October 2013 Action Initiation List (as of 1/08/2014)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The following actions were initiated by EPA this month. Explanations of which EPA actions are included on this list and of each 

element of the table can be found at the end of this document. 

The two most recent Action Initiation Lists (AILs) can always be found at: http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/search/ail.html. But, they 

will not provide updates on the actions listed herein. Updates on priority rulemakings are available from EPA's Regulatory 

Development and Retrospective Review Tracker (RegDaRRT) on www.epa.gov/rulemaking/. 

If one of the rules on this AIL is in RegDaRRT, a link to the rule's profile is included in the table below. For all rules – those that 

are in RegDaRRT and those that are not – you may obtain updates twice a year in EPA’s Semiannual Regulatory Agenda, which 

is accessible from these Web sites:

• EPA’s Laws, Regulations, Guidance and Dockets (http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/search/regagenda.html)

• RegInfo.gov (http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaMain)

• Regulations.gov 

(http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=UnifiedAgenda&agency=EPA&pubperiod=200710) 

Action Initiation List – October 2013 Page 1 of 4
Action Title Stage Contact Abstract

Projected

Publication 

Date

SAN 5739 - Technical 

Amendments to 

Inadvertent Errors in Air 

Quality Designations for 

Lead, Nitrogen Dioxide, 

Ozone, Particulate Matter 

and Sulfur Dioxide

NPRM Carla Oldham 

919-541-3347

Oldham.Carla@epa.gov

This action proposes to correct minor, inadvertent, and nonsubstantive

errors in the regulatory text concerning the air quality designations for 

certain areas for the 1997 Particulate Matter National Ambient Air 

Quality Standards (NAAQS), the 2008 Ozone NAAQS, the 2008 Lead 

NAAQS, the 2010 Nitrogen Dioxide NAAQS, and the 2010 Sulfur 

Dioxide NAAQS.

12 months 

or less 

SAN 5744 - Interstate 

Transport Rule for the 

2008 Ozone National 

Ambient Air Quality 

Standards

NPRM Elyse Steiner 

202-564-1758

Elyse.Steiner@epa.gov

This proposed rule would address Clean Air Act requirements 

concerning the transport of air pollution across state boundaries. 

This action would address concerns raised by the D.C. Circuit in its 

decision remanding the Clean Air Interstate Rule and will potentially 

be influenced by the outcome of the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule 

litigation. It is the next step for the EPA to move forward with the 

states to address interstate transport with respect to the 2008 

ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards. This rule proposes 

to define upwind states’ obligations under the 2008 ozone 

standards to address transported air pollution affecting the eastern 

half of the U.S. However, this action will not address the particulate 

matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

12 months 

or less 

Action Initiation List – October 2013 Page 2 of 4
Action Title Stage Contact Abstract

Projected

Publication 

Date

SAN 5745 - Protection of 

Stratospheric Ozone: SNAP 

Listing of Climate-Friendly 

Substitutes for Refrigeration 

and Air-Conditioning

NPRM Margaret Sheppard 

202-343-9163

Sheppard.Margaret@epa.gov

This action proposes to list a number of refrigerants with lower 

global warming potentials (GWPs) as substitutes for certain 

household and commercial uses under EPA's Significant New 

Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program. The SNAP Program 

evaluates alternatives to ozone-depleting substances to ensure 

that they do not increase overall risks to human health and the 

environment and lists these substitutes as acceptable, acceptable 

subject to use conditions, acceptable with narrowed use limits, or 

unacceptable. This action would propose listings for a number of 

refrigerants with lower GWPs, finding them acceptable subject to 

enforceable use conditions where adequate safeguards are 

available to ensure their safe use, such as industry standards. 

This action also proposes to exempt those hydrocarbon 

refrigerant substitutes from the Clean Air Act prohibition on 

venting as their venting and release does not pose a threat to the 

environment. This rule would give refrigeration and air 

conditioning manufacturers more options with less overall 

environmental and health impact than current refrigerants 

12 months or 

less 

SAN 5743 - National Primary 

Drinking Water Regulations: 

Minor Corrections to the 

Revisions to the Total 

Coliform Rule

Direct 

Final 

Sean Conley 

202-564-1781

Conley.Sean@epa.gov

The final Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) was published on 

February 13, 2013, and incorporated the recommendations of the 

Total Coliform Rule Distribution System Advisory Committee 

(TCRDSAC) and consideration of public comments received on 

the proposed rule (published July 2010). This action corrects 

typographical errors and clarifies other areas to provide better 

understanding of the rule and reduce confusion. The corrections 

are consistent with the recommendations of the TCRDSAC.

12 months or 

less 

Action Initiation List – October 2013 Page 3 of 4
What EPA Actions Appear on the AILs? 

Generally, AILs include those actions that 1) will appear in upcoming Semiannual Regulatory Agenda and 2) have been approved for 

commencement by EPA’s Regulatory Policy Officer. In rare instances, an action will not appear on an AIL before it appears in the Agenda. 

Also, keep in mind that AILs will not post immediately. You can access a given month's list roughly 15 days after the close of the month (e.g., 

the April 2011 AIL will post sometime around May 15th).

What Does Each Column in the AIL Mean?

Title: Self-explanatory.

Stage: The stage of an action describes where we are in the rule writing process, from the very beginning when a rule (or other action) is 

just an idea to the end when it is published as a final rule (or other action) in the Federal Register. For example, the Notice of Proposed 

Rulemaking (NPRM) stage announces a proposed rule or proposed modification to an existing rule. In the AILs, the following acronyms 

are used:

• ANPRM - Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

• NPRM - Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

• Supplemental - Supplemental NPRM 

• Direct Final - Direct Final Action

• Interim Final – Interim Final Action

• Final – Final Action

• Section 610 Review – Agency Review under Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act

Contact: Provides the name, phone, and email address for the EPA staff person assigned to this rule. Additionally, if a rule is in EPA's 

RegDaRRT (www.epa.gov/rulemaking/), then a link to the rule's profile will be provided in this column.

Abstract: A brief summary of the action and its purpose. 

Projected Publication Date: Since many variables affect how long it takes to write a rule or other action, it is difficult to predict a firm 

publication date when we have just started working on an action. Therefore, we insert one of two options in the "Projected Publication Date" 

column: 1) "12 months or less" and 2) "more than 12 months." These options give you some idea of how quickly we expect to complete an 

action. 

Action Initiation List – October 2013 Page 4 of 4