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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 17-1978

Pennsylvania's Exceptional Event Analysis for the May 2016 Fort McMurray Fires

[47 Pa.B. 7388]
[Saturday, December 2, 2017]

 The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) is seeking public comment on Pennsylvania's Exceptional Event (EE) analysis for the May 2016 Fort McMurray fires in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. The EE analysis was prepared to outline the impacts that the byproducts (nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds) of the Fort McMurray fires had on ozone formation across this Commonwealth from May 24—26, 2016.

 On May 21, 2007, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated a rule to oversee the review and handling of air quality monitoring data influenced by EEs (EE Rule). See 72 FR 13560 (March 22, 2007). The intent of the EE Rule was to modify the handling of air monitoring data due to EEs for which the Clean Air Act's (42 U.S.C.A. §§ 7401—7671q) normal planning and regulatory process was not appropriate. Subsequently, on October 3, 2016, the EPA promulgated final amendments to its original EE Rule. See 81 FR 68216 (October 3, 2016). One of the major revisions to the original EE Rule was the handling of ambient ozone concentration data as it relates to EEs, specifically wildfire events. In addition, under 40 CFR 50.14 (relating to treatment of air quality monitoring data influenced by exceptional events), air quality state agencies must follow the public comment process and document that the comment period was open for a minimum of 30 days prior to final submission of the EE analysis to the EPA Regional Administrator.

 The Commonwealth's EE analysis is available for public comment on the Department's web site at http://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment or by contacting Sean Nolan at (717) 772-3377 or senolan@pa.gov.

 The Department must receive comments no later than January 2, 2018. Commentators are encouraged to submit comments using the Department's eComment system at http://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment or by e-mail to ecomment@pa.gov. Written comments may be submitted to the Policy Office, Department of Environmental Protection, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063. Use ''EE Analysis on Fort McMurray Fires'' as the subject line in written communication.

PATRICK McDONNELL, 
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 17-1978. Filed for public inspection December 1, 2017, 9:00 a.m.]


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