[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 142 (Friday, July 24, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 39793]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19839]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 52 and 81

[CA-189-0078(b); FRL-6127-2]


Proposed Approval and Promulgation of State Implementation Plans 
and Redesignation of the South Coast Air Basin in California to 
Attainment for Nitrogen Dioxide

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to approve an attainment and maintenance plan 
and grant a request submitted by the California Air Resources Board 
(CARB) to redesignate the South Coast Air Basin (South Coast) from 
nonattainment to attainment for the National Ambient Air Quality 
Standards (NAAQS) for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO<INF>2</INF>). Under the 
Clean Air Act (CAA), designations can be revised if sufficient data are 
available to warrant such revisions. In this action, EPA is proposing 
to approve the attainment and maintenance plans as revisions to the 
California State Implementation Plan (SIP), and EPA is also proposing 
to grant the State's request to redesignate the South Coast to 
attainment because the plans and request meet the requirements set 
forth in the CAA.

DATES: Written comments must be received by August 24, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to the EPA contact below. The 
rulemaking docket for this notice may be inspected and copied at the 
following location during normal business hours. A reasonable fee may 
be charged for copying parts of the docket. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Region 9, Air Division, Air Planning Office (AIR-2), 75 
Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-3901.
    Copies of the SIP materials are also available for inspection at 
the addresses listed below:

California Air Resources Board, 2020 L Street, Sacramento, CA 92123-
1095
South Coast Air Quality Management District, 21865 E. Copley Drive, 
Diamond Bar, CA 91765-4182.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Jesson, Air Planning Office (AIR-
2), Air Division, U.S. EPA, Region 9, 75 Hawthorne Street, San 
Francisco, CA 94105-3901. Telephone: (415) 744-1288

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In this action, EPA is proposing to approve 
the South Coast NO<INF>2</INF> attainment and maintenance plans and 
grant California's request to redesignate the South Coast to attainment 
for NO<INF>2</INF>, because the plans and redesignation request meet 
the requirements set forth in the CAA.
    In the Final Rules Section of this Federal Register, EPA is 
approving the State's SIP revision and granting the redesignation 
request as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the 
Agency views this as a noncontroversial amendment and anticipates no 
relevant adverse comments. A detailed rationale for this approval is 
set forth in the direct final rule. If no relevant adverse comments are 
received in response to this action, no further activity is 
contemplated in relation to this proposed rule. However, if EPA 
receives relevant adverse comments, then EPA will publish a document 
that withdraws the rule and informs the public that the rule will not 
take effect. EPA will then address those comments in a final action 
based upon this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment 
period. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do 
so at this time.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Nitrogen dioxide, 
Intergovernmental relations, Oxides of nitrogen, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: July 8, 1998.
Felicia Marcus,
Regional Administrator, Region IX.
[FR Doc. 98-19839 Filed 7-23-98; 8:45 am]
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