[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 1, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6688-6691]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01973]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA-R03-OAR-2022-0987; FRL-10615-01-R3]
Clean Data Determination; District of Columbia, Maryland, and
Virginia; Washington, DC-MD-VA Nonattainment Area for the 2015 Ozone
National Ambient Air Quality Standard Clean Data Determination
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to
determine that the Washington, District of Columbia-Maryland-Virginia
(the Washington Area or the Area) nonattainment area has clean data for
the 2015 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (2015 ozone
NAAQS). This proposed clean data determination (CDD) under EPA's Clean
Data Policy is based upon quality-assured, quality-controlled, and
certified ambient air quality monitoring data showing that the area has
attained the 2015 ozone NAAQS based on 2019 to 2021 data available in
EPA's Air Quality System (AQS) database. If finalized, this proposed
CDD would suspend the obligations of the District of Columbia (DC), the
State of Maryland (MD) and the Commonwealth of Virginia (VA) to submit
certain attainment planning requirements for the nonattainment area for
as long as the Area continues to attain the 2015 ozone NAAQS.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before March 3, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R03-
OAR-2022-0987 at 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 www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keila M. Pag[aacute]n-Incle, Planning
& Implementation Branch (3AD30), Air & Radiation Division, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, Four Penn Center, 1600
John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-2852. The
telephone number is (215) 814-2926. Ms. Pag[aacute]n-Incle can also be
reached via electronic mail at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document, wherever ``we,''
``us'' or ``our'' are used, it is intended to refer to the EPA.
Table of Contents
I. Background and Purpose
II. EPA Clean Data Policy and Clean Data Determinations
III. Analysis of Air Quality Data
IV. Proposed Action
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
[[Page 6689]]
I. Background and Purpose
On October 26, 2015 (80 FR 65291), EPA promulgated a revised
primary and secondary NAAQS for ozone to provide requisite increased
protection of public health and welfare, respectively. In that action,
EPA strengthened both standards from 0.075 parts per million (ppm) to
0.070 ppm, and retained the indicator (O3), averaging time
(8-hour) and form (annual fourth-highest daily maximum, averaged over
three years) of the existing standards. Effective August 3, 2018 (83 FR
25776), EPA designated 52 areas throughout the country as nonattainment
for the 2015 ozone NAAQS, including the Washington Area,\1\ which was
classified as a Marginal nonattainment area. This designation was based
on certified air quality monitoring data from calendar years 2014 to
2016. In that action, EPA established the attainment date for Marginal
nonattainment areas as three years from the effective date of the final
designations. Thus, the attainment date for Marginal nonattainment
areas for the 2015 ozone NAAQS was August 3, 2021.\2\
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\1\ The Washington Area consists of the following counties/
cities: Calvert County, Charles County, Frederick County, Montgomery
County, and Prince George's County in Maryland; Alexandria city,
Arlington County, Fairfax County, Fairfax city, Falls Church city,
Loudoun County, Manassas Park city, Manassas city, Prince William
County in Virginia; and all of the District of Columbia. See 40 CFR
81.309, 81.321, and 81.347.
\2\ See 83 FR 25776 (June 4, 2018).
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On April 13, 2022 (87 FR 21842), EPA proposed to determine that 24
Marginal areas, including the Washington Area, failed to attain the
2015 ozone NAAQS by their applicable attainment date and the areas were
therefore going to be reclassified by operation of law as Moderate
nonattainment upon the effective date of the final reclassification
notice. On October 7, 2022 (87 FR 60897), EPA published the final
action in the Federal Register stating that 22 Marginal areas or
portions of areas failed to attain the standard by the applicable
attainment date, including the Washington Area. In that action, EPA
reclassified the Washington Area as Moderate nonattainment for the 2015
ozone NAAQS because it failed to attain the standard by the attainment
date of August 3, 2021. This designation was based on quality-assured,
quality-controlled, and certified ozone air quality monitoring data
from calendar years 2018 to 2020. More recent air quality data from
2019 to 2021 indicates that the Washington Area is now attaining the
2015 ozone standard--the basis for EPA's proposed CDD.
