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### U . S . Environmenta

l Protectio nAgenc y Researc h Triangl ePark , N C 2771 1 FA X Number: (919)541-550 9 frlOSy

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919-541 - S-s*?: ? 

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# n 919-541 -P. 3

19 7 findings . Fo r example , i n a PS D permi t appea l proceeding , th e EPA' s Environmenta l Appeal s Board hel d tha t th e permittin g authorit yerre d i n summaril yrejecting the demonstration s o f th e FLM s fo r th e Shenandoa hNationa l Park an d Jame s Rive r Fac e Wildernes s tha t th e propose d facilit ywoul d hav e a n advers e impac t o n AQRV s i n thos e Federa l Clas s I areas. 6 0 I n a n effor t t o provid e cleare r guidanc e an d promot e mor e reasone d decision-making , th e EP Ai s proposing t o establis h consideration s tha t mus t infor ma permitting authority' s rejectio n o f th e FLM' s demonstratio n o f an advers e impac t o n AQRVs . I n doin g so , th e EP Aha s trie d t o balanc e th e «3eiftjp<efc*ftg-^ ~ statutoryprovision s concerning the affirmativ e responsibilit y give n t o th e FL Mt o protec t fcke AQRV S <5£"Fodoral'""Glflsg-i ' txx*o&&^ an d th e stipulatio n tha t th e permittin g authorit ymus t b e satisfie d wit hth e FLM' s demonstratio n o f advers e impac t o n AQRVS i n anyparticula r situation .

6 0 Hadso n Powe r 14--Buena Vista , PS D Appea l Nos . 92-3 , 92- 4 & 92- 5 (Oct . 5 , 1992) . Th e EPAEnvironmenta l Appeal s Boar d reasone d that , "State s d o no t hav e unfettere d discretio n t o rejec t a n FLM' s advers e impac t determination . I f a stat e determine s tha t a n FLM ha s no t satisfactoril ydemonstrate d a n advers e impac t o n AQRV s fro mthe propose d facility , th e stat e mus t provid e a 'rationa l basis ' fo r suc ha conclusion , 'give n th e FLMs ' affirmativ e responsibilit yan d expertis e regardin g th e Clas s I area s withi n thei r jurisdiction. ' 5 0 F R 2854 9 (July12 , 1985 ) . Arbitrar yand capriciou s rejection s o f advers e impac t demonstration s ar e no t sustainable. " [Hadson a t p . 21 . (citation s omitted) ] PRELIMINAR

YSTAFF WORKIN

GDRAF T FO

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F MANAGEMEN

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L EP A POLIC Y ** * Octobe r 27 , 199 5 [fil e name : Master6.29R ] ** *P. 4

19 8 Th e FIMQ ar e entruste d wit hadministering th e statute s governin g th e e^tratrlrfehmSn r and preservatio n o f Federa l Clas s I areas , an

d ar e expressl yentruste d b ythe Clea n Ai r Act
- wit ha n affirmativ e responsibilit yt o protec t th* s AQRV^o f Federa l -Glas s I a^^ae- r Th e FLM s hav e exper t knowledg e abou t th e uni^ti e value s associate d wit hthes e -fcte e land s theymanage , an d , ^
. administe r ongoin g ^"ograu'i s o f monitorin g an d research^en " 'fafas

effect s tha t ai r pollutio n ha s o n suc hvalues . Accordingly , th e EP Abelieve s i t i s appropriat e fo r th e permitting authorit yt o giv e deferenc e t o recogniz e th e FLM' s oeientifi c an d technica l broa d expertis e i n it a ow n evaluatio n o f th e FLM' s dcmonotratio n th e identificatio n an d evaluatio n o f advers e effect s o n AQRVs . Ncvcrthclcoo,—th e permitting authorit yi o plainl ygive n authorit y t o determin e whethe r t o accep t o r rejec t th e FLM' o dcmonotration , and i t ma yrejec t th e dcmonotratio n a s long a o i t ha a a rationa l baoi o fo r doin g oo . Notwithstanding thi s expertise / th e permittin g authorit yma ycal l upo n expert s o f it s ot* n choosin g t o evaluat e th e finding s i n th e FLM' s demonstration . Wher e th e permittin g authorit yi s no t satisfie d wit hth e FLM' s demonstratio n o f advers e impac t o n AQUVs * T-th e EP Ai s als o proposin g ||l||| a genera l consultatio n provisio n necessitatin g some for mo f communicatio n an d discussio n betwee n th e permittin g authorit yand th e FLM whe n a dioagrccmen t arises ; an d (2)- : f n addition,—th e EP Ai o proposin g t o a provisio n requirein g th e PRELIMINARY STAF F WORKIN G DRAF T FOR OFFIC E O F MANAGEMENT AND BUDGE T REVIE W* DOE S NO T REPRESENT OFFICIAL EP APOLIC Y ** * Octobe r 27 , 199 5 [fil e name : Master6.29R ] ** *P. 5

