[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 110 (Thursday, June 8, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33305-33306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8936]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Docket No. EPA-R02-OAR-2006-0342; FRL-8181-7]


Adequacy Status of the Submitted 2009 Early Progress Direct PM2.5 
and NOX Motor Vehicle Emission Budgets for Transportation Conformity 
Purposes for Northern New Jersey

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of adequacy.

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SUMMARY: In this notice, EPA is notifying the public that we have found 
that the motor vehicle emissions budgets (``budgets'') for direct 
PM2.5 and NOX in the submitted PM2.5 
early progress state implementation plan (SIP) for the New Jersey 
portion of the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT 
PM2.5 nonattainment area to be adequate for transportation 
conformity purposes. The transportation conformity rule requires that 
the EPA conduct a public process and make an affirmative decision on 
the adequacy of budgets before they can be used by metropolitan 
planning organizations (MPOs) in conformity determinations. As a result 
of our finding, the MPOs in northern New Jersey, the North Jersey 
Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) and the Delaware Valley 
Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), must use the new 2009 direct 
PM2.5 and NOX budgets from the early progress 
PM2.5 SIP for future conformity determinations.

DATES: This finding is effective June 23, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt Laurita, Air Programs Branch, 
Environmental Protection Agency--Region 2, 290 Broadway, 25th Floor, 
New York, New York 10007-1866, (212) 637-3895, [email protected].
    The finding and the response to comments will be available at EPA's 
conformity Web site: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/transconf/adequacy.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Today's notice is simply an announcement of a finding that we have 
already made. EPA Region 2 sent a letter to the New Jersey Department 
of Environmental Protection on May 31, 2006 stating that the 2009 
direct PM2.5 and NOX budgets in the submitted 
early progress SIP for Northern New Jersey (dated May 18, 2006) are 
adequate for conformity purposes. The purpose of New Jersey's May 18, 
2006 submittal was to establish budgets for the metropolitan planning 
organizations in northern New Jersey to use in making conformity 
determinations. EPA's adequacy finding will also be announced on EPA's 
conformity Web site: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/transconf/adequacy.htm.
    Transportation conformity (40 CFR part 93) is required by section 
176(c) of the Clean Air Act. EPA's conformity rule requires that 
transportation plans, programs, and projects conform to SIPs and 
establishes the criteria and procedures for determining whether or not 
they conform. Conformity to a SIP means that transportation activities 
will

[[Page 33306]]

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.
    We have described our process for determining the adequacy of 
submitted SIP budgets in 40 CFR 93.118(f). We have followed this rule 
in making our adequacy determination.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q.

    Dated: May 26, 2006.
Alan J. Steinberg,
Regional Administrator, Region 2.
[FR Doc. E6-8936 Filed 6-7-06; 8:45 am]
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