[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 16, 2007)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58572-58577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-20342]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 81
[EPA-R04-OAR-2007-0958-200744; FRL-8482-6]
Determination of Nonattainment and Reclassification of the
Atlanta, GA, 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to find that the Atlanta, Georgia marginal 8-
hour nonattainment ozone area has failed to attain the 8-hour ozone
national ambient air quality standard (``NAAQS'' or ``standard'') by
June 15, 2007, the attainment deadline set forth in the Clean Air Act
(CAA) and Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) for marginal nonattainment
areas. If EPA finalizes this finding, the Atlanta, Georgia area will
then be reclassified, by operation of law, as a moderate 8-hour ozone
nonattainment area. The moderate area attainment date for the Atlanta,
Georgia area would then be ``as expeditiously as practicable,'' but no
later than June 15, 2010. Once reclassified, Georgia must submit a
State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision that meets the 8-hour ozone
nonattainment requirements for moderate areas, as required by the CAA.
In this action, EPA is also proposing the schedule for Georgia's
submittal of the SIP revision required for moderate areas once the area
is reclassified.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 15, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R04-
OAR-2007-0958, 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-2007-0958, 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: Stacy Harder, 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-
2007-0958. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included
in the public docket without change and may be made available online at
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 www.regulations.gov or e-
mail, information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected.
The 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 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, any form of
encryption, and be free of any defects or
[[Page 58573]]
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
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 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 or the Air Planning Branch, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. EPA requests that if at all possible,
you contact the persons 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: Stacy Harder, Air Planning Branch,
Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management Division, U.S. EPA Region 4, 61
Forsyth Street, SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960. Phone: (404) 562-
9029. E-mail: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. What Is the Background for This Proposed Action?
A. What Are the National Ambient Air Quality Standards?
B. What Is the Standard for 8-Hour Ozone?
C. What Is a SIP and How Does It Relate to the NAAQS for 8-Hour
Ozone?
D. What Is the Atlanta, Georgia Nonattainment Area, and What Is
Its Current 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Classification?
E. What Are the CAA Provisions Regarding Determinations of
Nonattainment and Reclassifications?
II. What Is EPA's Evaluation of the Atlanta Area's 8-Hour Ozone
Data?
III. What Action Is EPA Proposing?
A. Determination of Nonattainment, Reclassification of Atlanta
Nonattainment Area and New Attainment Date
B. Proposed Date for Submitting a Revised SIP for the Atlanta
Area
IV. Proposed Action
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. What Is the Background for this Proposed Action?
A. What Are the National Ambient Air Quality Standards?
The CAA requires EPA to establish a NAAQS for pollutants that ``may
reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health and welfare'' and
to develop a primary and secondary standard for each NAAQS. The primary
standard is designed to protect human health with an adequate margin of
safety and the secondary standard is designed to protect public welfare
and the environment. EPA has set NAAQS for six common air pollutants
referred to as criteria pollutants: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen
dioxide, ozone, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide. These standards
present state and local governments with the air quality levels they
must meet to comply with the CAA. Also, these standards allow the
American people to assess whether or not the air quality in their
communities is healthful.
B. What Is the Standard for 8-Hour Ozone?
On July 18, 1997, EPA promulgated a revised 8-hour ozone standard
of 0.08 parts per million (ppm). This new standard is more stringent
than the previous 1-hour ozone standard. Under EPA regulations at 40
CFR part 50, the 8-hour ozone standard is attained when the 3-year
average of the annual fourth highest daily maximum 8-hour average
ambient air quality ozone concentration is less than or equal to 0.08
ppm (i.e., 0.084 ppm when rounding is considered). (See, 69 FR 23857
(April 30, 2004) for further information.) Ambient air quality
monitoring data for the 3-year period must meet a data completeness
requirement. The ambient air quality monitoring data completeness
requirement is met when the average percent of days with valid ambient
monitoring data is greater than 90 percent, and no single year has less
than 75 percent data completeness as determined in Appendix I of part
50. Specifically, section 2.3 of 40 CFR part 50, Appendix I,
``Comparisons with the Primary and Secondary Ozone Standards'' states:
``The primary and secondary ozone ambient air quality standards are
met at an ambient air quality monitoring site when the 3-year average
of the annual fourth-highest daily maximum 8-hour average ozone
concentration is less than or equal to 0.08 ppm. The number of
significant figures in the level of the standard dictates the rounding
convention for comparing the computed 3-year average annual fourth-
highest daily maximum 8-hour average ozone concentration with the level
of the standard. The third decimal place of the computed value is
rounded, with values equal to or greater than 5 rounding up. Thus, a
computed 3-year average ozone concentration of 0.085 ppm is the
smallest value that is greater than 0.08 ppm.''
