[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 133 (Thursday, July 12, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38051-38055]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13567]



[[Page 38051]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[EPA-R04-OAR-2007-0167-200720 FRL-8338-9]


Approval of Implementation Plans of Mississippi: Clean Air 
Interstate Rule

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to approve a revision to the Mississippi 
State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted on January 16, 2007. This 
revision addresses the requirements of EPA's Clean Air Interstate Rule 
(CAIR), promulgated on May 12, 2005, and subsequently revised on April 
28, 2006, and December 13, 2006. EPA is proposing to determine that the 
SIP revision fully implements the CAIR requirements for Mississippi. 
Therefore, as a consequence of the SIP approval, EPA will also withdraw 
the CAIR Federal Implementation Plans (CAIR FIPs) concerning sulfur 
dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NOX) annual, and 
NOX ozone season emissions for Mississippi. The CAIR FIPs 
for all States in the CAIR region were promulgated on April 28, 2006, 
and subsequently revised on December 13, 2006.
    CAIR requires states to reduce emissions of SO2 and 
NOX that significantly contribute to nonattainment of, and 
interfere with maintenance of, the national ambient air quality 
standards (NAAQS) for fine particulates and/or ozone in any downwind 
state. CAIR establishes State budgets for SO2 and 
NOX and requires states to submit SIP revisions that 
implement these budgets in states that EPA concluded did contribute to 
nonattainment in downwind states. States have the flexibility to choose 
which control measures to adopt to achieve the budgets, including 
participating in the EPA-administered cap-and-trade programs. In the 
SIP revision that EPA is proposing to approve, Mississippi would meet 
CAIR requirements by participating in the EPA-administered cap-and-
trade programs addressing SO2, NOX annual, and 
NOX ozone season emissions.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 13, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R04-
OAR-2007-0167, by one of the following methods:
    1. http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for 
submitting comments.
    2. E-mail: [email protected].
    3. Fax: 404-562-9019.
    4. Mail: EPA-R04-OAR-2007-0167 Regulatory Development Section, Air 
Planning Branch, Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management Division, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth Street, SW., 
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960.
    5. Hand Delivery or Courier: Heidi LeSane, Regulatory Development 
Section, Air Planning Branch, Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management 
Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth 
Street, SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960. Such deliveries are only 
accepted during the Regional Office's normal hours of operation. The 
Regional Office's official hours of business are Monday through Friday, 
8:30 to 4:30, excluding federal holidays.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-R04-OAR-
2007-0167. 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.regulations.gov, 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 through http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail, information that you consider to be CBI 
or otherwise protected. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site is 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 http://www.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 and any form of encryption and should be 
free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's 
public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.
    Docket: All documents in the electronic docket are listed in the 
http://www.regulations.gov index. 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 http://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Regulatory Development 
Section, Air Planning Branch, Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management 
Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 Forsyth 
Street, SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960. EPA requests that if at all 
possible, you contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section to schedule your inspection. The Regional Office's 
official hours of business are Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30, 
excluding federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions concerning 
today's proposal, please contact Heidi LeSane at the Regulatory 
Development Section, Air Planning Branch, Air, Pesticides and Toxics 
Management Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61 
Forsyth Street, SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960. The telephone number 
is 404-562-9074. Ms. LeSane can also be reached via electronic mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. What Action Is EPA Proposing to Take?
II. What Is the Regulatory History of CAIR and the CAIR FIPs?
III. What Are the General Requirements of CAIR and the CAIR FIPs?
IV. What Are the Types of CAIR SIP Submittals?
V. Analysis of Mississippi's CAIR SIP Submittal
    A. State Budgets for Allowance Allocations
    B. CAIR Cap-and-Trade Programs
    C. Applicability Provisions for non-EGU NOX SIP Call 
Sources
    D. NOX Allowance Allocations
    E. Allocation of NOX Allowances From Compliance 
Supplement Pool
    F. Individual Opt-in Units
VI. Proposed Actions
VII. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

