[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 17, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 28215-28217]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9781]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[R03-OAR-2005-VA-0006; FRL-7913-5]


Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; 
Commonwealth of Virginia; Emission Standards for Solvent Cleaning 
Operations Using Non-Halogenated Solvents

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 
Commonwealth of Virginia State Implementation Plan (SIP). The revision 
consists of regulatory modifications intended to clarify the 
applicability of the solvent metal cleaning operations using non-
halogenated solvents provisions. EPA is approving these revisions in 
accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act.

DATES: This rule is effective on July 18, 2005, without further notice, 
unless EPA receives adverse written comment by June 16, 2005. If EPA 
receives such comments, it will publish a timely withdrawal of the 
direct final rule in the Federal Register and inform the public that 
the rule will not take effect.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Regional Material in 
EDocket (RME) ID Number R03-OAR-2005-VA-0006 by one of the following 
methods:
    A. Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
    B. Agency Web site: http://www.docket.epa.gov/rmepub/. RME, EPA's 
electronic public docket and comment system, is EPA's preferred method 
for receiving comments. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting 
comments.
    C. E-mail: [email protected].
    D. Mail: R03-OAR-2005-VA-0006, Dave Campbell, Chief, Air Quality 
Planning Branch, Mailcode 3AP21, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103.
    E. Hand Delivery: At the previously-listed EPA Region III address. 
Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of 
operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of 
boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to RME ID No. R03-OAR-2005-VA-
0006. 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://www.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 and the Federal regulations.gov Web sites are an 
``anonymous access'' system, 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://www.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 during normal business hours at the Air Protection 
Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch 
Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. Copies of the State submittal 
are available at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, 629 
East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Wentworth, (215) 814-2034, or by 
e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    On January 24, 2003 (68 FR 3410), EPA reclassified the Metropolitan 
Washington, DC ozone nonattainment area (DC area) from ``serious'' to 
``severe'' for the one-hour ozone standard. As a severe nonattainment 
area, the DC area, which comprises the states of Maryland, portions of 
Virginia and the District of Columbia, is now required to meet the 
requirements of section 182(d) of the CAA and attain the standard by 
November 15, 2005. As a result of the reclassification to severe 
nonattainment, the DC area must implement additional control measures 
and submit SIP revisions for post-1999 rate of progress (ROP) plans, 
revisions to contingency measures and revisions to the area's 
attainment demonstration.
    As a part of Virginia's strategy to meet its portion of the 
necessary emission reductions, the Commonwealth adopted new measures to 
control volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from four additional 
source categories, including a regulation to control emissions from 
solvent metal cleaning operations.

II. Summary of SIP Revision

    On February 23, 2004, the Commonwealth of Virginia submitted a 
formal revision to its SIP. The SIP revision consisted of four new 
regulations added to 9 VAC 5, Chapter 40, amendments to one existing 
article of 9 VAC 5 Chapter 20, and amendments to 9 VAC 5, Chapter 20 to 
incorporate by reference additional test methods and procedures. The 
revision also included amendments to section B of 9 VAC 5-40-3260 (Rule 
4-24) pertaining to emissions standards for solvent metal cleaning 
operations using non-halogenated solvents. This action addresses Rule 
4-24 only. The remaining portions of the submittal have been the 
subject of separate rulemaking actions.
    On June 9, 2004 (69 FR 32277), EPA published a direct final 
rulemaking action approving the Commonwealth's solvent metal cleaning 
operations regulation for the Northern Virginia portion of the 
Metropolitan DC ozone nonattainment area (Northern Virginia Area) into 
the SIP. This regulation was based on the Ozone Transport Commission's 
(OTC) model rule. The Virginia solvent metal cleaning regulation 
entitled, ``Emission Standards for Solvent Metal Cleaning Operations in 
the Northern Virginia VOC Emission Control Area'' (Rule 4-

[[Page 28216]]

47), applies to solvent metal cleaning operations in the Northern 
Virginia Area only.
    As a part of the February 23, 2004, submittal, the Commonwealth of 
Virginia amended the applicability provisions in section B of 9 VAC 5-
40-3260, ``Emission Standards for Solvent Metal Cleaning Operations 
Using Halogenated Solvents' (Rule 4-24), to clarify that this 
regulation does not apply to sources in the Northern Virginia Area. 
Sources located in the Northern Virginia Area are subject to the 
provisions found in ``Emission Standards for Solvent Metal Cleaning 
Operations in the Northern Virginia VOC Emission Control Area'' (Rule 
4-47).

