[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 70 (Thursday, April 11, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 14634-14640]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-07212]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[EPA-R09-OAR-2018-0744; FRL-9992-01-Region 9]


Air Plan Approval; Hawaii; Regional Haze Progress Report

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to 
approve Hawaii's Regional Haze Progress Report (``Progress Report'' or 
``Report'') submitted by the State of Hawaii on October 20, 2017, as a 
revision to its state implementation plan (SIP). Hawaii submitted its 
Progress Report and a negative declaration stating that further 
revision of the existing regional haze plan is not needed at this time. 
The Progress Report addresses the federal Regional Haze Rule (RHR) 
requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to submit a report 
describing progress in achieving reasonable progress goals (RPGs) 
established for regional haze and a determination of the adequacy of 
the State's existing plan addressing regional haze. Hawaii's Progress 
Report notes that Hawaii has implemented the measures in the regional 
haze plan due to be in place by the date of the Progress Report and 
that visibility in Class I areas affected by emissions from Hawaii is 
improving. The EPA is proposing to approve Hawaii's determination that 
the State's regional haze plan is adequate to meet RPGs in Class I 
areas affected by emissions from Hawaii for the first implementation 
period, which extended through 2018, and requires no substantive 
revision at this time.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 13, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R09-
OAR-2018-0744 at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot 
be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. The 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. The 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, the full EPA 
public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions, 
and general guidance on making effective comments, please visit https://www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wienke Tax, Air Planning Office, EPA 
Region IX, (415) 947-4192, [email protected].

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

Table of Contents

I. Background
    A. Description of Regional Haze
    B. History of Regional Haze Rule
    C. Hawaii's Regional Haze Plan
II. Context for Understanding Hawaii's Progress Report
    A. Framework for Measuring Progress
    B. Data Sources for Hawaii's Progress Report
III. The EPA's Evaluation of Hawaii's Progress Report
    A. Status of Implementation of All Measures Included in the 
Regional Haze Implementation Plan
    B. Summary of Emissions Reductions
    C. Summary of Visibility Conditions
    D. Determination of Adequacy
    E. Consultation With FLMs
IV. The EPA's Proposed Action
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

I. Background

A. Description of Regional Haze

    Regional haze is visibility impairment produced by many sources and 
activities located across a broad geographic area that emit fine 
particles

[[Page 14635]]

that impair visibility by scattering and absorbing light, thereby 
reducing the clarity, color, and visible distance that one can see. 
These fine particles also can cause serious health effects and 
mortality in humans and contribute to environmental impacts, such as 
acid deposition and eutrophication of water bodies.

B. History of Regional Haze Rule

    In section 169A(a)(1) of the CAA Amendments of 1977, Congress 
created a program to protect visibility in designated national parks 
and wilderness areas, establishing as a national goal the ``prevention 
of any future, and the remedying of any existing, impairment of 
visibility in mandatory class I Federal areas which impairment results 
from manmade air pollution.'' In accordance with section 169A of the 
CAA and after consulting with the Department of the Interior, the EPA 
promulgated a list of 156 mandatory Class I federal areas where 
visibility is identified as an important value.\1\ In this notice, we 
refer to mandatory Class I federal areas on this list as ``Class I 
areas.''
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    \1\ The Class I areas are listed at 40 CFR part 81, subpart D. 
Areas designated as Class I areas consist of national parks 
exceeding 6,000 acres, wilderness areas and national memorial parks 
exceeding 5,000 acres, and all international parks that were in 
existence on August 7, 1977 (42 U.S.C. 7472(a)).
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    With the CAA Amendments of 1990, Congress added section 169B to 
address regional haze issues. The EPA promulgated the RHR on July 1, 
1999.\2\ In the RHR, the EPA revised the existing visibility 
regulations to integrate provisions addressing regional haze impairment 
and to establish a comprehensive visibility protection program for 
Class I areas. As defined in the RHR, the RPGs must provide for an 
improvement in visibility for the most impaired days (``worst days'') 
over the period of the implementation plan and ensure no degradation in 
visibility for the least impaired days (``best days'') over the same 
period.\3\ The first implementation plan generally covers the period 
from 2000-2018 (also known as the first planning period).
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    \2\ 64 FR 35714 (July 1, 1999). The rule was subsequently 
revised on July 6, 2005 (70 FR 39104), October 13, 2006 (71 FR 
60612), and January 10, 2017 (82 FR 3078).
    \3\ 40 CFR 51.308(d)(1).
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    Five years after submittal of the initial regional haze plan, 
states were required to submit progress reports that evaluate progress 
towards the RPGs for each Class I area within the state and in each 
Class I area outside the state which may be affected by emissions from 
within the state.\4\ States were also required to submit, at the same 
time as the progress report, a determination of the adequacy of the 
state's existing regional haze plan.\5\
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    \4\ 40 CFR 51.308(g).
    \5\ 40 CFR 51.308(h).
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C. Hawaii's Regional Haze Plan