I. What Action Is EPA Proposing To Take?

    EPA is proposing to approve a revision to Mississippi's SIP, 
submitted on January 16, 2007. In its SIP revision, Mississippi would 
meet CAIR requirements by requiring certain electric generating units 
(EGUs) to participate in the EPA-administered

[[Page 38052]]

State CAIR cap-and-trade programs addressing SO2, 
NOX annual, and NOX ozone season emissions. EPA 
is proposing to determine that the SIP, as revised, will meet the 
applicable requirements of CAIR. Any final action approving the SIP 
will be taken by the Regional Administrator for Region 4. As a 
consequence of the SIP approval, the Administrator of EPA will also 
issue a final rule to withdraw the FIPs concerning SO2, 
NOX annual, and NOX ozone season emissions for 
Mississippi. This action will delete and reserve 40 CFR 52.1284 and 40 
CFR 52.1285. The withdrawal of the CAIR FIPs for Mississippi is a 
conforming amendment that must be made once the SIP is approved because 
EPA's authority to issue the FIPs was premised on a deficiency in the 
SIP for Mississippi. Once the SIP is fully approved, EPA no longer has 
authority for the FIPs. Thus, EPA will not have the option of 
maintaining the FIPs following the full SIP approval. Accordingly, EPA 
does not intend to offer an opportunity for a public hearing or an 
additional opportunity for written public comment on the withdrawal of 
the FIPs.

II. What Is the Regulatory History of CAIR and the CAIR FIPs?

    CAIR was published by EPA on May 12, 2005 (70 FR 25162). In this 
rule, EPA determined that 28 States and the District of Columbia 
contribute significantly to nonattainment and interfere with 
maintenance of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for 
fine particles (PM2.5) and/or 8-hour ozone in downwind 
States in the eastern part of the country. As a result, EPA required 
those upwind States to revise their SIPs to include control measures 
that reduce emissions of SO2, which is a precursor to 
PM2.5 formation, and/or NOX, which is a precursor 
to both ozone and PM2.5 formation. For jurisdictions that 
contribute significantly to downwind PM2.5 nonattainment, 
CAIR sets annual State-wide emission reduction requirements (i.e., 
budgets) for SO2 and annual State-wide emission reduction 
requirements for NOX. Similarly, for jurisdictions that 
contribute significantly to 8-hour ozone nonattainment, CAIR sets 
State-wide emission reduction requirements for NOX for the 
ozone season (May 1st to September 30th). Under CAIR, States may 
implement these reduction requirements by participating in the EPA-
administered cap-and-trade programs or by adopting any other control 
measures.
    CAIR explains to subject States what must be included in SIPs to 
address the requirements of section 110(a)(2)(D) of the Clean Air Act 
(CAA) with regard to interstate transport with respect to the 8-hour 
ozone and PM2.5 NAAQS. EPA made national findings, effective 
on May 25, 2005, that the states had failed to submit SIPs meeting the 
requirements of section 110(a)(2)(D). The SIPs were due in July 2000, 3 
years after the promulgation of the 8-hour ozone and PM2.5 
NAAQS. These findings started a 2-year clock for EPA to promulgate a 
FIP to address the requirements of section 110(a)(2)(D). Under CAA 
section 110(c)(1), EPA may issue a FIP anytime after such findings are 
made and must do so within two years, unless a SIP revision correcting 
the deficiency is approved by EPA before the FIP is promulgated.
    On April 28, 2006, EPA promulgated FIPs for all states covered by 
CAIR in order to ensure the emissions reductions required by CAIR are 
achieved on schedule. Each CAIR State is subject to the FIPs until the 
State fully adopts, and EPA approves, a SIP revision meeting the 
requirements of CAIR. The CAIR FIPs require EGUs to participate in the 
EPA-administered CAIR SO2, NOX annual, and 
NOX ozone season trading programs, as appropriate. The CAIR 
FIP SO2, NOX annual, and NOX ozone 
season trading programs impose essentially the same requirements as, 
and are integrated with, the respective CAIR SIP trading programs. The 
integration of the FIP and SIP trading programs means that these 
trading programs will work together to create effectively a single 
trading program for each regulated pollutant (SO2, 
NOX annual, and NOX ozone season) in all states 
covered by the CAIR FIP or SIP trading program for that pollutant. The 
CAIR FIPs also allow states to submit abbreviated SIP revisions that, 
if approved by EPA, will automatically replace or supplement certain 
CAIR FIP provisions (e.g., the methodology for allocating 
NOX allowances to sources in the State), while the CAIR FIP 
remains in place for all other provisions.
    On April 28, 2006, EPA published two additional CAIR-related final 
rules that added the States of Delaware and New Jersey to the list of 
states subject to CAIR for PM2.5 and announced EPA's final 
decisions on reconsideration of five issues, without making any 
substantive changes to the CAIR requirements.

