Clean Air Act Promulgation of Reclassification of Ozone Nonattainment Area; States of New Jersey and New York

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 81

[Region II Docket No. 132, SIPTRAX # NY14-1-6563, FRL-5022-5]

Clean Air Act Promulgation of Reclassification of Ozone

Nonattainment Area; States of New Jersey and New York

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to

reclassify the Poughkeepsie ozone nonattainment area from a marginal

nonattainment area to a moderate nonattainment area. This action also

proposes a determination that the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, NJ-PA;

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY; Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY; Essex County,

NY; and, Jefferson County, NY ozone nonattainment areas classified as

marginal have attained the ozone air quality standard by the attainment

date of November 15, 1993. These actions are based on monitored air

quality readings for the national ambient air quality standard for

ozone during the years 1991-1993.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 29, 1994.

ADDRESSES: All comments should be addressed to: Jeanne M. Fox, Regional

Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency, Region II Office, 26

Federal Plaza, New York, NY, 10278.

Materials relevant to this rulemaking are located in Rm. M-1500,

First Floor, Waterside Mall, 40l M Street SW., Washington, DC, and may

be inspected at this location during the hours from 8:30 a.m. to 12

noon and from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for

legal holidays. A duplicate copy of the materials are located in the

EPA Regional Office previously listed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William S. Baker, Chief, Air Programs

Branch, Environmental Protection Agency, Region II Office, 26 Federal

Plaza, Room 1034A, New York, NY, 10278, (212) 264-2517.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

A. Clean Air Act Requirements and EPA Actions Concerning Designation

and Classification

Section 107(d)(4) of the Clean Air Act (the Act) required the

States and EPA to designate areas as attainment, nonattainment, or

unclassifiable for ozone as well as other pollutants for which national

ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) have been set. Section 181(a)(1)

(table 1) required that ozone nonattainment areas be classified as

marginal, moderate, serious, severe, or extreme, depending on their air

quality.

In a series of Federal Register (FR) notices, EPA completed this

designation and classification process. The reader is referred to 56 FR

58694 (Nov. 6, 1991); 57 FR 56762 (Nov. 30, 1992); and, 59 FR 18967

(April 21, 1994), in which, EPA designated and classified all areas of

the country for ozone.

Areas designated nonattainment for ozone are required to meet

attainment dates specified under the Act. For areas classified marginal

through extreme, the attainment dates range from November 15, 1993

through November 15, 2010. A discussion of the attainment dates is

found in the General Preamble, 57 FR 13498 (April 16, 1992).

The Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, NJ-PA; Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY;

Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY; Essex County, NY; Jefferson County, NY; and,

Poughkeepsie, NY areas were designated nonattainment and classified

marginal for ozone pursuant to 56 FR 58694 (Nov. 6, 1991); 57 FR 56762

(Nov. 30, 1992); and, 59 FR 18967 (April 21, 1994). By this

classification, their attainment date became November 15, 1993.

B. Act Requirements and EPA Actions Concerning Reclassification

Section 181(b)(2)(A) requires the Administrator, shortly after the

attainment date, to determine whether ozone nonattainment areas

attained the NAAQS. This provision states:

Within 6 months following the applicable attainment date

(including any extension thereof) for an ozone nonattainment area,

the Administrator shall determine, based on the area's design value

(as of the attainment date), whether the area attained the standard

by that date.

This provision further states that, for areas classified as

marginal, moderate, or serious, if the Administrator determines that

the area did not attain the standard by its attainment date, the area

must be reclassified upwards:

Except for any Severe or Extreme area, any area that the

Administrator finds has not attained the standard by that date shall

be reclassified by operation of law in accordance with table 1 of

subsection (a) of this section to the higher of--

(i) the next higher classification for the area, or

(ii) the classification applicable to the area's design value as

determined at the time of the notice required under subparagraph

(B).

Finally, subparagraph (B) of Section 182(b)(2) mandates that the

Administrator publish a notice in the Federal Register identifying each

area that failed to attain the NAAQS.

As quoted previously, the determination of attainment status is

based on the area's ``design value.'' EPA interprets this provision

generally to refer to EPA's methodology for determining attainment

status. See generally, H Comm. Rep. 101-490 pp. 197, 232 (1990) (House

Energy and Commerce Committee Report).

For ozone, EPA determines attainment status on the basis of the

expected number of exceedances of the NAAQS over the three-year period

up to, and including, the attainment date. This procedure is described

in 57 FR 13506 (April 16, 1992). Under these requirements, for marginal

ozone nonattainment areas, EPA considers air quality during the years

1991-1993 to determine whether the area met its attainment date.

II. Summary of Proposed Action

EPA is proposing to determine that the Poughkeepsie nonattainment

area failed to demonstrate attainment by its attainment date of

November 15, 1993. The Poughkeepsie ozone nonattainment area is

comprised of Dutchess County, northern Orange County and Putnam County,

NY. As discussed in the accompanying technical support document, this

determination is based on air quality monitors revealing exceedances of

the ozone NAAQS during 1991-1993. The Poughkeepsie area recorded four

exceedances of the NAAQS at a monitoring site in Millbrook, Dutchess

County. Therefore, the average expected number of exceedances of the

NAAQS over the three-year period is greater than 1.0. The ozone data

measured at the Millbrook monitor during the 1991-1993 period indicates

a design value of 0.126 parts per million and an average expected

number of exceedances of 1.4. Therefore, the EPA is proposing to

reclassify or bump-up the Poughkeepsie ozone nonattainment area from a

marginal nonattainment area to a moderate nonattainment area.

