[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 73 (Tuesday, April 18, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18268-18272]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-07826]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[EPA-R03-OAR-2016-0638; FRL-9960-02-Region 3]


Determination of Attainment by the Attainment Date for the 2008 
Ozone Standard; Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-MD-DE 
Nonattainment Area

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to 
determine that the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-MD-DE 
marginal ozone nonattainment area (the Philadelphia Area) has attained 
the 2008 ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) by the 
July 20, 2016 attainment date. This proposed determination is based on 
complete, certified, and quality assured ambient air quality monitoring 
data for the Philadelphia Area for the 2013-2015 monitoring period. 
This proposed determination does not constitute a redesignation to 
attainment. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before May 18, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R03-
OAR-2016-0638 at https://www.regulations.gov, or via email to 
[email protected]. For comments submitted at Regulations.gov, follow 
the online instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, 
comments cannot be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. For either 
manner of submission, EPA may publish any comment received to its 
public docket. Do not submit electronically any information you 
consider to be confidential business information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia 
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written 
comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and 
should include discussion of all points you wish to make. EPA will 
generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of 
the primary submission (i.e. on the web, cloud, or other file sharing 
system). For additional submission methods, please contact the person 
identified in the ``For Further Information Contact'' section. For the 
full EPA public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia 
submissions, and general guidance on making effective comments, please 
visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory Becoat, (215) 814-2036, or by 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

A. Statutory Requirement--Determination of Attainment by the Attainment 
Date

    Section 181(b)(2) of the CAA requires EPA to determine, within 6 
months of an ozone nonattainment area's attainment date, whether that 
area attained the ozone standard by that date. Section 181(b)(2) of the 
CAA also requires that areas that have not attained the standard by 
their attainment deadlines be reclassified to either the next higher 
classification (e.g., marginal to moderate, moderate to serious, etc.) 
or to the classifications applicable to the areas' design values in 
Table 1 of 40 CFR 51.1103. CAA section 181(a)(5) provides a mechanism 
by which the EPA Administrator may grant a 1-year extension of an 
area's attainment deadline, provided that the relevant states meet 
certain criteria.

B. The Philadelphia Area and Its Attainment Date

    On July 18, 1997 at 62 FR 38855, EPA promulgated a revised ozone 
NAAQS of 0.08 parts per million (ppm), averaged over eight hours. This 
standard was determined to be more protective of public health than the 
previous 1979 1-hour ozone standard. In 2008, EPA revised the 8-hour 
ozone NAAQS from 0.08 to 0.075 ppm (the 2008 ozone NAAQS). See 73 FR 
16436 (March 27, 2008). In a May 21, 2012 final rule, the Philadelphia 
Area was designated as marginal nonattainment for the more stringent 
2008 ozone NAAQS, effective on July 20, 2012. 77 FR 30088, 30143.

[[Page 18269]]

