[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 164 (Monday, August 25, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 44903-44907]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22067]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[OH104-1A; FRL-5877-9]


Approval and Promulgation of Maintenance Plan Revisions; Ohio

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Direct final rule.

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SUMMARY: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is 
approving through ``direct final'' procedure, a June 10, 1997, request 
from Ohio, for State Implementation Plan (SIP) maintenance plan 
revisions for the following areas: Toledo area (including Lucas and 
Wood counties), the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area (including Lorain, 
Cuyahoga, Lake, Ashtabula, Geauga, Medina, Summit and Portage 
counties), and the Dayton-Springfield area (including Montgomery, 
Clark, Greene, and Miami counties). The maintenance plan revisions are 
allocating to the mobile source emission budget for transportation 
conformity a portion of the existing ``Safety Margins.'' The safety 
margin is the difference between the attainment inventory level of the 
total emissions and the projected levels of the total emissions in the 
final year of the maintenance plan.

DATES: This ``direct final'' rule is effective on October 24, 1997, 
unless USEPA receives significant written adverse or critical comments 
(which have not already been addressed) by September 24, 1997. If the 
effective date is delayed, timely notice will be published in the 
Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the documents relevant to this action are 
available for inspection during normal business hours at the following 
location: Regulation Development Section, Air Programs Branch, (AR-
18J), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West Jackson 
Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, 60604. Please contact Scott Hamilton at 
(312) 353-4775 before visiting the Region 5 office.
    Written comments should be sent to: J. Elmer Bortzer, Chief, 
Regulation Development Section, Air Programs Branch, (AR-18J), U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, 
Chicago, Illinois, 60604.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Hamilton, Environmental 
Scientist, Regulation Development Section, Air Programs Branch (AR-
18J), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West Jackson 
Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, (312) 353-4775.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Clean Air Act in section 176(c) requires conformity of 
activities to an implementation plan's purpose of attaining and 
maintaining the National ambient air quality standards. On November 24, 
1993, the USEPA promulgated a final rule establishing criteria and 
procedures for determining

[[Page 44904]]

conformity of transportation plans, programs and projects funded or 
approved under Title 23 U.S.C. of the Federal Transit Act. The State of 
Ohio finalized and adopted State transportation conformity rules on 
August 1, 1995, the rules became effective August 21, 1995, and Ohio 
submitted the rules as a SIP revision request on August 17, 1995. The 
rules were approved by the USEPA on July 15, 1996 (61 FR 24702).
    The transportation conformity rules require, among other things, a 
comparison to the mobile source emissions budget established by a 
control strategy SIP. A control strategy SIP is defined by the 
conformity rules to be a maintenance plan, an attainment demonstration, 
or a rate of progress plan. The Toledo area, Dayton/Springfield area, 
and Cleveland/Akron/Lorain area in Ohio are all maintenance areas with 
approved maintenance plans. The USEPA approval of the maintenance plans 
established the mobile source budget for transportation conformity 
purposes.
    In the preamble to the November 24, 1993, transportation conformity 
rule (58 FR 62188) the emissions budget concept is explained. The 
preamble also describes how to establish the motor vehicle emissions 
budget in the SIP and how to revise the emissions budget. The State 
transportation conformity rule at 3745-101-16 of the Ohio 
Administrative Code allows the mobile source emissions budget to be 
changed as long as the total level of emissions from all sources remain 
below the milestone level. In the case of a maintenance plan the 
milestone level is the attainment level established in the maintenance 
plan.
    The maintenance plan is designed to plan for future growth while 
still maintaining the ozone air quality standard. Growth in industries, 
population and traffic is offset with reductions from cleaner cars and 
other emissions reduction programs. Through the maintenance plan the 
State and local agencies can manage the air quality while providing for 
growth.

