AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) on behalf of the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) for the purpose of satisfying the volatile organic compound (VOC) reasonably available control technology (RACT) requirements for source categories covered by control technique guidelines (CTGs) under the 2008 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). EPA is approving these revisions addressing the VOC CTG RACT requirements set forth by the CAA for the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS for Allegheny County in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

DATES:

This final rule is effective on June 3, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID Number EPA-R03-OAR-2018-0764. All documents in the docket are listed on the https://www.regulations.gov website. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., confidential business information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available through https://www.regulations.gov, or please contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section for additional availability information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Megan Goold, Planning & Implementation Branch (3AD30), Air & Radiation Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103. The telephone number is (215) 814-2027. Ms. Goold can also be reached via electronic mail at goold.megan@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

On February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3742), EPA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In the NPRM, EPA proposed approval of a SIP revision addressing the VOC CTG RACT requirements set forth by the CAA for the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS for Allegheny County (the 2018 VOC CTG RACT Submission for Allegheny County). The formal SIP revision was submitted by Pennsylvania on behalf of Allegheny County on July 24, 2018.

II. Summary of SIP Revision and EPA Analysis

On July 24, 2018, PADEP submitted a SIP revision for Allegheny County to address the VOC CTG RACT requirements set forth by the CAA for the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS. Specifically, the 2018 VOC CTG RACT Submission for Allegheny County includes: (1) A certification that for certain categories of sources, previously-adopted VOC RACT controls in the Allegheny County portion of Pennsylvania's SIP that were approved by EPA under the 1979 1-hour and 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS continue to be based on the currently available technically and economically feasible controls, and continue to represent RACT for implementation of the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS; and (2) a negative declaration that certain CTG sources of VOC do not exist in Allegheny County, PA. This SIP revision does not cover non-CTG sources in Allegheny County. PADEP will address RACT for major sources of NO_X and for major non-CTG VOC sources for Allegheny County in another SIP submission.

Allegheny County's Regulations and Statutes, under Allegheny County Article XXI 2105.10, 2105.11, 2105.12, 2105.13, 2105.15, 2105.16, 2105.19, 2105.70, 2105.71, 2105.72., 2105.74, 2105.76, 2105.77, 2105.78, 2105.79, 2105.80, 2105.81, 2105.82, 2105.83, 2015.84, 2105.85, and 2105.86 contain the VOC CTG RACT controls that were implemented and approved into Pennsylvania's SIP under the 1-hour and 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS. PADEP is certifying that these regulations, all previously approved by EPA into the SIP, continue to meet the RACT requirements for the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS for CTG-covered sources of VOCs in Allegheny County, PA. PADEP also submitted a negative declaration for the CTGs that have not been adopted because Allegheny County does not contain the affected source categories. More detailed information on these provisions as well as a detailed summary of EPA's review can be found in the Technical Support Document (TSD) for this action which is available on line at https://www.regulations.gov, Docket number EPA-R03-OAR-2018-0764.

An explanation of the Clean Air Act requirements, a detailed analysis of the revisions, and EPA's reasons for proposing approval were provided in the NPRM and will not be restated here. No public comments were received on the NPRM.

III. Final Action

EPA is approving Pennsylvania's 2018 VOC CTG RACT Submission for Allegheny County on the basis that it demonstrates that existing regulations in the Allegheny County portion of Pennsylvania's SIP represent RACT for the purposes of compliance with the 2008 8-hour ozone standard for all stationary sources of VOCs covered by a CTG issued prior to July 20, 2014.

IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

A. General Requirements

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);
• Is not an Executive Order 13771 (82 FR 9339, February 2, 2017) regulatory action because 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 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 rule 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 state, and EPA notes that it will not impose substantial direct costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law.

B. Submission to Congress and the Comptroller General

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).

C. Petitions for Judicial Review

Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA, petitions for judicial review of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by July 1, 2019. 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 approving the 2018 VOC CTG RACT Submission for Allegheny County may not be challenged later in proceedings to enforce its requirements. (See section 307(b)(2)).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

• Environmental protection
• Air pollution control
• Incorporation by reference
• Intergovernmental relations
• Nitrogen dioxide
• Ozone
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Volatile organic compounds

40 CFR part 52 is amended as follows:

PART 52—APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS

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

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

Subpart NN—Pennsylvania

2. In § 52.2020, the table in paragraph (e)(1) is amended by adding the entry “2008 8-hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard Reasonably Available Control Technology Standard” at the end of the table to read as follows: