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Skip Navigation HomeHelpResourcesContact Us Advanced Search Start of Main Content Final Approval of the Illinois portion of St Louis, MO-IL area 8-hour Ozone Redesignation This Rule document was issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) For related information, Open Docket Folder Show agency attachment(s) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-R05-OAR-2010-0523; FRL-9683-7]
SummaryEPA is approving a request from the State of Illinois to redesignate the Illinois portion of the St. Louis, MO-IL area to attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS or standard). The St. Louis area includes Jersey, Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair Counties in Illinois and St. Louis City and Franklin, Jefferson, St. Charles, and St. Louis Counties in Missouri. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) submitted this request on May 26, 2010, and supplemented its request on September 16, 2011. EPA proposed to approve this submission on December 22, 2011, and provided a 30-day review and comment period. On January 20, 2012, EPA extended the public comment period for an additional 30 days. The comment period closed on February 22, 2012. EPA received comments submitted on behalf of Sierra Club. In addition to approving the redesignation request EPA is taking several other related actions. EPA is approving, as a revision to the Illinois State Implementation Plan (SIP), the State's plan for maintaining the 1997 8-hour ozone standard through 2025 in the area. EPA is approving the 2002 emissions inventory, submitted by IEPA on June 21, 2006, and supplemented on September 16, 2011, as meeting the comprehensive emissions inventory requirement of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the Illinois portion of the St. Louis area. Finally, EPA finds adequate and is approving the State's 2008 and 2025 Motor Vehicle Emission Budgets (MVEBs) for the Illinois portion of the St. Louis area.
Dates Effective Date: This rule is effective on June 12, 2012.
AddressesEPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID No. EPA-R05-OAR-2010-0523. All documents in the docket are listed on the www.regulations.gov Website. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, i.e., Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically through www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Air and Radiation Division, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604. This facility is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. We recommend that you telephone Kathleen D'Agostino, Environmental Engineer, at (312) 886-1767 before visiting the Region 5 office.
For Further Information ContactKathleen D'Agostino, Environmental Engineer, Attainment Planning and Maintenance Section, Air Programs Branch (AR-18J), Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, (312) 886-1767, dagostino.kathleen@epa.gov. Supplementary InformationThroughout this document whenever “we,” “us,” or “our” is used, we mean EPA. This supplementary information section is arranged as follows:
IV. Statutory and Executive Order ReviewsI. What is the background for this rule?On July 18, 1997 (62 FR 38856), EPA promulgated an 8-hour ozone standard of 0.08 parts per million (ppm). EPA published a final rule designating and classifying areas under the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS on April 30, 2004 (69 FR 23857). In that rulemaking, the St. Louis area was designated as nonattainment for the 1997 8-hour ozone standard and classified as a moderate nonattainment area under subpart 2 of the CAA.
On May 26, 2010, IEPA requested redesignation of the Illinois portion of the St. Louis area to attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard based on ozone data for the period of 2007-2009. On September 16, 2011, IEPA supplemented the original ozone redesignation request, revising the mobile source emission estimates using EPA's on-road mobile source emissions model, MOVES, and extending the demonstration of maintenance of the ozone standard through 2025, with new MVEBs, but without relying on emission reductions resulting fromimplementation of EPA's Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) or Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR).
On June 9, 2011 (76 FR 33647), EPA issued a final rulemaking determining that the entire St. Louis, MO-IL area has attained the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS based on three years of complete, quality-assured ozone data for the period of 2008-2010. (1)
On December 22, 2011 (76 FR 79579), EPA issued a rulemaking action proposing to approve Illinois' request to redesignate the Illinois portion of the St. Louis area to attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard, as well as proposing to approve Illinois' maintenance plan for the area, Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NO X) MVEBs, and VOC and NO X emissions inventories. This proposed rulemaking sets forth the basis for determining that Illinois' redesignation request meets the CAA requirements for redesignation to attainment for the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS. Air quality monitoring data in the St. Louis area for 2007-2009, 2008-2010, and 2009-2011 show that this area is currently attaining the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS.
The December 22, 2011, proposed redesignation rulemaking provides a detailed discussion of how Illinois' ozone redesignation request meets the CAA requirements for redesignation of the Illinois portion of the St. Louis area. With the final approval of its VOC and NO X emissions inventories, Illinois has met all applicable CAA requirements for redesignation to attainment for the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS. Air quality monitoring in the St. Louis area for 2009-2011 shows that this area continues to attain the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS. Illinois has demonstrated that attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS will be maintained through 2025 with or without the implementation of CAIR or CSAPR. In addition, modeling conducted by EPA during the CSAPR rulemaking demonstrates that in both 2012 and 2014, even without taking into account reductions associated solely with CAIR or CSAPR, the counties in the St. Louis MO-IL nonattainment area will have air quality that attains the 1997 ozone NAAQS. Finally, Illinois has adopted 2008 and 2025 MVEBs that are supported by Illinois' ozone maintenance demonstration and adopted ozone maintenance plan.II. What comments did we receive on the proposed rule?EPA initially provided a 30-day comment period for the December 22, 2011, proposed rule. On January 20, 2012, EPA extended the comment period for an additional 30 days. During the comment period, we received comments from one individual representing the Sierra Club. These comments are summarized and addressed below.
Response 2: The CAA sets forth the criteria for redesignating a nonattainment area to attainment. Section 107(d)(3)(E) provides for approval of a redesignation request if, among other things, the Administrator determines that the area has attained the applicable NAAQS. A determination that an area has attained the standard is based on a review of monitored air quality data that meet regulatory quality-assurance requirements for the specific purpose of comparison to the NAAQS. See 40 CFR part 50.10 and appendix I and 40 CFR part 58. A determination of attainment for ozone isbased on a 3-year average of data, and does not consider monitoring data trends or statistical analyses as criteria for determining attainment in evaluating a redesignation request. As discussed in detail in the proposed rule, the St. Louis area has monitored attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. See 76 FR 79582-79583 (December 22, 2011).
Comment 3a: The commenter contends that EPA cannot rely on the implementation of CSAPR, which has been stayed by court order. The commenter objects to EPA claims that IEPA has met its obligation under section 110(a)(2)(D), in part, via emission control programs established through CSAPR, and also objects to inclusion of CSAPR as a potential contingency measure in Illinois' ozone maintenance plan. In addition, EPA credits Illinois with NO X emission reduction in upwind areas that are projected to result from the implementation of CSAPR. Since CSAPR was stayed by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on December 30, 2011, CSAPR is not enforceable. In addition, CSAPR cannot be assumed to be permanent because EPA cannot conclude that CSAPR will survive the litigation challenge to be subsequently decided by the court. Further, any attempt by EPA to claim it will replace CSAPR is of no moment because courts have repeatedly told EPA that it cannot use the promise of future action to meet current emission control requirements. See, e.g., Sierra Club v. EPA, 356 F.3d 296, 298 (DC Cir. 2004).
Response 3a: Illinois has not relied on CSAPR to demonstrate that attainment was due to permanent and enforceable emissions reductions or to demonstrate that it will maintain the standard. While we did note in the proposal that emissions reductions resulting from the implementation of CSAPR would aid in maintenance of the standard, that statement did not provide the basis for our action. Further, contrary to the commenter's assertion, EPA did not credit Illinois with NO X emissions reductions from the implementation of CSAPR, nor did the State take credit for any such emissions reductions when demonstrating maintenance.
In addition, modeling performed by EPA during the CSAPR rulemaking process also demonstrates that the counties in the St. Louis MO-IL ozone nonattainment area will have ozone levels below the 1997 8-hour standard in both 2012 and 2014 without emission reductions from CSAPR or CAIR, with the highest average value for any monitor in the area projected to be 79.6 ppb. See “Air Quality Modeling Final Rule Technical Support Document,” App. B, B-10, B-11, and B-18, which can be found at http://www.epa.gov/crossstaterule/pdfs/AQModeling.pdf. Ozone modeling performed by the Lake Michigan Air Directors Consortium also concludes that the St. Louis area will be able to maintain the ozone standard throughout the maintenance period without considering emission reductions from implementation of the CAIR or CSAPR. (2)
The commenter also claims that EPA relies, in part, on emission control programs established through CSAPR to determine that IEPA has met its obligation under section 110(a)(2)(D). Section 110(a)(2)(D) of the CAA requires that SIPs contain measures to prevent sources in a state from significantly contributing to air quality problems in another state. While EPA noted in the proposed rule that programs such as the NO X SIP Call, CAIR, and CSAPR were established to address transport of air pollutants, we also clearly stated that the section 110(a)(2)(D) requirements for a state are not linked with a particular nonattainment area's designation and classification. Further, EPA concludes that the requirements linked with a particular nonattainment area's designation and classification are the relevant measures to evaluate in reviewing a redesignation request. Therefore, because the section 110(a)(2)(D) requirements apply to a state regardless of the designation of any one particular area in the state, EPA further concludes that these requirements should not be construed to be applicable requirements for purposes of redesignation. EPA is not taking any action, in this rulemaking, to determine whether the State of Illinois has satisfied the requirements of 110(a)(2)(D) with respect to the 1997 ozone NAAQS.
Comment 3b: The commenter asserts that EPA erred in concluding that emission reductions resulting from regulations developed in response to the NO X SIP Call are permanent and enforceable. The commenter asserts that the NO X SIP Call cannot satisfy a requirement that requires reductions to be permanent and enforceable because this program has been replaced and therefore effectively no longer exists. The commenter also asserts that because the NO X SIP Call is a cap-and-trade program no actual reductions are required from the emission sources in the St. Louis nonattainment area. The commenter argues that to the extent any reductions were once required, they could have happened only in areas downwind that have little to no impact on the St. Louis area nonattainment.Finally the commenter asserts that the DC Circuit Court of Appeals recently held that EPA cannot use cap-and-trade programs to satisfy an area-specific statutory mandate. See NRDC v. EPA, 571 F.3d 1245, 1257 (DC Cir. 2009).
Response 3b: EPA disagrees with the commenter's position that emission reductions associated with the NO X SIP Call cannot be considered to be permanent and enforceable. The commenter's first argument—that the reductions are not permanent and enforceable because the NO X SIP Call has been replaced—is based on a misunderstanding of the relationship between CAIR and the NO X SIP Call. While the CAIR ozone-season trading program replaced the ozone-season NO X trading program developed in the NO X SIP Call (70 FR 25290), nothing in CAIR relieved states of their NO X SIP Call obligations. In fact, in the preamble to CAIR, EPA emphasized that the states and certain units covered by the NO X SIP Call but not CAIR must still satisfy the requirements of the NO X SIP Call. EPA provided guidance regarding how such states could meet these obligations. (3)
In no way did EPA suggest states could disregard their NO X SIP Call obligations. (70 FR 25290). For NO X SIP Call states, the CAIR NO X ozone season program provides a way to continue to meet the NO X SIP Call obligations for electric generating units (EGUs) and large non-electric generating units (nonEGUs). In addition, the anti-backsliding provisions of 40 CFR 51.905(f) specifically provide that the provisions of the NO X SIP Call, including the statewide NO X emission budgets, continue to apply. In sum, the requirements of the NO X SIP Call remain in force. They are permanent and enforceable as are state regulations developed to implement the requirements of the NO X SIP Call.
EPA also disagrees with the commenter's second argument—that the reductions associated with the NO X SIP Call cannot be considered permanent and enforceable because the NO X SIP Call is a trading program. There is no support for the commenter's argument that EPA must ignore all reductions achieved by the NO X SIP Call simply because the mechanism used to achieve the reductions is an emissions trading program. As a general matter, trading programs establish mandatory caps on emissions and permanently reduce the total emissions allowed by sources subject to the programs. The emission caps and associated controls are enforced through the associated SIP rules or Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs). Any purchase of allowances and increase in emissions by a utility necessitates a corresponding sale of allowances and reduction in emissions by another utility. Given the regional nature of ozone, the emission reductions will have an air quality benefit that will compensate, at least in part, for the impact of any emission increase.
In addition, the case cited by the commenter, NRDC v. EPA, 571 F.3d 1245 (DC Cir. 2009), does not support the commenter's position. That case addressed EPA's determination that the nonattainment Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) requirement was satisfied by the NO X SIP Call trading program. The court held that because EPA had not demonstrated that the trading program would result in sufficient reductions within a nonattainment area, its determination that the program satisfied RACT (a nonattainment area requirement) was not supported. Id. 1256-58. The court explicitly noted that EPA might be able to reinstate the provision providing that compliance with the NO X SIP Call satisfies NO X RACT for EGUs for particular nonattainment areas if, upon conducting a technical analysis, it could demonstrate that the NO X SIP Call results in greater emissions reductions in a nonattainment area than would be achieved if RACT-level controls were installed in that area. Id. at 1258. In this case, EPA's comparison of emissions in 2002 and 2008 in this rulemaking necessarily looked only at changes in emissions “in the nonattainment area.” As such, the commenter's reliance on NRDC v. EPA is misplaced.
Second, the commenter argues that using a single attainment year, 2008, is arbitrary because the impact of cap-and-trade emission control programs, such as the NO X SIP Call and CSAPR, can cause emissions to vary over time as sources buy, sell, and trade emission allowances.
Third, the commenter claims that the choice of 2008 is further problematic because 2008 was the beginning of a large economic recession. The commenter contends that this resulted in decreased electricity demand, decreased automobile, truck and shipping traffic, and decreased factoryproduction. The commenter objects to EPA's conclusion that monitored changes in ozone levels between 2002 and 2008 were due to the implementation of permanent and enforceable emission controls rather than to changes in meteorology, economic conditions, or temporary or voluntary (not enforceable) emissions reductions. The commenter contends that EPA has not provided an analysis showing that the recession was not the cause of the 2002-2008 emission reduction and observed air quality improvement.
Response 3d: EPA's conclusion here is fully supported by the facts and applicable legal criteria. EPA's longstanding practice and policy (4)
provides for states to demonstrate permanent and enforceable emissions reductions by comparing nonattainment area emissions occurring during the nonattainment period (represented by emissions during one of the years during the 3-year nonattainment period on which the area's nonattainment designated was based, (5)
in this case 2002) with emissions in the area during the attainment period (represented by emissions during one of the 3 attainment years, in this case 2008, which is included in the 3-year period, 2007-2009, that the State used to show attainment with 1997 8-hour ozone standard). A determination that an area has attained the 1997 8-hour ozone standard is based on an objective review of air quality data in accordance with 40 CFR 50.10 and part 50, appendix I, based on 3 complete, consecutive calendar years of quality-assured air quality monitoring data. In the State's redesignation request, Illinois considered data for the 2007-2009 time period to demonstrate attainment. In EPA's determination of attainment and proposed approval of the redesignation request, EPA considered data for the 2008-2010 time period, which was the most recent quality-assured, certified data available. See 76 FR 33647 (June 9, 2011), 76 FR 79582-79583 (December 22, 2011). In this final rulemaking, EPA is also considering continued attainment based on complete, quality-assured certified data for 2009-2011. Therefore, selecting 2008 as a representative attainment year, and comparing emissions for this year to those for a representative year during the nonattainment period, 2002, is an appropriate and long-established approach that demonstrates the occurrence of emission reductions in the area between the years of nonattainment and attainment. These reductions therefore, can be seen to account for the observed air quality improvement.
With respect to NO X SIP Call reductions within the St. Louis area, there is no evidence of significant temporal variation in emissions levels. In fact, actual emissions from NO X SIP Call sources in the St. Louis area have not varied much from year-to-year over the 2003-2011 time period. The largest emitters in the St. Louis area that are covered by the NO X SIP Call are operating near full capacity. Even if all of the large EGUs and large nonEGUs begin emitting at full capacity, emissions would not increase significantly. Further, these sources do not have the type of emissions controls that can simply be “shut off.”
Comment 4: The commenter claims that EPA has not conducted an adequate analysis of the effect that redesignation to attainment will have on attainment and maintenance of other NAAQS under section 110(l) of the CAA. The commenter asserts that EPA has failed to conduct an adequate analysis of the ozone redesignation impacts with respect to the 1997 annual fine particulate (PM 2.5) NAAQS, the 2006 24-hour PM 2.5 NAAQS, the 1-hour NO X (NO 2) NAAQS, the 1-hour sulfur dioxide (SO 2) NAAQS, and the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS.
Response 4: Section 110(l) provides in part: “The Administrator shall not approve a revision of a plan if the revision would interfere with any applicable requirement concerning attainment and reasonable further progress * * *, or any other applicable requirement of this chapter.” As a general matter, EPA must and does consider section 110(l) requirements for every SIP revision, including whether the revision would “interfere with” any applicable requirement. See, e.g., 70 FR 53, 57 (January 3, 2005); 70 FR 17029, 17033 (April 4, 2005); 70 FR 28429, 28431 (May 18, 2005); and 70 FR 58119, 58134 (October 5, 2005). The Illinoisredesignation request and maintenance plan for the 1997 8-hour ozone standard neither revises nor removes any existing emissions limit for any NAAQS, nor does it alter any existing control requirements. On that basis, EPA concludes that the redesignation will not interfere with attainment or maintenance of any of these air quality standards. The commenter does not provide any information in its comment to indicate that approval of this redesignation would have any impact on the area's ability to comply with the 1997 annual PM 2.5 NAAQS, the 2006 24-hour PM 2.5 NAAQS, the 1-hour NO 2 NAAQS, the 1-hour SO 2 NAAQS, or the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS. In fact, the maintenance plan provided with the State's submission demonstrates a decline in ozone precursor emissions over the timeframe of the initial maintenance period. As a result, the redesignation does not relax any existing rules or limits, nor will the redesignation alter the status quo air quality. (6)
The commenter has not explained why the redesignation might interfere with attainment of any standard or with satisfaction of any other requirement, and EPA finds no basis under section 110(l) for EPA to disapprove the SIP revision at issue or to disapprove the requested redesignation.
Response 5a: Illinois developed a 2002 comprehensive inventory to meet the requirement of section 182(a)(1) of the CAA in accordance with EPA's November 18, 2002, policy memorandum from Lydia N. Wegman entitled “2002 Base Year Emission Inventory SIP Planning: 8-hr Ozone, PM 2.5 and Regional Haze Programs,” and EPA's policy Phase 2 ozone implementation rule published on November 29, 2005 (70 FR 71612, 71664). EPA notes that Illinois submitted the 2002 inventory on June 21, 2006, and at that time, 2002 was the most current emissions inventory available for the nonattainment area.
Response 5b: In 2010 and 2011, EPA granted partial waivers for use of E15 in model year (MY) 2001 and newer light-duty motor vehicles (75 FR 68094 and 76 FR 4662). As discussed in the waiver decisions, there may be some small emission impacts from the use of E15. E15 is expected to cause a small immediate emissions increase in NO X emissions. However, due to its lower volatility than the E10 currently in-use, its use is also expected to result in lower evaporative emissions. Other possible emissions impacts may be from the misfueling of E15 in vehicles or engines for which its use is not approved, i.e., MY2000 and older motor vehicles, heavy-duty engines and vehicles, motorcycles and all nonroad engines, vehicles, and equipment. EPA has promulgated a separate rule dealing specifically with the mitigation of misfueling to reduce the potential emissions impacts from misfueling (76 FR 44406).
However, the E15 partial waivers do not require that E15 be made or sold and it is unclear if and to what extent E15 may even be used in Illinois. Even if E15 is introduced into commerce in Illinois, considering the likely small andoffsetting direction of the emission impacts, the limited set of motor vehicles approved for its use, and the measures required to mitigate misfueling, EPA believes that any potential emission impacts of E15 will be less than the maintenance plan safety margin by which Illinois shows maintenance.
Comment 6: The commenter contends that EPA cannot approve the ozone redesignation because Illinois' VOC RACT rules have not been approved in conjunction with the approval of the ozone redesignation. The commenter pointed to EPA's statement in the proposed approval of the redesignation that it would take action on Illinois' VOC RACT rules in a separate rulemaking. The commenter states that approval “in a separate rule” is not approval “in conjunction” with rulemaking on a redesignation, and that this would be a departure from EPA's previous practice of approving needed SIP revisions in the same final rule as a redesignation. The commenter also points to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Wall v. EPA, in which the Court stated that “the EPA abused its discretion when it determined that it could redesignate the Cincinnati metropolitan area as achieving attainment before Ohio had fully adopted all RACT rules of Part D, Subpart 2 of the CAA.”Wall v. EPA, 265 F.3d 426,442 (6th Cir. 2001). The commenter claims that RACT measures must be contained in SIPs submitted with respect to redesignation requests.
Response 7b: Under EPA's Clean Data regulation, 40 CFR 51.918 (1997 8-hour ozone), an EPA rulemaking determination that an area is attaining the relevant standard suspends the area's obligations to submit an attainment demonstration, RACM, RFP, contingency measures, and other planning requirements related to attainment for as long as the area continues to attain. See 70 FR 71702 (November 29, 2005). This regulation, which embodies EPA's interpretation under its “Clean Data Policy,” has beenupheld by the DC Circuit. NRDC v. EPA, 571 F.3d 1245 (DC Cir. 2009). (7)
Response 7d: Part D NSR would not be retained in the SIP as a section 175A(d) contingency measure. As clearly stated in the Nichols memorandum, “EPA believes it is reasonable to interpret `measure,' as used in section 175A(d), not to include part D NSR.” Congress used the undefined term “measure” differently in different provisions of the CAA, which indicates that the term is susceptible to more than one interpretation and that EPA has the discretion to interpret it in a reasonable manner in the context of section 175A. See Greenbaum v. United States EPA, 370 F. 3d 527, 535-38 (6th Cir. 2004). (Court “find[s] persuasive the EPA's argument that the very nature of the NSR permit program supports its interpretation that it is not intended to be a contingency measure pursuant to section 175A(d).”) It is reasonable to interpret “measure” to exclude part D NSR in this context because PSD, a program that is the corollary of part D NSR for attainment areas, goes into effect in lieu of part D NSR upon redesignation. PSD requires that new sources demonstrate that emissions from their construction and operation will not cause or contribute to a violation of any NAAQS or PSD increment. The State has demonstrated that the area will be able to maintain the standard without part D NSR in effect, and the State's PSD program will become effective in the area upon redesignation to attainment. See the rationale set forth at length in the Nichols Memorandum. See also the discussions of why full approval and retention of NSR is not required in redesignation actions in the following redesignation rulemakings: 60 FR 12459, 12467-12468 (March 7, 1995) (Redesignation of Detroit, MI); 61 FR 20458, 20469-20470 (May 7, 1996) (Cleveland-Akron-Lorrain, OH); 66 FR 53665, 53669 (October 23, 2001)(Louisville, KY); 61 FR 31831, 31836-31837 (June 21, 1996) (Grand Rapids, MI). Contrary to the commenter's assertion, the Greenbaum court declined to reach the issue of whether full approval of a part D NSR program is required prior to redesignation. See Greenbaum, 370 F. 3d at 534-35.