C. What Is a SIP and How Does It Relate to the NAAQS for 8-Hour Ozone?
Section 110 of the CAA requires states to develop air pollution
regulations and control strategies to ensure that state air quality
meets the NAAQS established by EPA. Each state must submit these
regulations and control strategies to EPA for approval and
incorporation into the federally-enforceable SIP. Each federally-
approved SIP protects air quality primarily by addressing air pollution
at its point of origin. They may contain state regulations or other
enforceable documents and supporting information such as emission
inventories, monitoring networks, and modeling demonstrations.
D. What Is the Atlanta, Georgia Nonattainment Area, and What Is Its
Current 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Classification?
The Atlanta 8-hour ozone nonattainment area is located in Northern
Georgia and consists of Barrow, Barton, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton,
Cobb, Coweta, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett,
Henry, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Rockdale, Spaulding, and Walton
Counties. For areas subject to Subpart 2 of the CAA, such as the
Atlanta nonattainment area, the maximum period for attainment runs from
the effective date of designations and classifications for the 8-hour
ozone NAAQS and will be the same period as provided in Table 1 of CAA
Section 181(a): Marginal--3 years; Moderate--6 years; Serious--9 years,
Severe--15 or 17 years; and Extreme--20 years. The Phase I Ozone
Implementation Rule (April 30, 2004, 69 FR 23951) provides for
classification of the 8-hour ozone NAAQS (40 CFR 51.903). The effective
date of designations and classifications for the 8-hour ozone NAAQS was
June 15, 2004. See, April 30, 2004, 69 FR 23858.
The Atlanta area was initially designated nonattainment for the 8-
hour ozone standard on April 30, 2004, and classified ``marginal''
based on a design value of .091 parts per million (ppm), with an
attainment date of June 15, 2007. The design value of an area, which
characterizes the severity of the air quality concern, is represented
by
[[Page 58574]]
the annual fourth-highest daily maximum 8-hour average ozone
concentration measured at each monitor averaged over any three-year
period.
E. What Are the CAA Provisions Regarding Determinations of
Nonattainment and Reclassifications?
Section 181(b)(2) prescribes the process for making determinations
upon failure of an ozone nonattainment area to attain by its attainment
date, and for reclassification of an ozone nonattainment area. Section
181(b)(2)(A) of the CAA requires that EPA determine, based on the
area's design value (as of the attainment date), whether an ozone
nonattainment area attained the ozone standard by that date. For
marginal, moderate and serious areas, if EPA finds that the
nonattainment area has failed to attain the ozone standard by the
applicable attainment date, the area must be reclassified by operation
of law to the higher of (1) the next higher classification for the
area, or (2) the classification applicable to the area's design value
as determined at the time of the required Federal Register notice.
Section 181(b)(2)(B) requires EPA to publish in the Federal Register a
notice identifying any area that has failed to attain by its attainment
date and the resulting reclassification. Different circumstances apply
to severe and extreme areas.
