[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 61 (Thursday, March 31, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16472-16474]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6370]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[R07-OAR-2005-MO-0003; FRL-7894-2]


Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; State of 
Missouri

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to approve an amendment to the statewide 
NOX rule for the state of Missouri. This document summarizes 
the changes to the rule. This rule is a critical element in the state's 
plan to maintain the 1-hour ozone standard in the St. Louis maintenance 
area and will help reduce ozone concentrations in the area in the 
future. This action is necessary to begin the process of incorporating 
the amended rule into Missouri's ozone SIP.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 2, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Regional Material in 
EDocket (RME) ID Number R07-OAR-2005-MO-0003, by one of the following 
methods:
    1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
    2. Agency Web site: http://docket.epa.gov/rmepub/. RME, EPA's 
electronic public docket and comment system, is EPA's preferred method 
for receiving comments. Once in the system, select ``quick search,'' 
then key in the appropriate RME Docket identification number. Follow 
the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
    3. E-mail: [email protected].
    4. Mail: Michael Jay, Environmental Protection Agency, Air Planning 
and Development Branch, 901 North 5th Street, Kansas City, Kansas 
66101.
    5. Hand Delivery or Courier. Deliver your comments to Michael Jay, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Air Planning and Development Branch, 
901 North 5th Street, Kansas City, Kansas 66101.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to RME ID Number R07-OAR-2005-
MO-0003. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in 
the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
http://docket.epa.gov/rmepub, including any personal information 
provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be 
Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you 
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through RME, regulations.gov, 
or e-mail. The EPA RME Web site and the Federal regulations.gov Web 
site are ``anonymous access'' systems, which means EPA will not know 
your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body 
of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without 
going through RME or regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be 
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is 
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you 
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name 
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any 
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to 
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA 
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid 
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of 
any defects or viruses.
    Docket. All documents in the electronic docket are listed in the 
RME index at http://docket.epa.gov/rmepub/. Although listed in the 
index, some information is not publicly available, i.e., CBI or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other 
material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet 
and will be publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly 
available docket materials are available either electronically in RME 
or in hard copy at the Environmental Protection Agency, Air Planning 
and Development Branch, 901 North 5th Street, Kansas City, Kansas. EPA 
requests that you contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section to schedule your inspection. The interested 
persons wanting to examine these documents should make an appointment 
with the office at least 24 hours in advance.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Jay at (913) 551-7460 or by e-
mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document whenever ``we,'' 
``us,'' or ``our'' is used, we mean EPA. This section provides 
additional information by addressing the following questions:

What Is a SIP?
What Is the Federal Approval Process for a SIP?
What Does Federal Approval of a State Regualtion Mean to Me?
What Is Being Addressed in This Document?
How Does the Statewide NOX Rule Relate to the 
NOX SIP Call?
What Changes Has Missouri Made to the Statewide Rule and What Are 
EPA's Analyses of Them?
Have the Requirements for Approval of a SIP Revision Been Met?
What Action Is EPA Taking?

What Is a SIP?

    Section 110 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires states to develop 
air pollution regulations and control strategies to ensure that state 
air quality meets the national ambient air quality standards 
established by EPA. These ambient standards are established under

[[Page 16473]]

section 109 of the CAA, and they currently address six criteria 
pollutants. These pollutants are: Carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, 
ozone, lead, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide.
    Each state must submit these regulations and control strategies to 
us for approval and incorporation into the Federally-enforceable SIP.
    Each Federally-approved SIP protects air quality primarily by 
addressing air pollution at its point of origin. These SIPs can be 
extensive, containing state regulations or other enforceable documents 
and supporting information such as emission inventories, monitoring 
networks, and modeling demonstrations.

What Is the Federal Approval Process for a SIP?

    In order for state regulations to be incorporated into the 
Federally-enforceable SIP, states must formally adopt the regulations 
and control strategies consistent with state and Federal requirements. 
This process generally includes a public notice, public hearing, public 
comment period, and a formal adoption by a state-authorized rulemaking 
body.
    Once a state rule, regulation, or control strategy is adopted, the 
state submits it to us for inclusion into the SIP. We must provide 
public notice and seek additional public comment regarding the proposed 
Federal action on the state submission. If adverse comments are 
received, they must be addressed prior to any final Federal action by 
us.
    All state regulations and supporting information approved by EPA 
under section 110 of the CAA are incorporated into the Federally-
approved SIP. Records of such SIP actions are maintained in the Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) at title 40, part 52, entitled ``Approval and 
Promulgation of Implementation Plans.'' The actual state regulations 
which are approved are not reproduced in their entirety in the CFR 
outright but are ``incorporated by reference,'' which means that we 
have approved a given state regulation with a specific effective date.

What Does Federal Approval of a State Regulation Mean to Me?

    Enforcement of the state regulation before and after it is 
incorporated into the Federally-approved SIP is primarily a state 
responsibility. However, after the regulation is Federally approved, we 
are authorized to take enforcement action against violators. Citizens 
are also offered legal recourse to address violations as described in 
section 304 of the CAA.

What Is Being Addressed in This Document?