II. Evaluation of the State Submittals

    On June 10, 1997, Ohio submitted to the USEPA SIP revision requests 
for the Toledo area (including Lucas and Wood counties), the Cleveland-
Akron-Lorain area (including Lorain, Cuyahoga, Lake, Ashtabula, Geauga, 
Medina, Summit and Portage counties), and the Dayton-Springfield area 
(including Montgomery, Clark, Greene, and Miami counties). Public 
hearings for the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area and the Dayton-Springfield 
area regarding these issues were held on June 3, 1997. A public hearing 
for the Toledo area was held on July 3, 1997. Documentation on the 
public hearings were submitted to complete the SIP revision requests.

(1) Toledo SIP Revision

    Ohio has requested to allocate to the Toledo mobile source budget 
part of the reductions achieved between the 1990 attainment inventory 
year and the 2005 projected emissions inventory (57.338 tons/day 
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) existing safety margin, and 46.38 
tons/day Oxides of Nitrogen (NO<INF>x</INF>) existing safety margin, as 
described in 60 FR 21456 and 60 FR 21490; May 2, 1995). The SIP 
revision requests the allocation of 6.0 tons/day VOC, and 10.5 tons/day 
NO<INF>x</INF>, into the area's mobile source budget from the existing 
safety margin. Table 1 illustrates the approved emissions budgets for 
VOC and NO<INF>x</INF> from point, mobile (on-road) and area sources. 
The safety margin allocations are shown in table 2.

                Table 1.--NO<INF>x and VOC Emissions Budget; and Safety Margin Determinations, Toledo                
                                                   [Tons/day]                                                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Source category                            1990         1996         2000         2005   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOC Emissions:                                                                                                  
    Point...................................................        60.08        39.49        39.31        38.87
    Mobile (on-road)........................................        66.33        51.28        41.25    \1\ 29.85
    Area....................................................        37.25        37.35        37.56        37.60
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
      Totals................................................       163.66       128.12       118.12       106.32
                                                                                                                
                   Safety Margin=1990 total emissions--2005 total emissions=57.34 tons/day VOC.                 
                                                                                                                
NO<INF>x Emissions:                                                                                                  
    Point...................................................        73.97        73.40        40.15        40.69
    Mobile (on-road)........................................        37.82        32.56        29.06        24.69
    Area....................................................        10.26        10.27        10.28        10.29
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
      Totals................................................       122.05       116.23        79.49        75.67
                                                                                                                
                   Safety Margin=1990 total emissions--2005 total emissions=46.38 tons/day NO<INF>x                  
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\1\ On May 2, 1995, the USEPA approved the addition of 1.142 tons/day VOC of the existing ``safety margin'' into
  the year 2005 VOC mobile source budget for purposes of conformity. (60 FR 21458; May 2, 1995)                 


                 Table 2.--Allocation of Safety Margin to the 2005 Mobile Source Budget, Toledo                 
                                                   [Tons/day]                                                   
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                       Source category                            1990         1996         2000         2005   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOC Emissions:                                                                                                  
    Point...................................................        60.08        39.49        39.31        38.87
    Mobile (on-road)........................................        66.33        51.28        41.25        35.85
    Area....................................................        37.25        37.35        37.56        37.60
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
      Totals................................................       163.66       128.12       118.12       112.32
                                                                                                                
              Remaining Safety Margin=1990 total emissions--2005 total emissions=51.34 tons/day VOC.            
                                                                                                                
NO<INF>x Emissions:                                                                                                  
    Point...................................................        73.97        73.40        40.15        40.69
    Mobile (on-road)........................................        37.82        32.56        29.06        35.19

[[Page 44905]]

                                                                                                                
    Area....................................................        10.26        10.27        10.28        10.29
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
      Totals................................................       122.05       116.23        79.49       86.17 
             Remaining Safety Margin=1990 total emissions--2005 total emissions=35.88 tons/day NO<INF>x.             
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Table 2 illustrates that the requested portion of the safety margin 
can be allocated to the mobile source budget and still remain at or 
below the 1990 attainment level of total emissions for the Toledo area. 
This allocation is allowed by the conformity rule since the area would 
still be at or below the 1990 attainment level for the total emissions 
in the area.