The Philadelphia Area consists of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery 
and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania; Atlantic, Burlington, 
Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Ocean and Salem 
Counties in New Jersey; Cecil County, Maryland; and New Castle County 
in Delaware. See 40 CFR 81.331, 81.339, 81.321, and 81.308.\1\
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    \1\ In 2015, EPA revised the 8-hour ozone NAAQS from 0.075 ppm 
to 0.070 ppm (the 2015 ozone NAAQS). See 80 FR 65292 (October 26, 
2015). The initial area designations for the 2015 ozone NAAQS are 
required by October 2017. Those designations will be based on 
ambient air quality monitoring data for the 2014-2016 monitoring 
period. This proposed rulemaking action does not address the 2015 
ozone NAAQS.
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    In a separate rulemaking action, also published on May 21, 2012 and 
effective on July 20, 2012, EPA established the air quality thresholds 
that define the classifications assigned to all nonattainment areas for 
the 2008 ozone NAAQS (the Classifications Rule). See 77 FR 30160. This 
rule also established December 31 of each relevant calendar year as the 
attainment date for all nonattainment area classification categories. 
Section 181 of the CAA provides that the attainment deadline for ozone 
nonattainment areas is ``as expeditiously as practicable'' but no later 
than the prescribed dates provided in Table 1 of that section. In the 
Classifications Rule, EPA translated the deadlines in Table 1 of CAA 
section 181 for purposes of the 2008 standard by measuring those 
deadlines from the effective date of the new designations, but extended 
those deadlines by several months to December 31 of the corresponding 
calendar year. Pursuant to a challenge of EPA's interpretation of the 
attainment deadlines, on December 23, 2014, the United States Court of 
Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit) issued a 
decision rejecting, among other things, the Classifications Rule's 
attainment deadlines for the 2008 ozone nonattainment areas. NRDC v. 
EPA, 777 F.3d 456, 464- 69 (D.C. Cir. 2014). The D.C. Circuit ruled 
that EPA did not have statutory authority under the CAA to extend those 
deadlines to the end of the calendar year. Accordingly, as part of the 
final rule, ``Implementation of the 2008 National Ambient Air Quality 
Standards for Ozone: State Implementation Plan (SIP) Requirements,'' 
for the 2008 ozone NAAQS (80 FR 12264, March 6, 2015) (hereinafter, SIP 
Requirements Rule), EPA modified the maximum attainment dates for all 
nonattainment areas for the 2008 ozone NAAQS, consistent with the D.C. 
Circuit's decision. The SIP Requirements Rule established a maximum 
deadline for marginal nonattainment areas of three years from the 
effective date of designation, or July 20, 2015, to attain the 2008 
ozone NAAQS. See 80 FR at 12268; 40 CFR 51.1103.
    In a final rulemaking action published on May 4, 2016, EPA 
determined that the Philadelphia Area did not attain the 2008 ozone 
NAAQS by its July 20, 2015 attainment date, based on ambient air 
quality monitoring data for the 2012 through 2014 monitoring period. In 
that same action, EPA determined that the Philadelphia Area qualified 
for a 1-year extension of its attainment date, as provided in section 
181(a)(5) of the CAA and interpreted by regulation at 40 CFR 51.1107, 
and granted the requested extension. EPA established the new attainment 
date for the Philadelphia Area as July 20, 2016 to be based on ambient 
air quality monitoring data for the 2013-2015 monitoring period. See 81 
FR 26697 (May 4, 2016).\2\
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    \2\ On July 5, 2016, the State of Delaware filed a petition for 
review (the Petition) of that portion of EPA's May 4, 2016 final 
rule granting the Philadelphia Area a 1-year extension of the 2008 
ozone NAAQS attainment date, under CAA 181(a)(5), 42 U.S.C. 
7511(a)(5), from July 20, 2015, to July 20, 2016. The Petition was 
filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia 
Circuit. See State of Delaware Department of Natural Resources & 
Environmental Control v. United States Environmental Protection 
Agency, No. 16-1230.
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II. EPA's Analysis of the Relevant Air Quality Data

    Under EPA regulations at 40 CFR part 50, appendix P, the 2008 ozone 
NAAQS is attained at a monitoring site when the three-year average of 
the annual fourth highest daily maximum 8-hour average ambient air 
quality ozone concentration is less than or equal to 0.075 ppm. This 
three-year average is referred to as the design value. When the design 
value is less than or equal to 0.075 ppm at each ambient air quality 
monitoring site within the area, then the area is deemed to be meeting 
the NAAQS. 40 CFR part 50, appendix P dictates that concentrations 
shall be reported in ppm to the third decimal place, with additional 
digits to the right being truncated. Thus, a computed three-year 
average ozone concentration of 0.0759 ppm or lower would meet the 
standard, but 0.0760 ppm or higher is over the standard.
    EPA's proposed determination of attainment for the Philadelphia 
Area is based upon data that has been collected and quality-assured in 
accordance with 40 CFR part 58 and recorded in EPA's Air Quality System 
(AQS) database. Ambient air quality monitoring data for the three-year 
period must also meet a data completeness requirement. 40 CFR part 50, 
appendix P. The ambient air quality monitoring data completeness 
requirement is met when the three-year average of the percent (%) of 
required monitoring days with valid ambient monitoring data is greater 
than 90%, and no single year has less than 75% data completeness, as 
determined according to 40 CFR part 50, appendix P. Tables 1 and 2 show 
the data completeness and ozone design values, respectively, for each 
of the 18 monitors in the Philadelphia Area for years 2013 through 
2015.