II. EPA Clean Data Policy and Clean Data Determinations
Following enactment of the Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments of 1990,
EPA discussed its interpretation of the requirements for implementing
the NAAQS in the ``General Preamble for the Implementation of title I
of the CAA Amendments of 1990'' (General Preamble).\3\ In 1995, based
on the interpretation of CAA sections 171, 172, and 182 in the General
Preamble, EPA set forth what has become known as its ``Clean Data
Policy'' for the 1-hour ozone NAAQS.\4\ Under the Clean Data Policy,
for a nonattainment area that can demonstrate attainment of the
standard before implementing CAA nonattainment measures, EPA interprets
the requirements of the CAA that are specifically designed to help an
area achieve attainment, including attainment demonstrations,
implementation of reasonably available control measures (RACM),
including reasonably available control technology (RACT), reasonable
further progress (RFP) demonstrations, emissions limitations and
control measures as necessary to provide for attainment, and
contingency measures, to be suspended for so long as air quality
continues to meet the standard.\5\
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\3\ 57 FR 13498, 13564 (April 16, 1992).
\4\ See Memorandum from John S. Seitz, Director, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards, entitled, ``Reasonable Further
Progress, Attainment Demonstration, and Related Requirements for
Ozone Nonattainment areas Meeting the Ozone National Ambient Air
Quality Standard,'' dated May 10, 1995. (1995 John S. Seitz Memo).
Further description of EPA's Clean Data Policy can be found in the
``Final Rule to Implement the 8-hour Ozone National Ambient Air
Quality Standard--Phase 2'' (referred to as the Phase 2 Final Rule),
(70 FR 71612, November 29, 2005). The Tenth, Seventh, and Ninth
Circuit U.S. District Courts have upheld EPA rulemakings applying
the Clean Data Policy. See Sierra Club v. EPA, 99 F. 3d 1551 (10th
Cir. 1996); Sierra Club v. EPA, 375 F. 3d 537 (7th Cir. 2004); Our
Children's Earth Foundation v. EPA, No. 04-73032 (9th Cir., June 28,
2005) memorandum opinion.
\5\ 1995 John S. Seitz memo.
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EPA may issue a CDD under our Clean Data Policy when a
nonattainment area is attaining the 2015 ozone NAAQS based on the most
recent available data. EPA will determine whether the area has attained
the 2015 ozone NAAQS based on available information, including air
quality monitoring data for the affected area. If the CDD is made
final, then certain attainment plan requirements for the area are
suspended for so long as the area continues to attain the NAAQS.
Furthermore, the suspension of the obligation to submit an
attainment plan is only appropriate where the area remains in
attainment of the NAAQS. A CDD under the Clean Data Policy does not
serve to alter the area's nonattainment designation. CDDs are not
redesignations to attainment. For EPA to redesignate an area to
attainment the state must submit, and EPA must approve, a redesignation
request for the area that meets the requirements of CAA section
107(d)(3).
III. Analysis of Air Quality Data
EPA has reviewed the ambient air monitoring data for ozone,
consistent with the requirements contained in 40 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) part 50 and recorded in EPA's AQS database for the
Washington Area from 2019 through 2022. On the basis of that review,
EPA has concluded that this Area attained the 2015 ozone NAAQS at the
end of the 2021 ozone season, based on certified 2019 to 2021 ozone
data. In addition, preliminary ozone data for 2022 that are available
in AQS, but not yet certified, is consistent with continued attainment
of the 2015 ozone NAAQS.
Under EPA regulations, the 2015 ozone NAAQS is attained when the 3-
year average of the annual fourth-highest daily maximum 8-hour average
ozone concentrations at an ozone monitor is less than or equal to 0.070
ppm.\6\ This 3-year average is referred to as the design value (DV).
