[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 30, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 71774-71776]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23418]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[Region 2 Docket No. R02-OAR-2005-NJ-0002, FRL-7999-8]


Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; New Jersey 
Architectural Coatings Rule

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a 
revision to the New Jersey State Implementation Plan (SIP) for ozone 
concerning the control of volatile organic compounds. The SIP revision 
consists of amendments to Subchapter 23 ``Prevention of Air Pollution 
From Architectural Coatings'' of 7:27 of the New Jersey Administrative 
Code, which are needed to meet the shortfall in emissions reduction 
identified by EPA in New Jersey's 1-hour ozone attainment demonstration 
SIP. The intended effect of this action is to approve a control 
strategy required by the Clean Air Act, which will result in emission 
reductions that will help achieve attainment of the national ambient 
air quality standard for ozone.

DATES: Effective Date: This rule will be effective December 30, 2005.

[[Page 71775]]


ADDRESSES: EPA has established a docket for this action under Regional 
Material in EDocket (RME) Docket ID Number R02-OAR-2005-NJ-0002. All 
documents in the docket are listed in the Regional Material in EDocket 
(RME) index at http://docket.epa.gov/rmepub/, once in the system, 
select ``quick search,'' then key in the appropriate RME Docket 
identification number. Publicly available docket materials are 
available either electronically in Regional Material in EDocket or in 
hard copy at the Environmental Protection Agency, Region II Office, Air 
Programs Branch, 290 Broadway, 25th Floor, New York, New York 10007-
1866. Copies of the documents relevant to this action are also 
available for public inspection during normal business hours, by 
appointment at the Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Room B-108, 1301 Constitution Avenue, 
NW., Washington, DC; and the New Jersey Department of Environmental 
Protection, Office of Air Quality Management, Bureau of Air Pollution 
Control, 401 East State Street, CN027, Trenton, New Jersey 08625.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Truchan, Air Programs Branch, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway, 25th Floor, New York, 
New York 10278, (212) 637-3711.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. What Action Is EPA Taking Today?

    EPA is approving a revision to New Jersey's ozone State 
Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted on July 28, 2004. This SIP 
incorporates adopted rule amendments to Title 7, Chapter 27, Subchapter 
23 ``Prevention of Air Pollution from Architectural Coatings'' which 
was adopted on May 21, 2004. This adoption was published in the New 
Jersey Register on June 21, 2004 and became effective on July 20, 2004. 
The Subchapter 23 amendments are applicable to the entire State of New 
Jersey. The reader is referred to the proposed rulemaking (July 21, 
2005, 70 FR 42019) for additional details.
    Subchapter 23 contains provisions allowing for limited exemptions 
and variances where such exemptions and variances have been approved by 
other states with equivalent regulations. While these provisions are 
acceptable, each specific application of those provisions will only be 
recognized as meeting Federal requirements after the specific exemption 
or variance is approved by EPA as a SIP revision. Therefore, EPA is 
approving the regulation as part of the New Jersey SIP with the 
exception that any specific application of provisions associated with 
variances or exemptions, must be submitted as SIP revisions.

II. What Comments Were Received and How Has EPA Responded to Them?

    EPA received no comments on the proposal.

III. What Role Does This Rule Play in the Ozone SIP?

    When EPA evaluated New Jersey's 1-hour ozone attainment 
demonstrations, EPA determined that additional emission reductions were 
needed for the State's two severe nonattainment areas in order for the 
State to attain the 1-hour ozone standard with sufficient surety 
(December 16, 1999, 64 FR 70380). EPA provided that the states in the 
Ozone Transport Region could achieve these emission reductions through 
local or regional control programs. New Jersey decided to participate 
with the other states in the Northeast in an Ozone Transport Commission 
(OTC) regulatory development effort which developed six model control 
measures. This rulemaking incorporates one of the OTC model control 
measures into the New Jersey ozone SIP: architectural coatings. The 
emission reductions from this control measure will provide a portion of 
the additional emission reductions needed to attain the 1-hour ozone 
standard. The emission reductions from this measure will also help to 
attain the 8-hour ozone standard.

IV. What Are EPA's Conclusions?

    EPA has evaluated the submitted Subchapter 23 submission for 
consistency with EPA regulations, policy and guidance. Consistent with 
EPA policy and guidance, EPA is approving the rule submitted as part of 
the New Jersey SIP with the exception that any specific application of 
provisions associated with variances or exemptions, must be submitted 
as SIP revisions for EPA approval. This rule will strengthen the SIP by 
providing for additional VOC reductions. Accordingly, EPA is approving 
the Subchapter 23 revisions as adopted on May 21, 2004 and effective on 
July 20, 2004 with the limitation identified above.

V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

    Statutory and Executive Order Reviews 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. For this reason, this action is also 
not subject to Executive Order 13211, ``Actions Concerning Regulations 
That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use'' (66 FR 
28355, May 22, 2001). 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 pre-existing 
requirements under state law and does not impose any additional 
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 
(Pub. L. 104-4). This rule also does not have tribal implications 
because it will not have a substantial direct effect on one or more 
Indian tribes, on the relationship between the Federal Government and 
Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities 
between the Federal Government and Indian tribes, as specified by 
Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000). This action also 
does not have federalism implications because it does 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 ``Protection of Children 
from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks'' (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

[[Page 71776]]

Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) do not apply. 
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 January 30, 2006. 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, Incorporation by 
reference, Intergovernmental relations, Ozone, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Volatile organic compounds.

    Dated: November 8, 2005.
Alan J. Steinberg,
Regional Administrator, Region 2.

0
Part 52, chapter I, title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations is 
amended as follows:

PART 52--[AMENDED]

0
1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.

Subpart FF--New Jersey

0
2. Section 52.1570 is amended by adding new paragraph (c)(78) to read 
as follows:


Sec.  52.1570  Identification of plan.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
* * * * *
    (78) Revisions to the State Implementation Plan submitted on July 
28, 2004 by the State of New Jersey Department of Environmental 
Protection that establishes an expanded control program for 
architectural coatings.
    (i) Incorporation by reference:
    (A) Regulation Subchapter 23 of Title 7, Chapter 27 of the New 
Jersey Administrative Code, entitled ``Prevention of Air Pollution From 
Architectural Coatings,'' adopted on May 21, 2004 and effective on July 
20, 2004.
    (ii) Additional material:
    (A) Letter from State of New Jersey Department of Environmental 
Protection dated July 28, 2004, requesting EPA approval of a revision 
to the Ozone SIP which contains amendments to the Subchapter 23 
``Prevention of Air Pollution From Architectural Coatings.''
* * * * *

0
3. Section 52.1605 is amended by revising the entry under Title 7, 
Chapter 27 for Subchapter 23 in the table to read as follows:


Sec.  52.1605  EPA--approved New Jersey regulations.

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          State regulation            State effective date      EPA approved date              Comments
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                                                  * * * * * * *
Title 7, Chapter 27................
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
Subchapter 23, Prevention of Air     July 20, 2004.........  November 30, 2005.....  Variances or exemptions
 Pollution From Architectural                                                         approved by the State
 Coatings.                                                                            pursuant to Subchapter
                                                                                      23.3(j) become applicable
                                                                                      only if approved by EPA as
                                                                                      a SIP revision.
 
                                                  * * * * * * *
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[FR Doc. 05-23418 Filed 11-29-05; 8:45 am]
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