                                                              Table 1--2013-2015 Philadelphia Area Ozone Monitor Data Completeness
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                                                                                                    Percent data completeness               2013-2015
                                                                                        ------------------------------------------------     average
                  State                               County                 Site ID                                                         percent                     Comment
                                                                                              2013            2014            2015        completeness
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Delaware.................................  New Castle..................       100031007              97              94             100              97  .......................................
                                                                              100031010              77              74              91              81  Incomplete \a\.
                                                                              100031013              91              99              93              94  .......................................
                                                                              100032004              86              83              87              85  Incomplete \a\.
Maryland.................................  Cecil.......................       240150003              98              95              89              94  .......................................
New Jersey...............................  Atlantic....................       340010006              96              99              96              97  .......................................
New Jersey...............................  Camden......................       340070002             100             100             100             100  .......................................
New Jersey...............................  Camden......................       340071001              96             100              97              98  .......................................
New Jersey...............................  Cumberland..................       340110007              99             100              99              99  .......................................
New Jersey...............................  Gloucester..................       340150002              99              84              96              93  .......................................

[[Page 18270]]

 
New Jersey...............................  Mercer......................       340210005             100             100              99             100  .......................................
New Jersey...............................  Mercer......................       340219991              92             100              99              97  .......................................
New Jersey...............................  Ocean.......................       340290006             100             100             100             100  .......................................
Pennsylvania.............................  Bucks.......................       420170012             100              99              96              98  .......................................
Pennsylvania.............................  Chester.....................       420290100             100              94              97              97  .......................................
Pennsylvania.............................  Delaware....................       420450002             100              98              96              98  .......................................
Pennsylvania.............................  Montgomery..................       420910013             100              99              99              99  .......................................
Pennsylvania.............................  Philadelphia................       421010004             100              98             100              99  .......................................
Pennsylvania.............................  Philadelphia................       421010024              97              94             100              97  .......................................
Pennsylvania.............................  Philadelphia................       421010048               6              93              98              66  Site began operation October 2013 \b\.
Pennsylvania.............................  Philadelphia................       421011002              82  ..............  ..............              27  Site shut down in July 2013 \b\.
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Notes:
a. Monitoring data at these sites does not meet completeness criteria set forth in 40 CFR part 50 Appendix P, section 2.3(b).
b. The monitoring site shutdowns and startups are included in the City of the Philadelphia's Air Management Services (AMS) July 2013 Annual Network Plan. AMS submitted the monitoring plan to
  EPA on July 1, 2013, and EPA approved it on December 10, 2013.