III. General Information Pertaining to SIP Submittals From the 
Commonwealth of Virgina

    In 1995, Virginia adopted legislation that provides, subject to 
certain conditions, for an environmental assessment (audit) 
``privilege'' for voluntary compliance evaluations performed by a 
regulated entity. The legislation further addresses the relative burden 
of proof for parties either asserting the privilege or seeking 
disclosure of documents for which the privilege is claimed. Virginia's 
legislation also provides, subject to certain conditions, for a penalty 
waiver for violations of environmental laws when a regulated entity 
discovers such violations pursuant to a voluntary compliance evaluation 
and voluntarily discloses such violations to the Commonwealth and takes 
prompt and appropriate measures to remedy the violations. Virginia's 
Voluntary Environmental Assessment Privilege Law, Va. Code Sec. 10.1-
1198, provides a privilege that protects from disclosure documents and 
information about the content of those documents that are the product 
of a voluntary environmental assessment. The Privilege Law does not 
extend to documents or information: (1) That are generated or developed 
before the commencement of a voluntary environmental assessment; (2) 
that are prepared independently of the assessment process; (3) that 
demonstrate a clear, imminent and substantial danger to the public 
health or environment; or (4) that are required by law.
    On January 12, 1998, the Commonwealth of Virginia Office of the 
Attorney General provided a legal opinion that states that the 
Privilege law,Va. Code Sec. 10.1-1198, precludes granting a privilege 
to documents and information ``required by law,'' including documents 
and information ``required by Federal law to maintain program 
delegation, authorization or approval,'' since Virginia must ``enforce 
Federally authorized environmental programs in a manner that is no less 
stringent than their Federal counterparts. * * *'' The opinion 
concludes that ``[r]egarding Sec.  10.1-1198, therefore, documents or 
other information needed for civil or criminal enforcement under one of 
these programs could not be privileged because such documents and 
information are essential to pursuing enforcement in a manner required 
by Federal law to maintain program delegation, authorization or 
approval.''
    Virginia's Immunity law, Va. Code Sec. 10.1-1199, provides that 
``[t]o the extent consistent with requirements imposed by Federal 
law,'' any person making a voluntary disclosure of information to a 
state agency regarding a violation of an environmental statute, 
regulation, permit, or administrative order is granted immunity from 
administrative or civil penalty. The Attorney General's January 12, 
1998 opinion states that the quoted language renders this statute 
inapplicable to enforcement of any Federally authorized programs, since 
``no immunity could be afforded from administrative, civil, or criminal 
penalties because granting such immunity would not be consistent with 
Federal law, which is one of the criteria for immunity.''
    Therefore, EPA has determined that Virginia's Privilege and 
Immunity statutes will not preclude the Commonwealth from enforcing its 
program consistent with the Federal requirements. In any event, because 
EPA has also determined that a state audit privilege and immunity law 
can affect only state enforcement and cannot have any impact on Federal 
enforcement authorities, EPA may at any time invoke its authority under 
the Clean Air Act, including, for example, sections 113, 167, 205, 211 
or 213, to enforce the requirements or prohibitions of the state plan, 
independently of any state enforcement effort. In addition, citizen 
enforcement under section 304 of the Clean Air Act is likewise 
unaffected by this, or any, state audit privilege or immunity law.

IV. Final Action

    EPA is approving the Commonwealth of Virginia's amendment to the 
regulations pertaining to solvent metal cleaning operations using non-
halogenated solvents, submitted on February 23, 2004. EPA is publishing 
this rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a 
noncontroversial amendment and anticipates no adverse comment. However, 
in the ``Proposed Rules'' section of today's Federal Register, EPA is 
publishing a separate document that will serve as the proposal to 
approve the SIP revision if adverse comments are filed. This rule will 
be effective on July 18, 2005, without further notice unless EPA 
receives adverse comment by June 16, 2005. If EPA receives adverse 
comment, EPA will publish a timely withdrawal in the Federal Register 
informing the public that the rule will not take effect. EPA will 
address all public comments in a subsequent final rule based on the 
proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period on this 
action. Any parties interested in commenting must do so at this time.

V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

A. General Requirements

    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

[[Page 28217]]

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.).

B. Submission to Congress and the Comptroller General

    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. This rule is not a 
``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

C. Petitions for Judicial Review

    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 July 18, 2005. 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, regarding amendments to the Commonwealth 
of Virginia's solvent metal cleaning operations using non-halogenated 
solvents, 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, Ozone, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements, Volatile organic compounds.

    Dated: May 6, 2005.
Donald S. Welsh,
Regional Administrator, Region III.

0
40 CFR part 52 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 VV--Virginia

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2. In Sec.  52.2420, the table in paragraph (c) is amended by revising 
the entry for ``5-40-3260'' under Chapter 40, Part II, Article 24 to 
read as follows:


Sec.  52.2420  Identification of plan.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *

                                                     EPA-Approved Virginia Regulations and Statutes
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                                                                                                     State         EPA
         State citation (9 VAC 5)                              Title/subject                       effective     approval      Explanation [former SIP
                                                                                                      date         date               citation]
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                                                                      * * * * * * *
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                                                         Chapter 40 Existing Stationary Sources
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                                                                      * * * * * * *
        Part II Emission Standards
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                                                                      * * * * * * *
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                     Article 24 Emission Standards for Solvent Metal Cleaning Operations Using Non-Halogenated Solvents (Rule 4-24)
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5-40-3260................................  Applicability and Designation of Affected Facility...      3/24/04      5/17/05  ............................
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[FR Doc. 05-9781 Filed 5-16-05; 8:45 am]
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