[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 29 (Friday, February 13, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 7284]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-3349]
[[Page 7283]]
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Part II
Environmental Protection Agency
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40 CFR Parts 51 and 52
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Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Nonattainment New
Source Review (NSR): Aggregation; Final Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 29 / Friday, February 13, 2009 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 7284]]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 51 and 52
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0064; FRL-8773-3]
RIN 2060-AL75
Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Nonattainment
New Source Review (NSR): Aggregation
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Delay of effective date.
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SUMMARY: In a separate document in the ``Rules'' section of this
Federal Register, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced
the convening of a proceeding for reconsideration of the final rule
that amends the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and
Nonattainment New Source Review (NSR) regulations addressing
aggregation published in the Federal Register on January 15, 2009. By
this action, the EPA is administratively staying and delaying the
effective date of this rule for 90 days. Thus, the January 15, 2009
rule will become effective on May 18, 2009.
DATES: The effective date of FR Doc. E9-815, published in the Federal
Register on January 15, 2009 (74 FR 2376) is delayed to May 18, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Docket: The final rule, the petition for reconsideration,
and all other documents in the record for the rulemaking are in Docket
ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2003-0064. All documents in the docket are listed in
the http://www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index,
some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other
material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only
in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either
electronically in http://www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Air
and Radiation Docket and Information Center, EPA/DC, EPA West Building,
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The Public
Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public
Reading Room is (202) 566-1744.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David J. Svendsgaard, Air Quality
Policy Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (C504-
03), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC
27711, telephone (919) 541-2380, fax number (919) 541-5509, e-mail
address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On January 15, 2009, the EPA (``we'') issued a final rule amending
the PSD and nonattainment NSR regulations that implement the definition
of ``modification'' in the Clean Air Act (CAA) section 111(a)(4). The
amendments addressed when a source must combine (``aggregate'')
nominally-separate physical changes and changes in the method of
operation for the purpose of determining whether they are a single
change under NSR and result in a significant emissions increase. The
amendments retained the existing rule language for aggregation but
interpreted that rule text to mean that sources and permitting
authorities should combine emissions when activities are
``substantially related.'' It also adopted a rebuttable presumption
that activities at a plant can be presumed not to be substantially
related if they occur three or more years apart. Collectively, this
rulemaking is known as the ``NSR Aggregation Amendments.'' For further
information on the NSR Aggregation Amendments, see 74 FR 2376 (January
15, 2009).
On January 30, 2009, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
submitted a petition for reconsideration of the NSR Aggregation
Amendments as provided for in CAA section 307(d)(7)(B). Under that
provision, the Administrator may commence a reconsideration proceeding
if the petitioner raises an objection to a rule that was impracticable
to raise during the comment period or if the grounds for the objection
arose after the comment period. In either case, the objection must be
of central relevance to the outcome of the rule. The Administrator may
stay the effectiveness of the rule for up to three months during such
reconsideration.
In addition to receiving the NRDC Petition, we considered two
memoranda to executive agencies: The January 20, 2009, White House
memorandum entitled, ``Regulatory Review,'' and the memorandum from the
Office of Management and Budget entitled, ``Implementation of
Memorandum Concerning Regulatory Review'' (M-09-08, January 21, 2009)
(OMB memorandum). These memoranda suggest that agencies consider
extending for 60 days the effective date of rules that were published
prior to January 20, 2009 but which have not yet become effective when
these rules raise substantial questions of law and policy.
Having considered the objections raised in the NRDC Petition, we
believe the grounds for at least one of their objections arose after
the comment period and are of central relevance to the NSR Aggregation
Amendment. The concerns set forth in the NRDC Petition also raise
substantial questions of law and policy. In a separate document in the
``Rules'' section of this Federal Register, we are announcing the
convening of a proceeding for reconsideration of the NSR Aggregation
Amendments. Due to the unique procedural rights granted under CAA
section 307(d)(7)(B), including the right to request a hearing and the
obligation to keep the record for the hearing open for 30 days, we
believe that a 90-day stay of effectiveness is more appropriate than
the shorter period recommended in ``Regulatory Review'' and the OMB
memorandum.
II. Issuance of a Stay and Delay of Effective Date
The EPA hereby issues a three-month (90-day) administrative stay of
the effectiveness of the NSR Aggregation Amendments. We will follow the
notice and comment procedures under CAA 307(d), including providing an
opportunity for a hearing, and will take appropriate action thereafter.
To implement this administrative stay, we are delaying the effective
date of FR Doc. E9-815, published in the Federal Register on January
15, 2009 (74 FR 2376), to May 18, 2009.
List of Subjects
40 CFR Part 51
Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure,
Air pollution control, Baseline emissions, Intergovernmental relations,
Aggregation, Major modifications, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Administrative practice and procedure,
Air pollution control, Baseline emissions, Intergovernmental relations,
Aggregation, Major modifications, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Dated: February 9, 2009.
Lisa P. Jackson,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-3349 Filed 2-12-09; 11:15 am]
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