    As shown in Table 1, two monitoring sites in Philadelphia County do 
not meet the completeness criteria set out in 40 CFR part 50, appendix 
P. However, the reasons for the completeness issues were the shutdown 
of one monitor and startup of another monitor that were approved by EPA 
in the City of Philadelphia's AMS July 2013 Annual Network Plan. 
Because three years of complete data is not possible at these 
monitoring sites, EPA does not look for valid design values at these 
sites.
    Table 1 also shows that two monitors in New Castle County, 
Delaware, AQS ID # 100031010 (also known as the ``Brandywine'' 
monitor), and AQS ID # 100032004 (also known as the ``MLK'' monitor), 
which are maintained by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources 
and Environmental Control (DNREC), had insufficient data in the 2013 
through 2015 period to meet the data completeness requirements in 40 
CFR part 50, appendix P. As stated previously, the three-year average 
of the percent of required monitoring days with valid ambient 
monitoring data must be greater than 90%, with no single year having 
less than 75% data completeness. The ozone season for the Philadelphia 
Area \3\ runs from April 1 through October 31. Therefore, a complete 
ozone season for this area contains 214 possible monitoring days, with 
at least 160 days of valid ozone season ambient monitoring data needed 
to meet the 75% data completeness requirement. Because of missed 
monitoring days at the Brandywine and MLK monitors (AQS ID # 100031010 
and # 100032004), the design value for these two monitors would not be 
considered valid without further measures being taken to meet the data 
completeness requirements for these two monitors. Therefore, EPA 
conducted an analysis of the meteorological data and a regression 
analysis in order to meet the data completeness requirements for the 
Brandywine and MLK monitors. EPA also conducted a substitution analysis 
as a check on the validity of the meteorological analysis and 
regression analysis. Using these methods, EPA was able to ``add'' 
enough ozone season days for each of the two monitors to meet the data 
completeness requirements of 40 CFR part 50, appendix P. Further detail 
on the missing monitor data at these two Delaware monitors and on the 
data completeness analysis undertaken by EPA for those monitors is 
provided in the January 10, 2017 Technical Support Document (TSD) 
prepared by EPA. This TSD is included in the docket for this rulemaking 
(EPA-R03-OAR-2016-0638) and is also available online at 
www.regulations.gov.
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    \3\ 40 CFR part 58, appendix D specifies the applicable ``ozone 
season'' for the Philadelphia Area.
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    After ensuring data completeness for those two Delaware monitors 
(AQS ID # 100031010 and # 100032004), EPA reviewed the ozone ambient 
air quality monitoring data for the monitoring period from 2013 through 
2015 for all the monitors in the Philadelphia Area, as recorded in the 
AQS database, in accordance with the requirements of 40 CFR part 50. As 
shown in Table 2, below, all 2013-2015 design values are less than or 
equal to 0.075 ppm. Therefore, EPA concludes the Philadelphia Area has 
attained the 2008 ozone NAAQS by July 20, 2016 based upon monitored 
ozone data for the 2013 through 2015 period in accordance with 
requirements in 40 CFR part 50.

                                              Table 2--2013-2015 Philadelphia Area 2008 Ozone Design Values
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                                                                                                     4th highest daily maximum               2013-2015
                   State                               County                 Site ID    ------------------------------------------------  Design value
                                                                                               2013            2014            2015            (ppm)
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Delaware..................................  New Castle..................       100031007           0.062           0.071           0.065           0.066
                                                                               100031010           0.063           0.074           0.071       \a\ 0.069
                                                                               100031013           0.067           0.069           0.069           0.068
                                                                               100032004           0.067           0.068           0.072       \a\ 0.069
Maryland..................................  Cecil.......................       240150003           0.072           0.074           0.074           0.073
New Jersey................................  Atlantic....................       340010006           0.070           0.061           0.068           0.066

[[Page 18271]]

 
New Jersey................................  Camden......................       340070002           0.065           0.068           0.079           0.070
New Jersey................................  Camden......................       340071001           0.068           0.068           0.072           0.069
New Jersey................................  Cumberland..................       340110007           0.061           0.067           0.068           0.065
New Jersey................................  Gloucester..................       340150002           0.073           0.070           0.076           0.073
New Jersey................................  Mercer......................       340210005           0.070           0.071           0.073           0.071
New Jersey................................  Mercer......................       340219991           0.069           0.071           0.075           0.071
New Jersey................................  Ocean.......................       340290006           0.070           0.072           0.075           0.072
Pennsylvania..............................  Bucks.......................       420170012           0.073           0.071           0.082           0.075
Pennsylvania..............................  Chester.....................       420290100           0.068           0.071           0.068           0.069
Pennsylvania..............................  Delaware....................       420450002           0.069           0.073           0.074           0.072
Pennsylvania..............................  Montgomery..................       420910013           0.069           0.072           0.073           0.071
Pennsylvania..............................  Philadelphia................       421010004           0.047           0.058           0.057           0.054
Pennsylvania..............................  Philadelphia................       421010024           0.068           0.072           0.079           0.073
Pennsylvania..............................  Philadelphia................       421010048           0.036           0.068           0.078  ..............
Pennsylvania..............................  Philadelphia................       421011002           0.071  ..............  ..............  ..............
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Notes:
a. Monitoring data at these sites did not meet completeness criteria set forth in 40 CFR part 50 Appendix P 2.3(b) prior to EPA undertaking the analyses
  set forth in the TSD.