    Hawaii did not submit an initial regional haze SIP. Consequently, 
the EPA developed a regional haze federal implementation plan (FIP), 
which was promulgated on October 9, 2012.\6\
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    \6\ 77 FR 61478.
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    On October 20, 2017, the State of Hawaii submitted the Progress 
Report to meet the requirements of 40 CFR 51.308(g) and (h). In 
accordance with these requirements, the Progress Report describes the 
status of the implementation of measures included in the regional haze 
implementation plan,\7\ emissions reductions from these measures, and 
improvements in visibility conditions at the State's Class I areas. The 
Progress Report also includes a negative declaration stating that 
further revision of the existing implementation plan is not needed in 
accordance with 40 CFR 51.308(h)(1).
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    \7\ ``Implementation plan,'' as defined in 40 CFR 51.301, 
includes FIP provisions, as well as SIPs.
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    The EPA is proposing to approve Hawaii's Progress Report.

II. Context for Understanding Hawaii's Progress Report

    To better understand Hawaii's Progress Report as well as the EPA's 
evaluation of it, this section provides background on the regional haze 
program in Hawaii.

A. Framework for Measuring Progress

    The EPA has established a metric for determining visibility 
conditions at Class I areas referred to as the ``deciview index,'' 
which is measured in deciviews (dv), as defined in 40 CFR 51.301. A 
deciview expresses uniform changes in haziness in terms of common 
increments across the entire range of visibility conditions, from 
pristine to extremely hazy conditions. Deciviews are determined by 
using air quality data collected from the Interagency Monitoring of 
Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network monitors to estimate 
light extinction, and then transforming the value of light extinction 
using a logarithmic function.
    Hawaii has two Class I areas within its borders: Haleakala National 
Park (NP) on Maui Island and Hawaii Volcanoes NP on the island of 
Hawaii. For this Progress Report, monitoring data representing 
visibility conditions in Hawaii's two Class I areas were based on the 
three IMPROVE monitors identified in Table 1.\8\ As shown in the table, 
the HACR1 and HALE1 monitoring sites represent Haleakala NP, and the 
HAVO1 site represents Hawaii Volcanoes NP.
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    \8\ The HALE1 IMPROVE monitor began operation on Maui in 1990 at 
a site about 3.5 miles outside of Haleakala NP. In 2007, a second 
IMPROVE monitor (HACR1) was installed at a higher elevation within 
Haleakala NP. The HACR1 site was considered more representative of 
visibility conditions within Haleakala NP and replaced the HALE1 
monitoring station in 2012. See Progress Report, 3, and Appendix.A.

 Table 1--Hawaii IMPROVE Monitoring Sites and Represented Class I Areas
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Class I area                           Site code
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Haleakala NP............................................      \a\ HACR1.
                                                              \b\ HALE1.
Hawaii Volcanoes NP.....................................          HAVO1.
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\a\ Monitoring at the HACR1 site began in 2007.
\b\ The HALE1 monitoring site operated from 2001 to 2011.

