[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 142 (Wednesday, July 28, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 40395-40397]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15730]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[EPA-R07-OAR-2021-0405; FRL-8708-01-R7]


Air Plan Approval; Approval of Missouri Air Quality 
Implementation Plans; Revisions to St. Louis 1997 PM2.5 Maintenance 
Plan

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to 
approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the 
State of Missouri on November 12, 2019, revising the maintenance plan 
demonstrating continued maintenance of the 1997 PM2.5 
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in the St. Louis area. 
This revision states that the St. Louis area no longer needs to rely on 
the vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) program and the use of 
Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) for continued maintenance throughout the 
maintenance period for the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS. EPA is 
proposing to determine that this revision meets the requirements of the 
Clean Air Act.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 27, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R07-
OAR-2021-0405 to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket ID 
No. for this rulemaking. Comments received will be posted without 
change to https://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal 
information provided. For detailed instructions on sending comments and 
additional information on the rulemaking process, see the ``Written 
Comments'' heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this 
document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Brown, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Region 7 Office, Air Quality Planning Branch, 11201 Renner 
Boulevard, Lenexa, Kansas 66219; telephone number: (913) 551-7718; 
email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document ``we,'' ``us,'' and 
``our'' refer to the EPA.

Table of Contents

I. Written Comments
II. What is being addressed in this document?
III. Have the requirements for approval of a SIP revision been met?
IV. What action is the EPA proposing to take?
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

I. Written Comments

    Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R07-OAR-2021-
0405, at https://www.regulations.gov. 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://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.

II. What is being addressed in this document?

    The EPA is proposing to approve SIP revisions submitted by the 
State of Missouri on November 12, 2019, revising the 1997 
PM2.5 maintenance plan. This SIP revision demonstrates 
continued maintenance of the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS in the St. 
Louis area through the future year of 2025. The maintenance area 
boundary includes the Missouri counties of Franklin, Jefferson, St. 
Charles, and St. Louis along with the City of St. Louis.
    Through this action, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources 
(MoDNR) is requesting EPA to approve

[[Page 40396]]

this maintenance plan into Missouri's SIP pursuant to Clean Air Act 
(CAA) Section 175A as a replacement to the maintenance plan previously 
approved by EPA on October 2, 2018 (83 FR 38033).
    On August 3, 2018, EPA published in the Federal Register a final 
rulemaking approving the State of Missouri's request to redesignate the 
Missouri portion of the St. Louis nonattainment area to attainment and 
their demonstration for maintaining the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS 
through the ten-year maintenance period. The effective date for this 
approval was on October 2, 2018 (83 FR 38033).
    The SIP revision we are acting on in this proposal, removes the 
reliance on the St. Louis vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) 
program and the use of Reformulated Gasoline (RFG) for continued 
maintenance of the 1997 PM2.5 standard. To support this 
revision, Missouri utilized EPA's 2014 Motor Vehicle Emissions 
Simulator (MOVES2014b) emission modeling system to project revised 
mobile source emissions by removing emissions reductions related to I/M 
and RFG throughout the maintenance period to the future year of 2025.
    Tables 1 and 2 below lists the total direct PM2.5 and 
PM2.5 precursor emissions for the attainment year 2008 and 
the projection year 2025 for point, area, onroad and nonroad source 
categories of the five counties in the St. Louis area. Because the area 
attained the standard in 2008, this represents a level of emissions 
suitable to maintain compliance with the 1997 PM2.5 
standard. By comparing the total emissions in Tables 1 and 2, 
Missouri's emissions analysis shows substantial decreases in mobile 
source emissions and decreases in total source category emissions 
through the maintenance period of 2025. These decreases in direct 
PM2.5 and precursor pollutants demonstrate the area will 
continue to meet the 1997 PM2.5 standard throughout the 
maintenance period without relying on the I/M program or RFG 
requirements in the Missouri portion of the maintenance area.

