62620 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 203 / Thursday, October 19, 2000 / Rules and Regulations

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[CT058–7217a; A–1–FRL–6886–5]

Approval and Promulgation of Air

Quality Implementation Plans;

Connecticut; Changes to Various VOC

Regulations

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Direct final rule.

SUMMARY: EPA is approving several

revisions to the Connecticut (CT) State

Implementation Plan (SIP). The

revisions being approved consist of

changes to various volatile organic

compound (VOC) regulations that are

currently in the CT SIP. These changes

include: revisions to the definition of

VOC; revisions to the gasoline loading

regulation; revisions to the metal

cleaning regulation; revisions to the

miscellaneous metal parts and products

coating regulation; and revisions to CT’s

‘‘reasonably available control

technology (RACT) for volatile organic

compounds’’ regulation. Additionally,

EPA is approving CT’s negative

declarations for the synthetic organic

chemical manufacturing industry

(SOCMI) distillation and reactor vessel

source categories for which EPA issued

control technique guideline documents

(CTGs).

The intended effect of this action is to

approve these revisions to the SIP in

accordance with sections 110 and

182(b)(2) of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

DATES: This direct final rule is effective

on December 18, 2000 without further

notice, unless EPA receives relevant

adverse comment by November 20,

2000. If relevant adverse comment is

received, EPA will publish a timely

withdrawal of the direct final rule in the

Federal Register and inform the public

that the rule will not take effect.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to

David Conroy, Unit Manager, Air

Quality Planning, Office of Ecosystem

Protection (mail code CAQ), U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, EPANew England, One Congress Street,

Suite 1100, Boston, MA 02114–2023.

Copies of the documents relevant to this

action are available for public

inspection during normal business

hours, by appointment at the Office

Ecosytem Protection, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency,

Region I, One Congress Street, 11th

floor, Boston, MA and the Bureau of Air

Management, Department of

Environmental Protection, State Office

Building, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT

06106–1630.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Anne E. Arnold at 617–918–1047.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

following questions will be covered in

this section:

A. What action is EPA taking?

B. What air pollutants are reduced by

the changes to Connecticut’s

regulations?

C. Who is affected by today’s action?

D. Where do the changes to the

regulations apply?

E. When does today’s action take

effect?

F. What is ‘‘reasonably available

control technology,’’ or RACT?

1. What is EPA’s recommended VOC

RACT for Miscellaneous Metal Parts and

Products Coatings?

2. Do the Changes to Connecticut’s

VOC RACT for Miscellaneous Metal

Parts and Products Coatings Meet EPA

Guidance?

G. Why is EPA promulgating a full

approval of the changes to subsections

22a–174–1, 22a–174–20(b), 22a–174–

20(l), 22a–174–20(s) and section 22a–

174–32?

H. Where to go for more information

on the changes to Connecticut’s

regulations?

I. What does ‘‘direct final rulemaking’’

mean?

A. What Action Is EPA Taking?

EPA is approving State

Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions

submitted by the State of Connecticut

(CT). This action revises various volatile

organic compound (VOC) regulations

that are currently in the CT SIP. EPA is

fully approving the following sections of

the regulations of the State of

Connecticut as changes to CT’s SIP: (1)

revisions to the definition of VOC,

section 22a–174–1(97); (2) revisions to

the gasoline loading regulation, section

22a–174–20(b); (3) revisions to the metal

cleaning regulation, section 22a–174–

20(l); (4) revisions to the miscellaneous

metal parts and products coating

regulation, section 22a–174–20(s); and

(5) revisions to CT’s reasonably

available control technology (RACT) for

VOC regulation, section 22a–174–32.

In addition to the regulatory changes,

EPA is also approving negative

declarations submitted by CT for two

post-1990 CTG categories. Specifically,

EPA is approving CT’s negative

declarations for the synthetic organic

chemical manufacturing industry

(SOCMI) distillation and reactor vessel

source categories for which EPA issued

CTG documents in 1993. Section

182(b)(2)(A) of the Clean Air Act (CAA)

requires states with ozone

nonattainment areas to revise their SIPs

to require RACT at facilities in each

industrial category covered by a CTG

that is issued by the Administrator

between November 1990 and the date of

attainment. Through the negative

declaration, CT is asserting that there

are no sources within the State that

would be subject to a rule for these

source categories. EPA is approving this

negative declaration submittal as

meeting the section 182(b)(2)(A) RACT

requirements for these two source

categories. However, if evidence is

submitted by November 20, 2000 that

there are existing sources within CT

that, for purposes of meeting the RACT

requirements, would be subject to a rule

for these categories, if developed, such

comments would be considered adverse

and EPA would withdraw its approval

action on the negative declarations.

Additionally, in order to meet the

requirements of section 182(b)(2)(A), CT

revised section 22a–174–32 to apply to

facilities subject to the three other final

CTGs issued by EPA since 1990, i.e., the

wood furniture, shipbuilding and repair,

and aerospace coating CTGs. The

revised section 22a–174–32 explicitly

applies to wood furniture

manufacturing and aerospace

manufacturing and rework facilities.

And, although there is no explicit

applicability provision for shipbuilding

facilities, section 22a–174–32 was

revised to apply now to all major

stationary sources, which is consistent

with the applicability of the final

shipbuilding CTG, as explained further

below.

B. What Air Pollutants Are Reduced by

the Changes to Connecticut’s

Regulations?

The changes to CT’s regulations

reduce emissions of volatile organic

compounds, or VOCs. Volatile organic

compounds are certain types of

hydrocarbons that are precursors to the

type of air pollution known as ground

level ozone, the main ingredient of

smog. Ground-level ozone is formed by

a chemical reaction between VOCs and

oxides of nitrogen ( NOX) in the

presence of sunlight. Therefore, the

changes to CT’s regulations will help

reduce ground level ozone.

C. Who Is Affected by Today’s Action?

Today’s action approves changes to

category-specific regulations that affect

a variety of VOC-emitting industrial

facilities. Section 22a–174–20(b) applies

to gasoline and volatile organic liquid

loading facilities. Section 22a–174–20(l)

applies to facilities that clean or prepare

metal surfaces. Section 22a–174–20(s)

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 203 / Thursday, October 19, 2000 / Rules and Regulations 62621

1 ‘‘Issues Relating to VOC Regulation Cutpoints,

Deficiencies, and Deviations: Clarification to

Appendix D of November 24, 1987 Federal

Register’’ (May 25, 1988)

applies to facilities that paint and coat

certain kinds of metal parts and

products.

Additionally, section 22a–174–32 is a

general VOC RACT regulation that

applies to all VOC emitting processes

that are not already regulated by other

VOC control regulations in the CT SIP.

Today’s action approves changes to the

applicability of the earlier section 22a–

174–32 requirements in order to include

emissions from processes previously

unregulated under the SIP such as:

coating or painting wood products,

coating or painting aerospace products,

painting or refinishing commercial

ships, storing volatile organic liquids,

producing batch chemicals or

pharmaceuticals, producing VOC-laden

industrial wastewater and the coating of

plastics.

D. Where Do the Changes to the

Regulations Apply?

All of the regulations being

considered are applicable across the

state. However, the applicability of

section 22a–174–32 varies depending on

the location of the VOC-emitting

facility. In the area of CT designated as

serious nonattainment of the ozone

standard, the regulation applies to

facilities with the potential to emit 50

tons of VOC or more per year. This area

covers all of the State with the

exception of southwestern CT. In the

southwestern portion of CT designated

as severe nonattainment for ozone, the

regulation applies to facilities with the

potential to emit 25 tons of VOC or more

per year.

Since the shipbuilding CTG applies to

facilities with the potential to emit 50

tons of VOC or more per year, the

applicability of section 22a–174–32 now

covers any shipbuilding sources subject

to EPA’s CTG. Also, consistent with the

aerospace and wood furniture

manufacturing CTGs, section 22a–174–

32 specifically applies to facilities with

the potential to emit 25 tons of VOC or

more per year regardless of location

within the state.

E. When Does Today’s Action Take

Effect?

If EPA receives no relevant adverse

comments during the 30-day public

comment period that follows the

publication of this notice, EPA approval

action will be effective 60 days after the

date of publication.

F. What Is ‘‘Reasonably Available

Control Technology,’’ or RACT?