    Under the RHR, a state's initial regional haze SIP must establish 
two RPGs for each of its Class I areas: One for the 20 percent least 
impaired days and one for the 20 percent most impaired days. The RPGs 
must provide for an improvement in visibility on the 20 percent most 
impaired days and ensure no degradation in visibility on the 20 percent 
least impaired days, as compared to visibility conditions during the 
baseline period. In establishing the RPGs, a state must consider the 
uniform rate of visibility improvement from the baseline to natural 
conditions in 2064 and the emission reduction measures needed to 
achieve that uniform rate. The typical method for determining RPGs is 
to use meteorological and air quality modeling to predict the 
visibility at Class I areas for the end of the planning period (2018 in 
this case). However, the dominant cause of visibility impairment in 
Hawaii's Class I areas is sulfate compounds, and over 96 percent of the 
sulfate emissions are from Hawaii's volcano. Volcanic eruptions vary 
greatly from year to year with no discernable patterns. As a result, 
modeling to project overall visibility conditions has little value for 
Hawaii's Class I areas. Consequently, the EPA set the RPGs for Hawaii's 
two Class I areas based on island-specific inventories for Maui and 
Hawaii, the islands that contain Class I areas.\9\
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    \9\ 77 FR 31692, 31707-13 (May 29, 2012).
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B. Data Sources for Hawaii's Progress Report

    To demonstrate visibility progress, Hawaii used data from the 
Western

[[Page 14636]]

Regional Air Partnership (WRAP) Technical Support System (TSS). Hawaii 
used the most recent visibility information available from the WRAP TSS 
as a technical basis for its progress report. It also used the 
technical data and analyses in a report titled ``Western Regional Air 
Partnership Regional Haze Rule Reasonable Progress Summary Report'' 
(``WRAP Report''), dated June 28, 2013.\10\ The WRAP Report was 
prepared for WRAP, ``on behalf of the 15 western state members in the 
WRAP region, to provide the technical basis for use by the western 
states to develop the first of RHR individual Progress Reports.'' \11\ 
Hawaii's Progress Report presented data for both of its Class I areas, 
comparing visibility conditions for the 20 percent most impaired and 20 
percent least impaired days during the baseline period (2000-2004), the 
current period for the Progress Report (2011-2015), and years between 
those periods.
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    \10\ See Progress Report, 3, and Western Regional Air 
Partnership Regional Haze Rule Reasonable Progress Summary Report 
(June 28, 2013). http://www.wrapair2.org/documents/Fullpercent20Report/WRAP_RHRPR_Full_Report_without_Appendices.PDF. 
(Also included as Appendix A of the Progress Report).
    \11\ Progress Report, Appendix A, 12.
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III. The EPA's Evaluation of Hawaii's Progress Report

    This section describes the contents of Hawaii's Progress Report and 
the EPA's review of the report, the determination of adequacy required 
by 40 CFR 51.308(h), and the requirement for state and Federal Land 
Manager (FLM) coordination in 40 CFR 51.308(i).