III. What Are the General Requirements of CAIR and the CAIR FIPs?

    CAIR establishes State-wide emission budgets for SO2 and 
NOX and is to be implemented in two phases. The first phase 
of NOX reductions starts in 2009 and continues through 2014, 
while the first phase of SO2 reductions starts in 2010 and 
continues through 2014. The second phase of reductions for both 
NOX and SO2 starts in 2015 and continues 
thereafter. CAIR requires states to implement the budgets by either: 
(1) Requiring EGUs to participate in the EPA-administered cap-and-trade 
programs; or (2) adopting other control measures of the State's 
choosing and demonstrating that such control measures will result in 
compliance with the applicable State SO2 and NOX 
budgets.
    The May 12, 2005, and April 28, 2006, CAIR rules provide model 
rules that states must adopt (with certain limited changes, if desired) 
if they want to participate in the EPA-administered trading programs.
    With two exceptions, only states that choose to meet the 
requirements of CAIR through methods that exclusively regulate EGUs are 
allowed to participate in the EPA-administered trading programs. One 
exception is for states that adopt the opt-in provisions of the model 
rules to allow non-EGUs individually to opt into the EPA-administered 
trading programs. The other exception is for states that include all 
non-EGUs from their NOX SIP Call trading programs in their 
CAIR NOX ozone season trading programs.

IV. What Are the Types of CAIR SIP Submittals?

    States have the flexibility to choose the type of control measures 
they will use to meet the requirements of CAIR. EPA anticipates that 
most states will choose to meet the CAIR requirements by selecting an 
option that requires EGUs to participate in the EPA-administered CAIR 
cap-and-trade programs. For such States, EPA has provided two 
approaches for submitting and obtaining approval for CAIR SIP 
revisions. States may submit full SIP revisions that adopt the model 
CAIR cap-and-trade rules. If approved, these SIP revisions will fully 
replace the CAIR FIPs. Alternatively, states may submit abbreviated SIP 
revisions. These SIP revisions will not replace the CAIR FIPs; however, 
the CAIR FIPs provide that, when approved, the provisions in these 
abbreviated SIP revisions will be used instead of or in conjunction 
with, as appropriate, the corresponding provisions of the CAIR FIPs 
(e.g., the NOX allowance allocation methodology).
    A State submitting a full SIP revision may either adopt regulations 
that are substantively identical to the model rules, or incorporate by 
reference the model rules. CAIR provides that states

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may only make limited changes to the model rules if the states want to 
participate in the EPA-administered trading programs. A full SIP 
revision may change the model rules only by altering their 
applicability and allowance allocation provisions to:
    1. Include NOX SIP Call trading sources that are not 
EGUs under CAIR in the CAIR NOX ozone season trading 
program;
    2. Provide for State allocation of NOX annual or ozone 
season allowances using a methodology chosen by the State;
    3. Provide for State allocation of NOX annual allowances 
from the compliance supplement pool (CSP) using the State's choice of 
allowed, alternative methodologies; or
    4. Allow units that are not otherwise CAIR units to opt 
individually into the CAIR SO2, NOX annual, or 
NOX ozone season trading programs under the opt-in 
provisions in the model rules.
    An approved CAIR full SIP revision addressing EGUs' SO2, 
NOX annual, or NOX ozone season emissions will 
replace the CAIR FIP for that State for the respective EGU emissions.

