G/TBT/N/USA/1153  
 
 23 June 2016  
(16-3394)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [1168] 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above : 
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point 
Email: usatbtep@nist.gov   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other: [X] 3.2 
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applic able, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable): Emissions, air quality. 
Air quality (ICS: 13.040), Paper production processes (ICS: 85.020) 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document: Approval and 
Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Maryland; Control of Emissions From 
Various Processes and Fuel-Burning Equipment From Kraft Pulp Mills (3 pages, in English)  
6. Description of content: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to 
conditionally approve a revision to the Maryland state implementation plan (SIP) submitted 
by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) on October 15, 2014. The SIP revision adds and amends regulations in the SIP which control emissions from various 
processes and fuel- burning equipment at Kraft pulp mills. The SIP revision includes the 
following: (1) A new definition for "NOX Oz one Season Allowance;" (2) a new regulation 
with nitrogen oxides (NOX) limits for fuel-burning equipment located at Kraft pulp mills; (3) a removal and relocation of existing NOX reasonably available control technology 
(RACT) requirements for Kraft pulp mills into another Maryland regulation; and (4) a 
revised regulation which clarifies the volatile organic compound (VOC) control system and emission requirements for several process installations at Kraft pulp mills. EPA proposes a 
conditional approval because the new Maryland definition references the defunct Clean Air 
Interstate Rule (CAIR) and because MDE prov ided a commitment to remove all references 
t o  C A I R  w i t h i n  t h e  d e f i n i t i o n  o f  " N O X  O z o n e  S e a s o n  A l l o w a n c e "  a n d  s u b m i t  a  r e v i s e d  
definition as a new SIP revision, no later than a year from EPA finalizing this conditional 
approval. Upon timely meeting of this commitment, EPA will propose to convert the conditional approval of the SIP revision to a fi nal approval. This action is being taken under 
the Clean Air Act (CAA).  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: 
Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents: 81 Federal Register (FR) 31887, 20 May 2016; Title 40 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 52. Will appear in the Federal Register when adopted  G/TBT/N/USA/1153 
 
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  9. Proposed date of adoption: To be determined 
Proposed date of entry into force: To be determined   
10. Final date for comments: 20 June 2016 
11. Texts available from: Nati onal enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachm ents/2016/TBT/USA/16_2360_00_e.pdf