Comment 8a(1): The commenter asserts that the contingency measures contained in Illinois' maintenance plan do not provide for prompt correction of violations of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. The commenter believes that neither the “Level I” nor the “Level II” response occurs on a prompt schedule as required by section 175A of the CAA, and that several of the potential contingency measures are inappropriate, inadequate, or unacceptably vague. The commenter notes that after the determination of a Level I trigger (8)
event, Illinois has committed to adopt needed emission control measures within 18 months and has committed to implement the adopted emission control measures within 24 months after adoption. The commenter also notes that after the determination of a Level II trigger (9)
event, the maintenance plan contains no specific emission control commitments, but that Illinois will work with Missouri to conduct a study to determine the causes of the ozone standard violation and the emission control measures necessary to mitigate the air quality problem, with implementation of adopted emission controls to occur within 18 months of the determination of the Level II event. The commenter contends that the implementation schedules for the Level I and II triggers are unacceptably long and not in keeping with the prompt response timing required by section 175A of the CAA.
Response 8a(1): The commenter overlooks the provisions of the CAA applicable to contingency measures. Section 175(A(d) provides that “[e]ach plan revision submitted under this section shall contain such contingency provisions as the Administrator deems necessary to assure that the state will promptly correct any violation of the standard which occurs after the redesignation of the area as an attainment area.” (emphasis added). Thus Congress gave EPA discretion to evaluate and determine the contingency measures EPA “deems necessary” to assure that the state will promptly correct any subsequent violation. EPA has long exercised this discretion in its rulemakings on section 175A contingency measures in redesignation maintenance plans, allowing as contingency measures commitments to adopt and implement in lieu of fully adopted contingency measures, and finding that implementation within 18 months of a violation complies with the requirements of section 175A. See recent redesignations, e.g. Indianapolis, IN PM 2.5 annual standard (76 FR 59512), Lake and Porter Counties, IN 8-hour ozone standard (75 FR 12090), and Northwest Indiana PM 2.5 annual standard (76 FR 59600). Section 175A does not establish any deadlines for implementation of contingency measures after redesignation to attainment. It also provides far more latitude than does section 172(c)(9), which applies to a different set of contingency measures applicable to nonattainment areas. Section 172(c)(9) contingency measures must “take effect * * * without further action by the State or [EPA].” By contrast, section 175A confers upon EPA the discretion to determine what constitutes adequate assurance, and thus permits EPA to take into account the need of a state to assess, adopt and implement contingency measures if and when a violation occurs after an area's redesignation to attainment. Therefore, in accordance with the discretion accorded it by statute, EPA may allow reasonable time for states to analyze data and address the causes and appropriate means of remedying a violation. In assessing what “promptly” means in this context, EPA also may take into account time for adopting and implementation of the appropriate measure. In the case of the St. Louis area, EPA reasonably concluded that, 18 months constitutes a timeline consistent with prompt correction of a potential monitored violation. This timeframe also conforms with EPA's many prior rulemakings on acceptable schedules for implementing section 175A contingency measures as noted above.
Comment 8a(2): The commenter contends that several of Illinois' contingency measures, “NO X RACT” and “Broader geographic applicability of existing measures,” are too vague. The commenter asserts that the vagueness of these contingency measures provides no evidence that the maintenance plan will provide enough emission controls to correct ozone standard violations.
Response 8a(3): As discussed above in response to Comment 8a(2), the CAAdoes not specify the requisite nature, scope, specificity, or number of contingency measures to be included in a maintenance plan under section 175A. EPA has considered that the maintenance plan includes adequate state contingency measures, and that these are sufficient for the purpose of maintenance. EPA considers that the state measures themselves constitute adequate contingency measures, and that the Federal measures included also bolster maintenance to the extent that they provide reductions that were not counted in the maintenance plan's demonstration as explained below.
Comment 8b: The commenter asserts that EPA, in assessing the adequacy of Illinois' ozone maintenance demonstration, has credited the state with NO X emission reductions in upwind areas that are the products of the NO X SIP call and CSAPR. These rules develop cap-and-trade programs that the commenter argues cannot satisfy the maintenance plan requirement. In addition, CSAPR has been stayed by the Court and may not be relied upon to provide NO X emission reductions.
Response 8b: As discussed in Response 3b, EPA disagrees with the commenter's position that emission reductions associated with the NO X SIP Call cannot be considered to be permanent and enforceable simply because they result from an emissions trading program. In addition, as discussed in Response 3a, Illinois has not relied on CSAPR to demonstrate attainment or maintenance of the standard.