A. Status of Implementation of All Measures Included in the Regional 
Haze Implementation Plan

    In its Progress Report, Hawaii described the status of the control 
measures that the EPA and the State relied on to implement the regional 
haze program: The sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions cap from 
the FIP; the State's renewable portfolio standard and energy efficiency 
programs; the North American Emissions Control Area (ECA); federal 
mobile source regulations; the State's open burning regulations; and 
facility closures. Hawaii included a description of these programs, 
which are summarized below. Hawaii also explained that the FIP did not 
include any controls to implement best available retrofit technology 
(BART).
1. SO2 Emissions Cap for Electricity Generating Units (EGUs)
    The Hawaii regional haze FIP established an SO2 
emissions cap in 40 CFR 52.633(d). Affected EGUs shall not emit or 
cause to be emitted more than 3,550 tons per year (tpy), summed over 5 
units using a rolling 12-month period. These units are Kanoelehua Hill 
Generating Station, boilers Hill 5 and Hill 6; Puna Power Plant, boiler 
1; and Shipman Power Plant, boilers S-3 and S-4. The primary fuel for 
these boilers is fuel oil number 6. The Shipman Power Plant permanently 
closed on December 31, 2015; thus, the SO2 emissions cap 
applies only to the affected EGUs at Kanoelehua Hill and Puna. The 
Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) provided copies of the current air 
permits for each facility to the EPA in November 2018 to document the 
State's implementation of the FIP.\12\
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    \12\ See letter dated November 15, 2018, from Bruce S. Anderson, 
Ph.D., Director of Health, Hawaii DOH, to Mr. Michael Stoker, 
Regional Administrator, U.S. EPA Region 9.
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2. Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and Energy Efficiency Programs
    Hawaii has state-level renewable energy and energy efficiency 
programs for greenhouse gas reduction that have reduced electricity 
generation. These programs have also resulted in reductions in 
emissions of SO2 and nitrogen oxides (NOX) due to 
reduced fuel use. As part of Hawaii's RPS, Hawaiian Electric Light 
Company (HELCO) plans to achieve 100 percent renewable energy by 
2045.\13\
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    \13\ Progress Report, 14.
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3. Hawaii Agricultural and Open Burning Programs
    The Hawaii DOH regulates open burning, including agricultural, 
residential, and prescribed burning. For agricultural burning, the 
State has established a permit program for burning green waste, which 
may be restricted during times of drought, fire hazard, or designated 
``No Burn'' periods. Hawaii Commercial and Sugar Company (HC&S) on Maui 
had agricultural burn permits to burn cane, but the facility closed in 
2016.\14\
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    \14\ Id. at 16.
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4. Facility Closures
    Table. 2.2-1 in the Progress Report lists three sources that have 
closed, including HC&S Puunene Sugar Mill, Maui Pineapple Company, and 
HELCO Shipman. Although these closures were not required under the FIP, 
all of these closures have reduced emissions of visibility-impairing 
pollutants.\15\
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    \15\ Id. at 17.
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5. North American ECA
    The North American ECA became enforceable in August 2012 and 
regulates emissions of NOX, SO2, and fine 
particulate from ships. The North American ECA includes waters adjacent 
to the eight main Hawaiian Islands. The North American ECA emissions 
standards include a decreasing fuel sulfur limit and engine 
NOX standards, both of which will contribute to reductions 
of visibility-impairing pollutants near Class I areas in Hawaii.
6. Federal Mobile Source Controls
    In its Progress Report, Hawaii discussed several rules the EPA has 
promulgated to reduce emissions from mobile sources. In 2001, the EPA 
promulgated a rule with an emissions limit for NOX from 
heavy-duty highway vehicles of 0.20 grams per brake-horsepower-hour, 
which was phased in between 2007 and 2010.\16\ In 2004, the EPA 
promulgated a Clean Air Nonroad Diesel Rule to reduce emissions from 
nonroad diesel engines and/or fuels, including construction, 
agricultural, industrial, airport, locomotive, and marine vessel 
engines. The rule established limits to be phased in by 2014.\17\ The 
EPA also issued new fuel sulfur requirements for ultra-low sulfur 
diesel fuel in 2006.\18\ Federal Tier II fuel standards reduced the 
sulfur content of gasoline by up to 90 percent.\19\
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    \16\ 66 FR 5002 (January 18, 2001).
    \17\ 69 FR 38958 (June 29, 2004).
    \18\ 65 FR 6698 (February 10, 2000).
    \19\ See https://www.epa.gov/gasoline-standards/gasoline-sulfur.
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B. Summary of Emissions Reductions

