Air quality implementation plans; approval and promulgation; various States; air quality planning purposes; designation of areas: California,

[Federal Register: July 24, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 142)]

[Proposed Rules]

[Page 39793]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr24jy98-42]

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 52 and 81

[CA-189-0078(b); FRL-6127-2]

Proposed Approval and Promulgation of State Implementation Plans and Redesignation of the South Coast Air Basin in California to Attainment for Nitrogen Dioxide

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: EPA is proposing to approve an attainment and maintenance plan and grant a request submitted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to redesignate the South Coast Air Basin (South Coast) from nonattainment to attainment for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO‹INF›2‹/INF›). Under the Clean Air Act (CAA), designations can be revised if sufficient data are available to warrant such revisions. In this action, EPA is proposing to approve the attainment and maintenance plans as revisions to the California State Implementation Plan (SIP), and EPA is also proposing to grant the State's request to redesignate the South Coast to attainment because the plans and request meet the requirements set forth in the CAA.

DATES: Written comments must be received by August 24, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to the EPA contact below. The rulemaking docket for this notice may be inspected and copied at the following location during normal business hours. A reasonable fee may be charged for copying parts of the docket. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9, Air Division, Air Planning Office (AIR-2), 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-3901.

Copies of the SIP materials are also available for inspection at the addresses listed below:

California Air Resources Board, 2020 L Street, Sacramento, CA 92123- 1095 South Coast Air Quality Management District, 21865 E. Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765-4182.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Jesson, Air Planning Office (AIR- 2), Air Division, U.S. EPA, Region 9, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-3901. Telephone: (415) 744-1288

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In this action, EPA is proposing to approve the South Coast NO‹INF›2‹/INF› attainment and maintenance plans and grant California's request to redesignate the South Coast to attainment for NO‹INF›2‹/INF›, because the plans and redesignation request meet the requirements set forth in the CAA.

In the Final Rules Section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State's SIP revision and granting the redesignation request as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial amendment and anticipates no relevant adverse comments. A detailed rationale for this approval is set forth in the direct final rule. If no relevant adverse comments are received in response to this action, no further activity is contemplated in relation to this proposed rule. However, if EPA receives relevant adverse comments, then EPA will publish a document that withdraws the rule and informs the public that the rule will not take effect. EPA will then address those comments in a final action based upon this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Nitrogen dioxide, Intergovernmental relations, Oxides of nitrogen, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Dated: July 8, 1998. Felicia Marcus, Regional Administrator, Region IX.

[FR Doc. 98-19839Filed7-23-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-P