[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 173 (Friday, September 7, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51392-51394]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-17413]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 60

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2002-0071; FRL-8448-8]
RIN 2060-A009


Update of Continuous Instrumental Test Methods: Technical 
Amendments

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA is proposing ``Update of Continuous Instrumental Test 
Methods: Technical Amendments'' to correct errors in a recent final 
rule that amended five instrumental test methods and was published on 
May 15, 2006. As published, the amendments contained inadvertent errors 
and provisions that need to be clarified. We are correcting errors and 
clarifying portions of the amendments to reflect the intent of the rule 
and to make them more understandable by affected parties.
    In the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of this Federal Register, 
we are correcting errors and making clarifications as a direct final 
rule without a prior proposed rule. If we receive no adverse comment, 
we will not take further action on this proposed rule.

DATES: Written comments must be received by October 9, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2002-0071, by mail to Update of Continuous Instrumental Test 
Methods, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 2822T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, D.C. Please include a total of 2 
copies. Comments may also be submitted electronically or through hand 
delivery/courier by following the detailed instructions in the 
ADDRESSES section of the direct final rule located in the rules section 
of the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Foston Curtis, Air Quality and 
Analysis Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (D143-
02), Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North 
Carolina 27711; telephone number (919) 541-1063; fax number (919) 541-
0516; e-mail address [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Why Is EPA Issuing This Proposed Rule?

    This document proposes to take action on ``Update of Continuous 
Instrumental Test Methods: Technical Amendments.'' We have published a 
direct final rule to correct and clarify updates to test methods in the 
``Rules and Regulations'' section of this Federal Register because we 
view this as a noncontroversial action and anticipate no adverse 
comment. We have explained our reasons for this action in the preamble 
to the direct final rule.
    If we receive no adverse comment, we will not take further action 
on this proposed rule. If we receive adverse comment, we will withdraw 
the direct final rule and it will not take effect. We would address all 
public comments in any subsequent final rule based on this proposed 
rule.
    We do not intend to institute a second comment period on this 
action. Any parties interested in commenting must do so at this time. 
For further information, please see the information provided in the 
ADDRESSES section of this document.

II. Does This Action Apply to Me?

    This rule applies to sources that are subject to the New Source 
Performance Standards, Clean Air Markets requirements, and other 
regulations that require the use of Methods 3A, 6C, 7E, 10, and 20 of 
appendices A-1, A-4, and A-7 to 40 CFR part 60.
    Regulated Entities. Categories and entities potentially regulated 
include the following:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         SIC      NAICS
           Examples of regulated entities               codes     codes
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fossil Fuel Steam Generators........................      3569    332410
Industrial, Commercial, Institutional Steam               3569    332410
 Generating Units...................................
Electric Generating Units...........................      3569    332410
Stationary Gas Turbines.............................      3511    333611
Petroleum Refineries................................      2911    324110
Municipal Waste Combustors..........................      4953    562213
Kraft Pulp Mills....................................      2621    322110
Sulfuric Acid Plants................................      2819    325188
------------------------------------------------------------------------

III. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

A. Executive Order 12866: Regulatory Planning and Review

    This action is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under the 
terms of Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993) and is 
therefore not subject to review under the Executive Order.

B. Paperwork Reduction Act

    This action does not impose an information collection burden under 
the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. 
These amendments do not add information collection requirements beyond 
those currently required under the applicable regulation. The 
amendments being made to the test methods do not add information 
collection requirements but make needed corrections to existing testing 
methodology.
    Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources 
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or 
provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time 
needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize 
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and 
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and 
disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to 
comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements; 
train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; 
search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; 
and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for EPA's 
regulations in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) generally requires an agency 
to prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis of any rule subject to 
notice and comment rulemaking requirements under the Administrative 
Procedure Act or any other statute unless the agency certifies that the 
rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities. Small entities include small businesses, 
small organizations, and small governmental jurisdictions.
    For purposes of assessing the impacts of today's rule on small 
entities, small

[[Page 51393]]

entity is defined as: (1) A small business whose parent company has 
fewer than 100 or 1,000 employees, or fewer than 4 billion kilowatt-hr 
per year of electricity usage, depending on the size definition for the 
affected North American Industry Classification System code; (2) a 
small governmental jurisdiction that is a government of a city, county, 
town, school district or special district with a population of less 
than 50,000; and (3) a small organization that is any not-for-profit 
enterprise which is independently owned and operated and is not 
dominant in its field.
    After considering the economic impacts of today's proposed rule on 
small entities, I certify that this action will not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. This 
proposed rule will not impose any requirements on small entities 
because it does not impose any additional regulatory requirements.

