[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 171 (Thursday, September 4, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52510-52512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22445]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[CA 287-0410a; FRL-7548-3]


Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, Kern 
County Air Pollution Control District and San Joaquin Valley Unified 
Air Pollution Control District

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Direct final rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the 
Kern County Air Pollution Control District (KCAPCD) and San Joaquin 
Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD) portions of 
the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). The KCAPCD revisions 
concern the emission of particulate matter (PM-10) from agricultural 
burning and prescribed burning. The SJVUAPCD revision concerns the 
emission of nitrogen oxides (NOX) from lime kilns. We are approving 
local rules that regulate these emission sources under the Clean Air 
Act as amended in 1990 (CAA or the Act).

DATES: This rule is effective on November 3, 2003 without further 
notice, unless EPA receives adverse comments by October 6, 2003. If we 
receive such comments, we will publish a timely withdrawal in the 
Federal Register to notify the public that this rule will not take 
effect.

ADDRESSES: Mail or e-mail comments to Andy Steckel, Rulemaking Office 
Chief (AIR-4), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX, 75 
Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105; [email protected].
    You can inspect copies of the submitted rule revisions and EPA's 
technical support documents (TSDs) at our Region IX office during 
normal business hours. You may also see copies of the submitted rule 
revisions and TSDs 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.
    Kern County Air Pollution Control District, 2700 ``M'' Street, 
Suite 302, Bakersfield, CA 93301.
    San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District, 1990 
East Gettysburg Street, Fresno, CA 93726.
    A copy of the rule may also be available via the Internet at http://www.arb.ca.gov/drdb/drdbltxt.htm. Please be advised that this is not 
an EPA website and may not contain the same version of the rule that 
was submitted to EPA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Al Petersen, Rulemaking Office (AIR-
4), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX; (415) 947-4118.

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

Table of Contents

I. The State's Submittal
    A. What rules did the State submit?
    B. Are there other versions of these rules?
    C. What is the purpose of the submitted rule or rule revisions?
II. EPA's Evaluation and Action
    A. How is EPA evaluating the rules?
    B. Do the rules meet the evaluation criteria?
    C. Public comment and final action
III. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

I. The State's Submittal

A. What Rules Did the State Submit?

    Table 1 lists the rules we are approving with the date that they 
were adopted by the local air agencies and submitted by the California 
Air Resources Board (CARB).

                                            Table 1.--Submitted Rules
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Local agency                Rule No.           Rule title           Adopted or amended    Submitted
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KCAPCD................................         417  Agricultural and            03/13/03 Amended....    06/05/03
                                                     Prescribed Burning.
SJVUAPCD..............................        4313  Lime Kilns................  03/27/03 Adopted....    06/05/03
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On July 1, 2003, this submittal was found to meet the completeness 
criteria in 40 CFR part 51, appendix V, which must be met before formal 
EPA review.

B. Are There Other Versions of These Rules?

    We approved KCAPCD Rule 417 into the SIP on August 19, 1999 (64 FR 
45170), originally adopted on April 18, 1972. SJVUAPCD Rule 4313 is a 
new rule.

C. What Is the Purpose of the Submitted Rule or Rule Revisions?

    NOX helps produce ground-level ozone, smog and 
particulate matter, which harm human health and the environment. 
Section 110(a) of the CAA requires states to submit regulations that 
control NOX and particulate matter emissions.
    The purpose of the revisions to KCAPCD Rule 417 is to make the 
following changes:
    [sbull] Added are 19 new definitions.
    [sbull] Added is the concept of a marginal-burn day, where limited 
burning would be allowed when conditions are close to those of a 
permissive-burn day.
    [sbull] Added is 48-hour forecast, in addition to the present 72-
hour outlook.
    [sbull] Added are the Smoke Management Guidelines promulgated under 
title 17, California Code of Regulations (CCR) (September 18, 2001). 
These guidelines require that smoke management plans be prepared for 
prescribed burning of greater than 10 acres, with additional plan 
requirements at the 100-acre and 250-acre thresholds.
    [sbull] Meteorological criteria for permissive-burn days in the 
Mohave Desert Air Basin are incorporated by reference from title 17, 
CCR, section 80311 (September 18, 2001).
    [sbull] Deleted is the exemption to do Range Improvement Burning on 
a no-burn day if over 50% is brush-treated.
    The purpose of new SJVUAPCD Rule 4313 is to regulate NOX 
emissions from lime kilns.

