[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 116 (Tuesday, June 17, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35881-35882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-15256]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7514-2]


Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Program; 
Massachusetts; Notice of Ending of Delegation Agreement Between EPA and 
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Information notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that effective March 3, 2003, the 
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) ended its 
agreement with EPA to implement the Prevention of Significant 
Deterioration (PSD) program. Therefore, effective that date, EPA is the 
implementing authority for the PSD program in Massachusetts. This 
notice explains the consequences of this change for owners and 
operators of sources that have PSD permits or that will need such 
permits in the future.

DATES: Massachusetts' decision to end the agreement between the State 
and EPA that allowed DEP to implement the Federal PSD program became 
effective on March 3, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the documents relevant to Massachusetts PSD 
program delegation are available for public inspection during normal 
business hours, by appointment at the Office of Ecosystem Protection, 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region I, One Congress Street, 
11th floor, Boston, MA during normal business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brendan McCahill, EPA Region I, (617) 
918-1652, or send email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By letter dated February 27, 2003, the DEP 
has notified the Regional Administrator of EPA New England that the DEP 
will not accept authority for the implementation of the amended PSD 
program and is ending its June 30, 1982, agreement with EPA to assume 
responsibility for implementing the Federal PSD regulations (1982 
Agreement).
    On December 31, 2002, EPA published in the Federal Register 
revisions to the Federal PSD regulations (67 FR 80186). A final rule 
revising the Federal portions of implementation plans in 40 CFR part 52 
to include the revisions to the Federal PSD regulations was published 
in the Federal Register on March 10, 2003. Both of these actions were 
effective on March 3, 2003.
    The letter from the DEP explained that the DEP will no longer 
implement the Federal PSD program as of March 3, 2003. Consequently, as 
of March 3, 2003, sources of air pollution located in Massachusetts 
that are subject to the Federal PSD program must apply for and receive 
a PSD permit from EPA New England before beginning actual construction. 
Developers planning projects in Massachusetts that are expected to 
increase air pollution should refer to 40 CFR 52.21 or contact Brendan 
McCahill (see ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT'' above) at the EPA New 
England office for information regarding program applicability and 
permit application requirements.
    Please note that the DEP's air permitting requirements under 310 
CMR 7.02 are not affected by the state's decision to end the 1982 
Agreement. The DEP interprets its regulations as

[[Page 35882]]

requiring PSD project applicants to apply for a 310 CMR 7.02 Plan 
Approval. For the convenience of the project applicants and to reduce 
duplicative efforts, EPA New England will coordinate closely with the 
DEP on the application process and the development of permit 
requirements. When preparing PSD application submissions for EPA New 
England, we will work with applicants to develop the appropriate 
information that meets both the Federal PSD and State permitting 
requirements. For information regarding the application of the State 
permitting rules, please contact Donald Squires at 
[email protected] or refer to the DEP's Web site at http://www.state.ma.us/dep/bwp/daqc/aqforms.htm.
    The 1982 Agreement also gave the DEP lead responsibility for 
``preliminary enforcement'' of all PSD permits issued by EPA before 
1982 and for all future PSD permits issued by the DEP. Preliminary 
enforcement included activities such as inspection, compliance testing, 
information requirements and identification of violations. The DEP has 
identified the following facilities that are currently operating under 
a PSD permit issued by EPA or the DEP:

Stony Brook Energy Center (formally the Massachusetts Municipal 
Wholesale Electric Company);
Fall River Sewage Sludge Incinerator;
FlexCon Company;
Norton Company;
Natick Paperboard;
Covanta Haverhill (formally the Haverhill Resource Recovery 
Facility);
Wheelabrator North Andover (formally NESWC Resource Recovery 
Facility);
SEMASS Partnership (formally Rochester Resource Recovery Facility);
Berkshire Power LLC;
ANP Bellingham;
Bellingham Cogeneration;
ANP Blackstone;
Millennium Power Partners LP;
Mirant--Kendall LLC;
Cabot Power Corporation;
Exelon Mystic LLC (formally Sithe Mystic Development LLC);
General Electric;
SEMASS Partnership (formally SEMASS RRF);
Masspower Cogeneration;
Exelon Fore River Development;
Lowell Cogeneration;
Wheelabrator Milbury;
ECO Springfield LLC.

    With the DEP's decision to end the 1982 Agreement, the DEP no 
longer has preliminary enforcement authority for the PSD program. EPA 
will conduct these activities. Therefore, as of March 3, 2003, the 
facilities listed above must now submit to EPA all emission data 
reports used to show compliance with a PSD permit limit. These 
facilities may already be submitting some of this data to EPA pursuant 
to Federal 40 CFR part 60 New Source Performance Standards, 40 CFR part 
72 and 75 Acid Rain regulations or other Federal programs. Thus, for 
some pollutants, there would be no change in reporting.
    As noted previously, the ending of the 1982 Agreement has no impact 
on obligations under Massachusetts law in general and Plan Approvals 
under 310 CMR 7.02 in particular. Therefore, the change in reporting 
for purposes of the PSD program does not change any requirement to 
submit to the DEP any emission report used to show compliance with any 
applicable 310 CMR 7.02 Plan Approval.

    Dated: June 4, 2003.
Robert W. Varney,
Regional Administrator, EPA New England.
[FR Doc. 03-15256 Filed 6-16-03; 8:45 am]
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