Document ID: EPA-HQ-OGC-2009-0354-0001
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Proposed Settlement Agreement
Posted Date: 2009-06-04T04:00Z

[Federal Register: June 4, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 106)]
[Notices]               
[Page 26863-26864]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04jn09-65]                         

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8913-4]

 
Proposed Settlement Agreement

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of proposed settlement agreement; request for public 
comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with section 113(g) of the Clean Air Act, as 
amended (``Act''), 42 U.S.C. 7413(g), notice is hereby given of a 
proposed settlement agreement to address a lawsuit filed by American 
Petroleum Institute (API) in the United States Court of Appeals for the 
District of Columbia Circuit: American Petroleum Institute v. EPA, No. 
06-1321 (D.C. Cir.). API filed a petition for review of an EPA rule 
promulgating regulations requiring new source performance standards for 
new stationary compression ignition internal combustion engines. Under 
the terms of the proposed settlement agreement, EPA agrees to propose 
revisions to the new source performance standards and to issue guidance 
specifying particular standards applicable under the regulations.

DATES: Written comments on the proposed settlement agreement must be 
received by July 6, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID number EPA-HQ-
OGC-2009-0354, Online at http://www.regulations.gov (EPA's preferred 
method); by e-mail to oei.docket@epa.gov; by mail to EPA Docket Center, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; or by hand delivery or courier to 
EPA Docket Center, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 
excluding legal holidays. Comments on a disk or CD-ROM should be 
formatted in Word or ASCII file, avoiding the use of special characters 
and any form of encryption, and may be mailed to the mailing address 
above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Horowitz, Air and Radiation 
Law Office (2344A), Office of General Counsel, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone: (202) 564-5583; fax number (202) 564-5603; e-mail address: 
horowitz.michael@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Additional Information About the Proposed Settlement Agreement

    This proposed settlement agreement would potentially resolve a 
petition for judicial review filed by API for review of a rule 
promulgating new source performance standards for new stationary 
compression ignition internal combustion engines. Under the terms of 
the proposed settlement agreement, EPA agrees to propose, no later than 
one year after execution of the settlement agreement, revisions to the 
new source performance standards. The proposed revisions would allow 
owners and operators more options in operating and maintaining their 
engines, but would require more testing for sources using the 
additional options. The proposal would also clarify certain provisions 
of the existing regulations and make minor modifications unrelated to 
the stringency of the standards. After considering any comment 
reviewed, EPA agrees to sign a final rule within one year of the 
publication of the proposal. If the relevant provisions of the final 
rule are in substantial conformance with the revisions in the draft 
agreement, then API agrees to the dismissal of its petition for review. 
Additionally, based on API concerns that the regulations are not 
sufficiently clear regarding the not-to-exceed standards and multiples 
applicable to engines subject to the regulations, EPA agrees to issue 
guidance specifying the not-to-exceed standards and multiples 
applicable to such engines.
    For a period of thirty (30) days following the date of publication 
of this notice, the Agency will accept written comments relating to the 
proposed settlement agreement from persons who were not named as 
parties or intervenors to the litigation in question. EPA or the 
Department of Justice may withdraw or withhold consent to the proposed 
settlement agreement if the comments disclose facts or considerations 
that indicate that such consent is inappropriate, improper, inadequate, 
or inconsistent with the requirements of the Act. Unless EPA or the 
Department of Justice determines, based on any comment submitted, that 
consent to this settlement agreement should be withdrawn, the terms of 
the agreement will be affirmed.

II. Additional Information About Commenting on the Proposed Settlement 
Agreement

A. How Can I Get a Copy of the Settlement Agreement?

    The official public docket for this action (identified by Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OGC-2009-0354) contains a copy of the proposed settlement 
agreement. The official public docket is available for public viewing 
at the Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket in the EPA 
Docket Center, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 
566-1744, and the telephone number for the OEI Docket is (202) 566-
1752.
    An electronic version of the public docket is available through 
http://www.regulations.gov. You may use the http://www.regulations.gov 
to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the 
contents of the official public docket, and to access those documents 
in the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the

[[Page 26864]]

system, select ``search,'' then key in the appropriate docket 
identification number.
    It is important to note that EPA's policy is that public comments, 
whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available 
for public viewing Online at http://www.regulations.gov without change, 
unless the comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Information 
claimed as CBI and other information whose disclosure is restricted by 
statute is not included in the official public docket or in the 
electronic public docket. EPA's policy is that copyrighted material, 
including copyrighted material contained in a public comment, will not 
be placed in EPA's electronic public docket but will be available only 
in printed, paper form in the official public docket. Although not all 
docket materials may be available electronically, you may still access 
any of the publicly available docket materials through the EPA Docket 
Center.

B. How and To Whom Do I Submit Comments?

    You may submit comments as provided in the ADDRESSES section. 
Please ensure that your comments are submitted within the specified 
comment period. Comments received after the close of the comment period 
will be marked ``late.'' EPA is not required to consider these late 
comments.
    If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you 
include your name, mailing address, and an e-mail address or other 
contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or 
CD-ROM you submit. This ensures that you can be identified as the 
submitter of the comment and allows EPA to contact you in case EPA 
cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties or needs further 
information on the substance of your comment. Any identifying or 
contact information provided in the body of a comment will be included 
as part of the comment that is placed in the official public docket, 
and made available in EPA's electronic public docket. If EPA cannot 
read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you 
for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment.
    Use of the http://www.regulations.gov Web site to submit comments 
to EPA electronically is EPA's preferred method for receiving comments. 
The electronic public docket system is an ``anonymous access'' system, 
which means EPA will not know your identity, e-mail address, or other 
contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. 
In contrast to EPA's electronic public docket, EPA's electronic mail 
(e-mail) system is not an ``anonymous access'' system. If you send an 
e-mail comment directly to the Docket without going through http://
www.regulations.gov, your e-mail address is automatically captured and 
included as part of the comment that is placed in the official public 
docket, and made available in EPA's electronic public docket.

    Dated: May 28, 2009.
Richard B. Ossias,
Associate General Counsel.
[FR Doc. E9-13060 Filed 6-3-09; 8:45 am]

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