II. What Is EPA's Evaluation of the Atlanta Area's 8-Hour Ozone Data?
EPA makes attainment determinations for ozone nonattainment areas
using available quality-assured air quality data. Within the Atlanta
area, ground-level ozone is measured at various monitors. In recent
years, the Confederate Avenue monitor has measured some of the highest
8-hour average ozone concentrations in the Atlanta area. The fourth-
highest daily maximum readings for 2004, 2005, and 2006 in Atlanta are
.092, .092, and .099 ppm, respectively. The 2004 fourth-highest daily
maximum reading was from the Gwinnett Tech monitor, the 2005 fourth-
highest daily maximum reading was from the Confederate Avenue monitor
in Fulton County and the 2006 fourth-highest daily maximum reading was
from the Conyers Monastery monitor in Rockdale County. For the Atlanta
ozone nonattainment area, the attainment determination is based on
2004-2006 air quality data. The area has a 2004-2006 design value of
.091 ppm. Therefore, the Atlanta area did not attain the 8-hour ozone
NAAQS by the June 15, 2007, deadline for marginal areas.
Table 1.--Atlanta Area Fourth Highest 8-Hour Ozone Concentrations and Design Values
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Fourth highest daily maximum Design value 3-
Site ------------------------------------------------------ year average
2004 2005 2006 (2004-2006)
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GA National Guard--Cobb Co.............. 0.073 0.081 0.093 0.082
U. of W.GA at Newnan--Coweta Co......... 0.083 0.078 0.086 0.082
S. Dekalb--Dekalb Co.................... 0.084 0.087 0.096 0.089
Idlewood Rd.--Dekalb Co................. 0.088 0.084 0.094 0.088
Douglasville W.--Douglas Co............. 0.08 0.089 0.095 0.088
Fayetteville--Fayette Co................ 0.084 0.086 0.09 0.086
Confederate Ave.--Fulton Co............. 0.089 0.092 0.092 0.091
Gwinnett Tech--Gwinnett Co.............. 0.092 0.082 0.096 0.090
Henry Co. Ext. Office--Henry Co......... 0.085 0.089 0.095 0.089
Yorkville--Paulding Co.................. 0.073 0.082 0.084 0.091
Conyers Monastery--Rockdale Co.......... 0.087 0.088 0.099 0.091
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Under Sections 172(a)(2)(C) and 181(a)(5) of the CAA, an area can
qualify for up to two 1-year extensions of its attainment date based on
the number of exceedances in the attainment year and whether the state
has complied with all requirements and commitments pertaining to the
area in the applicable SIP. For the 8-hour standard, if an area's
fourth-highest daily 8-hour average in the attainment year is 0.084 ppm
or less (40 CFR 51.907), the area is eligible for up to two 1-year
attainment date extensions. The attainment year is the year immediately
preceding the nonattainment area's attainment date. For Atlanta, the
attainment year is 2006. In 2006, the maximum fourth-highest daily 8-
hour average value was 0.99 ppm. Based on this information, the Atlanta
area currently does not qualify for a 1-year extension of the
attainment date.
Section 181(b)(2)(A) of the CAA provides that, when EPA finds that
an area failed to attain by the applicable date, the area is
reclassified by operation of law to the higher of: the next higher
classification, or the classification applicable to the area's ozone
design value at the time of the required notice under Section
181(b)(2)(B). Section 181(b)(2)(B) requires EPA to publish a notice in
the Federal Register identifying the reclassification status of an area
that has failed to attain the standard by its attainment date. The
classification that would be applicable to the Atlanta area's ozone
design value at the time of this notice is ``marginal'' because the
area's 2006 calculated design value, based on quality-assured ozone
monitoring data from 2004-2006, is 0.091 ppm. By contrast, the next
higher classification for the Atlanta area is ``moderate.'' Because
``moderate'' is a higher nonattainment classification than ``marginal''
under the CAA statutory scheme, upon the effective date of a final
rulemaking, the Atlanta area would be reclassified by operation of law
as ``moderate,'' for failing to attain the standard by the marginal
area applicable attainment date of June 15, 2007.