EPA defines RACT as the lowest

emission limit that an existing polluting

source is capable of meeting if it uses

pollution control equipment and/or

material or process changes that are

reasonably available considering costs

and current technology. For many VOCemitting industrial categories, EPA has

published control technique guidelines,

or CTGs. CTGs analyze available control

technologies and recommend emission

limitations or technology standards that

are considered economically feasible.

The changes being considered today

to CT’s definition of VOC, gasoline

loading, and metal cleaning regulations

do not affect the CTG-based RACT

standards that are part of the existing

regulations in CT. The changes being

considered for CT’s general VOC RACT

regulation do not change the RACT

norms established in the previous

version of the regulation but do expand

the applicability to cover additional

facilities.

However, the changes being

considered to CT’s miscellaneous metal

parts and products coating regulations

define RACT for a new category of

coatings, i.e., the ‘‘high performance

architectural aluminum coatings.’’

1. What Is EPA’s Recommended VOC

RACT for Miscellaneous Metal Parts and

Products Coatings?

In the CTG for miscellaneous metal

parts and products, EPA recommended

limits for the VOC quantity of various

metal coatings. For the ‘‘outdoor, harsh

exposure, or extreme performance’’

coatings, EPA recommended a RACT

limit of 3.5 pounds of VOC per gallon

of coating, minus water and exempt

solvents, at a cost effectiveness of

$6,841 or less per ton VOC removed.

See EPA document number EPA–450/2–

78–015 for more details.

2. Do the Changes to Connecticut’s VOC

RACT for Miscellaneous Metal Parts and

Products Coatings Meet EPA Guidance?

The revisions to section 22a–174–

20(s) are approvable. These revisions

include a new definition of ‘‘high

performance architectural aluminum

coating’’ and a 6.3 lb VOC per gallon of

coating emission limit for this type of

coating. CT’s alternative limit, which

represents a relaxation from the EPA

Control Technique Guideline limit of

3.5 lbs VOC per gallon of coating, only

applies to a coating applicator that emits

3,333 lbs of VOC per month or less

(approximately 20 tons per year) and

was an existing source in CT on or

before November 1, 1994. CT’s revisions

were proposed in August 1994 and were

adopted and effective in the State of

Connecticut on March 1, 1995.

At the time of CT’s rulemaking, it was

documented that compliant coatings

(3.5 lb VOC per gallon of coating) were

not available at that add-on controls that

were estimated to cost in excess of

$15,000 per ton of VOC removed were

not considered cost-effective. In

addition, as previously stated, CT’s

alternative limit only applies to coating

applicators in use in CT prior to

November 1994 and is limited to 20 tons

per year per applicator. There are only

two applicators in CT that meet these

criteria. Therefore, only 40 tons of VOC

per year could be emitted at the higher

limit. Also, new sources of sufficient

size would trigger a BACT (Best

Available Control Technology) or LAER

(Lowest Achievable Emission Rate)

review under CT’s new source review

program for minor and major sources.

Furthermore, examination of CT’s 1996

periodic emissions inventory shows that

the 40 tons represents only 2 percent of

CT’s approximately 1990 tons of VOC

emissions per year from miscellaneous

metal parts and products surface coating

operations. EPA’s Blue Book 1 allows for

deviations from CTG recommendations

by means of the ‘‘5 percent rule’’ (i.e.,

emission resulting from implementation

of the state’s alternative must be within

5 percent of emissions resulting from

implementation of EPA’s CTG-based

model rule).

Also, section 193 of the Clean Air Act

(i.e., the General Savings Clause),

requires that any regulation in effect

before the date of the enactment of the

Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 in

any non-attainment area may only be

modified if the modification insures

equivalent or greater reductions of the

same pollutant. Although the changes to

pre-1990 section 22a–174–20(s)

represent a potential increase in

emissions of 40 tons per year, the

expanded applicability of section 22a–

174–32 is projected to reduce emissions

by more than 40 tons per year. Given the

VOC reductions resulting from the

regulatory changes being acted on at this

time, CT meets the requirements of the

Savings Clause of section 193 of the Act.

