[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 19, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69740-69741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29338]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[WA-01-003; FRL-7410-3]


Adequacy Status of the State Implementation Plan Revision for 
Carbon Monoxide in the Spokane Serious Nonattainment Area, Spokane, WA

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of adequacy determination.

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SUMMARY: In this notice, EPA is notifying the public that we have found 
the motor vehicle emissions budget submitted in the State 
Implementation Plan Revision for Carbon Monoxide in the Spokane Serious 
Nonattainment Area, Spokane, Washington adequate for conformity 
purposes. On March 2, 1999, the D.C. Circuit Court ruled that submitted 
SIPs cannot be used for conformity determinations until EPA has 
affirmatively found them adequate. As a result of our finding, the 
Spokane Regional Transportation Council, Washington Department of 
Transportation, and the U.S. Department of Transportation are required 
to use the motor vehicle emissions budget in this submitted attainment 
plan for future transportation conformity determinations.

DATES: This finding is effective December 4, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The finding will be available at EPA's 
conformity Web site: http://www.epa.gov/oms/traq, (once there, click on 
the ``Conformity'' button, then look for ``Adequacy Review of SIP 
Submissions for Conformity''). You may also contact Wayne Elson, U.S. 
EPA, Region 10 (OAQ-107), 1200 Sixth Ave, Seattle WA 98101; (206) 553-
1463 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Today's notice is simply an announcement of 
a finding that we have already made. EPA Region 10 sent a letter to the 
Washington Department of Ecology on November 1, 2002, stating that the 
motor vehicle emissions budget in the State Implementation Plan 
Revision for Carbon Monoxide in the Spokane Serious Nonattainment Area, 
Spokane, Washington is adequate.
    Transportation conformity is required by section 176(c) of the 
Clean Air Act. EPA's conformity rule requires that transportation 
plans, programs, and projects conform to state air quality 
implementation plans (SIPs) and establishes the criteria and procedures 
for determining whether or not they do. Conformity to a SIP means that 
transportation activities will not produce new air quality violations, 
worsen existing violations, or delay timely attainment of the national 
ambient air quality standards.
    The criteria by which we determine whether a SIP's motor vehicle 
emission budget is adequate for conformity purposes are outlined in 40 
CFR 93.118(e)(4). Please note that an adequacy review is separate from 
EPA's completeness review.
    We have described our process for determining the adequacy of 
submitted SIP budgets in guidance (May 14, 1999 memo titled 
``Conformity Guidance on Implementation of March 2, 1999 Conformity 
Court Decision''). We followed this guidance in making our adequacy 
determination.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q.


[[Page 69741]]


    Dated: November 4, 2002.
Michael F. Gearheard,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 10.
[FR Doc. 02-29338 Filed 11-18-02; 8:45 am]
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