Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plan, Texas: 15% Rate-of-Progress Plan, 1990 Emission Inventory, Motor Vehicle Emission Budget, and Contingency Plan for the Beaumont/Port Arthur Ozone Nonattainment Area

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[TX82-1-7336a; FRL-5962-6]

Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plan, Texas: 15%

Rate-of-Progress Plan, 1990 Emission Inventory, Motor Vehicle Emission

Budget, and Contingency Plan for the Beaumont/Port Arthur Ozone

Nonattainment Area

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: In this action, EPA proposes to approve revisions to the Texas

State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the Beaumont/Port Arthur ozone

nonattainment area for the purpose of satisfying the 15% rate-of-

progress requirements of the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990, which

will aid in ensuring the attainment of the National Ambient Air Quality

Standard for ozone. The EPA is also proposing to approve the associated

Motor Vehicle Emission Budget for the area.

In addition, EPA proposes to fully approve revisions to the 1990

base year emissions inventory and the contingency plan for this area.

This proposed action also replaces the proposed limited approval/

limited disapproval of the Beaumont/Port Arthur 15% Plan and

Contingency Plan published on January 29, 1996, 61 FR 2751. The May 22,

1997 (62 FR 27964), limited approval of the Volotile Organic Compound

control measures continues in effect.

In the final rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is

approving the State's SIP revision as a direct final rule without prior

proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial amendment

and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the

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

are received in response to this proposed rule, no further activity is

contemplated in relation to this rule. If EPA 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comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn, and all public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. The EPA will not institute a second comment period

on this action. Any parties interested in commenting on this action

should do so at this time.

Please see the direct final rule of this action located elsewhere

in today's Federal Register for a detailed description of the Beaumont/

Port Arthur 15% Rate of Progress Plan and Contingency Plan.

DATES: Comments on this proposed rule must be postmarked by March 12,

1998. If no adverse comments are received, then the direct final rule

is effective on April 13, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on this action should be addressed to Mr.

Thomas H. Diggs, Chief, Air Planning Section (6PD-L), at the EPA

Regional Office listed below. Copies of the documents relevant to this

proposed rule are available for public inspection during normal

business hours at the following locations. Interested persons wanting

to examine these documents should make an appointment with the

appropriate office at least 24 hours before the visiting day.

Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6, Multimedia Planning and

Permitting Division, 1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 700, Dallas, Texas 75202-

2733, telephone (214) 665-7214.

Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, 12100 Park 35

Circle, Building F, Austin, Texas 78753.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Guy Donaldson of the EPA Region 6

Air Planning Section at the above address, telephone (214) 665-7242.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: See the information provided in the direct

final action of the same title which is published in the Rules and

Regulations section of this Federal Register.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Carbon monoxide,

Hydrocarbons, Incorporation by reference, Intergovernmental relations,

Lead, Nitrogen dioxide, Ozone, Particulate matter, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements, Sulfur oxides, Volatile organic compounds.

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.

Dated: January 22, 1998.

Lynda F. Carroll,

Acting Regional Administrator, Region 6.

[FR Doc. 98-3318 Filed 2-9-98; 8:45 am]

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