G. Why Is EPA Promulgating a Full

Approval of the Changes to Subsections

22a–174–1, 22a–174–20(b), 22a–174–

20(l), 22a–174–20(s) and Section 22a–

174–32?

The revisions submitted for

subsections 22a–174–1, 22a–174–20(b),

22a–174–20(l), 22a–174–20(s), and the

negative declarations for SOCMI reactor

and distillation processes, are consistent

with EPA guidance and meet the

requirements of the CAA. Therefore,

62622 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 203 / Thursday, October 19, 2000 / Rules and Regulations

2November 7, 1996 memorandum from Sally

Shaver, Director, Air Quality Strategies and

Standards Division, Office of Air Quality Planning

and Standards, to Air Program Directors, EPA

Regional Offices.

EPA is fully approving these changes as

revisions to the Connecticut SIP.

Section 22a–174–32 establishes four

RACT options. Options (A) and (B) of

section 22a–174–32(e)(1), in

combination with 22a–174–32(e)(2) and

(e)(3), are methods of achieving RACT

by either: (A) operating a system to

capture and control VOC emissions to

reduce VOC emissions by at least 85

percent of uncontrolled emissions; or by

(B) reducing VOC use and emissions by

80 percent through reformulation or

process changes. Options (C) and (D) are

methods of achieving RACT through the

use of emission reduction credits or an

alternative compliance plan.

Options (A) and (B) define approvable

VOC RACT methods. Options (C) and

(D), however, describe processes by

which RACT can be defined, but do not

define RACT. Connecticut must define

explicitly, and have approved by EPA,

RACT for all of those sources complying

with section 22a–174–32 through

Options (C) and (D).

On October 5, 2000, EPA received a

letter from Connecticut identifying the

facilities for which RACT orders had not

yet been issued and will be under

section 22a–174–32(e)(1)(C) or (D). They

are:

1. Keeler and Long/PPG Architectural

Finishes

2. Hitchcock Chair Co. Ltd.

3. Carlon Rubber Products

4. Danbury Pharmacal

Connecticut has not yet submitted any

of the necessary single source SIP

revisions. Connecticut must submit and

EPA must approve single source SIP

revisions for the four sources listed

above.

Although EPA has not received the

final single source SIP revisions for

these four facilities, section 22a–174–32

is fully approvable. On November 7,

1996, EPA issued a policy memorandum

entitled ‘‘Approval Options for Generic

RACT Rules Submitted to Meet the nonCTG VOC RACT Requirements and

Certain NOX RACT Requirements,’’ 2

which applies to section 22a–174–32.

Generic RACT provisions are those

portions of a regulation where the

emission limit or technology standard is

not specified in the rule, rather, the

determination of a limit is to be made

on a case-by-case basis. Under the Act,

these case-specific RACT

determinations must be submitted to

EPA as revisions to a State’s SIP. The

generic RACT policy allows full

approval of a State’s non-CTG VOC

RACT regulation which contains generic

provisions if an analysis has been

completed that demonstrates that the

remaining case-specific VOC RACT

determinations involve a de minimis

level of VOC emissions.

In the case of Connecticut’s section

22a–174–32, analysis has shown that

the emissions remaining to be covered

by the case-specific RACT

determinations for the four facilities

constitute less than 3.5% of

Connecticut’s base year non-CTG VOC

RACT emissions. Under the generic

RACT policy, such emissions can be

considered to be de minimis. Given this

analysis, section 22a–174–32, including

the generic provisions, is fully

approvable.

It is important to note that approval

of this regulation under the generic

RACT policy does not exempt any

remaining miscellaneous sources from

RACT; rather it is a de minimis deferral

of the approval of the remaining caseby-case RACT determinations. This

means that approval of section 22a–

174–32 will not relieve the remaining

sources of the obligation to develop,

submit and implement RACT level

controls. Similarly, approval will not

relieve Connecticut of the obligation to

ensure that all sources within the State

comply with the VOC RACT

requirements of the Act by adopting and

implementing emission limitations or

technology standards. In fact, approval

of this regulation will serve to reinforce

the requirement for the State to submit

any remaining case-specific RACT

determinations. Because section 22a–

174–32 requires that non-CTG VOC

RACT determinations be submitted to

EPA for approval as SIP revisions,

approval of the regulation will make the

requirement to submit remaining nonCTG VOC RACT orders enforceable by

EPA, as well as by citizens under

section 304 of the Act.

