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[Federal Register: May 11, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 90)]
[Notices]               
[Page 26225-26226]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11my10-76]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-R05-OAR-2009-0666; FRL-9149-6]

 
Adequacy Status of the Chicago, Illinois Area Submitted 8-Hour 
Ozone Redesignation and Maintenance Plans for Transportation Conformity 
Purposes

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of adequacy.

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SUMMARY: In this notice, EPA is notifying the public that we have found 
that the motor vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) for volatile organic 
compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOX) in the 
Chicago, Illinois ozone nonattainment area are adequate for use in 
transportation conformity determinations. Illinois submitted a 
redesignation request and maintenance plan for the Illinois portion of 
the Chicago ozone nonattainment area on July 23, 2009. As a result of 
our finding, this area must use the MVEBs from the submitted ozone 
maintenance plan for future transportation conformity determinations.

DATES: This finding is effective May 26, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Michael Leslie, Environmental Engineer, Criteria Pollutant Section 
(AR-18J), Air Programs Branch, Air and Radiation Division, United 
States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West Jackson 
Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604 (312) 353-6680, 
leslie.michael@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Throughout this document, whenever ``we'', ``us'' or ``our'' is 
used, we mean EPA.

Background

    Today's notice is simply an announcement of a finding that we have 
already made. On April 22, 2010, EPA

[[Page 26226]]

Region 5 sent a letter to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency 
stating that the 2009 and 2020 MVEBs for the Chicago, Illinois 8-hour 
ozone nonattainment area are adequate. Receipt of these MVEBs was 
announced on EPA's transportation conformity Web site, and no comments 
were submitted. The finding is available at EPA's conformity Web site: 
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/transconf/adequacy.htm.
    The adequate 2009 and 2020 MVEBs, in tons per day (tpd), for VOCs 
and NOX for the Chicago, Illinois area are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          NOX      VOCs
                     Chicago area                        (tpd)    (tpd)
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2009..................................................   284.65   133.78
2020..................................................    88.17    73.68
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    Transportation conformity is required by section 176(c) of the 
Clean Air Act. EPA's conformity rule requires that transportation 
plans, programs, and projects conform to state air quality 
implementation plans and establishes the criteria and procedures for 
determining whether or not they do conform. Conformity to a State 
Implementation Plan (SIP) means that transportation activities will not 
produce new air quality violations, worsen existing violations, or 
delay timely attainment of the national ambient air quality standards.
    The criteria by which we determine whether a SIP's MVEBs are 
adequate for transportation conformity purposes are outlined in 40 CFR 
93.118(e)(4). We have described our process for determining the 
adequacy of submitted SIP budgets in our July 1, 2004, preamble 
starting at 69 FR 40038, and we used the information in these resources 
while making our adequacy determination. Please note that an adequacy 
review is separate from EPA's completeness review, and it also should 
not be used to prejudge EPA's ultimate approval of the SIP. Even if we 
find a budget adequate, the SIP could later be disapproved.
    The finding and the response to comments are available at EPA's 
transportation conformity Web site: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/transconf/adequacy.htm.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401-7671q.

    Dated: April 29, 2010.
Walter W. Kovalick Jr.,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 5.
[FR Doc. 2010-11140 Filed 5-10-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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