**Statement of Phil Lorang**  **Air Quality Policy Division U.S. Environmental Protection Agency**  **Public Hearing on the**  **Regional Haze: Revisions to Provisions Governing Alternatives to Source Specific Best**  **Available Retrofit T**  **echnology (BART) Determinations, Limited SIP Disapprovals, and Federal Implementation Plans**  **January 17, 2012 United States Environmental Protection**  **Agency**

**Research Triangle Park, NC** Good morning and thank you for attending this p ublic hearing . The Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) is holding this hearing to take comment on the proposed rule that revises the Regional Haze Rule to allow the trading program in the Cross - State Air Pollution Rule ( Cross - State R ule) as an alternative program to Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) . Having just said the words “Cross - State Air Pollution Rule” Ineed to point out that in this rulemaking those w ords and “Transport Rule” are being used to mean the same thing. My name is Phil L orang and I am the Senior Policy Advisor in the Air Quality Policy Division of EPA’s Office of Air Quality

Planning and Standards . I will be chairing today ’s hearing. Joining me on the panel is Rhea Jones, Group L eader of the Geographic Strategies Group of the Air Quality Policy Division . We are here today

to listen to your comments on EPA’s propos ed rule that would approve the trading program s in the Cross - State Rule as an alternative to BART for electric generating units that are subject to the requirements of the Cross - State Rule . This notice also proposes a limited disapproval of regional haze S tate Implementation Plans for several states that , in accordance with EPA policy , relied on the Clean Air Interstate Rule or CAIR as an alternative to BART for electric generating units included in the CAIR trading program . Since CAIR has now been ruled illegal b y the DC Circuit Court and remanded to EPA , those state i mplementation plans cannot be approved. As a remed y to these limited disapprovals, we also proposed Federal Implementation Plans for each state that relied on CAIR. The proposed Federal Implementation Plans , when finalized, will immediately substitute the Cross - State trading programs for CAIR in these states’ implementation plans . T hese states would not have to take further action on their regional h aze plans until 2018 (unless the states choose to revise their SIPs accordingl y and resubmit them to replac e the FIP) . We encourage states at an y time to make these revisions.Today

we wil l be accepting oral comments on all aspects of our proposal . W e will prepare a written transcript of the hearing which will be included in the official record for this rule . We will consider all of yo ur comments as we move forward to complete a final rule . We are accepting written comments for the proposed rule until at least February 16 , 2012 and are considering a joint request by several parties to extend this deadline . T here is a handout available in the registration area with detailed information for submitting written comments by mail, fax , or electronic al ly . As you may

be aware, since the proposed rule was signed and published in the Federal Register the Circuit Court has stay ed the Cross - State Air Pollution Rule and instructed EPA to continue to administer the Clear Air Interstate Rule during the stay . Ihave no comment from EPA to share with you regarding this development today , but you are welcome to comment on it i n your remarks today and in your written comments. Now, l et me describe the procedures for today ’s hearing. I will call the scheduled speaker s the microphone individually . When it is your turn to speak, p lease state and spell your name and your affiliation before yo u begin your testimony . After you finish your testimony , members of the panel may ask clarifying questions. If, in addition to the transcript of your testimony , you would also like us to put the full text of your written comments i nto the docket, p lease be sure to give a cop y of an y written comments to our staff at the registration table. Today ’s hearing is scheduled from 10 a.m. and will continue until 3 p.m., or until the last registered speaker has provided testimony . If we have not heard from the last speaker by 12:30 p.m., the hearing will go on recess during the scheduled lunch break from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. and reconvene promptl y at 1 p.m. The Café here is open to the public as is the lobby and library

one floor above this one, but please do not go into an y office areas. We intend to stay until everyone has an opportunity to comment. If you would like to testify

but have not y et registered to do so, please sign up at the registration table. T hank you all again for participating today . Let’s get started.