When calculating the DV, digits to the right of the third decimal place
are truncated.\7\ When the DV is less than or equal to 0.070 ppm at
each monitor within the area, then the area is meeting the NAAQS. In
addition, the 2015 ozone DVs are based solely on ozone season data.\8\
Ozone season is defined for each state or portion of a state.\9\ The
ozone season for DC, MD and VA runs from March 1st to October 31st each
year.\10\ There is also a data completeness requirement that is met
when the average percentage of days with valid ambient monitoring data
is greater than 90%, and no single year has less than 75% data
completeness as determined in Appendix I of 40 CFR part 50. The
Washington Area has complete data for the years 2018 to 2021, as shown
in Table 1 in this document.
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\6\ See 40 CFR 50.19(b).
\7\ See 40 CFR part 50, appendix P.
\8\ See 40 CFR 51.1300(b), which refers to 40 CFR part 50,
appendix U.
\9\ See 40 CFR 51.1300(j), which refers to 40 CFR part 58,
appendix D, section 4.1, Table D-3.
\10\ Id.
[[Page 6690]]
Table 1--Completeness Data Percentage (%) From 2018 to 2021 for the Washington Area
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Location AQS Site ID 2018 2019 2020 2021
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District of Columbia................................ 110010041 98 100 96 90
District of Columbia................................ 110010043 98 98 96 98
District of Columbia................................ 110010050 100 100 94 98
Calvert, MD......................................... 240090011 98 93 97 98
Charles, MD......................................... 240170010 95 90 97 96
Frederick, MD....................................... 240210037 100 99 95 98
Montgomery, MD...................................... 240313001 99 96 92 96
Prince George's, MD................................. 240330030 99 96 99 100
Prince George's, MD................................. 240338003 99 95 98 99
Prince George's, MD................................. 240339991 93 93 98 99
Arlington, VA....................................... 510130020 99 99 98 96
Fairfax, VA......................................... 510590030 96 98 96 99
Fauquier, VA........................................ 510610002 99 95 99 100
Loudoun, VA......................................... 511071005 99 90 99 96
Prince William, VA.................................. 511530009 99 100 98 99
Stafford, VA........................................ 511790001 97 97 96 90
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Table 2 in this document shows the fourth-highest maximum 8-hour
average ozone concentrations for the Washington Area monitors for the
years 2018 to 2022. Table 3 in this document shows the ozone design
values for these same monitors based on the following 3-year periods:
2018-2020, 2019-2021 and 2020-2022.
Table 2--Fourth-Highest 8-Hour Ozone Average Concentrations (ppm) in the Washington Area From 2018 to 2022
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Location AQS Site ID 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 *
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District of Columbia..................... 110010041 0.050 0.062 0.054 0.064 0.059
District of Columbia..................... 110010043 0.073 0.071 0.063 0.072 0.066
District of Columbia..................... 110010050 0.073 0.067 0.063 0.069 0.051
Calvert, MD.............................. 240090011 0.067 0.058 0.054 0.062 0.058
Charles, MD.............................. 240170010 0.068 0.061 0.052 0.066 0.061
Frederick, MD............................ 240210037 0.067 0.065 0.063 0.067 0.061
Montgomery, MD........................... 240313001 0.069 0.062 0.059 0.068 0.063
Prince George's, MD...................... 240330030 0.070 0.071 0.064 0.066 0.061
Prince George's, MD...................... 240338003 0.070 0.065 0.060 0.070 0.064
Prince George's, MD...................... 240339991 0.073 0.075 0.065 0.071 0.065
Arlington, VA............................ 510130020 0.070 0.068 0.062 0.070 0.061
Fairfax, VA.............................. 510590030 0.066 0.070 0.057 0.068 0.062
Fauquier, VA............................. 510610002 0.060 0.055 0.049 0.060 0.056
Loudoun, VA.............................. 511071005 0.065 0.060 0.060 0.066 0.061
Prince William, VA....................... 511530009 0.065 0.060 0.057 0.062 0.058
Stafford, VA............................. 511790001 0.064 0.059 0.056 0.062 0.058
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* The 2022 data in this column is preliminary and has yet to be certified.
