NOTICES
Proposed State Implementation Plan Revision; Base Year Inventory for the Lebanon County Nonattainment Area for the 2012 Annual PM2.5 Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standard; Public Hearing
[47 Pa.B. 3434]
[Saturday, June 17, 2017]On January 15, 2015, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated Lebanon County as a moderate nonattainment area for the 2012 annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), effective April 15, 2015. See 80 FR 2206 (January 15, 2015). As required by section 188(a)(2)(B) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C.A. § 7513(a)(2)(B)), a revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) demonstrating attainment of the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS is due to the EPA no later than 18 months after the area's designation as nonattainment, which in this case was October 15, 2016. Due to significant improvements in air quality in the Lebanon County area, however, this nonattainment area now meets the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS based on 2014—2016 quality assured, quality controlled and certified ambient monitoring data.
On May 17, 2017, the Department of Environmental Protection (Department) submitted a letter to the EPA certifying that the 2016 monitoring data, including that for Lebanon County, are quality controlled/quality assured. The Department expects that the EPA will issue a final rule indicating that the Lebanon County area is monitoring attainment of the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS, also known as a Clean Data Determination. The issuance of a Clean Data Determination by the EPA will suspend certain planning requirements so long as the area continues to attain the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS, including the attainment demonstration, reasonably available control measures, a reasonable further progress plan and contingency measures. The Clean Data Determination does not suspend the base year emissions inventory requirement in section 172(c)(3) of the CAA (42 U.S.C.A. § 7502(c)(3)). In anticipation of the EPA's rule, the Department has prepared the proposed base year inventory SIP revision for the Lebanon County nonattainment area.
The Department is seeking public comment on a proposed SIP revision containing the 2011 comprehensive base year emissions inventory, as required under section 172(c)(3) of the CAA, for a nonattainment area. The proposed SIP revision is available on the Department's web site at www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment.
The Department will hold a public hearing, if requested, to receive comments on the proposed SIP revision on July 19, 2017, at 10 a.m. at the Department's Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA.
Persons wishing to present testimony should contact Roma Monteiro, P.O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105 at (717) 787-9495 or rmonteiro@pa.gov to reserve a time. Witnesses will be limited to 10 minutes and should provide two written copies of their comments at the hearing.
If no person has expressed an interest in testifying at the hearing before July 17, 2017, the hearing will be cancelled. The Department will provide public notice on the Bureau of Air Quality webpage at www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Air/BAQ/Pages/default.aspx if the hearing is cancelled. Persons may also contact the Department to find out if the hearing is cancelled by contacting Roma Monteiro at (717) 787-9495 or rmonteiro@pa.gov.
Persons with a disability who wish to attend a hearing and require an auxiliary aid, service or other accommodation to participate in the proceeding should contact Roma Monteiro at (717) 787-9495 or rmonteiro@pa.gov. TDD users may contact the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 to discuss how the Department can best accommodate their needs.
The Department must receive comments no later than July 20, 2017. Commentators are encouraged to submit comments using the Department's eComment system at www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment or by e-mail to ecomment@pa.gov. Written comments can be submitted to the Policy Office, Department of Environmental Protection, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg,PA 17105-2063. Use ''Lebanon County PM2.5'' as the subject line in written communication.
PATRICK McDONNELL,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 17-1002. Filed for public inspection June 16, 2017, 9:00 a.m.]
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