V. Analysis of Mississippi CAIR SIP Submittal

A. State Budgets for Allowance Allocations

    The CAIR NOX annual and ozone season budgets were 
developed from historical heat input data for EGUs. Using these data, 
EPA calculated annual and ozone season regional heat input values, 
which were multiplied by 0.15 pounds per million British thermal units 
(lb/mmBtu), for phase 1, and 0.125 lb/mmBtu, for phase 2, to obtain 
regional NOX budgets for 2009-2014 and for 2015 and 
thereafter, respectively. EPA derived the State NOX annual 
and ozone season budgets from the regional budgets using State heat 
input data adjusted by fuel factors.
    The CAIR State SO2 budgets were derived by discounting 
the tonnage of emissions authorized by annual allowance allocations 
under the Acid Rain Program under title IV of the CAA. Under CAIR, each 
allowance allocated in the Acid Rain Program for the years in phase 1 
of CAIR (2010 through 2014) authorizes 0.5 ton of SO2 
emissions in the CAIR trading program, and each Acid Rain Program 
allowance allocated for the years in phase 2 of CAIR (2015 and 
thereafter) authorizes 0.35 ton of SO2 emissions in the CAIR 
trading program.
    In this action, EPA is proposing approval of Mississippi's SIP 
revision that adopts the budgets established for the State in CAIR, 
i.e., 17,807 (2009-2014) and 14,839 (2015-thereafter) tons for 
NOX annual emissions, 8,714 (2009-2014) and 7,262 (2015-
thereafter) tons for NOX ozone season emissions and 33,763 
(2010-2014) and 23,634 (2015-thereafter) tons for SO2 
emissions. Mississippi's SIP revision sets these budgets as the total 
amount of allowances available for allocation for each year under the 
EPA-administered cap-and-trade program.

B. CAIR Cap-and-Trade Programs

    The CAIR NOX annual and ozone-season model trading rules 
both largely mirror the structure of the NOX SIP Call model 
trading rule in 40 CFR part 96, subparts A through I. While the 
provisions of the NOX annual and ozone-season model rules 
are similar, there are some differences. For example, the 
NOX annual model rule (but not the NOX ozone 
season model rule) provides for a CSP, which is discussed below and 
under which allowances may be awarded for early reductions of 
NOX annual emissions. As a further example, the 
NOX ozone season model rule reflects the fact that the CAIR 
NOX ozone season trading program replaces the NOX 
SIP Call trading program after the 2008 ozone season and is coordinated 
with the NOX SIP Call program. The NOX ozone 
season model rule provides incentives for early emissions reductions by 
allowing banked, pre-2009 NOX SIP Call allowances to be used 
for compliance in the CAIR NOX ozone-season trading program. 
In addition, states have the option of continuing to meet their 
NOX SIP Call requirement by participating in the CAIR 
NOX ozone season trading program and including all their 
NOX SIP Call trading sources in that program.
    The provisions of the CAIR SO2 model rule are also 
similar to the provisions of the NOX annual and ozone season 
model rules. However, the SO2 model rule is coordinated with 
the ongoing Acid Rain SO2 cap-and-trade program under CAA 
title IV. The SO2 model rule uses the title IV allowances 
for compliance, with each allowance allocated for 2010-2014 authorizing 
only 0.50 ton of emissions and each allowance allocated for 2015 and 
thereafter authorizing only 0.35 ton of emissions. Banked title IV 
allowances allocated for years before 2010 can be used at any time in 
the CAIR SO2 cap-and-trade program, with each such allowance 
authorizing 1 ton of emissions. Title IV allowances are to be freely 
transferable among sources covered by the Acid Rain Program and sources 
covered by the CAIR SO2 cap-and-trade program.
    EPA also used the CAIR model trading rules as the basis for the 
trading programs in the CAIR FIPs. The CAIR FIP trading rules are 
virtually identical to the CAIR model trading rules, with changes made 
to account for federal rather than state implementation. The CAIR model 
SO2, NOX annual, and NOX ozone season 
trading rules and the respective CAIR FIP trading rules are designed to 
work together as integrated SO2, NOX annual, and 
NOX ozone season trading programs.
    In the SIP revision, Mississippi chooses to implement its CAIR 
budgets by requiring EGUs to participate in EPA-administered cap-and-
trade programs for SO2, NOX annual, and 
NOX ozone season emissions. Mississippi has adopted a full 
SIP revision that adopts, with certain allowed changes discussed below, 
the CAIR model cap-and-trade rules for SO2, NOX 
annual, and NOX ozone season emissions.