Table 3--Ozone Design Values (ppm) for the Washington Area
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Location AQS Site ID 2018-2020 2019-2021 2020-2022 *
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District of Columbia............................ 110010041 0.055 0.060 0.059
District of Columbia............................ 110010043 0.069 0.068 0.067
District of Columbia............................ 110010050 0.067 0.066 0.061
Calvert, MD..................................... 240090011 0.059 0.058 0.058
Charles, MD..................................... 240170010 0.060 0.059 0.060
Frederick, MD................................... 240210037 0.065 0.065 0.064
Montgomery, MD.................................. 240313001 0.063 0.063 0.063
Prince George's, MD............................. 240330030 0.068 0.067 0.064
Prince George's, MD............................. 240338003 0.065 0.065 0.065
Prince George's, MD............................. 240339991 0.071 0.070 0.067
Arlington, VA................................... 510130020 0.066 0.066 0.064
Fairfax, VA..................................... 510590030 0.064 0.065 0.062
Fauquier, VA.................................... 510610002 0.054 0.054 0.055
Loudoun, VA..................................... 511071005 0.061 0.062 0.062
Prince William, VA.............................. 511530009 0.060 0.059 0.059
Stafford, VA.................................... 511790001 0.059 0.059 0.059
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* The 2022 data in this column is preliminary and has yet to be certified.
[[Page 6691]]
EPA's review of these data indicate that the Washington Area met
the attainment standard in 2019-2021 and the preliminary data from 2022
indicates that the DV for the period of 2020-2022 is consistent with
continued attainment of the 2015 ozone NAAQS.
IV. Proposed Action
EPA is proposing to determine that the Washington Moderate ozone
nonattainment area has attained the 2015 NAAQS for ozone. This
determination is based upon certified ambient air monitoring data that
show the area has monitored attainment of the 2015 ozone NAAQS based on
2019 to 2021 data. In addition, preliminary \11\ ozone data for 2022
that are available in EPA's AQS database, but not yet certified, is
consistent with continued attainment of the 2015 ozone NAAQS. As
provided in 40 CFR 51.1318, if EPA finalizes this CDD, it would suspend
the requirements for such area to submit attainment demonstrations,
associated RACM, including RACT, RFP plans, and contingency measures
under CAA section 172(c)(9), and any other planning State
Implementation Plan (SIP) revision related to attainment of the 2015
ozone NAAQS for this Area, for so long as the area continues to attain
the standard. EPA is soliciting public comments on the issues discussed
in this document or on other relevant matters. These comments will be
considered before taking final action. Interested parties may
participate in the Federal rulemaking procedure by submitting written
comments to this proposed rule by following the instructions listed in
the ADDRESSES sections of this Federal Register.
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\11\ The data in AQS is quality-assured data from the states.
States have until May 1st of the calendar year following the year in
which the data was collected to make any changes without prior
notification to EPA. For the 2022 ozone data, States can make
changes until the data is ``certified'' by the state on or before
May 1st, 2023.
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V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
This rulemaking action makes a clean data determination for
attainment of the 2015 ozone NAAQS based on air quality and does not
impose additional requirements. For that reason, this clean data
determination:
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 clean data determination for the
Washington Area for the 2015 ozone NAAQS does not have tribal
implications as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249,
November 9, 2000), because the SIP is not approved to apply in Indian
country located in the multi-state area, and EPA notes that it will not
impose substantial direct costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal
law.
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by
reference, Ozone, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Adam Ortiz,
Regional Administrator, Region III.
[FR Doc. 2023-01973 Filed 1-31-23; 8:45 am]
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