(2) Cleveland-Akron-Lorain SIP Revision

    Ohio has requested to allocate to the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain mobile 
source budget, part of the reduction achieved between the 1993 
attainment inventory year and the 2006 projected emissions inventory 
(120.2 tons/day VOC existing safety margin, and 41.5 tons/day 
NO<INF>X</INF> existing safety margin, as described in 61 FR 20458; May 
7, 1996). The SIP revision requests the allocation of 33.9 tons/day 
VOC, and 29.0 tons/day NO<INF>X</INF>, into the area's mobile source 
budget. Table 3 illustrates the approved emissions budgets for VOC and 
NO<INF>X</INF> from point, mobile (on-road) and area sources. The 
safety margin allocations are shown in table 4.

   Table 3.--Summary of NO<INF>X and VOC Emissions Budget; and Safety Margin Determinations, Cleveland/Akron/Lorain  
                                                   [Tons/day]                                                   
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              Source category                   1990          1993          1996          2000          2006    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOC Emissions:                                                                                                  
    Point.................................         82.22         75.75         78.55         82.44         88.63
    Mobile (on-road)......................        248.4         181.4         131.2          78.4          48.8 
    Area..................................        201.05        201.37        201.45        201.63        200.86
                                           ---------------------------------------------------------------------
      Totals..............................        531.7         458.5         411.2         362.5         338.3 
                                                                                                                
                   Safety Margin=1993 total emissions--2006 total emissions=120.2 tons/day VOC.                 
                                                                                                                
NO<INF>X Emissions:                                                                                                  
    Point.................................        245.59        254.61        263.91        277.05        298.00
    Mobile (on-road)......................        176.6         159.9         142.2          95.5          75.4 
    Area..................................         80.46         80.56         80.51         80.61         80.18
                                           ---------------------------------------------------------------------
      Totals..............................        502.6         495.1         486.6         453.2         453.6 
                                                                                                                
                   Safety Margin=1993 total emissions--2006 total emissions=41.5 tons/day NO<INF>X.                  
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         Table 4.--Allocation of VOC Emissions to the 2006 Mobile Source Budget, Cleveland/Akron/Lorain         
                                                   [Tons/day]                                                   
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              Source category                   1990          1993          1996          2000          2006    
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VOC Emissions:                                                                                                  
    Point.................................         82.22         75.75         78.55         82.44         88.63
    Mobile (on-road)......................        248.4         181.4         131.2          78.4          82.7 
    Area..................................        201.05        201.37        201.45        201.63        200.86
                                           ---------------------------------------------------------------------
      Totals..............................        531.7         458.5         411.2         362.5         372.2 
                                                                                                                
              Remaining Safety Margin=1993 total emissions--2006 total emissions=86.3 tons/day VOC.             
                                                                                                                
NO<INF>X Emissions:                                                                                                  
    Point.................................        245.59        254.61        263.91        277.05        298.00
    Mobile (on-road)......................        176.6         159.9         142.2          95.5         104.4 
    Area..................................         80.46         80.56         80.51         80.61         80.18
                                           ---------------------------------------------------------------------
      Totals..............................        502.6         495.1         486.6         453.2         482.6 
                                                                                                                
              Remaining Safety Margin=1993 total emissions--2006 total emissions=12.5 tons/day NO<INF>X.             
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Tables 3 and 4 illustrate that the SIP revision request can be 
granted to allocate a portion of the safety margin to the mobile source 
budget and still remain at or below the 1993 attainment year inventory 
total for the Cleveland/Akron/Lorain area. This allocation is allowed 
by the conformity rule since the area would still be at or below the 
1993 attainment level for the total emissions in the area.

[[Page 44906]]

(3) Dayton-Springfield SIP Revision

    Ohio has requested to allocate to the Dayton-Springfield mobile 
source budget, the reduction achieved between the 1990 attainment 
inventory year and the 2005 projected emissions inventory (2.4 tons/day 
VOC existing safety margin, as described in 60 FR 22289; May 5, 1995). 
The SIP revision requests the allocation of the 2.4 tons/day VOC safety 
margin into the area's mobile source budget. Table 5 illustrates the 
approved emissions budgets for VOC from point, mobile (on-road) and 
area sources. The safety margin allocations are shown in table 6.

