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Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Proposed rule.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Iowa State Implementation Plan (SIP) to include recent changes to the Linn County Code of Ordinances. The revisions to this rule include updating definitions and references to federal rules, revising methods and procedures for performance test/stack test and continuous monitoring systems, and making minor clarifications and grammatical changes. These revisions do not impact the stringency of the SIP or have an adverse effect on air quality. The EPA's proposed approval of this rule revision is being done in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Comments must be received on or before May 20, 2024.
You may send comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R07-OAR-2024-0130 to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket ID No. for this rulemaking. Comments received will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. For detailed instructions on sending comments and additional information on the rulemaking process, see the “Written Comments” heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
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Bethany Olson, Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7 Office, Air Quality Planning Branch, 11201 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, Kansas 66219; telephone number: (913) 551-7905; email address: olson.bethany@epa.gov.
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Throughout this document “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to the EPA.
Table of Contents
I. Written Comments
II. What is being addressed in this document?
III. Have the requirements for approval of a SIP revision been met?
IV. What action is the EPA taking?
V. Incorporation by Reference
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
I. Written Comments
Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R07-OAR-2024-0130, at https://www.regulations.gov. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. The EPA may publish any comment received to its public docket. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other Start Printed Page 27698 information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA will generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of the primary submission ( i.e., on the web, cloud, or other file sharing system). For additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general guidance on making effective comments, please visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
II. What is being addressed in this document?
The EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the Iowa SIP received on October 17, 2022. The state withdrew certain provisions of the request on February 7,2024. The revisions are to Linn County Code of Ordinances Chapter 10, Article III “Air Qualtiy”. The CAA allows authorized states to delegate portions of the Act's implementation and enforcement to local governments such as Linn County. The revisions to the Iowa SIP incorporate updated definitions and references to federal rules, revised methods and procedures for performance test/stack test and continuous monitoring systems, and minor clarifications and grammatical changes.
EPA proposes to find that these revisions meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act, do not impact the stringency of the SIP, and do not adversely impact air quality. The full text of the rule revisions as well as EPA's analysis of the revisions can be found in the technical support document (TSD) included in this docket.
III. Have the requirements for approval of a SIP revision been met?
The State submission has met the public notice requirements for SIP submissions in accordance with 40 CFR 51.102. The submission also satisfied the completeness criteria of 40 CFR part 51, appendix V. Linn County provided public notice on this SIP revision from April 1, 2022, to May 2, 2022, and received no comments. In addition, as explained above and in more detail in the technical support document which is part of this document, the revision meets the substantive SIP requirements of the CAA, including section 110 and implementing regulations.
IV. What action is the EPA taking?
The EPA is proposing to amend the Iowa SIP by approving the State's request to revise Linn County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 10. We are processing this as a proposed action because we are soliciting comments on this proposed action. Final rulemaking will occur after consideration of any comments.
V. Incorporation by Reference
In this document, the EPA is proposing to include regulatory text in an EPA final rule that includes incorporation by reference. In accordance with requirements of 1 CFR 51.5, the EPA is finalizing the incorporation by reference of the Linn County Air Quality Ordinance, Chapter 10, with an effective date of May 14, 2022, which regulates air quality in Linn County. The EPA has made, and will continue to make, these materials generally available through https://www.regulations.gov and at the EPA Region 7 Office (please contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this preamble for more information).
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
Under the Clean Air Act, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP submission that complies with the provisions of the Clean Air Act 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 Clean Air Act. Accordingly, this action merely approves state law as meeting Federal requirements and does not impose additional requirements beyond those imposed by state law. For that reason, this action:
- Is not a significant regulatory action subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Orders 12866 (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993) and 14094 (88 FR 21879, April 11, 2023);
• Does not impose an information collection burden under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
• Is certified as not having a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
- Does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or uniquely affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4);
- Does not have federalism implications as specified in Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999);
- Is not subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 19885, April 23, 1997) because it approves a state program;
- Is not a significant regulatory action subject to Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001); and
- Is not subject to requirements of section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note) because application of those requirements would be inconsistent with the Clean Air Act.
In addition, the SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian reservation land or in any other area where EPA or an Indian tribe has demonstrated that a tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian country, the rule does not have tribal implications and will not impose substantial direct costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 2000).
Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions To Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, 59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994) directs Federal agencies to identify and address “disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects” of their actions on minority populations and low-income populations to the greatest extent practicable and permitted by law. EPA defines environmental justice (EJ) as “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” EPA further defines the term fair treatment to mean that “no group of people should bear a disproportionate burden of environmental harms and risks, including those resulting from the negative environmental consequences of industrial, governmental, and commercial operations or programs and policies.”
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources did not evaluate environmental justice considerations as part of its SIP submittal; the CAA and applicable implementing regulations neither prohibit nor require such an evaluation. EPA did not perform an EJ analysis and did not consider EJ in this action. Due to the nature of the action being taken here, this action is expected to have a neutral to positive impact on the air quality of the affected area. Consideration of EJ is not required as part of this action, and there is no Start Printed Page 27699 information in the record inconsistent with the stated goal of E.O. 12898 of achieving environmental justice for people of color, low-income populations, and Indigenous peoples.
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- Environmental protection
- Air pollution control
- Carbon monoxide
- Incorporation by reference
- Intergovernmental relations
- Lead
- Nitrogen dioxide
- Ozone
- Particulate matter
- Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
- Sulfur oxides
- Volatile organic compounds
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Dated: April 11, 2024.
Meghan A. McCollister,
Regional Administrator, Region 7.
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For the reasons stated in the preamble, the EPA proposes to amend 40 CFR part 52 as set forth below:
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1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:
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Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
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2. In § 52.820, the table in paragraph (c) is amended by revising the entry “Chapter 10” under the heading “Linn County” to read as follows:
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§ 52.820
Identification of plan.
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(c) * * *
| Iowa citation | Title | State effective date | EPA approval date | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Commission [567] | ||||
| * * * * * * * | ||||
| Linn County | ||||
| Chapter 10 | Linn County Air Quality Ordinance, Chapter 10 | 5/14/2022 | [Date of publication of the final rule in the Federal Register ], [ Federal Register citation of the final rule] | The following definitions are not SIP-approved in Chapter 10-55; Anaerobic lagoon, Biomass, Chemical processing plants (ethanol production facilities that produce ethanol by natural fermentation included in NAICS code 325193 or 312140 are not included in this definition); Greenhouse gases; The following sections are not SIP approved: 10-57(a), Title V Permits; 10-59(c), Fees Associated with PSD Applications; 10-61, Emissions From Fuel-Burning Equipment, (b)(2); 10-61, Emissions From Fuel-Burning Equipment, (c) Exemptions for Residential Heaters Burning Solid Fuels; 10-61, Emissions from Fuel-Burning Equipment, (d) Nuisance Conditions for Fuel Burning Equipment; 10-62, Emission Standards, (b) NSPS; 10-62(c), Emission Standards for HAPs; 10-62(d), Emission Standards for HAPs for Source Categories; 10-63, Open Burning, (a)(3)e.3. Variance from Rules; 10-64, Emission of Objectionable Odors; 10-68, Variances; 10-70, Testing and Sampling of New and Existing Equipment, (k) Continuous Emissions Monitoring from Acid Rain Program; and 10-77, Penalty. |
| * * * * * * * | ||||
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[FR Doc. 2024-08283 Filed 4-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