III. What Action Is EPA Proposing?
A. Determination of Nonattainment, Reclassification of Atlanta
Nonattainment Area and New Attainment Date
Pursuant to section 181(b)(2), EPA is proposing to find that the
Atlanta area has failed to attain the 8-hour ozone NAAQS by the June
15, 2007, attainment deadline prescribed under the CAA for marginal
ozone nonattainment areas. When EPA finalizes this finding, and it
takes effect, the Atlanta area will be reclassified by operation of law
from marginal nonattainment to moderate nonattainment. Moderate areas
are required to attain the standard ``as expeditiously as
practicable,'' but no later than 6 years after designation or June 15,
2010. The ``as expeditiously as practicable'' attainment date will be
determined as part of the action on the
[[Page 58575]]
required SIP submittal demonstrating attainment of the 8-hour ozone
standard. EPA is proposing a schedule by which Georgia will submit the
SIP revision necessary for the proposed reclassification to moderate
nonattainment of the 8-hour ozone standard.
B. Proposed Date for Submitting a Revised SIP for the Atlanta Area
When an area is reclassified, EPA has the authority under section
182(i) of the Act to adjust the Act's submittal deadlines for any new
SIP revisions that are required as a result of the reclassification.
Pursuant to 40 CFR 51.908(d), for each nonattainment area, the state
must provide for implementation of all control measures needed for
attainment no later than the beginning of the attainment year ozone
season. The attainment year ozone season is the ozone season
immediately preceding a nonattainment area's attainment date, in this
case, 2009 (40 CFR 51.900(g)). The ozone season is the ozone monitoring
season as defined in 40 CFR part 58, Appendix D, section 4.1, Table D-3
(October 17, 2006, 71 FR 61236). For the purposes of this
reclassification for the Atlanta, Georgia area, March 1st is the
beginning of the ozone monitoring season. As a result of discussions
with the State, EPA proposes that the required SIP revision be
submitted as expeditiously as practicable, but not later than December
31, 2008.
A revised SIP must include the following moderate area
requirements: (1) An attainment demonstration (40 CFR 51.908); (2)
provisions for reasonably available control technology and reasonably
available control measures (40 CFR 51.912); (3) reasonable further
progress reductions in volatile organic compound (VOC) and/or nitrogen
oxides (NOX) emissions in Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta,
Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding
and Rockdale Counties (the 13 counties included in the Atlanta 1-hour
ozone nonattainment area) and reasonable further progress reductions in
VOC emissions in Barrow, Barton, Carroll, Newton, Pickens, Spaulding,
and Walton Counties (40 CFR 51.910); (4) contingency measures to be
implemented in the event of failure to meet a milestone or attain the
standard (CAA 172(c)(9)); (5) a vehicle inspection and maintenance
program (40 CFR 51.350); and (6) nitrogen oxide and VOC emission
offsets of 1.15 to 1 for major source permits (40 CFR 51.165(a)). (See
also, the requirements for moderate ozone nonattainment areas set forth
in CAA section 182(b).)
IV. Proposed Action
Pursuant to CAA section 181(b)(2), EPA is proposing to find that
the Atlanta marginal 8-hour ozone area has failed to attain the 8-hour
ozone NAAQS by June 15, 2007. If EPA finalizes its proposal, the area
will, by operation of law, be reclassified as a moderate 8-hour ozone
nonattainment area. Pursuant to section 182(i) of the CAA, EPA is also
proposing the schedule for submittal of the SIP revision required for
moderate areas once the area is reclassified. EPA proposes that the
required SIP revision for Georgia be submitted as expeditiously as
practicable, but not later than December 31, 2008.
V. 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 (EO) 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993), and
is therefore not subject to review under the EO. The Agency has
determined that the finding of nonattainment would result in none of
the effects identified in the Executive Order. Under section 181(b)(2)
of the CAA, determinations of nonattainment are based upon air quality
considerations and the resulting reclassifications must occur by
operation of law.
B. Paperwork Reduction Act
This rule does not impose an information collection burden under
the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
This proposed action to reclassify the Atlanta area as a moderate ozone
nonattainment area and to adjust applicable deadlines does not
establish any new information collection burden. 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
control number. The OMB control numbers 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
Procedures Act or any other statute unless the agency certifies 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 this action on small
entities, small entity is defined as: (1) A small business that is a
small industrial entity as defined in the U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA) size standards, see, 13 CFR 121; (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. Determinations of nonattainment and the
resulting reclassification of nonattainment areas by operation of law
under section 181(b)(2) of the CAA do not in and of themselves create
any new requirements. Instead, this rulemaking only makes a factual
determination, and does not directly regulate any entities. After
considering the economic impacts of today's action on small entities, I
certify that this proposed rule will not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small entities.