D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

    Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA), Public 
Law 104-4, establishes requirements for Federal agencies to assess the 
effects of their regulatory actions on State, local and tribal 
governments and the private sector. Under section 202 of the UMRA, EPA 
generally must prepare a written statement, including a cost-benefit 
analysis, for proposed and final rules with ``Federal mandates'' that 
may result in expenditures to State, local, and tribal governments, in 
the aggregate, or to the private sector, of $100 million or more in any 
1 year. Before promulgating an EPA rule for which a written statement 
is needed, section 205 of the UMRA generally requires EPA to identify 
and consider a reasonable number of regulatory alternatives and adopt 
the least costly, most cost-effective or least burdensome alternative 
that achieves the objectives of the rule. The provisions of section 205 
do not apply when they are inconsistent with applicable law. Moreover, 
section 205 allows EPA to adopt an alternative other than the least 
costly, most cost-effective, or least burdensome alternative if the 
Administrator publishes with the final rule an explanation why that 
alternative was not adopted. Before EPA establishes any regulatory 
requirements that may significantly or uniquely affect small 
governments, including tribal governments, it must have developed, 
under section 203 of the UMRA a small government agency plan. The plan 
must provide for notifying potentially affected small governments, 
enabling officials of affected small governments to have meaningful and 
timely input in the development of EPA regulatory proposals with 
significant Federal intergovernmental mandates, and informing, 
educating, and advising small governments on compliance with the 
regulatory requirements.
    EPA has determined that this proposed rule does not contain a 
Federal mandate that may result in expenditures of $100 million or more 
for State, local, and tribal governments, in the aggregate, or the 
private sector in any 1 year, nor does this rule significantly or 
uniquely impact small governments, because it contains no requirements 
that apply to such governments or impose obligations upon them. Thus, 
today's rule is not subject to the requirements of sections 202 and 205 
of the UMRA.

E. Executive Order 13132: Federalism

    Executive Order 13132 entitled ``Federalism'' (64 FR 43255, August 
10, 1999) requires EPA to develop an accountable process to ensure 
``meaningful and timely input by State and local officials in the 
development of regulatory policies that have federalism implications.'' 
``Policies that have federalism implications'' is defined in the 
Executive Order to include regulations that 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.''
    This proposed rule does not have federalism implications. It will 
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. The amendments in this direct 
final will benefit State and Local governments by clarifying and 
correcting provisions they currently implement. No added 
responsibilities or increase in implementation efforts or costs for 
State and Local governments are being added in today's action. Thus, 
Executive Order 13132 does not apply to this rule.

F. Executive Order 13175: Consultation and Coordination With Indian 
Tribal Governments

    Executive Order 13175 entitled ``Consultation and Coordination with 
Indian Tribal Governments'' (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000) requires 
EPA to develop an accountable process to ensure ``meaningful and timely 
input by tribal officials in the development of regulatory policies 
that have tribal implications.''
    This proposed rule does not have tribal implications as specified 
in Executive Order 13175. It will not have substantial direct effects 
on tribal governments, 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 in Executive Order 13175. Thus, Executive Order 13175 does 
not apply to this rule.

G. Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From Environmental 
Health Risks and Safety Risks

    Executive Order 13045: ``Protection of Children from Environmental 
health Risks and Safety Risks'' (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997) applies 
to any rule that: (1) Is determined to be ``economically significant'' 
as defined under Executive Order 12866, and (2) concerns an 
environmental health or safety risk that EPA has reason to believe may 
have a disproportionate effect on children. If the regulatory action 
meets both criteria, the Agency must evaluate the environmental health 
or safety effects of the planned rule on children, and explain why the 
planned regulation is preferable to other potentially effective and 
reasonably feasible alternatives considered by the Agency.
    EPA interprets Executive Order 13045 as applying only to those 
regulatory actions that are based on health or safety risks, such that 
the analysis required under section 5-501 of the Order has the 
potential to influence the regulation. This rule is not subject to 
Executive Order 13045 because it does not establish an environmental 
standard intended to mitigate health or safety risks.

H. Executive Order 13211: Actions Concerning Regulations That 
Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use

    This rule is not subject to Executive Order 13211, ``Actions 
Concerning Regulations that Significantly Affect Energy Supply, 
Distribution, or Use'' (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001) because it is not a 
significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866.

I. National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act

    Section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement 
Act of 1995 (``NTTAA''), Public Law 104-113, 12(d) (15 U.S.C. 272 note) 
directs EPA to use voluntary consensus standards in its regulatory 
activities unless to do so would be inconsistent with applicable law or 
otherwise impractical. Voluntary consensus

[[Page 51394]]

standards are technical standards (e.g., materials specifications, test 
methods, sampling procedures, and business practices) that are 
developed or adopted by voluntary consensus standards bodies. The NTTAA 
directs EPA to provide Congress, through OMB, explanations when the 
Agency decides not to use available and applicable voluntary consensus 
standards.
    This action does not involve technical standards. Therefore, EPA 
did not consider the use of any voluntary consensus standards.

J. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions to Address Environmental 
Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations

    Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629 (Feb. 16, 1994)) establishes 
federal executive policy on environmental justice. Its main provision 
directs federal agencies, to the greatest extent practicable and 
permitted by law, to make environmental justice part of their mission 
by identifying and addressing, as appropriate, disproportionately high 
and adverse human health or environmental effects of their programs, 
policies, and activities on minority populations and low-income 
populations in the United States.
    EPA has determined that this proposed rule will not have 
disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental 
effects on minority or low-income populations because it does not 
affect the level of protection provided to human health or the 
environment. This direct final rule does not relax the control measures 
on sources regulated by the rule and therefore will not cause emissions 
increases from these sources.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 60

    Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedures, 
Air pollution control, Intergovernmental relations, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: July 26, 2007.
Stephen L. Johnson,
Administrator.
 [FR Doc. E7-17413 Filed 9-6-07; 8:45 am]
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