    We are proposing to approve the Missouri Department of Natural 
Resources' (MDNR) request to include, as a revision to Missouri's ozone 
SIP, an amendment to rule 10 CSR 10-6.350, ``Emissions Limitations and 
Emissions Trading of Oxides of Nitrogen'' (known hereafter as 
``statewide NOX rule'') which was incorporated into the SIP 
on December 28, 2000 (65 FR 82285). The amended rule was adopted by the 
Missouri Air Conservation Commission on April 24, 2003. The rule became 
effective under state law on June 23, 2003. The rule was submitted to 
EPA on September 18, 2003, and included the comments on the rule during 
the state's adoption process, and the state's response to comments, and 
other information necessary to meet EPA's completeness criteria. For 
additional information on the completeness criteria, the reader should 
refer to 40 CFR part 51, appendix V.

How Does the Statewide NOX Rule Relate to the NOX 
SIP Call?

    As stated previously, the statewide NOX rule is designed 
to achieve emissions reductions to improve air quality in the St. Louis 
area. Missouri is also subject to a requirement to achieve certain 
NOX reductions to eliminate its significant contribution to 
ozone nonattainment problems in other areas relating to NOX 
emissions transported from Missouri to other states. (See, 69 FR 21604, 
April 21, 2004.) Missouri is in the process of developing separate 
rules to meet this additional requirement.

What Changes Has Missouri Made to the Statewide Rule and What Are EPA's 
Analyses of Them?

    The amended rule modifies the existing compliance date in the 
original rule. The original statewide NOX rule (65 FR 82285) 
had a compliance date of May 1, 2003, whereas the revised rule has a 
compliance date of May 1, 2004. Due to the uncertainty related to the 
inclusion of Missouri in Phase II of the NOX SIP Call, which 
was not resolved until April 2004, EPA believes that the delayed 
compliance date is appropriate to assist affected utilities in planning 
to meet their NOX reduction obligations. The deferral also 
did not impact Missouri's ability to maintain the 1-hour ozone standard 
in St. Louis.
    The amended rule also modifies the emissions limitations 
established in the original rule. The original state rule limited 
electrical generation units (EGUs) in the eastern one-third of Missouri 
to an emission rate of 0.25 pounds of NOX per million 
British thermal units per hour (lbs. NOX/mmBtu) of heat 
input during the control period and EGUs in the western two-thirds to a 
rate of 0.35 lbs. NOX/mmBtu. The amended rule established a 
more restrictive emission limitation of 0.18 lbs. NOX/mmBtu 
for affected sources in the city of St. Louis and additional counties 
of Franklin, Jefferson and St. Louis, which are areas that are part of 
the St. Louis current 1-hour maintenance and 8-hour nonattainment area. 
The remainder of the eastern one-third of Missouri is still subject to 
the 0.25 lbs. NOX/mmBtu. The limit for the western two-
thirds of Missouri remains the same as in the original rule at 0.35 
lbs. NOX/mmBtu, with the exception that in the amended rule 
affected facilities with cyclone boilers that burn tire-derived fuel 
are allowed an emissions rate of 0.68 lbs. NOX/mmBtu. The 
MDNR has submitted documentation that supports the conclusion that the 
revised emissions limitations will achieve a greater overall emissions 
reduction when compared to the original rule (see Technical Support 
Document (TSD) prepared for this rule). Moreover, the additional 
emissions reductions in the eastern one-third of Missouri will likely 
provide for lower 1-hour and 8-hour ozone concentrations in the St. 
Louis area as these emissions are more proximate to the metropolitan 
area when compared to the more distant western two-thirds of Missouri.
    The amended rule also modifies the dates for generation and use of 
early reduction credits (ERCs). In the original rule, affected units 
that had reduced emissions rates in the years 2000, 2001, and 2002 
would be able to generate ERCs. The amended rule added the year 2003 
for generating ERCs. Accordingly, the retirement date for all ERCs has 
been extended from January 31, 2005, to January 31, 2006, in the 
amended rule. Therefore, all ERCs are restricted for use in the control 
periods of 2004 and 2005 in the amended rule. The modifications to the 
generation and use of ERCs were made to be consistent with the 
compliance date extension from May 1, 2003, to May 1, 2004. Due to the 
revised emissions rates for the aforementioned counties in the eastern 
one-third of Missouri, the MDNR submitted documentation that 2003 ERCs 
earned between 0.25 lbs. NOX/mmBtu and the required limit of 
0.18 lbs. NOX/mmBtu were permanently retired (see TSD). This 
action eliminated ERCs that were not surplus.

[[Page 16474]]

Have the Requirements for Approval of a SIP Revision Been Met?

    The state submittal has met the public notice requirements for SIP 
submissions in accordance with 40 CFR 51.102. The submittal also 
satisfied the completeness criteria of 40 CFR part 51, appendix V. In 
addition, as explained above and in more detail in the TSD which is 
part of this rule, the revision meets the substantive SIP requirements 
of the CAA, including section 110 and implementing regulations.

What Action Is EPA Taking?

    We are proposing to approve as an amendment to the Missouri SIP 
amended rule 10 CSR 10-6.350, ``Emissions Limitations and Emissions 
Trading of Oxides of Nitrogen,'' submitted to us on September 18, 2003. 
We are soliciting comments on this proposed action. Final rulemaking 
will occur after consideration of any comments.

Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

    Under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993), this 
proposed 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 
proposed action merely proposes to approve state law as meeting Federal 
requirements and imposes no additional requirements beyond those 
imposed by state law. Accordingly, the Administrator certifies that 
this proposed 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 proposes to approve 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 (Pub. L. 104-4).
    This proposed 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 proposes to approve 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 
proposed 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 proposed 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.).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

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

    Dated: March 21, 2005.
James B. Gulliford,
Regional Administrator, Region 7.
[FR Doc. 05-6370 Filed 3-30-05; 8:45 am]
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