Quality Standard for carbon monoxide through the 
year 2003.
    (b) Approval--The November 13, 1992 and March 21, 1994 revisions to 
the carbon monoxide state implementation plan for the New York portion 
of the New York--Northern New Jersey--Long Island Carbon Monoxide 
nonattainment area. This included an attainment demonstration and the 
control measures needed to attain the National Ambient Air Quality 
Standard for carbon monoxide. In addition, the September 21, 1990 
Downtown Brooklyn Master Plan and revision dated March 22, 2000 is a 
component of the carbon monoxide attainment plan. The November 23, 
1999, request to redesignate the New York portion of the New York--
Northern New Jersey--Long Island Carbon Monoxide nonattainment area 
from nonattainment to attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality 
Standard for carbon monoxide. As part of the redesignation request, the 
State submitted a maintenance plan which demonstrated continued 
attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for carbon 
monoxide through the year 2012.

PART 81--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for part 81 continues to read as follows:

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

Subpart C--Section 107 Attainment Status Designations

    2. In Sec. 81.333, the table for ``New York--Carbon monoxide'' is 
amended by revising the entry for ``New York--N. New Jersey--Long 
Island Area:'' to read as follows:


Sec. 81.333  New York.

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                                            New York--Carbon Monoxide
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                                                 Designation                           Classification
         Designated area          ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         Date\1\              Type               Date\1\              Type
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New York-N. New Jersey-Long        5/20/02...........  Attainment
 Island Area:
Bronx County.....................
Kings County.....................
Nassau County....................
New York County..................
Queens County....................
Richmond County..................
Westchester County...............
 
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\1\ This date is November 15, 1990, unless otherwise noted.

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[FR Doc. 02-9493 Filed 4-18-02; 8:45 am]
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