Comment 8c: The commenter contends that Illinois' maintenance plan fails to consider additional emissions expected to occur from the Prairie State electrical power plant, which is currently under construction. This power plant is expected to commence operation during the ozone maintenance period. This power plant is expected to be a major source of NO X emissions. The commenter asserts that EPA cannot presume that, because the Prairie State power plant has obtained a PSD source permit, it will not cause or contribute to a violation of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. EPA must review the PSD record and include the relevant portions in the administrative record for this ozone redesignation rulemaking.
In addition, a maintenance demonstration need not be based on modeling. See Wall v. EPA, 265 F.3d 426 (6th Cir. 2001), Sierra Club v. EPA, 375 F. 3d 537 (7th Cir. 2004). See also 66 FR 53094, 53099-53100 (October 19, 2001), and 68 FR 25413, 25430-25432 (May 12, 2003). EPA policy and longstanding practice allows states to demonstrate maintenance by preparing an attainment emissions inventory corresponding to the period during which the area monitored attainment and to project maintenance by showing that future emissions are projected to remain below this level for the next ten years. See Calcagni memorandum. Holding emissions at or below the level of attainment is adequate to reasonably assure continued maintenance of the standard. See 65 FR 37879, 37888 (June19, 2000). Since the St. Louis action is not based on modeling, EPA concludes that weather related impacts, including climate change, on modeling are not relevant. Impacts of weather on monitored data are accounted for by the three years of data used for the attainment determination.III. What actions is EPA taking?EPA is approving a request from the State of Illinois to redesignate the Illinois portion of the St. Louis, MO-IL area to attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. EPA is also taking several other related actions. EPA is approving, as a revision to the Illinois SIP, the State's plan for maintaining the 1997 8-hour ozone standard through 2025 in the area. EPA is approving the 2002 emissions inventory as meeting the comprehensive emissions inventory requirement of the CAA for the Illinois portion of the St. Louis area. Finally, EPA finds adequate and is approving the State's 2008 and 2025 MVEBs for the Illinois portion of the St. Louis area.
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(d), EPA finds there is good cause for these actions to become effective immediately upon publication. This is because a delayed effective date is unnecessary due to the nature of a redesignation to attainment, which relieves the area from certain CAA requirements that would otherwise apply to it. The immediate effective date for this action is authorized under both 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1), which provides that rulemaking actions may become effective less than 30 days after publication if the rule “grants or recognizes an exemption or relieves a restriction,” and section 553(d)(3) which allows an effective date less than 30 days after publication “as otherwise provided by the agency for good cause found and published with the rule.” The purpose of the 30 day waiting period prescribed in section 553(d) is to give affected parties a reasonable time to adjust their behavior and prepare before the final rule takes effect. Today's rule, however, does not create any new regulatory requirements such that affected parties would need time to prepare before the rule takes effect. Rather, today's rule relieves the state of planning requirements for this 8-hour ozone nonattainment area. For these reasons, EPA finds good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) for these actions to become effective on the date of publication of these actions.IV. Statutory and Executive Order ReviewsUnder the CAA, redesignation of an area to attainment and the accompanying approval of a maintenance plan under section 107(d)(3)(E) are actions that affect the status of a geographical area and do not impose any additional regulatory requirements on sources beyond those imposed by state law. A redesignation to attainment does not in and of itself create any new requirements, but rather results in the applicability of requirements contained in the CAA for areas that have been redesignated to attainment. Moreover, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP submission that complies with the provisions of the CAA and applicable Federal regulations. 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a). Thus, in reviewing SIP submissions, EPA's role is to approve state choices, provided that they meet the criteria of the CAA. These actions do not impose additional requirements beyond those imposed by state law and the CAA. For that reason, these actions: Are not a “significant regulatory action” subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993);
40 CFR part 52 is amended as follows:Part 52 Amended
Authority:42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq. 2. Section 52.726 is amended by adding paragraphs (ll) and (mm) to read as follows:
(ll) Approval—On May 26, 2010, and September 16, 2011, Illinois submitted a request to redesignate the Illinois portion of the St. Louis, MO-IL area to attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. The St. Louis area includes Jersey, Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair Counties in Illinois and St. Louis City and Franklin, Jefferson, St. Charles and St. Louis Counties in Missouri. As part of the redesignation request, the State submitted a plan for maintaining the 1997 8-hour ozone standard through 2025 in the area as required by section 175A of the Clean Air Act. Part of the section 175A maintenance plan includes a contingency plan. The ozone maintenance plan establishes 2008 motor vehicle emissions budgets for the Illinois portion of the St. Louis area of 17.27 tpd for volatile organic compounds (VOC) and 52.57 tpd for nitrogen oxides (NO X). In addition the maintenance plan establishes 2025 motor vehicle emissions budgets for the Illinois portion of the St. Louis area of 5.68 tpd for VOC and 15.22 tpd for NO X. (mm) Emissions inventories for the 1997 8-hour ozone standard—
(2) [Reserved]Part 81 Amended
Authority:42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq. 4. Section 81.314 is amended by revising the entry for St. Louis, MO-IL in the table entitled “Illinois-Ozone (8-Hour Standard)” to read as follows:
******* St. Louis, MO-IL: Jersey County6/12/2012Attainment Madison County6/12/2012Attainment Monroe County6/12/2012Attainment St. Clair County6/12/2012Attainment ******* * * * * *[FR Doc. 2012-14102 Filed 6-11-12; 8:45 am]BILLING CODE 6560-50-PFootnotes
Certified ozone data for 2011 demonstrates that the area continued to attain the 1997 8-hour ozone standard in 2011. EPA recognizes that the ozone data for 2007-2009 as well as 2010 and 2011 data are impacted by the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) which was promulgated in 2005, but remanded to EPA in 2008. The fact that the data reflect some reductions associated with the remanded and therefore not permanent CAIR, however, is not an impediment to redesignation in the circumstances presented here where IEPA's demonstration and EPA's own modeling demonstrates that the area does not need reductions associated with the CAIR to attain the 1997 ozone NAAQS.