h 21 1 t o th e inherentl yfact-specifi c demonstratio n upo n whic ha n advers e impac t o n AQRV s i s t o b e based . Thus , a notic e ma yb e file d (a s describe d i n sectio n IV.C.I.e . o f thi s preamble ) allegin g tha t a propose d source' s emission s ma ycaus e o r contribut e t o a chang e I n th e ai r qualit yi n a Federa l Clas s I are a and Identifyin g th e potentia l advers e impac t o f suc hchange , flfcartdinc^.a-l-oney"Ih e fac t tha t suc hsourc e * s predicte d ambien t impac t i s les s tha n the applicabl e significan t impac t leve l fo r Clas s I increment s woul d neithe r reliev e th e applican t fro m havin g t o complet e a n analysi s o f impact s o n AQRV s no r automaticall yallo wth e permitting authorit yt o rejec t th e FLM's ; demonstratio n o f advers e impac t o n AQRVs , Th e EP Arequest s comment s o n it s proposa l t o establis hsignifican t impac t level s fo r Clas s I increment s i n general , an d th e propose d level s i n particular . Th e EP Ai o declining t o cotablio hoignifican t impac t Icvcl o fo r fac t bound>—oit c opecifi c AQRVo.—Th e FLM i o cntruotc d wit h protectin g AQRVo an d the decioio n t o cotablio han yappropriat e significan t impac t Icvcl o fo r the AQRVo ohoul d roo t wit hth e FLM . Anyoignifican t impac t Icvcl o fo r AQRVo mayncccooaril yb e ait e ^N.^&2/

- gpecifi c sinc e eac hAQR V an d it o aooociate d critica l pollutan t loading o mayb e differen t fromare a t o are a an d eve n withi n individua l Federa l Clao o I areao. —

PRELIMINARY STAF F WORKIN G DRAF T FOR OFFIC E O F MANAGEMENT AND BUDGE T REVIE W* DOE S NO T REPRESENT OFFICIAL EP APOLIC Y ** * Octobe r 27 , 199 5 [fil e name : Master6.29R ] ** * /P. 6

21 2 Th e EP Ai s declinin g t o propos e specifi c significanc e level s fo r determinin g whethe r the emission s fro ma propose d sourc e ma y hav e a n advers e impac t o n AQRVs . Th e FLM i s specificall y entruste d byth e Ac t wit hprotecting AQRV s an d the decisio n t o establis han

yappropriat e significanc e level s fo r AQRV s shoul d b e mad e primaril ybyth e FLMs . Conceptually , suc hsignificanc e level s woul d represen t ambien t ai r pollutan t concentration s o r depositio n rate s belo wwhic honl yd e minimi s effect s o n AQRV s wil l occur . Accordingly , emission s increase s no t resultin g i n ambien t concentration s o r depositio n rate s exceeding th e prescribe d significanc e level s woul d therefor e b e exclude d from AQR V review . Th e EP Agenerall yrecognize s the administrativ e benefit s o f categoricall yeliminatin g certai n pollutant-emitting activitie s fromregulator yrevie wand ha s employe d significanc e level s i n othe r context s i n th e NS R program , including the significanc e level s propose d abov e fo r Clas s I increments . However , ther e ar e man yobstacle s t o formulating reasonabl e significanc e level s i n th e AQR V context . Fo r example , ther e ar e numerou s AQRV s and ther e i s a wid e varianc e i n sensitivit yt o emission s increase s fo r particula r AQRVs . Th e FLM s hav e bee n workin g wit hothe r ai r pollutio n effect s scientist s t o develo p list s o f sensitiv e resource s (e.g. , specie s o f plant s and invertebrates , an d particula r stream s and lakes ) PRELIMINARY STAF F WORKING DRAF T FOR OFFIC E O F MANAGEMENT AND BUDGE T REVIE W* DOE S NO T REPRESEN T OFFICIAL EP APOLIC Y ** * Octobe r 27 , 199 5 [fil e name : Master6.29R ] ** *P. 7