              Table 5.--VOC Emissions Budget; and Safety Margin Determinations, Dayton-Springfield              
                                                   [Tons/day]                                                   
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                       Source category                            1990         1996         2000         2005   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOC Emissions:                                                                                                  
    Point...................................................         37.4         61.6         77.7         97.4
    Biogenic................................................        105.2        105.2        105.2        105.2
    Mobile (on-road)........................................        103.6         45.5         39.4         31.7
    Area....................................................         54.9         58.3         60.6         64.4
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
      Totals................................................        301.1        270.6        282.9        298.7
                                                                                                                
                    Safety Margin=1990 total emissions-2005 total emissions=2.4 tons/day VOC.                   
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           Table 6.--Allocation of VOC Emissions to the 2005 Mobile Source Budget, Dayton-Springfield           
                                                   [Tons/day]                                                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       Source category                            1990         1996         2000         2005   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOC Emissions:                                                                                                  
    Point...................................................         37.4         61.6         77.7         97.4
    Biogenic................................................        105.2        105.2        105.2        105.2
    Mobile (on-road)........................................        103.6         45.5         39.4         34.1
    Area....................................................         54.9         58.3         60.6         64.4
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
      Totals................................................        301.1        270.6        282.9        301.1
                                                                                                                
               Remaining Safety Margin=1990 total emissions-2005 total emissions=0.0 tons/day VOC.              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As illustrated by Tables 5 and 6 the SIP revision requests to 
allocate all of the VOC safety margin to the mobile source budget. This 
allocation is allowed by the conformity rule since the area would still 
be at the 1990 attainment level for the total emissions in the area.
    The USEPA's review of the SIP revision requests finds that the 
requested allocation of the safety margins for the Toledo, Cleveland/
Akron/Lorain and Dayton/Springfield areas are approvable since the 
approval of the new mobile source emissions budgets will keep the total 
emissions for the area at or below the attainment year inventory level 
as required by the transportation conformity regulations.

III. USEPA Action

    The USEPA approves the requested allocation of the safety margin to 
the mobile source budget for the Toledo, Cleveland-Akron-Lorain, and 
Dayton-Springfield areas. This action will be effective on October 24, 
1997 unless, by September 24, 1997, significant written adverse or 
critical comments on the approval are received.
    If the USEPA receives such written adverse comments, the approval 
will be withdrawn before the effective date by publishing a subsequent 
rulemaking that will withdraw the final action. All written public 
comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on 
this action serving as a proposed rule. The USEPA does not plan to 
institute a second comment period on this action. Any parties 
interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time. If 
no such written comments are received, the public is advised that this 
action will be effective on October 24, 1997.

IV. Administrative Requirements

(A) Future Requests

    Nothing in this action should be construed as permitting, allowing 
or establishing a precedent for any future request for revision to any 
SIP. Each request for revision to the SIP shall be considered 
separately in light of specific technical, economic, and environmental 
factors and in relation to relevant statutory and regulatory 
requirements.

(B) Executive Order 12866

    The Office of Management and Budget has exempted this regulatory 
action from Executive Order 12866 review.

(C) Regulatory Flexibility

    Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 600 et seq., USEPA 
must prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis assessing the impact of 
any proposed or final rule on small entities. 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604. 
Alternatively, USEPA may certify that the rule will not have a 
significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. Small 
entities include small businesses, small not-for-profit enterprises, 
and government entities with jurisdiction over populations of less than 
50,000.
    SIP approvals under section 110 and subchapter I, part D of the Act 
do not create any new requirements, but simply approve requirements 
that the State is already imposing. Therefore, because the Federal SIP 
approval does not impose any new requirements, the Administrator 
certifies that it does not have a significant impact on any small 
entities affected. Moreover, due to the nature of the Federal-State 
relationship under the Act, preparation of a flexibility analysis would 
constitute Federal inquiry into the economic reasonableness of the 
State action. The Clean Air Act forbids USEPA to base its actions 
concerning SIPs on such grounds. Union Electric Co. v. USEPA.,

[[Page 44907]]

427 U.S. 246, 256-66 (1976); 42 U.S.C. 7410(a)(2).

(D) Unfunded Mandates

    Under section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, 
signed into law on March 22, 1995, USEPA must undertake various actions 
in association with any proposed or final rule that includes a Federal 
mandate that may result in estimated costs to state, local, or tribal 
governments in the aggregate; or to the private sector, of $100 million 
or more. This Federal action approves pre-existing requirements under 
state or local law, and imposes no new requirements. Accordingly, no 
additional costs to state, local, or tribal governments, or the private 
sector, result from this action.