II. EPA's Evaluation and Action

A. How Is EPA Evaluating the Rules?

    Generally, SIP rules must be enforceable (see section 110(a) of the 
CAA) and must not relax existing requirements (see sections 110(l) and 
193).
    Section 189(a) of the CAA requires moderate nonattainment areas 
with significant PM-10 sources to adopt reasonably available control 
measures (RACM), including reasonably available

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control technology (RACT). KCAPCD is a PM-10 maintenance attainment 
area that was previously PM-10 moderate nonattainment. The PM-10 
Attainment Demonstration Maintenance Plan and Redesignation Request, 
KCAPCD (September 5, 2003) does not rely on Rule 417 for attainment, 
therefore fulfilling RACM/RACT is not required.
    Major NOX sources in severe ozone nonattainment areas 
are required to adopt Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) 
(see sections 182(a)(2)(A) and 182(f)). SJVUAPCD is a severe ozone 
nonattainment area and must fulfill the requirements of RACT.
    The following guidance documents were used for reference:
    [sbull] Requirements for Preparation, Adoption, and Submittal of 
Implementation Plans, U.S. EPA, 40 CFR part 51.
    [sbull] General Preamble Appendix C3--Prescribed Burning Control 
Measures (57 FR 18072, April 28, 1992).
    [sbull] Prescribed Burning Background Document and Technical 
Information Document for Best Available Control Measures (EPA-450/2-92-
003).
    [sbull] General Preamble for the Implementation of Title I of the 
Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, 57 FR 13498, 13540 (April 16, 1992).
    [sbull] PM-10 Attainment Demonstration Maintenance Plan and 
Redesignation Request, KCAPCD (September 5, 2003).
    [sbull] Issues Relating to VOC Regulation Cutpoints, Deficiencies, 
and Deviations, U.S. EPA (May 25, 1988) (the Bluebook).
    [sbull] State Implementation Plans; Nitrogen Oxides Supplement to 
the General Preamble for the Implementation of Title I of the Clean Air 
Act Amendments of 1990 (the ``NOX Supplement to the General 
Preamble''), U.S. EPA, 57 FR 55620 (November 25, 1992).
    [sbull] Guidance Document for Correcting Common VOC & Other Rule 
Deficiencies, U.S. EPA Region IX (August 21, 2001) (the Little 
Bluebook).

B. Do the Rules Meet the Evaluation Criteria?

    We believe the rules are consistent with the relevant policy and 
guidance regarding enforceability, SIP relaxations, and fulfilling 
RACM/RACT or RACT requirements.
    The TSDs have more information on our evaluation.

C. Public Comment and Final Action

    As authorized in section 110(k)(3) of the CAA, EPA is fully 
approving the submitted rules because we believe they fulfill all 
relevant requirements. We do not think anyone will object to this, so 
we are finalizing the approval without proposing it in advance. 
However, in the Proposed Rules section of this Federal Register, we are 
simultaneously proposing approval of the same submitted rules. If we 
receive adverse comments by October 6, 2003, we will publish a timely 
withdrawal in the Federal Register to notify the public that the direct 
final approval will not take effect and we will address the comments in 
a subsequent final action based on the proposal. If we do not receive 
timely adverse comments, the direct final approval will be effective 
without further notice on November 3, 2003. This will incorporate these 
rules into the federally-enforceable SIP.
    Please note that if EPA receives adverse comment on an amendment, 
paragraph, or section of this direct final rule and if that provision 
may be severed from the remainder of the rule, EPA may adopt as final 
those provisions of the rule that are not the subject of an adverse 
comment.

III. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

    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. For this 
reason, this action is also not subject to Executive Order 13211, 
``Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy 
Supply, Distribution, or Use'' (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001). This 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 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 approves 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).
    This rule also does not have tribal implications because it will 
not have a substantial direct effect on one or more Indian tribes, on 
the relationship between the Federal Government and Indian tribes, or 
on the distribution of power and responsibilities between the Federal 
Government and Indian tribes, as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 
FR 67249, November 9, 2000). This action also does not have Federalism 
implications because it does 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). This action 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 Clean 
Air Act. This rule also is not subject to Executive Order 13045 
``Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety 
Risks'' (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 Clean Air Act. 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 Clean Air Act. 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. 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. A major rule cannot 
take effect until 60 days after it is published in the Federal 
Register. This action is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C 
804(2).
    Under section 307(b)(1) of the Clean Air Act, petitions for 
judicial review of this action must be filed in the United States Court 
of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by November 3, 2003. Filing a 
petition for reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule 
does not affect the finality

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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 in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by 
reference, Intergovernmental relations, Nitrogen oxides, Ozone, 
Particulate matter, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Volatile 
organic compounds.

    Dated: August 7, 2003.
Debbie Jordan,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region IX.

0
Part 52, chapter I, title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations is 
amended as follows:

PART 52--[AMENDED]

0
1. The authority citation for Part 52 continues to read as follows:

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

Subpart F--California

0
2. Section 52.220 is amended by adding paragraph (c)(316) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  52.220  Identification of plan.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (316) New and amended regulations for the following APCDs were 
submitted on June 5, 2003, by the Governor's designee.
    (i) Incorporation by reference.
    (A) Kern County Air Pollution Control District.
    (1) Rule 417, originally adopted on April 18, 1972, amended on 
March 13, 2003.
    (B) San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District.
    (1) Rule 4313, adopted on March 27, 2003.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 03-22445 Filed 9-3-03; 8:45 am]
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