[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 165 (Monday, August 28, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 40712-40715]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17861]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[EPA-R10-OAR-2017-0184; FRL-9966-80-Region 10]


Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; AK: Adoption 
Updates and Rule Revisions

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving state 
implementation plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Alaska 
Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) on September 15, 2016. 
These revisions primarily update adoptions of Federal regulations in 
the Alaska SIP. The revisions also strengthen the State of Alaska's 
(Alaska or State) minor source permitting requirements and remove 
obsolete source-category specific regulations. In addition, EPA is 
approving SIP revisions to Alaska's general and transportation 
conformity regulations submitted by ADEC on March 10, 2016. The EPA is 
taking action only on the conformity related portions of the March 2016 
submittal. The other portions of the submittal are or will be addressed 
in separate actions.

DATES: This final rule is effective September 27, 2017.

ADDRESSES: EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID 
No. EPA-R10-OAR-2017-0184. All documents in the docket are listed on 
the https://www.regulations.gov Web site. Although listed in the index, 
some information may not be publicly available, i.e., Confidential 
Business Information or other information the disclosure of which is 
restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted 
material, is not placed on the Internet and is publicly available only 
in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available at 
http://www.regulations.gov or at EPA Region 10, Office of Air and 
Waste, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101. EPA requests that 
you contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section below, 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: Randall Ruddick, Air Planning Unit, 
Office of Air and Waste (OAW-150), Environmental Protection Agency, 
Region 10, 1200 Sixth Ave, Suite 900, Seattle, WA 98101; phone: (206) 
553-1999; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document wherever ``we,'' 
``us,'' or ``our'' is used, it is intended to refer to the EPA.

Table of Contents

I. Background
II. Final Action
III. Incorporation by Reference
IV. Statutory and Executive Orders Review

I. Background

    On March 10, 2016 and September 15, 2016, Alaska submitted SIP 
revisions to EPA for approval. On June 13, 2017, the EPA proposed to 
approve the conformity portions of Alaska's March 10, 2016 submittal 
and all of the revisions requested in the September 15, 2016 submittal 
(82 FR 27031). Please see our proposed rulemaking for further 
explanation and the basis for our finding. The public comment period 
for this proposal ended on July 13, 2017. We received two supportive 
comments.

II. Final Action

    EPA is approving, and incorporating by reference where appropriate 
in Alaska's SIP, all revisions requested by Alaska on September 15, 
2016 (state effective August 20, 2016) to the following provisions:

 18 AAC 50.010(4) (Ambient Air Quality Standards)
 18 AAC 50.020(a) (Baseline Dates and Maximum Allowable 
Increases)
 18 AAC 50.035(a)(3) and (a)(7) (Documents, Procedures, and 
Methods Adopted by Reference)
 18 AAC 50.040(f) and (h) (Federal Standards Adopted by 
Reference)
 18 AAC 50.215(a)(3) (Ambient Air Quality Analysis Methods)
 18 AAC 50.345(o) (Construction, Minor and Operating Permits: 
Standard Permit Conditions)
 18 AAC 50.502(c), (e), (f), (f)(1)(C), (f)(5), (g), (h)(3)(A), 
and (h)(3)(B) (Minor Permits for Air Quality Protection)
 18 AAC 50.540 (c)(2)(A) (Minor Permit: Application)
 18 AAC 50.542(b)(5) and (d)(1) (Minor Permit: Review and 
Issuance)

    At Alaska's request, EPA is also removing from the SIP the 
following provisions that ADEC repealed as a matter of state law: 18 
AAC 50.055(a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7), (a)(8), (b)(4), (b)(6), (f) 
(Industrial Process and Fuel-Burning Equipment) and 18 AAC 50.060 (Pulp 
Mills).
    Finally, EPA is approving revisions to 18 AAC 50, Article 7, 
Transportation

[[Page 40713]]

Conformity, submitted by Alaska on March 10, 2016; specifically, the 
revisions to transportation conformity provisions in 18 AAC 50.715 and 
50.720, and the removal of the general conformity provisions in 50.735.
    We have determined that the submitted SIP revisions are consistent 
with section 110 and part C of Title I of the CAA.

III. Incorporation by Reference

    In this rule, EPA is approving regulatory text that includes 
incorporation by reference. In accordance with requirements of 1 CFR 
51.5, we are incorporating by reference the provisions described above 
in Section II. Final Action and set forth below, as amendments to 40 
CFR part 52. EPA has made, and will continue to make, these documents 
generally available electronically through http://www.regulations.gov 
and/or at the EPA Region 10 office (please contact the person 
identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT section of this 
preamble for more information).

