[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 28 (Friday, February 12, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 9336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-02963]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL10020-16-Region 3]


Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Petition To Object to the 
Title V Permit for Northampton Generating Co., LP; Pennsylvania

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of final action.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator signed an Order, dated July 15, 
2020, partially granting and partially denying a petition to object to 
a state operating permit issued by the Pennsylvania Department of 
Environment Protection (PADEP). The Order responds to a January 8, 2020 
petition, relating to Northampton Generating Co., LP's Northampton 
Plant (Northampton), an electric utility generation facility located in 
Northampton County, Pennsylvania. The petition was submitted by the 
Sierra Club and the Clean Air Council. This Order constitutes final 
action on that petition requesting that the Administrator object to the 
issuance of the proposed CAA title V permit.

DATES: February 12, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the final Order, the petition, and all pertinent 
information relating thereto can be requested by electronic mail to the 
address set forth below in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. 
The final Order is also available electronically at the following 
website: https://www.epa.gov/title-v-operating-permits/title-v-petition-database.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Bertram, Permits Branch, Air and 
Radiation Division, EPA Region III, (215) 814-5273, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CAA affords EPA a 45-day period to 
review and object to, as appropriate, operating permits proposed by 
state permitting authorities. 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 state operating permit 
if EPA has not done so. Petitions must be based only on objections 
raised with reasonable specificity during the public comment period, 
unless the petitioner demonstrates that it was impracticable to raise 
these issues during the comment period or that the grounds for 
objection or other issue arose after the comment period.
    In the Northampton petition (numbered III-2020-1), the Petitioners 
sought EPA objection on the following issues: (Claim I) the Northampton 
permit's monitoring regime did not ensure that emissions restrictions 
are met; (Claim II) PADEP erred in allowing Northampton to modify its 
permit using the less stringent minor modification process. PADEP 
issued the final Northampton operating permit (permit No. 48-00021) on 
December 16, 2019.
    The Order explains the reasons behind EPA's decision to partially 
grant and partially deny the petition for objection. Pursuant to 
section 505(b)(2) of the CAA, the Petitioner may seek judicial review 
of those portions of the Northampton petition which EPA denied in the 
United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit. Any 
petition for review shall be filed within 60 days of this notice in 
accordance with the requirements of section 307 of the CAA.

    Dated: February 8, 2021.
Cristina Fernandez,
Director, Air and Radiation Division, Region III.
[FR Doc. 2021-02963 Filed 2-11-21; 8:45 am]
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