                                              Table-1--St. Louis Area 2008 Total Emissions in Tons per Year
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                   State                           Source category              NH3             NOX            PM2.5            SO2             VOC
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Missouri Area.............................  Point Source................        1,308.64       31,103.26        3,493.39      201,700.73        5,067.89
                                            Area Source.................        3,514.98        4,382.94       14,033.64       11,510.48       38,215.34
                                            Onroad Source...............        1,056.17       58,819.58        2,179.28          426.65       23,793.80
                                            Nonroad Source..............           15.68       20,722.57        1,199.82           544.3       11,545.53
Illinois Area.............................  Point Source................          208.31       16,608.41        2,438.05       49,895.15        4,270.41
                                            Area Source.................        3,354.13        1,638.36        4,749.40          246.67        7,796.35
                                            Onroad Source...............          304.71       17,965.82          524.49           60.26        6,741.77
                                            Nonroad Source..............            6.04        8,509.49          425.04          355.25        2,944.51
                                                                         -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Emissions Tons/year.............  ............................        9,768.66      159,750.43       29,043.11      264,739.49      100,375.60
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                                              Table-2--St. Louis Area 2025 Total Emissions in Tons per Year
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                   State                           Source category              NH3             NOX            PM2.5            SO2             VOC
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Missouri Area.............................  Point Source................        1,431.04       17,051.11        1,945.67       94,687.19        3,106.68
                                            Area Source.................        3,232.53        4,937.54        6,756.09          247.98       26,637.27
                                            Onroad Source...............          624.33       11,718.99          481.94          103.27        6,569.16
                                            Nonroad Source..............           13.10        7,136.63          547.21          134.85        5,664.63
Illinois Area.............................  Point Source................          254.91       13,762.60        2,219.54       44,700.05        5,747.23
                                            Area Source.................        3,374.18        1,735.21        4,668.15          268.04        9,249.75
                                            Onroad Source...............          178.97        3,849.45          119.31           52.83        2,042.78
                                            Nonroad Source..............            8.16        8,687.02          303.26          400.33        1,585.08
                                                                         -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Emissions Tons/year.............  ............................        9,117.22       68,878.55       17,041.17      140,594.54       60,602.58
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    It is important to note approval of this maintenance plan revision 
does not remove the I/M program or the RFG program requirements from 
the SIP.
    In addition, the motor vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) from the 
previously SIP approved Maintenance Plan for the PM2.5 NAAQS 
\1\ and this SIP submittal remain the same. Therefore, there are no new 
MVEBs being created for this SIP revision. Moreover, EPA has revoked 
the 1997 primary annual PM2.5 NAAQS, which has been replaced 
by the more health protective 2012 primary annual PM2.5 
NAAQS and Missouri is currently in compliance with this standard (84 FR 
36472). As a result, areas that have been redesignated to attainment 
for the 1997 annual PM2.5 NAAQS (i.e., maintenance areas for 
the 1997 annual PM2.5 NAAQS) will no longer be required to 
make transportation conformity determinations for that NAAQS (81 FR 
58010).
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    \1\ 83 FR 38033, August 3, 2018 (effective date of October 2, 
2018).
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    EPA is proposing approval of the revised maintenance plan based on 
information provided in the emissions projections, modeling results and 
an evaluation of quality assured air monitoring data submitted as part 
of this revision and in a previously reviewed analysis as part of the 
St. Louis Nonattainment Area 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS Redesignation 
rulemaking published on August 3, 2018 (83 FR 38033). Current and 
future projections of air quality and emissions data for this revision 
demonstrates maintenance for the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS.
    This revision only affects maintenance for the 1997 
PM2.5 standard, only removes the reliance upon the I/M and 
RFG programs for continued maintenance and therefore meets the 
requirements of the Clean Air Act.
    The full text of the plan revisions including Missouri's technical

[[Page 40397]]

demonstration can be found in the State's submission, which is included 
in the docket for this action.

III. Have the requirements for approval of a SIP revision been met?

    The State submission has met the public notice requirements for SIP 
submissions in accordance with 40 CFR 51.102. The submission also 
satisfied the completeness criteria of 40 CFR part 51, appendix V. The 
State provided public notice on this SIP revision from July 29, 2019 
through September 13, 2019 and received one comment from the Missouri 
Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, one comment from 
Abel Realty, and thirteen comments from EPA. After receiving comments, 
the state revised the SIP prior to submitting the plan to EPA. In 
addition, as explained above and in more detail in the Missouri 
submittal document, which is part of the docket, the revision meets the 
substantive SIP requirements of the CAA, including section 110 and 
implementing regulations.

IV. What action is the EPA proposing to take?

    We are proposing to approve a SIP revision submitted by the State 
of Missouri on November 12, 2019, revising the 1997 PM2.5 
maintenance plan. EPA is proposing to determine that this revision 
would not interfere with attainment or maintenance of the NAAQS or with 
any other CAA requirement. We are processing this as a proposed action 
because we are soliciting comments on this proposed action. Final 
rulemaking will occur after consideration of any comments.

V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

    Under the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Administrator is required to 
approve a SIP submission that complies with the provisions of the Act 
and applicable Federal regulations. 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a). 
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 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 the National Technology 
Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTA) because this rulemaking 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).
    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 proposed 
rule does not have tribal implications and will not impose substantial 
direct costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law 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.

    Dated: July 19, 2021.
Edward H. Chu,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 7.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the EPA proposes to amend 
40 CFR part 52 as set forth below:

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 AA--Missouri

0
2. In Sec.  52.1320, the table in paragraph (e) is amended by adding 
the entry ``(80)'' in numerical order to read as follows:


Sec.  52.1320   Identification of plan.

* * * * *
    (e) * * *

                                EPA-Appoved Missouri Nonregulatory SIP Provisions
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                                        Applicable
    Name of  nonregulatory SIP        geographic or          State       EPA approval date       Explanation
            provision              nonattainment  area  submittal date
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                                                  * * * * * * *
(80) Revisions to St. Louis 1997   St. Louis Area:          11/12/2019  [Date of             This action
 PM2.5 Maintenance Plan.            Missouri counties                    publication of the   replaces the
                                    of Franklin,                         final rule in the    Maintenance plan
                                    Jefferson, St.                       Federal Register],   for the 1997 PM2.5
                                    Charles, and St.                     [Federal Register    (83 FR 38033) [EPA-
                                    Louis along with                     citation of the      R07-OAR-2017-0734;
                                    the City of St.                      final rule].         FRL 9981-29-Region
                                    Louis.                                                    7].
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[FR Doc. 2021-15730 Filed 7-27-21; 8:45 am]
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