Acid Rain Program: Permit and Permit Modifications

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5614-8]

Acid Rain Program: Permit and Permit Modifications

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of permit and permit modifications.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing, as

a direct final action, a Phase I Acid Rain permit and permit

modifications including nitrogen oxides (NOX) compliance plans in

accordance with the Acid Rain Program regulations (40 CFR parts 72 and

76). Because the Agency does not anticipate receiving adverse comments,

the exemptions are being issued as a direct final action.

DATES: The permit and permit modifications issued in this direct final

action will be final on November 5, 1996 or 40 days after publication

of a similar notice in a local publication, whichever is later, unless

significant, adverse comments are received by October 28, 1996 or 30

days after publication of a similar notice in a local publication,

whichever is later. If significant, adverse comments are timely

received on any permit or permit modification in this direct final

action, that permit or permit modification will

[[Page 50484]]

be withdrawn through a notice in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Administrative Records. The administrative record for the

permits, except information protected as confidential, may be viewed

during normal operating hours at the following locations: for plants in

Maryland, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia, EPA Region 3, 841 Chestnut

Building, Philadelphia, PA, 19107; for plants in Kentucky, EPA Region

4, 100 Alabama Street, SW, Atlanta, GA, 30303; for plants in Indiana or

Ohio, EPA Region 5, 77 West Jackson Blvd., 18th floor, Chicago, IL,

60604; and for plants in Missouri and Nebraska, EPA Region 7, 726

Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, KS, 66101.

Comments. Send comments, requests for public hearings, and requests

to receive notice of future actions to: for plants in Maryland,

Pennsylvania, or West Viriginia, EPA Region 3, Air, Radiation, and

Toxics Division, Attn: Linda Miller (address above); for plants in

Kentucky, EPA Region 4, Air, Pesticides and Toxics Management Division,

Attn: Scott Davis (address above); for plants in Indiana and Ohio, EPA

Region 5, Air and Radiation Division, Attn: Cecilia Mijares (address

above); and for plants in Missouri and Nebraska, EPA Region 7, Air,

RCRA, and Toxics Division, Attn: Jon Knodel (address above). Submit

comments in duplicate and identify the permit to which the comments

apply, the commenter's name, address, and telephone number, and the

commenter's interest in the matter and affiliation, if any, to the

owners and operators of all units in the plan. All timely comments will

be considered, except those pertaining to standard provisions under 40

CFR 72.9 or issues not relevant to the permit or the permit

modification.

Hearings. To request a public hearing, state the issues proposed to

be raised in the hearing. EPA may schedule a hearing if EPA finds that

it will contribute to the decision-making process by clarifying

significant issues affecting a NOX compliance plan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For plants in Maryland, Pennsylvania, or West

Viriginia, call Linda Miller, (215) 566-2068; for plants in Kentucky,

call Scott Davis, (404) 562-9127; for plants in Indiana or Ohio, call

Cecilia Mijares, (312) 886-0968; and for plants in Missouri and

Nebraska, call Jon Knodel, (913) 551-7622.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title IV of the Clean Air Act directs EPA to

establish a program to reduce the adverse effects of acidic deposition

by promulgating rules and issuing permits to emission sources subject

to the program. In today's action, EPA is issuing a permit that

includes approval of an early election plan for NOX for the Platte

plant in Nebraska. Platte unit 1 will be required to meet an actual

annual average emissions rate for NOX of 0.45 lbs/MMBtu beginning

on January 1, 1997 through December 31, 2007, after which it will be

required to meet any applicable Phase II emissions limitation for

NOX. The designated representative for Platte is Gary Mader.

Additionally, EPA is approving permit modifications that include

approval of emissions averaging plans for NOX. Under each year in

each plan, the actual Btu-weighted annual average emission rate for the

units in the plan shall be less than or equal to the Btu-weighted

annual average rate for the same units had they each been operated,

during the same period of time, in compliance with the applicable

emission limitation in 40 CFR 76.5. For each unit in the plan, each

plan also includes emission limits and/or annual heat input limits,

with which the units must comply if the requirement concerning the Btu-

weighted average emission rate for the units as a group is not met. The

following plans are being approved:

R P Smith units 9 and 11 in Maryland, Armstrong unit 2 and Mitchell

unit 33 in Pennslvania, and Albright units 1, 2, and 3 and Pleasants

units 1 and 2 in West Virginia will each comply with four identical

NOX averaging plans, one for each year, 1996-1999. The designated

representative is David C. Benson.

Portland units 1 and 2 in Pennsylvania will each comply with a

NOX averaging plan for 1996-1998. The designated representative is

Ronald P. Lantzy.

Frank E. Ratts units 1SG1 and 2SG1 in Indiana will each comply with

a NOX averaging plan for 1996-1999. The designated representative

is J. Steven Smith.

Cayuga units 1 and 2, R Gallagher units 1, 2, 3, and 4, Gibson

units 1, 2, and 3, and Wabash River units 2, 3, 5, and 6 in Indiana,

Miami Fort unit 6 and Walter C Beckjord units 5 and 6 in Ohio, and East

Bend unit 2 in Kentucky will each comply with a NOX averaging plan

for 1996. The same group of units, with the addition of Gibson unit 4,

will each comply with a NOX averaging plan for 1997-1999. The

designated representative is David W. Hoffman.

James River units 3, 4, and 5 and Southwest unit 1 in Missouri will

each comply with a NOX averaging plan for 1996-1999. The

designated representative is G. Duane Galloway.

Dated: September 17, 1996.

Brian J. McLean,

Director, Acid Rain Division, Office of Atmospheric Programs, Office of

Air and Radiation.

[FR Doc. 96-24483 Filed 9-25-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P