IV. Statutory and Executive Orders Review

    Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP 
submission that complies with the provisions of the CAA and applicable 
federal regulations. 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a). Thus, in 
reviewing SIP submissions, EPA's role is to approve state choices, 
provided that they meet the criteria of the CAA. Accordingly, this 
action merely approves state law as meeting federal requirements and 
does not impose additional requirements beyond those imposed by state 
law. For that reason, this action:
     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 this action does not involve technical standards; 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, the SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian 
reservation land or in any other area where EPA or an Indian Tribe has 
demonstrated that a Tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian 
country, the rule does not have Tribal implications as specified by 
Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000).
    The Congressional Review Act, 5 U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the 
Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally 
provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating 
the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule, 
to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the 
United States. EPA will submit a report containing this action and 
other required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of 
Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior 
to publication of the rule in the Federal Register. A major rule cannot 
take effect until 60 days after it is published in the Federal 
Register. This action is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 
804(2).
    Under CAA section 307(b)(1), petitions for judicial review of this 
action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the 
appropriate circuit by October 27, 2017. Filing a petition for 
reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule does not affect 
the finality of this action for the purposes of judicial review nor 
does it extend the time within which a petition for judicial review may 
be filed, and shall not postpone the effectiveness of such rule or 
action. This action may not be challenged later in proceedings to 
enforce its requirements. (See CAA section 307(b)(2)).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Administrative 
practice and procedure, Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental 
relations, Lead, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Particulate matter, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur oxides, Volatile organic 
compounds.

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

    Dated: August 10, 2017.
Michelle L. Pirzadeh,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 10.
    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 40 CFR part 52 is 
amended as follows:

PART 52--APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS

0
1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:

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

Subpart C--Alaska

0
2. In Sec.  52.70, the table in paragraph (c) is amended by:
0
a. Revising entries 18 AAC 50.010, 18 AAC 50.020, 18 AAC 50.035, 18 AAC 
50.040, 18 AAC 50.055;
0
b. Removing entry 18 AAC 50.060;
0
c. Revising entries 18 AAC 50.215, 18 AAC 50.345, 18 AAC 50.502, 18 AAC 
50.540, 18 AAC 50.542, 18 AAC 50.715, and 18 AAC 50.720; and
0
d. Removing entry 18 AAC 50.735.
    The revisions read as follows:


Sec.  52.70   Identification of plan.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *

[[Page 40714]]



                                  EPA-Approved Alaska Regulations and statutes
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                                                             State
        State citation               Title/subject      effective date     EPA approval date      Explanations
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             Alaska Administrative Code Title 18 Environmental Conservation, Chapter 50 Air Quality
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                                               Control (18 AAC 50)
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                               18 AAC 50 Article 1. Ambient Air Quality Management
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
18 AAC 50.010.................  Ambient Air Quality            8/20/16  8/28/17 [Insert         Except (8).
                                 Standards.                              Federal Register
                                                                         citation].
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
18 AAC 50.020.................  Baseline Dates and             8/20/16  8/28/17 [Insert         ................
                                 Maximum Allowable                       Federal Register
                                 Increases.                              citation].
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
18 AAC 50.035.................  Documents, Procedures          8/20/16  8/28/17 [Insert         Except (a)(6)
                                 and Methods Adopted                     Federal Register        and (b)(4).
                                 by Reference.                           citation].
18 AAC 50.040.................  Federal Standards       8/20/16; 11/9/  8/28/17 [Insert         Except (a), (b),
                                 Adopted by Reference.              14   Federal Register        (c), (d), (e),
                                                                         citation].              (g), (j), and
                                                                                                 (k).
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
18 AAC 50.055.................  Industrial Processes           8/20/16  8/28/17 [Insert         Except
                                 and Fuel-Burning                        Federal Register        (d)(2)(B).
                                 Equipment.                              citation].
 
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                                                  * * * * * * *
                                   18 AAC 50 Article 2. Program Administration
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
18 AAC 50.215.................  Ambient Air Quality            8/20/16  8/28/17 [Insert         Except (a)(4).
                                 Analysis Methods.                       Federal Register
                                                                         citation].
 
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                                                  * * * * * * *
                              18 AAC 50 Article 3. Major Stationary Source Permits
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  * * * * * * *
18 AAC 50.345.................  Construction, Minor            8/20/16  8/28/17 [Insert         Except (b),
                                 and Operating                           Federal Register        (c)(3), and
                                 Permits: Standard                       citation].              (l).
                                 Permit Conditions.
 
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                                                  * * * * * * *
                                       18 AAC 50 Article 5. Minor Permits
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 AAC 50.502.................  Minor Permits for Air          8/20/16  8/28/17 [Insert         ................
                                 Quality Protection.                     Federal Register
                                                                         citation].
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
18 AAC 50.540.................  Minor Permit:                  8/20/16  8/28/17 [Insert         ................
                                 Application.                            Federal Register
                                                                         citation].
18 AAC 50.542.................  Minor Permit: Review           8/20/16  8/28/17 [Insert         Except (b)(2).
                                 and Issuance.                           Federal Register
                                                                         citation].
 
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                                                  * * * * * * *
                                 18 AAC 50 Article 7. Transportation Conformity
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
18 AAC 50.715.................  Interagency                     3/2/16  8/28/17 [Insert         ................
                                 Consultation                            Federal Register
                                 Procedures.                             citation].
18 AAC 50.720.................  Public Involvement....          3/2/16  8/28/17...............  ................
                                                                        [Insert Federal
                                                                         Register citation].
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
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[[Page 40715]]

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[FR Doc. 2017-17861 Filed 8-25-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P