28872 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 102 / Friday, May 25, 2001 / Proposed Rules

2. Documentation for the Assertion That

Appropriately Applied Existing

Technologies Can Reduce Fish Losses to

Levels Reasonably Consistent With Wet

Cooling Towers With Low-Velocity

UWAG asserts that, at certain sites

and under certain conditions,

technologies such as wedge wire

screens, fine mesh traveling screens

with a fish return system, and

Gunderbooms can be used at intakes

with a capacity commensurate with

once-through cooling and can reduce

losses from entrainment and

impingement to levels reasonably

consistent with those of an intake

structure with a capacity commensurate

with use of a wet, closed-cycle cooling

system and an intake velocity of no

more than 0.5 feet per second. In the

document, ‘‘Existing Technologies

Which, Appropriately Applied, Can

Reduce Fish Losses to Levels

Reasonably Consistent with Wet Cooling

Towers,’’ April 18, 2001 (see #2–044A

in the Docket), UWAG provides data

that it asserts supports this position.

UWAG also discusses this assertion in

the document ‘‘Reasonably Consistent,’’

April 20, 2001 (see #2–044B in the

Docket). These data and information are

intended to support the alternative

industry approach discussed in section

H.1. of this Notice. EPA is evaluating

the UWAG assertions and will consider

any public comments on them.

3. Financial Issues That Necessitate

Minimal or No Pre-Permit Biological

Study

As discussed in the document,

‘‘Financial Ramifications of Preoperational Biological Monitoring

Requirements’’ (see #2–045 in Docket),

UWAG asserts that delays associated

with EPA’s proposed requirements for

pre-operational biological monitoring

could have significant costs for the

facilities required to conduct such

monitoring. These costs would include

the replacement value for electricity not

generated because new facilities did not

enter the market as quickly as they

might have without the requirement.

UWAG also asserts that these delays

will increase the costs of financing for

a new facility because the lender will be

taking a greater risk over a longer term

for a facility that does not yet have a

permit. EPA solicits comment on

specifically how much the cost of

financing would increase for a new

facility based on such delay and

uncertainty. UWAG further asserts that

the pre-operational biological

monitoring requirement will create an

incentive to build plants that are not

subject to this requirement and its

associated delays and produce more

expensive electricity. These data and

information are intended to support the

alternative industry approach discussed

in Section H.1. of this Notice. EPA is

evaluating and invites public comment

on the UWAG assertions. EPA is very

interested in evaluating any impact

these regulations may have on new

facility construction. EPA invites the

public to provide detailed information

on the extent to which a year-long, preoperational biological monitoring

program might lengthen the timeframes

for new facility development beyond

those normally associated with, for

example, site selection, financing,

construction, local permitting, and

environmental assessments conducted

under other federal, state or local

requirements.

III. General Solicitation of Comment

EPA encourages public participation

in this rulemaking and requests

comments on this notice of data

availability supporting the proposed

rule for cooling water intake structures

for new facilities.

EPA invites all parties to coordinate

their data collection activities with the

Agency to facilitate mutually beneficial

and cost-effective data submissions.

Please refer to the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION section at the beginning of

this preamble for technical contacts at

EPA.

To ensure that EPA can properly

respond to comments, the Agency

prefers that commenters cite, where

possible, the paragraph(s) or sections in

the document or supporting documents

to which each comment refers. Please

submit an original and two copies of

your comments and enclosures

(including references).

Dated: May 16, 2001.

Diane C. Regas,

Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of

Water.

[FR Doc. 01–13187 Filed 5–24–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[Docket No. AK–01–003a; FRL–6986–5]

Clean Air Act Attainment Extension for

the Fairbanks North Star Borough

Carbon Monoxide Nonattainment Area:

Alaska

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: We propose to grant the one

(1) year attainment date extension

request for the Fairbanks North Star

Borough carbon monoxide (CO)

nonattainment area submitted by the

State of Alaska on March 29, 2001. In

the Final Rules section of this Federal

Register, we are approving the State’s

extension request as a direct final rule

without prior proposal because we view

this as a noncontroversial action and

anticipate no adverse comments. A

detailed rationale for the approval is set

forth in the direct final rule. If no

adverse comments are received in

response to this action, no further

activity is contemplated in relation to

this rule. If we receive adverse

comments, the direct final rule will be

withdrawn and all public comments

received will be addressed in a

subsequent final rule based on this

proposed rule. We will not institute a

second comment period on this action.

Any parties interested in commenting

on this action should do so at this time.

DATES: Written comments on this

proposed rule must be received on or

before June 25, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should

be addressed to: Connie Robinson, EPA,

Region 10, Office of Air Quality (OAQ–

107), 1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, WA

98101. Copies of documents relevant to

this action are available for public

review during normal business hours

(8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) at this same

address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Connie Robinson, EPA, Region 10,

Office of Air Quality, (OAQ–107), 1200

Sixth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101, (206)

553–1086.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: See the

information provided in the Direct Final

action of the same title which is located

in the Rules and Regulations section of

this Federal Register.

Dated: May 16, 2001.

Charles Findley,

Acting Regional Administrator, Region 10.

[FR Doc. 01–13274 Filed 5–24–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

40 CFR Part 81

[Docket No. AK–01–002; FRL–6986–6]

Finding of Attainment for Carbon

Monoxide; Anchorage CO

Nonattainment Area, Alaska

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).