C. Applicability Provisions for Non-EGU NOX SIP Call Sources

    In general, the CAIR model trading rules apply to any stationary, 
fossil-fuel-fired boiler or stationary, fossil-fuel-fired combustion 
turbine serving at any time, since the later of November 15, 1990, or 
the start-up of the unit's combustion chamber, a generator with 
nameplate capacity of more than 25 MWe producing electricity for sale.
    States have the option of bringing in, for the CAIR NOX 
ozone season program only, those units in the State's NOX 
SIP Call trading program that are not EGUs as defined under CAIR. EPA 
advises states exercising this option to add the applicability 
provisions in the State's NOX SIP Call trading rule for non-
EGUs to the applicability provisions in 40 CFR 96.304 in order to 
include in the CAIR NOX ozone season trading program all 
units required to be in the State's NOX SIP Call trading 
program that are not already included under 40 CFR 96.304. Under this 
option, the CAIR NOX ozone season program must cover all 
large industrial boilers and combustion turbines, as well as any small 
EGUs (i.e. units serving a generator with a nameplate capacity of 25 
MWe or less) that the State currently requires to be in the 
NOX SIP Call trading program.
    Because Mississippi was not included in the NOX SIP Call 
trading program, Mississippi did not have the option of expanding the 
applicability provisions of the CAIR NOX ozone season 
trading program.

D. NOX Allowance Allocations

    Under the NOX allowance allocation methodology in the 
CAIR model trading rules and in the CAIR FIP, NOX annual,

[[Page 38054]]

and ozone season allowances are allocated to units that have operated 
for five years, based on heat input data from a three-year period that 
are adjusted for fuel type by using fuel factors of 1.0 for coal, 0.6 
for oil, and 0.4 for other fuels. The CAIR model trading rules and the 
CAIR FIP also provide a new unit set-aside from which units without 
five years of operation are allocated allowances based on the units' 
prior year emissions.
    States may establish in their SIP submissions a different 
NOX allowance allocation methodology that will be used to 
allocate allowances to sources in the states, if certain requirements 
are met concerning the timing of submission of units' allocations to 
the Administrator for recordation and the total amount of allowances 
allocated for each control period. In adopting alternative 
NOX allowance allocation methodologies, states have 
flexibility with regard to:
    1. The cost to recipients of the allowances, which may be 
distributed for free or auctioned;
    2. The frequency of allocations;
    3. The basis for allocating allowances, which may be distributed, 
for example, based on historical heat input or electric and thermal 
output; and
    4. The use of allowance set-asides and, if used, their size.
    Mississippi has not chosen to replace the provisions of the CAIR 
NOX annual model trading rule concerning the allocation of 
NOX annual allowances with its own methodology.
    Mississippi has not chosen to replace the provisions of the CAIR 
NOX ozone season model trading rule concerning allowance 
allocations with its own methodology.

E. Allocation of NOX Allowances from Compliance Supplement Pool

    The CAIR establishes a CSP to provide an incentive for early 
reductions in NOX annual emissions. The CSP consists of 
200,000 CAIR NOX annual allowances of vintage 2009 for the 
entire CAIR region, and a State's share of the CSP is based upon the 
projected magnitude of the emission reductions required by CAIR in that 
State. States may distribute CSP allowances, one allowance for each ton 
of early reduction, to sources that make NOX reductions 
during 2007 or 2008 beyond what is required by any applicable State or 
Federal emission limitation. States also may distribute CSP allowances 
based upon a demonstration of need for an extension of the 2009 
deadline for implementing emission controls.
    The CAIR annual NOX model trading rule establishes 
specific methodologies for allocations of CSP allowances. States may 
choose an allowed, alternative CSP allocation methodology to be used to 
allocate CSP allowances to sources in the States.
    Mississippi has not chosen to modify the provisions of the CAIR 
NOX annual model trading rule concerning the allocation of 
allowances from the CSP. Mississippi has chosen to distribute CSP 
allowances using the allocation methodology provided in 40 CFR 96.143 
and has adopted this section by reference.