The Lake Michigan Air Directors Consortium modeling was conducted prior to EPA's promulgation of CSAPR. The subsequent modeling conducted by EPA during the CSAPR rulemaking provides a more detailed analysis of the impact upwind state emissions would, in the absence of CAIR, have on downwind areas projected to have difficulty attaining or maintaining the standard.
EPA guidance regarding the NO X SIP Call transition to CAIR can be found at http://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/progsregs/cair/faq-10.html. EPA guidance regarding the NO X SIP Call transition for CSAPR can be found at http://www.epa.gov/crossstaterule/faqs.html. (4)
See September 4, 1992 memorandom from John Calcagni entitled “Procedures for Processing Requests to Redesignate Areas to Attainment,” pp. 4 and 8-9.
The nonattainment designation of the St. Louis area for the 1997 8-hour ozone standard was based on 2001-2003 ozone data.
EPA notes that the St. Louis area does not have violating monitors for the 1997 annual PM 2.5 NAAQS, 2006 24-hour PM 2.5 NAAQS, or the 1-hour NO X NAAQS, and that this area has not been designated nonattainment for 2006 24-hour PM 2.5 NAAQS, the 1-hour NO X NAAQS, or the 1-hour SO 2 NAAQS.
See also Sierra Club v. EPA, 99 F. 3d 1551 (10th Cir. 1996); Sierra Club v. EPA, 375 F.3d 537 (7th Cir. 2004); and Our Children's Earth Foundation v. EPA, No. 04-73032 (9th Cir. June 28, 2005) (memorandum opinion).
A Level I response is triggered in the event that: (1) The annual fourth highest daily maximum 8-hour ozone concentration at any monitoring site in the St. Louis area exceeds 84 parts per billion (ppb) in any year; or, (2) VOC or NO X emissions increase more than 5 percent above the levels contained in the attainment year (2008) emissions inventory for the Illinois portion of the St. Louis ozone nonattainment area.
A Level II response is triggered in the event that a violation of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard is monitored at any monitoring site in the St. Louis area.
Attachments View All (0) View document: No documents available. Attachments View All (0) Comment Now! Comment Period Closed ID: EPA-R05-OAR-2010-0523-0010 Tracking Number: View original printed format: Document Information Date Posted: Jun 12, 2012RIN: Not AssignedFederal Register Number: 2012-14102 Show More Details Submitter Information Comments0 Comments Received* Docket Information This document is contained in EPA-R05-OAR-2010-0523 Related Dockets: NoneRelated RINs: NoneRelated Documents: Extension of the Public Comment Period for the Proposed...Proposed Approval of the Illinois portion of St Louis, MO-IL... Related Comments: View all * This count refers to the total comment/submissions received on this document, as of 11:59 PM yesterday. Note: Agencies review all submissions, however some agencies may choose to redact, or withhold, certain submissions (or portions thereof) such as those containing private or proprietary information, inappropriate language, or duplicate/near duplicate examples of a mass-mail campaign. This can result in discrepancies between this count and those displayed when conducting searches on the Public Submission document type. For specific information about an agency’s public submission policy, refer to its website or the Federal Register document. Document text and images courtesy of the Federal Register Home Search Advanced Search Browse By Category Learn About Us eRulemaking Program Media Toolkit Agencies Awards & Recognition Enhancements & Fixes Resources Site Data Regulatory Agenda Agency Reports Required by Statute API Overview Developers Help How to use Regulations.gov FAQs Glossary Connect With Contact Us Privacy and Security Notice User Notice Accessibility Statement Partner Sites We the People Federal Register Reginfo Congress.gov USA.gov E-Gov Opengov Participate Today!