H. Where to Go for More Information on

the Changes to Connecticut’s

Regulations?

For a more detailed discussion of the

changes to Connecticut’s VOC RACT

regulations and EPA’s evaluation, you

can refer to the technical support

document, entitled, ‘‘Technical Support

Document—Connecticut—Changes to

Various VOC Regulations,’’ dated

December 15, 1999 and the amendment

to that document. For copies of the

Technical Support Document, contact

the EPA or the Connecticut Department

of Environmental Protection at the

addresses listed in the addresses section

of this notice.

I. What Does ‘‘Direct Final Rulemaking’’

Mean?

Essentially, ‘‘direct final rulemaking’’

means that the EPA is publishing this

rule without prior proposal because the

Agency views this as a noncontroversial

amendment and anticipates no adverse

comments. However, in the proposed

rules section of this Federal Register

publication, EPA is publishing a

separate document that will serve as the

proposal to approve the SIP revision

should relevant adverse comments be

filed. This action will be effective

December 18, 2000 without further

notice unless the Agency receives

relevant adverse comments by

November 20, 2000. Please note that if

EPA receives adverse comment on an

amendment, paragraph, or section of

this rule and if that provision may be

severed from the remainder of the rule,

EPA may adopt as final those provisions

of the rule that are not the subject of an

adverse comment.

If the EPA receives such comments,

then EPA will publish a document

withdrawing the final rule and

informing the public that the rule will

not take effect. All public comments

received will then be addressed in a

subsequent final rule based on the

proposed rule. The EPA will not

institute a second comment period.

Parties interested in commenting should

do so at this time. If no such comments

are received, the public is advised that

this rule will be effective on December

18, 2000 and no further action will be

taken on the proposed rule.

II. Final Action

EPA is approving the SIP revisions

concerning CT’s changes to subsections

22a–174–1(97), 22a–174–20(b), 22a–

174–20(l), 22a–174–20(s), and section

22a–174–32, as well as the negative

declarations for SOCMI reactor and

distillation processes CTG categories.

III. Administrative Requirements

Under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR

51735, October 4, 1993), this action is

not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ and

therefore is not subject to review by the

Office of Management and Budget. This

action merely approves state law as

meeting Federal requirements and

imposes no additional requirements

beyond those imposed by state law.

Accordingly, the Administrator certifies

that this rule will not have a significant

economic impact on a substantial

number of small entities under the

Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601

et seq.). Because this rule approves preexisting requirements under state law

and does not impose any additional

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 203 / Thursday, October 19, 2000 / Rules and Regulations 62623

enforceable duty beyond that required

by state law, it does not contain any

unfunded mandate or significantly or

uniquely affect small governments, as

described in the Unfunded Mandates

Reform Act of 1995 (Public Law 104–4).

For the same reason, this rule also does

not significantly or uniquely affect the

communities of tribal governments, as

specified by Executive Order 13084 (63

FR 27655, May 10, 1998). This rule will

not have substantial direct effects on the

States, on the relationship between the

national government and the States, or

on the distribution of power and

responsibilities among the various

levels of government, as specified in

Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255,

August 10, 1999), because it merely

approves a state rule implementing a

Federal standard, and does not alter the

relationship or the distribution of power

and responsibilities established in the

Clean Air Act. This rule also is not

subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR

19885, April 23, 1997), because it is not

economically significant.

In reviewing SIP submissions, EPA’s

role is to approve state choices,

provided that they meet the criteria of

the Clean Air Act. In this context, in the

absence of a prior existing requirement

for the State to use voluntary consensus

standards (VCS), EPA has no authority

to disapprove a SIP submission for

failure to use VCS. It would thus be

inconsistent with applicable law for

EPA, when it reviews a SIP submission,

to use VCS in place of a SIP submission

that otherwise satisfies the provisions of

the Clean Air Act. Thus, the

requirements of section 12(d) of the

National Technology Transfer and

Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C.

