[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 110 (Monday, June 8, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 34675-34676]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12140]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[EPA-R04-OAR-2020-0170; FRL-10010-10-Region 4]

Air Plan Approval; Alabama: Air Quality Control, VOC Definition

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to
approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the
State of Alabama, through the Alabama Department of Environmental
Management (ADEM) on February 27, 2020. The revision modifies the
State's air quality regulations as incorporated into the SIP by
changing the definition of ``volatile organic compounds'' (VOC) to be
consistent with federal regulations. EPA is proposing to approve this
SIP revision because the State has demonstrated that these changes are
consistent with the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 8, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R04-
OAR-2020-0170 at www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions
for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or
removed from Regulations.gov. 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
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. 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 www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah LaRocca, Air Regulatory
Management Section, Air Planning and Implementation Branch, Air and
Radiation Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, 61
Forsyth Street SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8960.

The telephone number is<PHONE_NUMBER>. Ms. LaRocca can also be reached
via electronic mail at<EMAIL_ADDRESS>
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Tropospheric ozone, commonly known as smog, occurs when VOC and
nitrogen oxides (NOX) react in the atmosphere in the
presence of sunlight. Because of the harmful health effects of ozone,
EPA and state governments implement rules to limit the amount of
certain VOC and NOX that can be released into the
atmosphere. VOC have different levels of reactivity; they do not react
at the same speed or do not form ozone to the same extent. Section
302(s) of the CAA specifies that EPA has the authority to define the
meaning of ``VOC,'' and hence, what compounds shall be treated as VOC
for regulatory purposes.
    EPA determines whether a given carbon compound has ``negligible''
reactivity by comparing the compound's reactivity to the reactivity of
ethane. It is EPA's policy that compounds of carbon with negligible
reactivity be excluded from the regulatory definition of VOC. See 42 FR
35314 (July 8, 1977), 70 FR 54046 (September 13, 2005). EPA lists these
compounds in its regulations at 40 CFR 51.100(s) and excludes them from
the definition of VOC. The chemicals on this list are often called
``negligibly reactive.'' EPA may periodically revise the list of
negligibly reactive compounds to add or delete compounds.

II. Analysis of State Submission

    EPA is proposing to approve the change to the Alabama SIP submitted
by the State of Alabama through a letter dated February 27, 2020 \1\
that revises the definition of ``Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)'' at
subparagraph (gggg) of Rule 335-3-1-.02--``Definitions'' by adding cis-
1,1,1,4,4,4--hexafluorobut-2-ene (HFO-1336mzz-Z) to the list of organic
compounds having negligible photochemical reactivity.\2\ Alabama
submitted this SIP revision in response to EPA adding cis-1,1,1,4,4,4-
hexafluorobut-2-ene to the exclusion list at 40 CFR 51.100(s). See 83
FR 61127 (January 28, 2019). EPA proposes to find that this change to
the SIP will not interfere with attainment or maintenance of any
national ambient air quality standard, reasonable further progress, or
any other applicable requirement of the CAA, consistent with CAA
section 110(l), because EPA has found this chemical to be negligibly
reactive.
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    \1\ EPA received Alabama's SIP revision on March 5, 2020.
    \2\ On February 27, 2020, Alabama submitted other SIP revisions
which will be addressed in separate actions.
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III. Incorporation by Reference

    In this document, EPA is proposing to include in a final EPA rule
regulatory text that includes incorporation by reference. In accordance
with requirements of 1 CFR 51.5, EPA is proposing to incorporate by
reference Alabama Rule 335-3-1-.02--``Definitions,'' Subparagraph
(gggg)--``Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC),'' state-effective April 13,
2020, to revise this definition by adding cis-1,1,1,4,4,4--
hexafluorobut-2-ene (HFO-1336mzz-Z) to the list of organic compounds
having negligible photochemical activity. EPA has made, and will
continue to make, these materials generally available through
www.regulations.gov and at the EPA Region 4 office (please contact the
person identified as the For Further Information Contact section of
this preamble for more information).

IV. Proposed Action

    EPA is proposing to approve the State of Alabama's February 27,
2020 SIP submission that revises the definition of ``Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOC)'' at Rule 335-3-1-.02(gggg) to be consistent with
federal regulations and CAA requirements.

V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

    Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP
submission that complies with the provisions of the Act and applicable
Federal regulations. See 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 CAA. This action merely
proposes to approve state law as meeting Federal requirements and does
not impose additional requirements beyond those imposed by state law.
For that reason, this proposed 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 13563 (76 FR 3821, January 21, 2011;
     Is not an Executive Order 13771 (82 FR 9339, February 2,
2017) regulatory action because SIP approvals are exempted under
Executive Order 12866;
     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 1955 (Pub. L. 104-4);
     Does not have Federalism implications as specified in the
Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999);
     Is not an economically significant regulatory action based
on health or safety risks subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR
19885, April 23, 1997);
     Is not a significant regulatory action subject to
Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001);
     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 CAA; and
     Does not provide EPA with the discretionary authority to
address, as appropriate, disproportionate human health or environmental
effects, using practicable and legally permissible methods, under
Executive Order 12898 (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994).
    The SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian reservation land or
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 as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65
FR 67249, November 9, 2000), nor will it impose substantial direct
costs on tribal governments or preempt tribal law.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

    Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by
reference, Intergovernmental relations, Ozone, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements, Volatile organic compounds.

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.