F. Individual Opt-In Units

    The opt-in provisions of the CAIR SIP model trading rules allow 
certain non-EGUs (i.e., boilers, combustion turbines, and other 
stationary fossil-fuel-fired devices) that do not meet the 
applicability criteria for a CAIR trading program to participate 
voluntarily in (i.e., opt into) the CAIR trading program. A non-EGU may 
opt into one or more of the CAIR trading programs. In order to qualify 
to opt into a CAIR trading program, a unit must vent all emissions 
through a stack and be able to meet monitoring, recordkeeping, and 
recording requirements of 40 CFR part 75. The owners and operators 
seeking to opt a unit into a CAIR trading program must apply for a CAIR 
opt-in permit. If the unit is issued a CAIR opt-in permit, the unit 
becomes a CAIR unit, is allocated allowances, and must meet the same 
allowance-holding and emissions monitoring and reporting requirements 
as other units subject to the CAIR trading program. The opt-in 
provisions provide for two methodologies for allocating allowances for 
opt-in units, one methodology that applies to opt-in units in general 
and a second methodology that allocates allowances only to opt-in units 
that the owners and operators intend to repower before January 1, 2015.
    States have several options concerning the opt-in provisions. 
States may adopt the CAIR opt-in provisions entirely or may adopt them 
but exclude one of the methodologies for allocating allowances. States 
may also decline to adopt the opt-in provisions at all.
    Mississippi has chosen to allow non-EGUs meeting certain 
requirements to opt into the CAIR trading programs by adopting by 
reference EPA's model rule provisions for opt-in units in the CAIR 
SO2, CAIR NOX annual, and CAIR NOX 
ozone season trading programs.

VI. Proposed Actions

    EPA is proposing to approve Mississippi's full CAIR SIP revision 
submitted on January 16, 2007. Under this SIP revision, Mississippi is 
choosing to participate in the EPA-administered cap-and-trade programs 
for SO2, NOX annual, and NOX ozone 
season emissions. The SIP revision meets the applicable requirements in 
40 CFR 51.123(o) and (aa), with regard to NOX annual and 
NOX ozone season emissions, and 40 CFR 51.124(o), with 
regard to SO2 emissions. EPA is proposing to determine that 
the SIP, as revised, will meet the requirements of CAIR. As a 
consequence of the SIP approval, the Administrator of EPA will also 
issue, without providing an opportunity for a public hearing or an 
additional opportunity for written public comment, a final rule to 
withdraw the CAIR FIPs concerning SO2, NOX 
annual, and NOX ozone season emissions for Mississippi. This 
action will delete and reserve 40 CFR 52.1284 and 40 CFR 52.1285.

VII. 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 proposes to approve State law as meeting Federal requirements 
and would impose no additional requirements beyond those imposed by 
State law. Accordingly, the Administrator certifies that this proposed 
rule would 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 action proposes to approve pre-existing 
requirements under State law and would not impose any additional 
enforceable duty beyond that required by State law, it does not contain 
any unfunded mandate or significantly or uniquely affected small 
governments, as described in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 
(Pub. L. 104-4).
    This proposal also does not have tribal implications because it 
would 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 proposed action also 
does not have Federalism implications because it

[[Page 38055]]

would 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 will result, as a consequence of 
that approval, in the Administrator's withdrawal of the CAIR FIP. It 
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 would approve a State rule implementing a Federal 
Standard.
    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 would 
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, Intergovernmental 
relations, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Particulate matter, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur dioxide.

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

    Dated: July 3, 2007.
J.I. Palmer Jr.,
Regional Administrator, Region 4.
 [FR Doc. E7-13567 Filed 7-11-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P