272 note) do not apply. As required by

section 3 of Executive Order 12988 (61

FR 4729, February 7, 1996), in issuing

this rule, EPA has taken the necessary

steps to eliminate drafting errors and

ambiguity, minimize potential litigation,

and provide a clear legal standard for

affected conduct. EPA has complied

with Executive Order 12630 (53 FR

8859, March 15, 1988) by examining the

takings implications of the rule in

accordance with the ‘‘Attorney

General’s Supplemental Guidelines for

the Evaluation of Risk and Avoidance of

Unanticipated Takings’ issued under the

executive order. This rule does not

impose an information collection

burden under the provisions of the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44

U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

The Congressional Review Act, 5

U.S.C. 801 et seq., as added by the Small

Business Regulatory Enforcement

Fairness Act of 1996, generally provides

that before a rule may take effect, the

agency promulgating the rule must

submit a rule report, which includes a

copy of the rule, to each House of the

Congress and to the Comptroller General

of the United States. EPA will submit 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 United

States prior to publication of the rule in

the Federal Register. A major rule

cannot take effect until 60 days after it

is published in the Federal Register.

This action is not a ‘‘major rule’’ as

defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

Under section 307(b)(1) of the Clean

Air Act, petitions for judicial review of

this action must be filed in the United

States Court of Appeals for the

appropriate circuit by December 18,

2000. Interested parties should

comment in response to the proposed

rule rather than petition for judicial

review, unless the objection arises after

the comment period allowed for in the

proposal. 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,

Incorporation by reference, Ozone,

Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements.

Dated: October 6, 2000.

Mindy S. Lubber,

Regional Administrator, EPA-New England.

Part 52 of 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 et seq.

Subpart H—Connecticut

§ 52.370 [Amended]

2. Section 52.369 is revised by

removing and reserving paragraph (c).

3. Section 52.370 is amended by

adding paragraph (c)(84) to read as

follows:

§ 52.370 Identification of plan.

* * * * *

(c) * * *

(84) Revisions to the State

Implementation Plan submitted by the

Connecticut Department of

Environmental Protection on April 15,

1997, April 20, 1998, and September 2,

1999.

(i) Incorporation by reference.

(A) Section 22a–174–1(97) of the

Regulation of the Connecticut State

Agencies, definition of the term

‘‘Volatile organic compound’’ or ‘‘VOC,’’

effective in the State of Connecticut on

December 22, 1997.

(B) Section 22a–174–20(b) of the

Regulation of the Connecticut State

Agencies, entitled ‘‘Loading of gasoline

and other volatile organic compounds,’’

effective in the State of Connecticut on

April 1, 1998.

(C) Section 22a–174–20(l) of the

Regulation of the Connecticut State

Agencies, entitled ‘‘Metal cleaning,’’

effective in the State of Connecticut on

August 23, 1996.

(D) Section 22a–174–20(s) of the

Regulation of the Connecticut State

Agencies, ‘‘Miscellaneous metal parts

and products,’’ effective in the State of

Connecticut on March 1, 1995.

(E) Section 22a–174–32 of the

Regulation of the Connecticut State

Agencies, entitled ‘‘Reasonably

Available Control Technology (RACT)

for volatile organic compounds,’’

effective in the State of Connecticut on

August 27, 1999.

(ii) Additional materials.

(A) Letters from the Connecticut

Department of Environmental Protection

dated April 15, 1997, April 20, 1998,

and September 2, 1999 submitting

revisions to the Connecticut State

Implementation Plan.

4. Section 52.375 is amended by

adding paragraphs (e) and (f) to read as

follows:

§ 52.375 Certification of no sources.

* * * * *

(e) Synthetic organic chemical

manufacturing industry (SOCMI)

distillation.

(f) Synthetic organic chemical

manufacturing industry (SOCMI) reactor

vessels.

§ 52.380 [Amended]

5. Section 52.380 is amended by

removing and reserving paragraph (c)(2).

6. In § 52.385, Table 52.385 is

amended by adding entries to the

existing state citations for 22a–174–1,

22a–174–20, and 22a–174–32, to read as

follows:

§ 52.385 EPA-approved Connecticut

Regulations.

