[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 78 (Thursday, April 22, 2004)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 21713-21715]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-9038]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[CA 218-0433a; FRL-7640-7]


Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, Kern 
County 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) portion of the 
California State Implementation Plan (SIP). The KCAPCD revisions 
concern stack sampling, standards for granting applications, and the 
emission of particulate matter (PM-10) from agricultural burning and 
prescribed burning. We are approving local rules that administer 
regulations and regulate emission sources under the Clean Air Act as 
amended (CAA or the Act).

DATES: This rule is effective on June 21, 2004 without further notice, 
unless EPA receives adverse comments by May 24, 2004. 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, or e-mail to 
[email protected], or submit comments at http://www.regulations.gov.
    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.
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 Web site 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, 
[email protected].

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 rule revisions?
II. EPA's Evaluation and Action
    A. How is EPA evaluating the rules?
    B. Do the rules meet the evaluation criteria?
    C. EPA recommendation to further improve the rules
    D. 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              Amended        Submitted
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KCAPCD.............................             108  Stack Sampling.............        07/24/03        11/04/03
KCAPCD.............................             208  Standards for Granting             09/17/98        10/27/98
                                                      Applications.
KCAPCD.............................             417  Agricultural and Prescribed        07/24/03       11/04/03.
                                                      Burning.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On December 23, 2003, the submittal of Rules 108 and 417 was found 
to meet the completeness criteria in 40 CFR part 51, appendix V, which 
must be met before formal EPA review. On December

[[Page 21714]]

18, 1998, the submittal of Rule 208 was found to meet the completeness 
criteria.

B. Are There Other Versions of These Rules?

    We approved KCAPCD Rule 108 into the SIP on August 10, 2001 (68 FR 
52510), originally adopted on April 18, 1972. We approved KCAPCD Rule 
208 into the SIP on September 22, 1972 (37 FR 19812), originally 
adopted on April 18, 1972. We approved KCAPCD Rule 417 into the SIP on 
September 4, 2003 (68 FR 52510), originally adopted on April 18, 1972.

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

    PM-10 harms human health and the environment. Section 110(a) of the 
CAA requires states to submit regulations that control PM-10 emissions.
    The purpose of the revisions to KCAPCD Rule 108 is to make the 
following change:
     Deleted is the obsolete section on rule 
effective date and compliance date.

    The purpose of the revisions to KCAPCD Rule 208 is to make the 
following changes:
     Added is the requirement for the equipment to 
comply with Federal regulations.
     Added is the requirement to specify conditions, 
if required for compliance.
     Added is the requirement to submit a California 
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Indemnity Agreement, if required by 
the Control Officer.

    The purpose of the revisions to KCAPCD Rule 108 is to make the 
following changes:
     Deleted is the exemption to allow open burning 
on no-burn days for agricultural operations in the growing of crops or 
raising of fowl or animals at altitudes above 3,000 feet.
     Deleted is the exemption to allow open burning 
on no-burn days at elevations over 6,000 feet.

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). This applies to administrative Rules 108 and 208.
    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 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, 2002) does not rely on Rule 417 for attainment, therefore 
fulfilling RACM/RACT is not required.
    The following guidance documents were used for reference:
     Requirements for Preparation, Adoption, and 
Submittal of Implementation Plans, U.S. EPA, 40 CFR part 51.
     General Preamble Appendix C3--Prescribed Burning 
Control Measures (57 FR 18072, April 28, 1992).
     Prescribed Burning Background Document and 
Technical Information Document for Best Available Control Measures 
(EPA-450/2-92-003).
     General Preamble for the Implementation of Title 
I of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, 57 FR 13498, 13540 (April 
16, 1992).
     PM-10 Attainment Demonstration Maintenance Plan 
and Redesignation Request, KCAPCD (September 5, 2002).

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.
    The TSDs have more information on our evaluation.

C. EPA Recommendation to Further Improve the Rules

    The TSD describes an additional revision for KCAPCD Rule 108 that 
does not affect EPA's current action but is recommended for the next 
time the local agency modifies the rules.

D. 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 May 24, 2004, 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 June 21, 2004. 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.

[[Page 21715]]

    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 June 21, 2004. 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 in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by 
reference, Intergovernmental relations, Particulate matter, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements.

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

    Dated: March 8, 2004.
Laura Yoshii,
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 paragraphs (c)(260)(i)(C) and 
(321)(i)(B) to read as follows:


Sec.  52.220  Identification of plan.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (260) * * *
    (i) * * *
    (C) Kern County Air Pollution Control District.
    (1) Rule 208, originally adopted on April 18, 1972, amended on 
September 17, 1998.
* * * * *
    (321) * * *
    (i) * * *
    (B) Kern County Air Pollution Control District.
    (1) Rules 108 and 417, originally adopted on April 18, 1972, 
amended on July 24, 2003.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 04-9038 Filed 4-21-04; 8:45 am]
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