### 8735 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 31 / Tuesday, February 15, 2011 / Notices

1 The EPA’s initial overall plan for this review was presented in the Integrated Review Plan for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Nitrogen Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide (EPA–452/R– 08–006, December 2007). Documents related to the current review of the secondary NAAQS for oxides

Continued **ACTION :**  Notice of public hearing and extension of public comment period of draft NPDES general permits.

**SUMMARY :**  The Director of the Office of Ecosystem Protection, Environmental Protection Agency-Region 1 (EPA), issued a Notice of Availability of Draft NPDES general permits for discharges from small MS4s to certain waters of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on November 4, 2010. A subsequent notice of a public hearing was published on November 29, 2011. Due to inclement weather, the public meeting and hearing for the Draft Massachusetts Interstate, Merrimack and South Coastal Small MS4 General Permit in Leominster, MA on January 12, 2011 were cancelled. EPA has rescheduled the hearing and extended the comment permit of the draft permits.

Information on the draft permits, appendices and fact sheet is available at: http://www.epa.gov/ne/npdes/ stormwater/mimsc

_sms4.html.

**DATES :**  The public comment period is now from the November 4, 2010 to March 11, 2011. Interested persons may submit comments on the draft general permit as part of the administrative record to the EPA–Region 1, at the address given below, no later than midnight March 11, 2011. The general permit shall be effective on the date specified in the Federal Register publication of the Notice of Availability of the final general permit. The final general permit will expire five years from the effective date.

**ADDRESSES :**  Submit comments by one of the following methods:

• E-mail: Renahan.Kate@epa.gov.

• Mail: Kate Renahan, US EPA– Region 1, Office of the Regional Administrator, 5 Post Office Square— Suite 100, Mail Code—ORA01–1, Boston, MA 02109–3912. No facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted.

The draft permit is based on an administrative record available for public review at EPA–Region 1, Office of Ecosystem Protection, 5 Post Office Square—Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts 02109–3912. The following **SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION** section sets forth principal facts and the significant factual, legal, and policy questions considered in the development of the draft permit. A reasonable fee may be charged for copying requests.

Public Meeting Information: EPA– Region 1 will hold a public meeting to provide information about the draft general permit and its requirements. This public meeting will include a brief presentation on the draft general permits and a brief question and answer session. Written, but not oral, comments for the official draft permit record will be accepted at the public meeting. A Public meeting will be held at the following time and locations: Wednesday—March 9, 2011

Leominster Public Library Community Room, 30 West Street, Leominster, MA 01453, 9:30 a.m.–10:30

a.m.

Public Hearing Information: Following the March 9, 2011 public meeting, a public hearing will be conducted in accordance with 40 CFR 124.12 and will provide interested parties with the opportunity to provide written and/or oral comments for the official draft permit record. The public hearing will be held at the following time and location: Wednesday—March 9, 2011:

Leominster Public Library Community Room, 30 West Street, Leominster, MA 01453, 11 a.m .–2 p.m.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Additional information concerning the draft permit may be obtained between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding holidays from: Kate Renahan, Office of the Regional Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency, 5 Post Office Square—Suite 100, Mail Code: ORA01– 1, Boston, MA 02109–3912; telephone: 617–918–1491; e-mail: Renahan.Kate@epa.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Information about the proposed permits including background of the permit and summary of permit conditions was previously published on the November 4, 2010 (75 FR 67960–67962).

Dated: February 7, 2011. H. Curtis Spalding, Regional Administrator, Region 1.
[FR Doc. 2011–3380 Filed 2–14–11; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 6560–50–P**

**ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY** 

**[EPA–HQ–OAR–2007–1145; FRL–9266–9]**

**Release of Final Document Related to the Review of the Secondary National**  **Ambient Air Quality Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur** 

**AGENCY :**  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

**ACTION :**  Notice of availability.

**SUMMARY :**  The Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) of EPA is announcing the availability of a document titled, Policy Assessment for the Review of the Secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur (Policy Assessment). The Policy Assessment contains staff analyses of the scientific bases for alternative policy options for consideration by the Agency prior to rulemaking.

**DATES :**  This Policy Assessment was released to the public via the internet on February 4, 2011.

**ADDRESSES :**  The document will be available primarily via the Internet at the following Web site: http:// www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/ no2so2sec/cr

_

pa.html.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  For questions related to this document, please contact Dr. Richard Scheffe, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (Mail code C304–02), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; email: scheffe.rich@epa.gov telephone: 919–541–4650; fax: 919–541–2357.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

Under section 108(a) of the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Administrator identifies and lists certain pollutants which ‘‘ cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare. ’’ The EPA then issues air quality criteria for these listed pollutants, which are commonly referred to as ‘‘ criteria pollutants. ’’ The air quality criteria are to ‘‘accurately reflect the latest scientific knowledge useful in indicating the kind and extent of all identifiable effects on public health or welfare which may be expected from the presence of [a] pollutant in the ambient air, in varying quantities. ’’ Under section 109 of theCAA, EPA establishes primary (healthbased) and secondary (welfare-based) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for pollutants for which air quality criteria are issued. Section 109(d) of the CAA requires periodic review and, if appropriate, revision of existing air quality criteria. The revised air quality criteria reflect advances in scientific knowledge on the effects of the pollutant on public health or welfare. The EPA is also required to periodically review and revise the NAAQS, if appropriate, based on the revised criteria.

Presently, EPA is reviewing the secondary NAAQS for oxides of nitrogen and sulfur. 1 The document


### 8736 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 31 / Tuesday, February 15, 2011 / Notices

of nitrogen and sulfur are available at: http:// www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/no2so2sec/ index.html.