    Section 5.0 of the Hawaii Progress Report includes a summary of the 
emissions reductions achieved throughout the State through 
implementation of the control measures relied upon to achieve 
reasonable progress. In addition, the Progress Report summarizes 
changes in emissions inventories for all major visibility-impairing 
pollutants from point, area, on-road mobile, non-road mobile, marine, 
and anthropogenic fire source categories in the State. For these 
summaries, emissions during the baseline years are represented using a 
2005 inventory, which was the most complete inventory available at the 
time the regional haze FIP was developed. It was developed with support 
from ENVIRON International Corporation and some emissions estimates 
were refined by Hawaii DOH. The EPA also worked with contractors at the 
University of North Carolina and ICF International on estimating on-
road emissions.\20\

[[Page 14637]]

Differences between inventories are represented as the difference 
between the 2005 inventory developed for the Hawaii regional haze FIP 
and a 2011 inventory based on the 2011 National Emissions Inventory.
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    \20\ Technical Support Document for the Proposed Action on the 
Federal Implementation Plan for the Regional Haze Program in the 
State of Hawaii, U.S. EPA Region 9, May 14, 2012.
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    Hawaii's Progress Report noted that in the SO2 emissions 
inventory, volcanic emissions dominate the inventory, far exceeding 
anthropogenic sources of SO2. Likewise, nonanthropogenic 
particulate matter (PM10) emissions from sea spray dominate 
the PM10 inventory. Specifically, Hawaii identified in the 
Progress Report:
     SO2 emissions reductions achieved through 
controls on point and area sources with slight (less than 1 percent of 
total SO2 emissions) increases between 2005 and 2011 in 
other fire/prescribed burning;
     Decreases in NOX emissions from area sources 
and mobile sources, which more than offset increases in point source 
emissions and emissions from other fire/prescribed burning; and
     A slight (4 percent) increase in statewide volatile 
organic compound (VOC) emissions due to increases from point and area 
sources that was not offset by decreases from mobile sources.
    The emissions inventories were complicated by the changes and 
enhancements that have occurred between development of the baseline and 
current period emissions inventories. Hawaii stated that some of the 
differences between inventories are more reflective of changes in 
inventory methodology, rather that changes in actual emissions. For 
example, both biogenic VOC emissions and volcanic emissions were 
updated.\21\
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    \21\ See Progress Report, 42, footnotes 4 and 5 to Table 5.0-3.
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    Notwithstanding these differences between the 2005 and 2011 
emissions inventory methodologies, estimated emissions for 
SO2, NOX, VOC, PM10 and ammonia 
(NH3) are summarized in Tables 2 and 3 below.

                                   Table 2--2005 Statewide Emissions Inventory
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                                        SO2             NOX             VOC            PM10             NH3
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                                              Anthropogenic Sources
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Point Sources...................          27,072          22,745           2,695           3,536              12
Area Sources....................           3,716           1,509          16,920          33,408          11,136
Agricultural Burning............             178             406             535           1,567              60
Other Fire......................               0               1               7               7               0
On-Road Mobile..................             321          20,642          12,066             638           1,085
Non-Road Mobile.................             669           6,296           6,383             649               0
Marine..........................           3,619           5,624             209             398               0
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Anthropogenic.........          35,575          57,223          38,815          40,203          12,298
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                                                 Natural Sources
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Volcano.........................         961,366               0               0               0               0
Sea Spray.......................               0               0               0         382,637               0
Windblown Dust..................               0               0               0          46,808               0
Wildfire........................             591           2,156           4,729           4,771             540
Biogenic........................               0           4,617         130,153               0               0
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Natural...............         961,957           6,773         134,882         439,216             540
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                                                   All Sources
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Total Emissions.................         997,531          63,996         173,697         479,419          12,838
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Source: Progress Report, 42.


