[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 66274]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23255]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9952-56-Region 6]


Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Petition for Objection to 
State Operating Permit for Yuhuang Chemical Company, Inc. Methanol 
Plant in Louisiana

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of final action.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Clean Air Act (CAA) Section 505(b)(2) and 40 CFR 
70.8(d), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator signed 
an Order, dated August 31, 2016, denying in part and granting in part a 
petition asking EPA to object to the operating permit issued by the 
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) to Yuhuang 
Chemical Company, Inc. for its Methanol Plant (Title V operating permit 
1560-00295-V0). The EPA's August 31, 2016 Order responds to a petition 
submitted by the Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN) and 
Sierra Club (Collectively the Petitioners) on May 18, 2015. Sections 
307(b) and 505(b)(2) of the Act provide that a petitioner may ask for 
judicial review of those portions of the Orders that deny objections 
raised in the petitions in the appropriate United States Court of 
Appeals. Any petition for review shall be filed by November 28, 2016, 
pursuant to section 307(b) of the Act.

ADDRESSES: You may review copies of the final Order, the petition, and 
other supporting information at EPA Region 6, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, 
Texas 75202-2733.
    EPA requests that if at all possible, you contact the individual 
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to view copies of 
the final Order, petition, and other supporting information. You may 
view the hard copies Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 
p.m., excluding Federal holidays. If you wish to examine these 
documents, you should make an appointment at least 24 hours before the 
visiting day. Additionally, the final Order signed on August 31, 2016 
is available electronically at: https://www.epa.gov/title-v-operating-permits/title-v-petition-database.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad Toups at (214) 665-7258, email 
address: [email protected] or the above EPA, Region 6 address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CAA affords EPA a 45-day period to 
review, and object, as appropriate, to a title V operating permit 
proposed by a state permitting authority. Section 505(b)(2) of the CAA 
authorizes any person to petition the EPA Administrator, within 60 days 
after the expiration of this review period, to object to a title V 
operating permit if EPA has not done so. Petitions must be based only 
on objections to the permit that were raised with reasonable 
specificity during the public comment period provided by the state, 
unless the petitioner demonstrates that it was impracticable to raise 
these issues during the comment period or unless the grounds for the 
issue arose after this period.
    EPA received the petition from the Petitioners on May 18, 2015 for 
the operating permit issued on May 5, 2015 to Yuhuang Chemical Facility 
located in St. James Parish, Louisiana.
    The Petitioner requested that the Administrator object to the 
proposed operating permit issued by the LDEQ to Yuhuang on several 
bases. In total, the Petitioner raised four primary claims in the 
Petition. The claims are described in detail in Section IV of the 
Order. In summary, the issues raised are that: (1, claim III) the 
permit fails to comply with the Act's requirements for public 
participation; (2, claim IV) the permit fails to meet PSD requirements; 
(3, claim V) a tank design is hazardous and there are additional 
unaccounted for emissions; and (4, claim VI) the LDEQ failed to 
adequately respond to EPA's comments. The Order issued on August 31, 
2016 responds to claims III, IV, V, and VI (pp. 6-30).
    Pursuant to sections 505(b) and 505(e) of the Clean Air Act (42 
U.S.C. 7661d(b) and (e)) and 40 CFR 70.7(g) and 70.8(d), the Louisiana 
Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) has 90 days from the receipt 
of the Administrator's order to resolve the objections identified in 
Claim IV of the Order and submit a proposed determination or 
termination, modification, or revocation and reissuance of the Yuhuang 
Chemical Company, Inc. title V permit in accordance with the EPA's 
objection. The Order issued on August 31, 2016 responds to the Petition 
and explains the basis for EPA's decision.

    Dated: September 21, 2016.
Ron Curry,
Regional Administrator, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 2016-23255 Filed 9-26-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P