NOTICES
DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Proposed State Implementation Plan Revision; Certification of the Commonwealth's Submittal of All Case-By-Case Reasonably Available Control Technology Determinations and Averaging Plans to the United States Environmental Protection Agency for the 1997 and 2008 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard; Virtual Public Hearing
[50 Pa.B. 3172]
[Saturday, June 27, 2020]The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) is proposing to submit a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as required under sections 172(c)(1), 182(b)(2)(C) and (f) and 184(b)(1)(B) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) (42 U.S.C.A. §§ 7502(c)(1), 7511a(b)(2) and (f) and 7511c(b)(1)(B)). This proposed SIP revision would certify that the Department has submitted all of the Commonwealth's case-by-case reasonably available control technology (RACT) permits and averaging plans (determination) to the EPA by May 9, 2020, consistent with the EPA's conditional SIP approval of certain provisions of the Commonwealth's RACT II Rule. 84 FR 20274 and 29290 (May 9, 2019). The EPA must issue full approval of the Commonwealth's RACT II Rule as a SIP revision for the Commonwealth to satisfy its RACT obligations under the CAA and implementing rule for the 1997 and 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (see 80 FR 12264 (March 6, 2015)).
This notice rescinds and replaces the Department's previous notice published at 50 Pa.B. 1908 (March 28, 2020).
On April 23, 2016, the Environmental Quality Board promulgated a final rule entitled ''Additional RACT Requirements for Major Sources of NOx and VOCs'' at 46 Pa.B. 2036 (April 23, 2016) (RACT II Rule), which the Department submitted to the EPA for approval as a revision to the Commonwealth's SIP. The EPA published a final rule on May 9, 2019, entitled ''Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Pennsylvania; Regulatory Amendments Addressing Reasonably Available Control Technology Under the 1997 and 2008 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards'' (see 84 FR 20274), conditionally approving certain provisions of the Commonwealth's RACT II Rule (RACT II Conditional Approval). The RACT II Conditional Approval required the Commonwealth to submit all determinations to the EPA by May 9, 2020 (see 84 FR 20274 and 20290).
The Department is proposing to certify that additional enforceable measures in the RACT permits submitted to the EPA meet the requirements specified by the EPA in the RACT II Conditional Approval. Through this proposed SIP revision, the Department would certify that it has submitted the following on or before May 9, 2020:
1. All facility-wide or system-wide averaging plans approved by the Department under 25 Pa. Code § 129.98 (relating to facility-wide or system-wide NOx emissions averaging plan general requirements) including but not limited to terms and conditions that ensure the enforceability of the averaging plan as a practical matter
2. All source-specific RACT determinations approved by the Department under 25 Pa. Code § 129.99 (relating to alternative RACT proposal and petition for alternative compliance schedule), including alternative compliance schedules approved under §§ 129.97(k) (relating to presumptive RACT requirements, RACT emission limitations and petition for alternative compliance schedule) and 129.99(i); the source-specific RACT determinations submitted to the EPA for approval into the SIP include terms and conditions to ensure the enforceability of the source-specific RACT emission limitation as a practical matter.
This proposed certification SIP revision includes a list of RACT permits containing additional enforceable measures in Table 1. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Case-by-Case RACT Plans Submitted to EPA to Address Obligations of EPA's Conditional Approval Final Rule (see 84 FR 20274) at www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment, is herein referred to as Table 1. Table 1 includes the Department Region Number or Local Agency, the Permit/Plan Approval Number, the Facility Name, the Permit Issuance Date, the Pa Bulletin Intent to Issue with 30-day Public Comment Period or Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) Comment Period, including the subheadings Pa Bulletin Date or ACHD Comment Period, and Pa Bulletin Page Number or ACHD Public Notice Number and lastly the headings SIP Package Sent to the EPA for Final Approval Date and ACHD Hearing Date.
Philadelphia Air Management Services (AMS) and the ACHD are separate delegated local air pollution control agencies under section 12 of the Air Pollution Control Act (35 P.S. § 4012). Each agency makes their own case-by-case RACT determinations. Table 1 includes a final list of the local air pollution control agencies' RACT permits containing additional enforceable measures. The Department reviewed and submitted the AMS and ACHD RACT permits to the EPA on behalf of AMS and ACHD as revisions to the Commonwealth's SIP on the dates listed in Table 1.
The Department is seeking public comment on this proposed SIP revision, which would certify that the additional enforceable measures in the RACT permits submitted to the EPA address the requirements in the EPA's May 9, 2019, RACT II Conditional Approval. The Department is only taking comments on this proposed SIP revision and supporting documentation. This request for comment is not intended for permit-specific comments and the Department will not consider comments on any specific permit. Permits for individual facilities throughout this Commonwealth were already subject to an appropriate public comment period.
The proposed SIP revision is available on the Department's web site at www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment or by contacting Amanda Rodriguez at amarodrigu@pa.gov or (717) 787-9702.
In accordance with Governor Tom Wolf's emergency disaster declaration on March 6, 2020, and based on advice from the Department of Health regarding the mitigation of the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Department will offer a virtual public hearing to receive comments on the proposed SIP revision on Thursday, July 30, 2020, at 1 p.m. Persons wishing to join the hearing may do so remotely. Information will be provided on the Bureau of Air Quality's webpage at www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Air/BAQ/Pages/default.aspx.
Persons wishing to present testimony should contact Amanda Rodriguez, P.O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105, amarodrigu@pa.gov or (717) 787-9702 to reserve a time. Witnesses will be limited to 10 minutes and should provide two written copies of their testimony.
If by 12 p.m. on Monday, July 27, 2020, no person has expressed an interest in testifying, the hearing will be cancelled. If the hearing is cancelled, the Department will provide public notice on the Bureau of Air Quality's webpage at www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Air/BAQ/Pages/default.aspx. Persons may also contact the Department to find out if the hearing is cancelled by contacting Amanda Rodriguez at amarodrigu@pa.gov or (717) 787-9702.
Persons in need of accommodations as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 should contact Amanda Rodriguez at (717) 787-9702 or through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 (TDD users) or (800) 654-5988 (voice users) to discuss how the Department may accommodate their needs.
The Department must receive comments no later than Friday, July 31, 2020. Commentators are encouraged to submit comments using the Department's online eComment tool at www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eComment or by e-mail to ecomment@pa.gov. Written comments can be mailed to the Policy Office, Department of Environmental Protection, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063. Use ''CTG RACT Certification SIP'' as the subject line in written communication.
PATRICK McDONNELL,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 20-817. Filed for public inspection June 26, 2020, 9:00 a.m.]
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