2 See http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/review.html for a copy of Administrator Jackson’s May 21, 2009, memorandum and for additional information on the NAAQS review process. 1 EPA has determined that the Greater Connecticut area has attained the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. See 75 FR 53219; August 31, 2010. EPA has not yet taken action regarding the Southwest Connecticut area. announced today, Policy Assessment for the Review of the Secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur, contains staff analyses of the scientific bases for alternative policy options for consideration by the Agency prior to rulemaking. This document, which builds upon the historical ‘‘ Staff Paper, ’’ will serve to ‘‘bridge the gap ’’ between the available scientific information and the judgments required of the Administrator in determining whether it is appropriate to retain or revise the standards. 2 The current and potential alternative standards for oxides of nitrogen and sulfur are considered in terms of the basic elements of the NAAQS: indicator, averaging time, form, and level. The Policy Assessment builds upon information presented in the Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur— Ecological Criteria: Final report (ISA, EPA EPA/600/R–08/082F, December 2008) and the quantitative risk and exposure assessment document (REA)— Risk and Exposure Assessment for Review of the Secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen and Oxides of Sulfur (EPA–452/R–09–008a and EPA–452/R– 09–008b; September 2009).

A first draft Policy Assessment (EPA– 452/P–10–006) was released in March 2010 to facilitate discussion with the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) at an April 1–2, 2010 meeting on the overall structure, areas of focus, and level of detail to be included in the Policy Assessment (75 FR 10479–10481, March 2010). CASAC’s comments on the first draft Policy Assessment encouraged the development of a document focused on the key policy-relevant issues that draws from and is not repetitive of information in the ISA and REA. These comments were considered in developing a second draft Policy Assessment (EPA 452/P–10–008, September 2010). The EPA presented an overview of the second draft Policy Assessment at a CASAC meeting on October 6–7, 2010 (75 FR 54871–54872).

CASAC (EPA–CASAC–11–003) and public comments on the second draft Policy Assessment were considered by EPA staff in developing both the January 14, 2011 version and this current version of the final Policy Assessment, which reflects final editing and formatting, and is available through the Agency’s Technology Transfer Network (TTN) Web site at http://www.epa.gov/ ttn/naaqs/standards/no2so2sec/

cr

_

pa.html. CASAC has requested a February 15–16, 2011, meeting to review EPA’s final Policy Assessment.

Dated: February 9, 2011. Mary E. Henigin, Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2011–3382 Filed 2–14–11; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 6560–50–P**

**ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY** 

**[EPA–R01–OAR–2008–0117; A–1–FRL– 9267–1]** 

**Status of Motor Vehicle Budgets in Submitted State Implementation Plan**  **for Transportation Conformity Purposes; Connecticut; Notice of**  **Withdrawal of Adequacy of Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets** 

**AGENCY :**  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

**ACTION :**  Notice of withdrawal of adequacy.

**SUMMARY :**  EPA is notifying the public that EPA has withdrawn its previous adequacy finding on the 2012 motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) for Connecticut’s two 8-hour ozone nonattainment areas. EPA has withdrawn the adequacy finding because Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CT DEP) withdrew its 2012 motor vehicle emission budgets from its eight-hour ozone attainment demonstration SIP for both ozone nonattainment areas. As a result of our finding, Connecticut can not use these 2012 motor vehicle emission budgets for future conformity determinations.

**DATES :**  This finding is effective March 2,
2011.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Donald O. Cooke, Environmental Scientist, Air Quality Planning Unit, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA New England Regional Office, Five Post Office Square, Suite 100 (CAQ), Boston, MA 02109–3912, (617) 918– 1668, cooke.donald@epa.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Throughout this document, whenever

‘‘we, ’’ ‘‘us ’’ or ‘‘ our’’ is used, we mean EPA.

Today’s action is simply an announcement of a finding that we have already made.

On February 1, 2008, Connecticut submitted 2008, 2009, and 2012 summer day volatile organic compound (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) MVEBs for the Connecticut portion of the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY–NJ–CT (Southwest Connecticut) 8- hour ozone nonattainment area and for the Greater Connecticut 8-hour ozone nonattainment area. These MVEBs were submitted to EPA as part of the 8-hour ozone attainment demonstrations and reasonable further progress plans for these areas. Although not required by the Clean Air Act or EPA regulation, Connecticut included the 2012 budgets in its ozone attainment demonstrations based on uncertainty as to whether attainment would be met by the applicable June 15, 2010 attainment date for the two nonattainment areas. EPA found Connecticut’s 2008, 2009, and 2012 MVEBs adequate for transportation conformity purposes. See 73 FR 33428; June 12, 2008.

On August 23, 2010, CT DEP withdrew the 2012 MVEBs from its 8- hour ozone attainment demonstration SIP for both ozone nonattainment areas. At that time, CT DEP also requested that EPA withdraw the adequacy findings for the 2012 MVEBs, since both ozone nonattainment areas have monitored air quality data demonstrating attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard, and the 2012 MVEBs are no longer necessary to ensure attainment. 1

Connecticut’s request to withdraw the 2012 MVEBs was announced on EPA’s conformity Web site, and received no comments. ( See http://www.epa.gov/ otaq/stateresources/transconf/ adequacy.htm. Once there, click on

‘‘What SIP submissions are currently under EPA adequacy review? ’’ )

On December 30, 2010, EPA sent a letter to the CT DEP withdrawing our previous adequacy finding on the 2012 MVEBs for the Southwest Connecticut and the Greater Connecticut 8-hour ozone nonattainment areas.

The 2012 MVEBs are withdrawn for transportation conformity purposes. However, the 2008 (reasonable further progress) MVEBs and the 2009 (attainment) MVEBs that were previously deemed adequate, remain adequate for transportation conformity

purposes.

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401–7671 q.