                                   Table 3--2011 Statewide Emissions Inventory
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                                        SO2             NOX             VOC            PM10             NH3
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                                              Anthropogenic Sources
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Point Sources...................          22,047          28,982           3,059           2,813           1,031
Area Sources....................           3,331           1,176          18,425          34,803           7,547
Agricultural Burning............             178             405             535           1,567             148
Other Fire......................              36             389           1,672             853              59
On-Road Mobile..................             102          15,503          11,180             305             412
Non-Road Mobile.................               7           3,842           5,428             403               6
Marine..........................           2,037           4,895             154             338               3
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Anthropogenic.........          27,738          55,192          40,453          41,420           9,749
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                                                 Natural Sources
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Volcano.........................         406,030               0               0               0               0
Sea Spray.......................               0               0               0         382,637               0
Windblown Dust..................               0               0               0          46,808               0
Wildfire........................               9              99             390             162              12

[[Page 14638]]

 
Biogenic........................               0           4,617         130,153               0               0
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Natural...............         406,039           4,716         130,543         429,607              12
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                                                   All Sources
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Total Emissions.................         433,768          59,808         170,996         471,027           9,761
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Source: Progress Report, 42.

    Changes in emissions from 2005 to 2011 for SO2, 
NOX, and VOC, respectively, are noted in absolute value and 
as a percentage of baseline emissions presented in tables 4, 5, and 6.

               Table 4--Changes in Anthropogenic SO2 Emissions and Percent Changes From 2005-2011
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                                                                        Statewide SO2 (tpy)
                 Source category                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       2005            2011           Change      Percent change
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Point Sources...................................          27,072          22,047          -5,025             -19
Area Sources....................................           3,716           3,331            -385             -10
Agricultural Burning............................             178             178               0               0
Other Fire/Prescribed Burning...................               0              36              36            >100
On-Road Mobile Sources..........................             321             102            -219             -68
Non-Road Mobile Sources.........................             669               7            -662             -99
Marine..........................................           3,619           2,037          -1,582             -44
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Anthropogenic.........................          35,575          27,738          -7,837             -22
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Source: Progress Report, 44.


               Table 5--Changes in Anthropogenic NOX Emissions and Percent Changes From 2005-2011
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                                                                        Statewide SO2 (tpy)
                 Source category                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       2005            2011           Change      Percent change
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Point Sources...................................          22,745          28,892           6,237              27
Area Sources....................................           1,509           1,176            -333             -22
Agricultural Burning............................             406             405              -1            -0.2
Other Fire/Prescribed Burning...................               1             389             388            >100
On-Road Mobile Sources..........................          20,642          15,503          -5,139             -25
Non-Road Mobile Sources.........................           6,296           3,842          -2,454             -39
Marine..........................................           5,624           4,895            -729             -13
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Anthropogenic.........................          57,223          55,192          -2,031              -4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Progress Report, 45.


               Table 6--Changes in Anthropogenic VOC Emissions and Percent Changes From 2005-2011
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                                                                        Statewide SO2 (tpy)
                 Source category                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       2005            2011           Change      Percent change
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Point Sources...................................           2,695           3,059             364              14
Area Sources....................................          16,920          18,425           1,505               9
Agricultural Burning............................             535             535               0               0
Other Fire/Prescribed Burning...................               7           1,672             166            >100
On-Road Mobile Sources..........................          12,066          11,180            -886             -25
Non-Road Mobile Sources.........................           6,383           5,428            -955             -15
Marine..........................................             209             154             -55             -26
                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Anthropogenic.........................          38,815          40,452           1,638               4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Progress Report, 46.


[[Page 14639]]

    In its Progress Report, Hawaii concluded that the control 
strategies in the existing regional haze plan are adequate to meet the 
2018 RPGs. Progress includes significant reductions in SO2 
and NOX emissions from Maui and Hawaii Island point sources, 
including the SO2 emissions cap, renewable energy projects, 
the retirement of some units, and facility closures.