    Dated: May 29, 2020.
Mary Walker,
Regional Administrator, Region 4.
[FR Doc. 2020-12140 Filed 6-5-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 175 (Monday, September 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 45623]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19553]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 14871-001]

New England Hydropower Company, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit
Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To
Intervene, and Competing Applications

    On August 2, 2018, New England Hydropower Company, LLC, filed an
application for a preliminary permit, pursuant to section 4(f) of the
Federal Power Act (FPA), proposing to study the feasibility of
hydropower at Lock 47 on the Lehigh Canal in the city of Easton,
Northampton County, Pennsylvania. The sole purpose of a preliminary
permit, if issued, is to grant the permit holder priority to file a
license application during the permit term. A preliminary permit does
not authorize the permit holder to perform any land-disturbing
activities or otherwise enter upon lands or waters owned by others
without the owners' express permission.
    The proposed Lehigh Canal Hugh Moore Park East Hydroelectric
Project would consist of the following: (1) An existing 20-foot-high
concrete gravity dam (i.e., the Chain Dam on the Lehigh River); (2) an
existing impoundment with a storage capacity of 1,197 acre-feet at a
normal maximum surface elevation of 192 feet mean sea level; (3) an
existing 50-foot-wide, 2.5-mile-long canal that stretches from above
the Chain Dam where water enters the canal to where it reconnects with
the Lehigh River downstream, approximately one half of a mile above the
Easton Dam; (4) a new 20-foot-wide, 40-foot-long intake channel
parallel to Lock 47; (5) a new 16-foot by 32-foot powerhouse containing
two Archimedes Screw turbine-generator units with a total capacity of
485 kilowatts; (6) a new 20-foot-wide, 40-foot-long tailrace channel;
(7) a new 460-kilovolt, 210-foot-long transmission line connecting the
powerhouse to a nearby grid interconnection point; and (8) appurtenant
facilities. The proposed project would have an average annual
generation of 3,398 megawatt-hours.
    Applicant Contact: Ms. Carol Wasserman, Principal, New England
Hydropower Company, LLC, 100 Cummings Center Drive, Suite 451C,
Beverly, MA 01915; phone:<PHONE_NUMBER>.
    FERC Contact: Monir Chowdhury; phone:<PHONE_NUMBER>.
    Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, competing
applications (without notices of intent), or notices of intent to file
competing applications: 60 days from the issuance of this notice.
Competing applications and notices of intent must meet the requirements
of 18 CFR 4.36.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. Please file
comments, motions to intervene, notices of intent, and competing
applications using the Commission's eFiling system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can submit brief
comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior registration, using the
eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. You
must include your name and contact information at the end of your
comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at
[email protected],<PHONE_NUMBER> (toll free), or (202) 502-
8659 (TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please send a paper copy to:
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE,
Washington, DC 20426. The first page of any filing should include
docket number P-14871-001.
    More information about this project, including a copy of the
application, can be viewed or printed on the ``eLibrary'' link of the
Commission's website at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp.
Enter the docket number (P-14871) in the docket number field to access
the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

    Dated: September 4, 2018.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-19553 Filed 9-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 227 (Monday, November 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 70433]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28465]

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Project No. 14438-000]

Resolute Marine Energy, Inc.; Notice of Preliminary Permit
Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To
Intervene, and Competing Applications

    On July 25, 2012, Resolute Marine Energy, Inc. (Resolute or
Applicant) filed an application for a preliminary permit under section
4(f) of the Federal Power Act proposing to study the feasibility of the
Yakutat Alaska Wave Energy Project No. 14438. Resolute supplemented its
application on September 19, 2012. The proposed project would be
located within a 25.26 square mile area within Alaska State submerged
lands in the Gulf of Alaska, near the City and Borough of Yakutat,
Alaska.
    A preliminary permit does not authorize the permit holder to
perform any land-disturbing activities or otherwise enter upon lands or
waters owned by others without the owners' express permission.
    The proposed project would consist of: (1) Between 7 and 15 Surge
Wave Energy Converters for a maximum total installed capacity of 750
kilowatts; (2) a single transmission line to bring project power to
shore; (3) shore-based power conditioning equipment, transformers, and
voltage regulations facilities; and (5) appurtenant facilities. The
project would have an estimated annual generation of 3,942
megawatthours.
    Applicant Contact: Mr. P. William Staby, Resolute Marine Energy,
Inc., 3 Post Office Square, 3rd floor, Boston, MA 02109; (917) 626-
6790<EMAIL_ADDRESS>    FERC Contact: Kenneth Hogan<PHONE_NUMBER> or via email at:
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>    Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, and competing
applications (without notices of intent), or notices of intent to file
competing applications: 60 days from the issuance of this notice.
Competing applications and notices of intent must meet the requirements
of 18 CFR 4.36. Comments, motions to intervene, notices of intent, and
competing applications may be filed electronically via the Internet.
See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's
Web site http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. Commenters can
submit brief comments up to 6,000 characters, without prior
registration, using the eComment system at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ecomment.asp. You must include your name and contact information
at the end of your comments. For assistance, please contact FERC Online
Support at<EMAIL_ADDRESS>or toll free at 1-866-208-3676,
or for TTY,<PHONE_NUMBER>. Although the Commission strongly encourages
electronic filing, documents may also be paper-filed. To paper-file,
mail an original and seven copies to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE., Washington,
DC 20426.
    More information about this project, including a copy of the
application can be viewed or printed on the ``eLibrary'' link of
Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp.
Enter the docket number (P-14438) in the docket number field to access
the document. For assistance, contact FERC Online Support.

    Dated: November 15, 2012.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-28465 Filed 11-23-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P