Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; Correction of Designation of Nonclassified Ozone Nonattainment Areas; States of Maine and New Hampshire

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 81

[ME048-1-6997b; FRL-5802-4]

Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes;

Correction of Designation of Nonclassified Ozone Nonattainment Areas;

States of Maine and New Hampshire

AGENCY: United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA or Agency)

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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

SUMMARY: The USEPA proposes to correct the ozone designations for the

Sullivan and Belknap Counties, New Hampshire nonattainment areas and

the portions of Oxford, Franklin and Somerset Counties in Maine

designated nonattainment. The USEPA is proposing to correct their

designations from nonattainment nonclassified/incomplete data to

attainment/unclassified for ozone pursuant to section 110(k)(6) of the

Clean Air Act (the Act), which allows the USEPA to correct its actions.

In the Final Rules Section of this Federal Register, the USEPA is

correcting the designations in a direct final rule without prior

proposal because the Agency views this correction as a noncontroversial

action and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for

the correction is set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse

comments are received in response to that direct final rule, no further

activity is contemplated in relation to this proposed rule. If the

USEPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be

withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a

subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. Please be aware that

the USEPA will institute another comment period on this action only if

warranted by significant revisions to the rulemaking based on any

comments received in response to the direct final rule. Any parties

interested in commenting on this document should do so at this time.

DATES: Comments on this proposed action must be received in writing by

April 28, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Susan Studlien, Deputy Director,

Office of Ecosystems Protection, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

Region I, JFK Federal Bldg., (CAQ), Boston, MA 02203. Copies of EPA's

technical support document are available for public inspection during

normal business hours, by appointment at: Office of Ecosystems

Protection, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region I, One

Congress Street, 11th floor, Boston, MA; the Bureau of Air Quality

Control, Department of Environmental Protection, 71 Hospital Street,

Augusta, ME 04333; and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental

Services, 64 N. Main St., Concord, NH 03302.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard P. Burkhart, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, Region I, JFK Federal Bldg., (CAQ),

Boston, MA 02203. Phone: 617-565-3578.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For additional information see the direct

final rule which is published in the rules section of this Federal

Register.

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

Dated: March 19, 1997.

Carol M. Browner,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97-7627 Filed 3-26-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P