C. Summary of Visibility Conditions

    Hawaii's Progress Report provided visibility data during the 
baseline period (2000-2004), the current period for the Progress Report 
(2011-2015), and for the rolling 5-year periods between the baseline 
and current periods, based on IMPROVE data that were available at the 
time Hawaii developed the Progress Report. These RPGs are listed in 
Table 7 along with the baseline and current (as of submission of the 
Progress Report) visibility conditions.

                            Table 7--Hawaii Class I Area Visibility Conditions on the 20 Percent Most and Least Impaired Days
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                                                                20% Most impaired days                              20% Least impaired days
                                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 2005-09                                             2005-09
      Hawaii Class I area        Monitor/region     2000-04       First       2011-15     2018 RPGs     2000-04       First       2011-15     2018 RPGs
                                                    Baseline     progress     current        (dv)       Baseline     progress     Current        (dv)
                                                      (dv)     period (dv)  period (dv)                   (dv)     period (dv)  period (dv)
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Haleakala NP..................  \a\ HACR1.......      \b\ 9.5     \b\ 10.8      \c\ 9.7       \d\ 13      \e\ 1.0      \e\ 0.9      \f\ 0.6      \g\ 4.5
                                HALE1...........     \b\ 13.3     \b\ 14.8                                \e\ 4.5      \e\ 4.4
Hawaii Volcanoes NP...........  HAVO1...........     \b\ 18.9     \h\ 24.9     \i\ 18.0     \d\ 18.7      \j\ 4.1      \k\ 3.8      \l\ 3.4      \m\ 4.0
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\a\ The HACR1 IMPROVE monitor began operation in 2007, thus 2007-2009 data used for Haleakala NP for the 2005-2009 period. See Progress Report, 26-27.
\b\ Progress Report, Appendix A, Table 6.5-4.
\c\ Id,, Table 4.1-1.
\d\ Id., Table 6.5-5.
\e\ 77 FR 31692, 31713 (May 29, 2012). The RPG for Haleakala was based on monitoring data from HALE1.
\f\ Progress Report, Table 4.1-1.
\g\ Id., Table 7.0-2 (sum of values for all species under ``2018 With FIP'').
\h\ Id., Table 4.2-3.
\i\ Id., Table 4.1-3.
\j\ Id., Table 4.2-4.
\k\ Id.
\l\ Id., Table 4.1-4.
\m\ Id., Table 7.0-2 (sum of values for all species under ``2018 With FIP'').

    Based on the information in Chapter 4.0 of the Progress Report, 
Hawaii demonstrated that both Class I areas experienced improvements in 
visibility for the 20 percent most and least impaired days between the 
baseline (2000-2004) and current (2011-2015) visibility periods, as 
summarized in table 7 above and shown in tables 4.0-1, 4.0-2, 4.0-3, 
4.1-1 and 4.1-2 of the Progress Report. Table 7 also shows that the 
five-year average worst days and best days during the current period 
(2011-2015) were below (i.e., better than) the 2018 RPGs. Thus, both of 
the State's Class I areas are on track to meet or surpass their 2018 
RPGs.
    Hawaii's Progress Report included an analysis of progress and 
impediments to progress. Hawaii evaluated visibility trends from 2007 
to 2015 from the HACR1 monitor and 2001 to 2015 at the HAVO1 
monitor.\22\ Hawaii noted that five-year rolling averages of the haze 
index show slight visibility improvements on both the 20 percent most-
impaired days and more significant visibility improvements for the 20 
percent least-impaired days for both Class I areas.\23\ Hawaii's 
Progress Report concluded that control strategies in the existing 
regional haze plan are adequate to meet the 2018 RPGs. The average 
trends for least-impaired days show improvement at both monitoring 
locations. Similarly, average trends for most-impaired days show 
improvement. The Progress Report also contains a review of Hawaii's 
visibility monitoring strategy. In the Progress Report, Hawaii 
concludes that the IMPROVE network continues to comply with the 
monitoring requirements in the Regional Haze Rule and that no 
modifications to Hawaii's visibility monitoring strategy are necessary 
at this time.
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    \22\ See Progress Report, 37.
    \23\ Id. at 31.
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    The Progress Report did not expressly address Class I areas outside 
the state. As explained in our proposed regional haze FIP:

    Hawaii lies approximately 2,390 miles southwest of the 
Continental United States and has been included by EPA in the 
regional haze program, ``because of the potential for emissions from 
sources within [its] borders to contribute to regional haze 
impairment in Class I areas also located within [Hawaii's] own 
jurisdiction.'' \24\
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    \24\ 77 FR 31713 (quoting 64 FR 35714, 35720).