(E) Audit Privilege and Immunity Law

    Nothing in this action should be construed as making any 
determination or expressing any position regarding Ohio's audit 
privilege and immunity law (Sections 3745.70-3745.73 of the Ohio 
Revised Code). U.S. EPA will be reviewing the effect of the Ohio audit 
privilege and immunity law on various Ohio environmental programs, 
including those under the Clean Air Act, and taking appropriate 
action(s), if any, after thorough analysis and opportunity for Ohio to 
state and explain its views and positions on the issues raised by the 
law. The action taken herein does not express or imply any viewpoint on 
the question of whether there are legal deficiencies in this or any 
Ohio CAA program resulting from the effect of the audit privilege and 
immunity law. As a consequence of the review process, the regulations 
subject to the action taken herein may be disapproved, federal approval 
for the Clean Air Act program under which they are implemented may be 
withdrawn, or other appropriate action may be taken, as necessary.

(F) Submission to Congress and the General Accounting Office

    Under section 801(a)(1)(A) as added by the Small Business 
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, USEPA submitted a report 
containing this rule and other required information to the U.S. Senate, 
the U.S. House of Representatives and the Comptroller General of the 
General Accounting Office prior to publication of the rule in today's 
Federal Register. This rule is not a major rule as defined by section 
804(2).

(G) Petitions for Judicial Review

    Under section 307(b)(1) of the Act, petitions for judicial review 
of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for 
the appropriate circuit by October 24, 1997. Filing a petition for 
reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule does not affect 
the finality of this rule for the purposes of judicial review nor does 
it extend the time within which a petition for judicial review may be 
filed, and shall not postpone the effectiveness of such rule or action. 
This action may not be challenged later in proceedings to enforce its 
requirements. (See section 307(b)(2)).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Hydrocarbons, 
Intergovernmental relations, Ozone, Nitrogen Oxides, Transportation 
conformity.

    Dated: August 8, 1997.
David A. Ullrich,
Acting Regional Administrator.

    Part 52, chapter I, title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations is 
amended as follows:

PART 52--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:

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

Subpart KK--Ohio

    2. Section 52.1885 is amended by adding paragraph (a)(6) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 52.1885  Control strategy: Ozone.

    (a) * *  *
    (6) Approval--On June 10, 1997, Ohio submitted revisions to the 
maintenance plans for the Toledo area (including Lucas and Wood 
counties), the Cleveland/Akron/Lorain area (including Lorain, Cuyahoga, 
Lake, Ashtabula, Geauga, Medina, Summit and Portage counties), and the 
Dayton-Springfield area (including Montgomery, Clark, Greene, and Miami 
counties). The revisions consist of an allocation of a portion of the 
safety margin in each area to the transportation conformity mobile 
source budget for that area. The mobile source budgets for 
transportation conformity purposes for Toledo are now: 35.85 tons per 
day of volatile organic compound emissions for the year 2005 and 35.19 
tons per day of oxides of nitrogen emissions for the year 2005. The 
mobile source budgets for transportation conformity purposes for 
Cleveland-Akron-Lorain are now: 82.7 tons per day of volatile organic 
compound emissions for the year 2006 and 104.4 tons per day of oxides 
of nitrogen emissions for the year 2006. For the Dayton-Springfield 
area, the oxides of nitrogen mobile source budget remains the same and 
the mobile source budget for volatile organic compounds is now 34.1 
tons per day.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 97-22067 Filed 8-22-97; 8:45 am]
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