Document ID: EPA-R10-OAR-2014-0455-0001
Agency: epa
Document Type: Rule
Title: Air Quality State Implementation Plans; Approvals and Promulgations: Washington; Kent, Seattle, and Tacoma PM10 Transportation Conformity Purposes
Posted Date: 2014-05-30T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 104 (Friday, May 30, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 31049-31050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12604]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[EPA-R10-OAR-2014-0455: FRL-9911-64-Region-10]

Adequacy Determination for the Kent, Seattle, and Tacoma, 
Washington PM10 State Implementation Plan for Transportation Conformity 
Purposes

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of adequacy determination.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is notifying the 
public of its finding that the Kent, Seattle, and Tacoma second 10-year 
limited maintenance plan (LMP) for particulate matter with an 
aerodynamic diameter of a nominal 10 microns or less (PM10) 
is adequate for transportation conformity purposes. The LMP was 
submitted to the EPA by the State of Washington Department of Ecology 
(Ecology or the State) on November 25, 2013. As a result of our 
adequacy finding, regional emissions analyses will no longer be 
required as part of the transportation conformity demonstrations for 
PM10 for the Kent, Seattle, and Tacoma areas.

DATES: This finding is effective June 16, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The finding will be available at the 
EPA's conformity Web site: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/transconf/adequacy.htm. You may also contact Dr. Karl Pepple, U.S. EPA, 
Region 10 (OAWT-107), 1200 Sixth Ave., Suite 900, Seattle WA 98101; 
(206) 553-1778; or by email at pepple.karl@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action provides notice of the EPA's 
adequacy finding regarding the second 10-year PM10 limited 
maintenance plan for Kent, Seattle, and Tacoma (LMP) for purposes of 
transportation conformity. The EPA's finding was made pursuant to the 
adequacy review process for implementation plan submissions delineated 
at 40 CFR 93.118(f)(1) under which the EPA reviews the adequacy of a 
state implementation plan (SIP) submission prior to the EPA's final 
action on the implementation plan.
    The State submitted the LMP to the EPA on November 25, 2013. 
Pursuant to 40 CFR 93.118(f)(1), the EPA notified the public of its 
receipt of this plan and its review for an adequacy determination on 
the EPA's Web site and requested public comment by no later than 
January 10, 2014. Additionally, the EPA announced the public comment 
period on the entire LMP in the Federal Register on December 26, 2013 
(78 FR 78311). The EPA received a request to extend the comment period 
and announced a comment period extension to March 10, 2014 in a notice 
published on February 6, 2014 (79 FR 7126). The EPA received no 
comments on the on-road vehicle portion of the plan during the comment 
period. As part of our review, we also reviewed comments on the LMP 
submitted to the State of Washington during the State's public process. 
There were no adverse comments directed at the on-road portion of the 
plan that were submitted during the State hearing process regarding the 
new Plan.
    However, the EPA did receive adverse comments on potential future 
emissions in the non-road portion of the LMP. Nevertheless, the EPA 
believes it is appropriate to find this LMP adequate for purposes of 
transportation conformity while the EPA continues to review the plan 
and comments received. This adequacy finding is not dispositive of the 
EPA's ultimate approval or disapproval of the LMP.
    The EPA notified Ecology in a letter dated April 9, 2014 (adequacy 
letter), subsequent to the close of the EPA comment period, that the 
EPA had found the LMP to be adequate for use for transportation 
conformity purposes. A copy of the adequacy letter and its enclosure 
are available in the docket for this action and at the EPA's conformity 
Web site: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/stateresources/transconf/adequacy.htm.
    Pursuant to 40 CFR 93.109(l), limited maintenance plans are not 
required to contain on-road motor vehicle emissions budgets. 
Accordingly, as a result of this adequacy finding, regional emissions 
analyses will no longer be required as a part of the transportation 
conformity demonstrations for PM10 for

[[Page 31050]]

the Kent, Seattle, and Tacoma areas. However, other conformity 
requirements still remain such as consultation (40 CFR 93.112), 
transportation control measures (40 CFR 93.113), and project level 
analysis (40 CFR 93.116).
    Transportation conformity is required by section 176(c) of the 
Clean Air Act. Transportation conformity to a SIP means that on-road 
transportation activities will not produce new air quality violations, 
worsen existing violations, or delay timely attainment of the national 
ambient air quality standards. The minimum criteria by which we 
determine whether a SIP is adequate for conformity purposes are 
specified at 40 CFR 93.118(e)(4). The EPA's analysis of how the LMP 
satisfies these criteria is found in the adequacy letter and its 
enclosure. The EPA's adequacy review is separate from the EPA's SIP 
completeness review and it is not dispositive of the EPA's ultimate 
action on the SIP.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401-767Iq.

    Dated: May 23, 2014.
Michelle L. Pirzadeh,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 10.
[FR Doc. 2014-12604 Filed 5-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P