Preparation, Adoption, and Submittal of PMINF10 State Implementation Plan, Nonattainment Area Designation for Utah

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 81

[FRL-5028-6]

Preparation, Adoption, and Submittal of PM10 State

Implementation Plan, Nonattainment Area Designation for Utah

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Information notice.

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

SUMMARY: In this document, EPA is announcing its notification to the

Governor of Utah that EPA believes that Weber County should be

designated nonattainment for PM10.

DATES: No later than 120 days after the State's response, if any, EPA

must promulgate the redesignation it deems necessary and appropriate.

ADDRESSES: Information supporting the basis for notifying Utah, that

EPA believes Weber County's PM10 designation should be revised to

nonattainment, is available for inspection during normal business hours

at the Environmental Protection Agency, Region VIII, Air Programs

Branch, 999 18th Street, Suite 500, Denver, Colorado, 80202-2405.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Callie Videtich, Air Programs Branch,

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VIII, Denver, Colorado

80202-2466, (303) 293-1754.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 1, 1987, the EPA promulgated revised

national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter

(PM) (52 FR 24634), replacing total suspended particulates (TSP) as the

indicator for PM with a new indicator called PM10 that includes

only those particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to

a nominal 10 microns. At the same time, EPA set forth regulations for

implementing the revised particulate matter standards and announced

EPA's State Implementation Plan (SIP) development policy elaborating

PM10 controls necessary to assure attainment and maintenance of

the PM10 NAAQS (see generally 52 FR 24672). The EPA adopted a

PM10 SIP development policy dividing all areas of the country into

three categories based on their probability of violating the new NAAQS:

(1) Areas with a strong likelihood of violating the new PM10 NAAQS

and requiring substantial SIP adjustment were placed in group I; (2)

areas where attainment of the PM10 NAAQS was possible and existing

SIP's needed less adjustment were placed in group II; and (3) areas

with a strong likelihood of attaining the PM10 NAAQS and,

therefore, needing adjustments only to their preconstruction review

program and monitoring network were placed in group III (52 FR 24672,

24679-24682).

Pursuant to section 107(d)(4)(B) of the Act, areas previously

identified as group I and other areas which had monitored violations of

the PM10 NAAQS prior to January 1, 1989, were, by operation of

law, designated nonattainment for PM10. Descriptions of the areas

identified as group I and II areas were clarified in a Federal Register

notice on October 31, 1990 (55 FR 45799). That notice also identified

group II areas which violated the standards as of January 1, 1989. The

EPA has announced all of the areas that were designated nonattainment

by operation of law for PM10 upon enactment of the Act in a

Federal Register notice dated November 6, 1991, (56 FR 56694) with

corrections to that notice made November 30, 1992 (57 FR 56762). In

these notices, EPA indicated that Weber County was designated

unclassifiable for PM10.

In addition, EPA is authorized to promulgate the designation of new

areas as nonattainment for PM10 pursuant to section 107(d)(3) of

the Act on the basis of air quality data, planning and control

considerations, or any other air quality-related consideration that the

Administrator deems appropriate. Based upon available information, on

July 14, 1994, EPA notified the Governor of Utah that it believes that

Weber County should be redesignated as nonattainment. Within 120 days

of EPA notification, the Governor of Utah must submit to EPA the

designation which he considers appropriate for Weber County. No later

than 120 days after the State's response, if any, EPA must promulgate

the redesignation it deems necessary and appropriate. If redesignated

to nonattainment, pursuant to section 189(a)(2)(B) of the Act, the

State must submit a PM10 SIP to EPA within 18 months after EPA

promulgates the nonattainment designation.

This Action

The EPA is, by this notice, identifying for the public Weber County

as an area which should be redesignated to nonattainment. Upon receipt

of a response by the Governor, EPA will review the submitted

information and conduct appropriate rulemaking, at which time the

public will have opportunity for review and comment.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 81

Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Particulate

matter.

Authority: Sections 107(d), 110 and 301(a) of the Clean Air Act

as amended.

Dated: July 14, 1994.

William P. Yellowtail,

Regional Administrator.

[FR Doc. 94-19290 Filed 8-5-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P