    EPA acknowledges that preliminary 2014 through 2016 ambient air 
quality monitoring data, which has not been quality assured or 
certified, shows potential violations of the 2008 ozone NAAQS in the 
Philadelphia Area.\4\ However, this does not affect EPA's proposed 
determination of attainment by the attainment date for section 
181(b)(2) of the CAA. This determination for section 181(b)(2) is an 
evaluation of the Philadelphia Area's design value as of its attainment 
date, July 20, 2016, considering 2013-2015 ozone monitored data, and 
does not consider air quality monitoring data from any other monitoring 
period.
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    \4\ On January 19, 2017, EPA received an email request from the 
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) 
requesting EPA remove certain data from the PADEP Philadelphia 
monitors based on exceptional events. EPA is considering PADEP's 
request related to monitoring data for 2016, but has not taken 
further action at this time.
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III. Proposed Action

    EPA evaluated ozone data from air quality monitors in the 
Philadelphia Area in order to determine the Area's attainment status 
under the 2008 ozone NAAQS. State and local agencies responsible for 
ozone air monitoring networks supplied and quality assured the data. 
All the monitoring sites in the Philadelphia Area had design values 
equal to or less than 0.075 ppm based on the 2013 through 2015 
monitoring period. Considering that review, EPA concludes that this 
area attained the 2008 ozone NAAQS based on complete, quality assured 
and certified data for the 2013 through 2015 ozone seasons. Thus, EPA 
proposes to determine, in accordance with its statutory obligations 
under section 181(b)(2)(A) of the CAA, that the Philadelphia Area 
attained the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the applicable attainment date of July 
20, 2016. EPA's proposed determination is in accordance with applicable 
regulatory requirements under 81 FR 26697 (with respect to issuance of 
the 1-year extension of the attainment date for Philadelphia Area) and 
with the related provisions of the SIP Requirements Rule (40 CFR 
51.1103).
    This proposed determination of attainment does not constitute a 
redesignation to attainment. Redesignations require states to meet a 
number of additional criteria, including EPA approval of a state plan 
to maintain the air quality standard for 10 years after redesignation. 
EPA is soliciting public comments on the issues discussed in this 
document. These comments will be considered before taking final action.

IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

    This rulemaking action proposes to make a determination of 
attainment of the 2008 ozone NAAQS based on air quality and, if 
finalized, would not impose additional requirements. For that reason, 
this proposed determination of attainment:
     Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' subject to 
review by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Orders 
12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993) and 13563 (76 FR 3821, January 21, 
2011);
     Does not impose an information collection burden under the 
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
     Is certified as not having a significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
     Does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or 
uniquely affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded 
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4);
     Does not have federalism implications as specified in 
Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999);
     Is not an economically significant regulatory action based 
on health or safety risks subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 
19885, April 23, 1997);
     Is not a significant regulatory action subject to 
Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001);
     Is not subject to requirements of Section 12(d) of the 
National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 
note) because application of those requirements would be inconsistent 
with the CAA; and
     Does not provide EPA with the discretionary authority to 
address, as appropriate, disproportionate human health or environmental 
effects, using practicable and legally permissible methods, under 
Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).
    In addition, this proposed rulemaking to determine that the 
Philadelphia Area attained the 2008 ozone NAAQS by its July 20, 2016 
attainment date does not have tribal implications, as specified by 
Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000), because this 
proposed determination of attainment does not apply in Indian country 
located in the states and because EPA notes that it will not impose 
substantial direct costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law.

[[Page 18272]]

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Ozone, 
Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental relations, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

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

    Dated: March 2, 2017.
Cecil Rodrigues,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region III.

    Dated: March 1, 2017.
Catherine McCabe,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region II.
[FR Doc. 2017-07826 Filed 4-17-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P