* * * * *

62624 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 203 / Thursday, October 19, 2000 / Rules and Regulations

TABLE 52.385—EPA-APPROVED REGULATIONS

Connecticut

State citation Title/subject

Dates

Federal Register

citation Section 52.370 Comments/description Date adopted by

State

Date approved by

EPA

*******

22a–174–1 ......... * * * 12/22/97 ............ 10/19/00 [insert FR citation from published date].(c)(84) ............... Changes to the definition of VOC

to exempt certain negligibly

photoreactive compounds.

*******

22a–174–20 ....... Loading gasoline and other

volatile organic compounds.

4/1/98 ................ 10/19/00 [insert FR citation from published date].(c)(84) ............... Changes to gasoline and volatile

organic loading regulations.

Metal cleaning .. 8/23/96 .............. 10/19/00 [insert FR citation from published date].(c)(84) ............... Changes to metal cleaning regulations.

Miscellaneous

metal parts

and products.

8/1/95 ................ 10/19/00 [insert FR citation from published date].(c)(84) ............... Changes to regulations to add

emission limit for architectural

aluminum panels.

*******

22a–174–32 ....... * * * 8/27/99 .............. 10/19/00 [insert FR citation from published date].(c)(84) ............... Changes to the non-CTG regulation.

*******

[FR Doc. 00–26613 Filed 10–18–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[CT–62–7221a; A–1–FRL–6877–5]

Approval and Promulgation of Air

Quality Implementation Plans;

Connecticut; Post-1996 Rate of

Progress Plans

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: EPA is approving State

Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions

submitted by the State of Connecticut.

These revisions establish post-1996 rate

of progress (ROP) emission reduction

plans, including minor adjustments to

the Connecticut 1990 base year

inventory, for the Greater Hartford

serious ozone nonattainment area, and

for the Connecticut portion of the New

York, New Jersey, Connecticut (NY–NJ–

CT) severe ozone nonattainment area.

The intended effect of this action is to

approve these SIP revisions as meeting

the requirements of the Clean Air Act.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule will become

effective on November 20, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the documents

relevant to this action are available for

public inspection during normal

business hours, by appointment at the

Office of Ecosystem Protection, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, EPANew England, One Congress Street, 11th

floor, Boston, MA; and the Bureau of Air

Management, Department of

Environmental Protection, State Office

Building, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT

06106–1630.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert McConnell, (617) 918–1046.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

Supplementary Information section is

organized as follows:

A. What action is EPA taking today?

B. What changes were made to the

Connecticut base year inventory?

C. What are Connecticut’s target emission

levels for VOC and NOX?

D. What control strategy will Connecticut

use to meet its emission target levels?

E. How did Connecticut meet the

contingency measure requirement?

F. What are the State’s conformity budgets?

A. What Action is EPA Taking Today?

EPA is approving post-1996 ROP

emission reduction plans through 1999,

and minor revisions to the 1990 base

year inventory, submitted by the State of

Connecticut for the Greater Hartford

serious ozone nonattainment area, and

the Connecticut portion of the NY–NJ–

CT severe ozone nonattainment area,

which is a multi-state ozone

nonattainment area, as revisions to

Connecticut’s SIP. Connecticut did not

enter into an agreement with New York

and New Jersey to do a multi-state ROP

plan, and therefore submitted a plan to

reduce emissions only in the

Connecticut portion of this area. EPA is

taking action today only on the

Connecticut portion of the NY–NJ–CT

post-1996 plan.

The post-1996 ROP plans document

how Connecticut complied with the

provisions of section 182 (c)(2) of the

Federal Clean Air Act (the Act), through

1999. These sections of the Act require

states containing certain ozone

nonattainment areas develop strategies

to reduce emissions of the pollutants

that react to form ground level ozone.

On June 30, 2000 (65 FR 40560), EPA

published a proposed rulemaking for

the State of Connecticut. That document

proposed approval of the Connecticut

post-1996 ROP plans. The formal SIP

revision was submitted by Connecticut

on December 30, 1997 and January 7,

1998.

B. What Changes Were Made to the

Connecticut Base Year Inventory?

Connecticut made two minor changes

to its 1990 base year inventory, as

described in the June 30, 2000 proposed

approval action. EPA approved the

Connecticut 1990 base year emission

inventory on October 24, 1997 (62 FR