[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 167 (Tuesday, August 30, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51352-51353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17202]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[R01-OAR-2005-ME-0006; FRL-7962-5]


Adequacy Status of Submitted State Implementation Plans (SIP) for 
Transportation Conformity Purposes: 5 Percent Increment of Progress 
Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets for the Portland Maine 8-Hour Ozone 
Nonattainment Area

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of adequacy determination.

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SUMMARY: In this action, EPA is notifying the public that we have found 
the on-road motor vehicle emissions budgets contained in the Portland 
Maine marginal 8-hour ozone nonattainment area 5 Percent Increment of 
Progress SIP adequate for transportation conformity purposes. As a 
result of our finding, the motor vehicle emissions budgets from the 
submitted SIP revision must be used for future conformity 
determinations in the Portland Maine area.

DATES: These motor vehicle emissions budgets are effective September 
14, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The essential information in this 
notice will be available at EPA's conformity Web site: http://www.epa.gov/oms/transp/conform/adequacy.htm. You may also contact Mr. 
Donald O. Cooke, Air Quality Unit, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, EPA New England Regional Office, One Congress Street, Suite 
1100 (CAQ), Boston, MA 02114-2023, telephone number (617) 918-1668, fax 
number (617) 918-0668, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By letters dated June 9, 13 and 14, 2005, 
the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME DEP) submitted to 
EPA its State Implementation Plan Revision for Portland Maine's 15 
Percent Rate of Progress Plan; 5 Percent Increment of Progress Plan; 
Motor Vehicle Emissions Budget; and 2002 Base Year Emission Inventory. 
As the 1-hour ozone standard was revoked on June 15, 2005, and the 
Portland Maine 1-hour ozone nonattainment area covers a different 
geographic area than the Portland Maine 8-hour ozone nonattainment 
area, EPA has not taking action to determine the adequacy of the 1-hour 
motor vehicle emission budgets, nor is EPA approving the 1-hour budgets 
for conformity purposes. The 2007 volatile organic compounds (VOC) and 
nitrogen oxides (NOX) motor vehicle emissions budgets

[[Page 51353]]

associated with the Portland Maine 8-hour ozone 5 Percent Increment of 
Progress SIP are 20.115 tons per summer weekday of VOC and 39.893 tons 
per summer weekday of NOX. These 2007 budgets cover 
Sagadahoc County and portions of York, Cumberland, and Androscoggin 
Counties. On July 12, 2005, the availability of these budgets was 
posted on EPA's website for the purpose of soliciting public comments. 
The comment period closed on August 11, 2005, and EPA received no 
comments.
    Today's notice is simply an announcement of a finding that we have 
already made. EPA New England sent a letter to Maine Department of 
Environmental Protection on August 12, 2005, finding that the 2007 
MOBILE6.2 motor vehicle emissions budgets for the Portland Maine 8-hour 
ozone nonattainment area are adequate and must be used for 
transportation conformity determinations.
    Transportation conformity is required by section 176(c) of the 
Clean Air Act. EPA's conformity rule, 40 CFR part 93, requires that 
transportation plans, programs, and projects conform to state air 
quality implementation plans and establishes the criteria and 
procedures for determining whether or not they do. Conformity to a SIP 
means that transportation activities will not produce new air quality 
violations, worsen existing violations, or delay timely attainment of 
the national ambient air quality standards. The criteria by which we 
determine whether a SIP's motor vehicle emission budgets are adequate 
for conformity purposes are outlined in 40 CFR 93.118(e)(4). Please 
note that an adequacy review is separate from EPA's completeness 
review, and it also should not be used to prejudge EPA's ultimate 
approval of the SIP. Even if we find a budget adequate, the SIP could 
later be disapproved.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Intergovernmental 
relations, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Volatile organic compounds.

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

    Dated: August 20, 2005.
Robert W. Varney,
Regional Administrator, EPA New England.
[FR Doc. 05-17202 Filed 8-29-05; 8:45 am]
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