It should be noted that on April 21, 1994 in 59 FR 18967, EPA made

a final determination that portions of Orange County are included in

the Poughkeepsie ozone nonattainment area. An opportunity for public

comment on the designation of northern Orange County was given on

November 30, 1992 in 57 FR 56762. As a result of this proposal to

reclassify the Poughkeepsie nonattainment area, portions of Orange

County would become moderate nonattainment along with Dutchess and

Putnam Counties. EPA's final decision to include portions of Orange

County in the Poughkeepsie ozone nonattainment area is not the subject

of this proposal, and EPA is not soliciting comments on its final

action in that regard.

This proposed rule fulfills EPA's obligations under Section

181(b)(2) to determine whether the Poughkeepsie area attained the ozone

NAAQS by its attainment date, and to publish its determination in the

Federal Register.

Under Section 182(i) of the Act, reclassifying this area as

moderate means that the State will be required to submit State

Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions appropriate for a moderate area

under Section 182(b). Section 182(i) further provides that the

deadlines provided under the requirements of Section 182(b) remain

applicable to this area, except that the Administrator (or the

Administrator's delegate) ``may adjust any applicable deadlines (other

than attainment dates) to the extent such adjustment is necessary or

appropriate to assure consistency among the required submissions.''

Accordingly, reclassification to moderate results in an attainment date

for this area of November 15, 1996, under Section 181(a)(1) (table 1).

However, EPA is exercising its authority to adjust the SIP

submission schedules for the moderate area controls. All SIP

submissions required under Section 182(b) must be submitted by November

15, 1995. All required controls and emissions reductions must be

implemented or achieved on a schedule that facilitates attainment by

November 15, 1996 (the attainment date). This submittal date will

assure consistency in SIP submittal schedules and afford the State

sufficient time to prepare the submittals, while also assuring that the

required controls may be implemented by the attainment date. EPA

cautions that because the determination of whether the area attains the

NAAQS by the end of 1996 must be based on air quality during the 1994-

1996 period, the sooner the moderate-area controls are implemented, the

more likely the area will reach attainment by the end of 1996.

In addition, EPA is proposing a determination that the Allentown-

Bethlehem-Easton, NJ-PA; Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY; Buffalo-Niagara

Falls, NY; Essex County, NY; and, Jefferson County, NY marginal

nonattainment areas succeeded in demonstrating attainment by their

attainment date of November 15, 1993. As discussed in the accompanying

technical support document, this determination is based on ozone air

quality data measured during the 1991-1993 period. These five marginal

areas recorded none or only one exceedance of the standard at any one

monitoring site in the area. Therefore, the average expected number of

exceedances of the NAAQS over the three-year period, for these five

areas, is less than 1.0.

Although EPA is proposing to determine that these areas have

attained the ozone NAAQS, they will continue to carry the designation

of nonattainment and the classification of marginal. They are eligible

to be redesignated to attainment under Section 107(d)(3), if the

criteria of that provision are met. A redesignation of an area to

attainment must be a formal request by a state to EPA and include,

among other things, a public hearing, all Section 110 and Part D

requirements and a ten year maintenance plan. EPA must review a

redesignation request and follow the usual procedures of a completeness

review, a notice of proposed rulemaking and a final action after

reviewing public comments.

Proposed Action

The EPA is proposing to reclassify the Poughkeepsie ozone

nonattainment area from a marginal nonattainment area to a moderate

nonattainment area. This action also proposes a determination that the

Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, NJ-PA; Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY;

Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY; Essex County, NY; and, Jefferson County, NY

ozone nonattainment areas classified as marginal have attained the

ozone air quality standard by the attainment date of November 15, 1993.

These actions are based on measured ozone air quality levels during the

years 1991-1993.

Nothing in this proposed rule should be construed as permitting or

allowing or establishing a precedent for any future request for

revision to any SIP. Each request for revision to the SIP shall be

considered separately in light of specific technical, economic, and

environmental factors and in relation to relevant statutory and

regulatory requirements.

The Office of Management and Budget has exempted this action from

review Under Executive Order 12866.

Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 600 et. seq., EPA

must prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis assessing the impact of

any proposed or final rule on small entities. 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604.

Alternatively, EPA may certify that the rule will not have a

significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. Small

entities include small businesses, small not-for-profit enterprises,

and government entities with jurisdiction over populations of less than

50,000.

Reclassification of nonattainment areas under Section 181 of the

Act do not create any new requirements. Therefore, because the federal

SIP approval does not impose any new requirements, I certify that it

does not have a significant impact on small entities. Moveover, due to

the nature of the federal-state relationship under the Clean Air Act,

preparation of a regulatory flexibility analysis would constitute

federal inquiry into the economic reasonableness of state action. The

Clean Air Act forbids EPA to base its actions concerning SIPs on such

grounds. Union Electric Co. v US EPA, 427 US 246, 256-66 (S.Ct. 1976);

42 U.S.C. 7410(a)(2).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 81

Air pollution control, National parks, Wilderness areas.

Authority: 42 U.S.C 7401-7671q.

Dated: July 14, 1994.

Carol M. Browner,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 94-18451 Filed 7-27-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P