[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 26 (Monday, February 9, 2004)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 5944-5945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2814]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 51, 72, 75, and 96

[FRL-7619-9]


Public Hearings for Rule To Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine 
Particulate Matter and Ozone (Interstate Air Quality Rule) and Proposed 
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants; and, in the 
Alternative, Proposed Standards of Performance for New and Existing 
Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Steam Generating Units

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rules; announcement of public hearings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In a Federal Register document published on February 2, 2004, 
EPA announced the dates and cities for three public hearings to be held 
jointly for two related proposals. Today's document provides the 
remaining details for the hearings, including the facility locations 
and daily schedules.
    The public hearings are for the proposed ``Rule to Reduce 
Interstate Transport of Fine Particulate Matter and Ozone (Interstate 
Air Quality Rule)'' and the ``Proposed National Emission Standards for 
Hazardous Air Pollutants; and, in the Alternative, Proposed Standards 
of Performance for New and Existing Stationary Sources: Electric 
Utility Steam Generating Units,'' which is also known as the proposed 
Utility Mercury Reductions Rule. These proposals were published in the 
Federal Register on January 30, 2004.

DATES: The three 2-day public hearings will be held concurrently on 
February 25 and 26, 2004. Please refer to SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 
additional information on the public hearings.

ADDRESSES: The hearings will be held at the following locations:
    1. Hilton Chicago, 720 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 
60605, phone 312-726-7500;
    2. Wyndham Philadelphia at Franklin Plaza, 17th and Race Streets, 
Philadelphia, PA 19103, phone 215-448-2000;
    3. Holiday Inn Raleigh-Durham Airport, 4810 Old Page Road, Research 
Triangle Park, NC, 919-941-6000.
    Written comments on these proposed rules may also be submitted to 
EPA electronically, by mail, by facsimile, or through hand delivery/
courier. Please refer to the proposals for the addresses and detailed 
instructions.
    Documents relevant to this action are available for public 
inspection at the EPA Docket Center, located at 1301 Constitution 
Avenue, NW., Room B102, Washington, DC between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. A reasonable fee may 
be charged for copying. Documents are also available through EPA's 
electronic Docket system at http://www.epa.gov/edocket.
    The EPA Web sites for the rulemakings, which include the proposals 
and information about the public hearings, are at http://www.epa.gov/interstateairquality and http://www.epa.gov/mercury.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you would like to speak at the 
public hearings or have questions concerning the public hearings, 
please contact JoAnn Allman at the address given below under 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Questions concerning the Interstate Air 
Quality Rule should be addressed to Scott Mathias, U.S. EPA, Office of 
Air Quality Planning and Standards, Air Quality Strategies and 
Standards Division (C539-01), Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, 
telephone number (919) 541-5310, e-mail at [email protected]. 
Questions concerning the Utility Mercury Reductions Rule should be 
addressed to William Maxwell, U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning 
and Standards, Emission Standards Division, Combustion Group (C439-01), 
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, telephone number (919) 541-5430, e-
mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Proposed Rules

    The EPA's proposed Interstate Air Quality Rule would reduce 
emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxides in 29 eastern States 
and the District of Columbia that are significantly contributing to 
fine particulate matter and 8-hour ozone nonattainment problems in 
downwind States. Each State would be required to adopt control measures 
to meet specific statewide emission reduction requirements. The EPA 
believes that the most cost-effective way for States to achieve the 
required reductions would be to regulate utilities under a cap and 
trade program similar to EPA's highly successful Acid Rain Program. The 
proposed Utility Mercury Reductions Rule provides options that would 
reduce mercury emissions and would set a mandatory, declining cap on 
the total mercury emissions allowed from utilities nationwide. The 
proposal also would reduce nickel emissions from utilities. The EPA is 
coordinating these rulemakings to allow the emissions reductions to be 
achieved in the most cost-effective manner by sources affected by both 
actions.

Public Hearings

    The proposals for which EPA is holding the public hearings were 
published in the Federal Register on January 30, 2004 (69 FR 4566 for 
the Interstate Air Quality Rule and 69 FR 4652 for the Utility Mercury 
Reductions Rule) and are available on the Web sites listed under 
ADDRESSES. The public hearings will provide interested parties the 
opportunity to present data, views, or arguments concerning the 
proposed rules. The EPA may ask clarifying questions during the oral 
presentations, but will not respond to the presentations at that time. 
Written statements and supporting information submitted during the 
comment period will be considered with the same weight as any oral 
comments and supporting information presented at the public hearings. 
Written comments must be postmarked by the last day of the comment 
period, as specified in the proposals.
    The three 2-day public hearings will be held concurrently in 
Chicago, Illinois; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Research Triangle 
Park, North Carolina. Each hearing will last two days and is scheduled 
for February 25 and 26, 2004. Persons wishing to present oral testimony 
for one or both proposals may speak on either day. The meeting 
facilities and their phone numbers are provided above under ADDRESSES.

[[Page 5945]]

    If you would like to present oral testimony at the hearings, please 
notify JoAnn Allman, U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning and 
Standards, Air Quality Strategies and Standards Division, C539-02, 
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, telephone (919) 541-1815, e-mail 
[email protected] no later than February 20, 2004. She will provide 
you with a specific time and date to speak.
    The public hearings will begin each day at 8 a.m. and continue into 
the evening until 9 p.m., or later if necessary, depending on the 
number of speakers. On the evening of the second day, February 26, EPA 
will accommodate all speakers that arrive and register by 8 p.m. or 
that have arranged in advance to speak at a later time. The EPA is 
scheduling lunch breaks from 12:30 until 2 p.m. and dinner breaks from 
6 to 7:30 p.m. each day.
    Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes for each commenter to 
address either or both proposals. We will not be providing equipment 
for commenters to show overhead slides or make computerized slide 
presentations unless we receive special requests in advance. Commenters 
should notify JoAnn Allman if they will need specific equipment. The 
EPA encourages commenters to provide written versions of their oral 
testimonies either electronically on computer disk or CD ROM or in 
paper copy.
    The hearing schedules, including lists of speakers, will be posted 
on EPA's Web pages for the proposals at http://www.epa.gov/interstateairquality and http://www.epa.gov/mercury prior to the 
hearing. Verbatim transcripts of the hearings and written statements 
will be included in the rulemaking dockets.

How Can I Get Copies of This Document and Other Related Information?

    The EPA has established the official public docket for the 
Interstate Air Quality Rule under Docket ID No. OAR-2003-0053. The EPA 
has established the official public docket for the Utility Mercury 
Reductions Rule under Docket ID No. OAR-2002-0056. The EPA has also 
developed Web sites for the proposals at the addresses given above. 
Please refer to the proposals, which were published in the Federal 
Register on January 30, 2004, for detailed information on accessing 
information related to the proposals.

    Dated: February 4, 2004.
Anna B. Duncan,
Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 04-2814 Filed 2-9-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U