[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 8, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 27054]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11042]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9667-5]


Notice of Approval of Clean Air Act Outer Continental Shelf 
Permits Issued to Shell Offshore, Inc. for the Kulluk Conical Drilling 
Unit

AGENCY: United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10.

ACTION: Notice of final action.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that EPA Region 10 has issued a final 
permit decision granting a Clean Air Act Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) 
permit to construct and Title V air quality operating permit to Shell 
Offshore, Inc. (``Shell'') for operation of the Kulluk conical drilling 
unit in the Beaufort Sea off the north coast of Alaska.

DATES: EPA Region 10 issued a final permit decision on the OCS permit 
for Shell's operation of the Kulluk drilling unit in the Beaufort Sea 
on April 12, 2012. The permit also became effective on that date. 
Pursuant to section 307(b)(1) of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 
7607(b)(1), judicial review of this permit decision, to the extent it 
is available, may be sought by filing a petition for review in the 
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by July 9, 2012.

ADDRESSES: The documents relevant to the above-referenced permits are 
available for public inspection during normal business hours at the 
following address: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, 
1200 Sixth Avenue Suite 900, Seattle, WA 98101. To arrange for viewing 
of these documents, call Dan Meyer at (206) 553-4150.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Meyer, Office of Air Waste and 
Toxics, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, 1200 6th 
Avenue, Suite 900, Seattle, WA 98101. Anyone who wishes to review the 
EPA Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) decision described below can 
obtain it at http://www.epa.gov/eab/.
    Notice of Final Action and Supplementary Information: EPA Region 10 
issued a final permit decision to Shell authorizing air emissions 
associated with the operation of the Kulluk conical drilling unit to 
conduct exploratory drilling operations in the Beaufort Sea, OCS Permit 
No. R10OCS30000 (``Kulluk permit''). The Kulluk permit was initially 
issued by EPA Region 10 on October 21, 2011. The EPA's Environmental 
Appeals Board (EAB) received three petitions for review of the Shell 
Kulluk permit from the following entities: (1) The Inupiat Community of 
the Arctic Slope; (2) Resisting Environmental Destruction of Indigenous 
Lands, Alaska Wilderness League, Center for Biological Diversity, 
Natural Resources Defense Council, Northern Alaska Environmental 
Center, Ocean Conservancy, Oceana, Pacific Environment, Sierra Club, 
and the Wilderness Society; and (3) Mr. Daniel Lum. On March 30, 2012, 
the EAB issued an order denying review of all three petitions. See In 
re Shell Offshore, Inc., OCS Appeal Nos. 11-05, 11-06 & 11-07 (EAB, 
Mar. 30, 2011) (Order Denying Petitions for Review). All conditions of 
the Kulluk permit, as initially issued by Region 10 on October 21, 
2011, are final and effective. Pursuant to 40 CFR 71.11(l)(5) and 
124.19(f)(1), final agency action by EPA has occurred because agency 
review procedures before the EAB have been exhausted and EPA has issued 
final permit decisions.

    Dated: April 23, 2012.
 Richard Albright,
Director, Office of Air, Waste, and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 2012-11042 Filed 5-7-12; 8:45 am]
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