STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS 

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 

OFFICE OF AIR RESOURCES 

NOTICE OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD 

IN RE: Adoption of Amendments to the 

"Rhode Island Air Pollution Control General Definitions Regulation" 

The Director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) proposes to 

amend the "Rhode Island Air Pollution Control General Definitions Regulation" and gives notice 

of intent to receive public comment on the proposed amendments and to afford interested parties 

an opportunity to submit data, views, or arguments in writing on the proposed amendments. A 

public hearing on the proposed regulations will be held if requested by one or more people, a 

governmental agency or subdivision, or an association If a public hearing is held, a notice will 

be published announcing the date, time and place of such hearing. 

The proposed amendments would add two substances, propylene carbonate and dimethyl 

carbonate, to the list of substances that are exempt from the definition of the term "volatile 

organic compounds" or "VOC,' in the Rhode Island air pollution control regulations. The US 

Environmental Protection Agency has exempted propylene carbonate and dimethyl carbonate 

from the Federal VOC definition based on a determination that those substances are "negligibly 

reactive" and, therefore, do not contribute significantly to the formation of ground-level ozone. 

The amendments would make the Rhode Island air pollution control definition of "VOC" 

consistent with the Federal definition of that term . 

A copy of the proposed amended regulation can be obtained at the DEM website, 

http :llwww.dem .ri .gov. (Click on the Regulations link on the left hand side of the page and go to 

the Proposed Regulations section) . Copies are also available at DEM's Office of Air Resources, 

235 Promenade St., Providence, RI. Any additional requests can be made by contacting the 

Office of Air Resources at 222-2808, weekdays, 8 :30 AM- 4:00 PM. 

DEM has complied with the requirements of R.1 . Gen. Laws Section 42-35-3 by considering 

alternative approaches to the proposed regulations and has determined that no alternative 

approach would be as effective and less burdensome . DEM has also determined that the 

proposed amended regulation does not overlap or duplicate any other state regulation . DEM has 

complied with the requirements of R.I . Gen. Laws Section 42-35-3 .3 by submitting copies of the 

proposed regulations to the Governor's Office and the Economic Development Corporation 

(EDC). 

DEM encourages the submission of written comments . To be considered part of the 

administrative record, ,ATitten comments must be submitted during the public comment period. 

Written comments may be mailed or e-mailed to the Office of Air Resources and must be received 

no later than 4:00 PM, 23 August 2010, at which time the public comment period will close. The 

mailing address for comments is : 
Barbara Morin, Supervising Environznental Scientist 

Department of Environmental Management 

Office of Air Resources 

235 Promenade Street 

Providence, RI 02908-5767 

The e-mail address for comments is : barbara.morin ;ii?dem ri .gov 

Signed this 215` day of July, 2010 

Douglas L . McVay, Acting Chief 

Office of Air Resources