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
[[Page 58576]]
$100 million or more in any one 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 to 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.
This proposed action does not include a Federal mandate within the
meaning of UMRA that may result in expenditures of $100 million or more
in any one year by either state, local, or Tribal governments in the
aggregate or to the private sector, and therefore, is not subject to
the requirements of sections 202 and 205 of the UMRA. Also, EPA has
determined that this rule contains no regulatory requirements that
might significantly or uniquely affect small governments and therefore,
is not subject to the requirements of section 203. EPA believes, as
discussed previously in this document, that the finding of
nonattainment is a factual determination based upon air quality
considerations and that the resulting reclassification of the area must
occur by operation of law. Thus, EPA believes that the proposed finding
does not constitute a Federal mandate, as defined in section 101 of the
UMRA, because it does not impose an enforceable duty on any entity.
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. This action merely proposes to
determine that the Atlanta area has not attained by its applicable
attainment date, and to reclassify the Atlanta area as a moderate ozone
nonattainment area and to adjust applicable deadlines. Thus, Executive
Order 13132 does not apply to this proposed 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 action does not have
``Tribal implications'' as specified in Executive Order 13175. This
action merely proposes to determine that the Atlanta area has not
attained by its applicable attainment date, and to reclassify the
Atlanta area as a moderate ozone nonattainment area and to adjust
applicable deadlines. The CAA and the Tribal Authority Rule establish
the relationship of the Federal government and Tribes in developing
plans to attain the NAAQS, and this rule does nothing to modify that
relationship. Thus, Executive Order 13175 does not apply to this
proposed rule.
Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children From Environmental Health
and Safety Risks
Executive Order 13045: ``Protection of Children From Environmental
Health 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
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. This action
is not subject to Executive Order 13045 because it is not economically
significant as defined in Executive Order 12866, and because the Agency
does not have reason to believe the environmental health risks or
safety risks addressed by this rule present a disproportionate risk to
children. This action merely proposes to determine that the Atlanta
area has not attained by its applicable attainment date, and to
reclassify the Atlanta area as a moderate ozone nonattainment area and
to adjust applicable deadlines.
H. Executive Order 13211: Actions That Significantly Affect Energy
Supply, Distribution, or Use
This action is not subject to Executive Order 13211, ``Actions 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 Advancement Act
As noted in the proposed rule, Section 12(d) of the National
Technology Transfer Advancement Act of 1995 (NTTAA), Public Law 104-
113, section 12(d) (15 U.S.C. 272 note) directs EPA to use voluntary
consensus standards (VCS) in its regulatory activities unless to do so
would be inconsistent with applicable law or otherwise impractical.
Voluntary consensus standards are technical standards (e.g., materials
specifications, test methods, sampling procedures, and business
practices) that are developed or adopted by VCS bodies. The NTTAA
directs EPA to provide Congress, through OMB, explanations when the
Agency decides not to use available and applicable VCS. This action
merely proposes to determine that the Atlanta area has not attained by
its applicable attainment date, and to reclassify the Atlanta area as a
moderate ozone nonattainment area and to adjust applicable deadlines.
Therefore, EPA did not consider the use of any voluntary consensus
standards.
[[Page 58577]]
J. Executive Order 12898: Federal Actions To Address Environmental
Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations
Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 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 action merely proposes to determine that the Atlanta
area has not attained by its applicable attainment date, and to
reclassify the Atlanta area as a moderate ozone nonattainment area and
to adjust applicable deadlines.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 81
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, National parks,
Wilderness areas.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
Dated: October 9, 2007.
Russell L. Wright, Jr.,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 4.
[FR Doc. E7-20342 Filed 10-15-07; 8:45 am]
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