    Therefore, we found that emissions from Hawaii were not reasonably 
anticipated to contribute to visibility impairment in any mandatory 
Class I Federal area located in another state or states.\25\ For the 
same reasons, we now find that it was appropriate for Hawaii to exclude 
discussion of out-of-state areas in its Progress Report.
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    \25\ Id.
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D. Determination of Adequacy

    Within the Progress Report, the State of Hawaii provided a negative 
declaration stating that further revision of the existing 
implementation plan is not needed in accordance with 40 CFR 
51.308(h)(1).\26\ The basis for the State's negative declaration is the 
information in the Progress Report and the determination that Hawaii 
was on track to achieve 2018 RPGs for the State's Class I areas. Given 
the reductions in SO2 and NOX emissions and the 
improvements in visibility at the State's Class I areas achieved during 
the planning period, the EPA proposes to approve Hawaii's determination 
that the existing Hawaii regional haze plan requires no substantive 
revisions at this time to achieve the established RPGs for Class I 
areas.
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    \26\ See Progress Report, 81.
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E. Consultation With FLMs

    The State of Hawaii invited the FLMs to comment on its draft 
Progress Report on May 12, 2017, and provided a 60-day comment period 
prior to releasing the report for public comment.\27\ In a letter dated 
July 6, 2017, the FLMs concurred with Hawaii's conclusion in its draft 
progress report that additional revisions

[[Page 14640]]

to the State's regional haze implementation plan were not needed at 
this time.\28\ The EPA proposes to find that Hawaii has addressed the 
requirements in 40 CFR 51.308(i).
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    \27\ See electronic mail dated May 12, 2017, from Michael 
Madsen, Hawaii DOH, to Susan Johnson and Patricia Brewer, National 
Park Service, requesting comment on Hawaii's Regional Haze Progress 
Report, in the docket for today's action.
    \28\ See letter dated July 6, 2017, from Patricia Brewer, 
National Park Service, to Michael Madsen, Hawaii DOH.
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IV. The EPA's Proposed Action

    The EPA is proposing to approve the Hawaii Regional Haze Progress 
Report submitted to the EPA on October 20, 2017, as meeting the 
applicable requirements of the CAA and RHR, as set forth in 40 CFR 
51.308(g). The EPA proposes to approve Hawaii's determination that the 
existing regional haze plan is adequate to meet the established RPGs in 
Class I areas affected by emissions from Hawaii and requires no 
substantive revision at this time. We propose to find that Hawaii 
fulfilled the requirements in 40 CFR 51.308(i) regarding state 
coordination with FLMs.

V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

    Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP 
submission that complies with the provisions of the CAA and applicable 
Federal regulations.\29\ Thus, in reviewing SIP submissions, the EPA's 
role is to approve state choices, provided that they meet the criteria 
of the CAA. Accordingly, this proposed 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 
proposed action:
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    \29\ 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a).
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     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);
     Is not an Executive Order 13771 (82 FR 9339, February 2, 
2017) regulatory action because actions such as SIP approvals are 
exempted under Executive Order 12866;
     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 rulemaking does not involve technical standards; and
     Does not provide the 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 action does not apply on any Indian 
reservation land or in any other area where the 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).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

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

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

    Dated: March 26, 2019.
Deborah Jordan,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region IX.
[FR Doc. 2019-07212 Filed 4-10-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P