21 3 and sensitivit ythreshold s tha t coul d hel p establis hsignifican t impac t level s fo r individua l AQRV s i n th e future . However , many studie s conducte d t o dat e hav e no t yielde d th e informatio n neede d t o establis ha critica l threshol d leve l from whic ha significanc e leve l coul d b e derived . Th e EPAencourage s th e FLM s t o continu e pursuin g researc ho n AQR V effects , an

d anticipate s a n evolvin g proces s b ywhic hresearc han d informatio n ma yeventuall ysuppor t th e establishmen t o f sit e specifi c significanc e level s fo r individua l AQRVs . \Sit e specifi c level s appear / mor e feasibl e (UseAr 

# 0 sinc e eac hAQR

V an d it s associate d critica l pollutan t loading s ma yb e differen t fromon e are a t o anothe r an d eve n withi n individua l Federa l Clas s I areas. f I n an yevent , EP Aplan s t o establis ha n electroni c databas e abou t Clas s I are a resources , describe d elsewher e i n thi s notice , tha t wil l mak e informatio n abou t availabl e researc ho n AQR V effect s mor e accessible . Th e EP Arequest s publi c commen t o n th e issu e o f significanc e level s fo r AQRVs . I n particular , EPAi s intereste d i n suggestion s regarding alternativ e approache s tha t promot e regulatorycertaint ybyexcluding fro mconsideratio n propose d source s tha t hav e trul yd e minimi s impact s o n Clas s I resource s whil e stil l ensurin g tha t AQRV s ar e adequatel yprotecte d i n th e PS D permittin g process . Commenter s shoul d full yconside r th e lega l standard s tha t gover n the establishmen t o f d e minimi s

PRELIMINARY STAF F WORKING DRAF T FO R OFFIC E O F MANAGEMENT AND BUDGE T REVIE W* DOE S NO T REPRESENT OFFICIAL EP APOLIC Y ** * Octobe r 27 , 199 5 [fil e name : Master6.29R ] ** *P. 8

21 4 regulator

y exemptions . See e.g. , Alabam a Powe r Co . v . Costle . 63 6 F . 2 d323 , 360-6 1 (D.C . Cir . 1979 ) 5 . Clarificatio n o f Miscellaneou s Issues . Th e discussio n whic hfollow s addresse s severa l relativel y discret e issues . Th e EP Ai s clarifying curren t polic yi n area s wher e ther e i s potentia l fo r significan t confusio n o r uncertaint y and , i n some instances , i s proposing conforming change s t o th e implementin g regulations . Th e EPAi s als o proposin g change s tha t largel ycodif yexistin g policy . a . Significan t Impac t Level s fo r NAAQ S an d Clas s I I an

d II I Increment s Th e EPAi s proposing severa l change s t o th e PS D regulation s a t bot hsectio n 51.16 6 an d sectio n 52.2 1 t o mak e th e rule s consisten t wit hcurren t practice . First , th e EP Ai s proposin g t o revis e th e provision s o f existing sectio n 51.166(k ) an d sectio n 52.21(k ) t o clarif ytha t a source , itself , mus t mak e a "significan t contribution " t o a violatio n o f an yNAAQ S o r PS D Clas s I I o r II I incremen t befor e tha t sourc e woul d b e denie d a PS D permit . Second , th e EPAi s proposing t o incorporat e int o th e PS D regulation s th e significan t impac t level s currentl yse t fort h a t sectio n 51.165(b)(2)--whic har e being use d t o determin e whethe r majo r ne wsourc e o r majo r modificatio n contribute s t o a violatio n o f a NAAQS--s o tha t theymayb e directl yapplie d t o th e
PRELIMINAR

YSTAFF WORKIN

GDRAF T FO

ROFFIC E O

F MANAGEMEN

T AN D BUDGE T REVIE

W * DOE S NO T REPRESEN T OFFICIA

L EP A POLIC Y ** * Octobe r 27 , 199 5 [file name : Master6.29R ] ** *