[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 201 (Friday, October 16, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 65755-65774]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22061]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 52

[EPA-R09-OAR-2020-0096; FRL-10014-93-Region 9]

Partial Approval and Partial Disapproval of Air Quality State
Implementation Plans; California; Infrastructure Requirements for Ozone

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to
partially approve and partially disapprove the state implementation
plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of California pursuant to
the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA or ``Act'') for the
implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of the 2015 national
ambient air quality standards (NAAQS or ``standards'') for ozone. As
part of this action, we are proposing to reclassify certain regions of
the State for emergency episode planning purposes with respect to
ozone. We are also proposing to approve into the SIP an updated state
provision addressing CAA conflict of interest requirements, and
emergency episode planning rules for Amador County Air Pollution
Control District (APCD), Calaveras County APCD, Mariposa County APCD,
Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District (AQMD), and Tuolumne
County APCD. Finally, we are proposing to approve an exemption from
emergency episode planning requirements for ozone for Lake County AQMD.
We are taking comments on this proposal and, after considering any
comments submitted, plan to take final action.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before November 16,
2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R09-
OAR-2020-0096 at https://www.regulations.gov. For comments submitted at
Regulations.gov, follow the online instructions for submitting
comments. 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 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, or if you need assistance in a language
other than English, or if you are a person with a disability who needs
a reasonable accommodation at no cost to you, please contact the person
identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. For 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Panah Stauffer, EPA Region IX, 75
Hawthorne St., San Francisco, CA 94105. By phone:<PHONE_NUMBER> or by
email at [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document, the terms ``we,''
``us,'' and ``our'' refer to EPA.

Table of Contents

I. The EPA's Approach to the Review of Infrastructure SIP Submittals
II. Background
    A. Statutory Requirements
    B. NAAQS Addressed by this Proposal
    C. EPA Guidance Documents
III. California's Submittals
IV. The EPA's Evaluation and Proposed Action
    A. Proposed Approvals and Partial Approvals
    B. Proposed Partial Disapprovals
    C. The EPA's Evaluation of California's Submittal
    D. Proposed Approval of State and Local Provisions into the
California SIP
    E. Proposed Approval of Reclassification Requests for Emergency
Episode Planning
    F. The EPA's Action
V. Incorporation by Reference
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

I. The EPA's Approach to the Review of Infrastructure SIP Submittals

    The EPA is acting upon two SIP submittals from California that
address the infrastructure requirements of CAA sections 110(a)(1) and
110(a)(2) for the 2015 ozone NAAQS. Whenever the EPA promulgates a new
or revised NAAQS, CAA section 110(a)(1) requires states to make SIP
submissions to provide for the implementation, maintenance, and
enforcement of the NAAQS. This type of SIP submission is commonly
referred to as an ``infrastructure SIP.'' These submissions must meet
the various requirements of CAA section 110(a)(2), as applicable. Due
to ambiguity in some of the language of CAA section 110(a)(2), the EPA
believes that it is appropriate to interpret these provisions in the
specific context of acting on infrastructure SIP submissions. The EPA
has previously provided comprehensive guidance on the application of
these provisions through a guidance document for infrastructure SIP
submissions \1\ and through regional actions on infrastructure
submissions. Unless otherwise noted below, we are following that
existing approach in acting on this submission. In addition, in the
context of acting on such infrastructure submissions, the EPA evaluates
the submitting state's SIP for facial compliance with statutory and
regulatory requirements, not for the

state's implementation of its SIP.\2\ The EPA has other authority to
address any issues concerning a state's implementation of the rules,
regulations, consent orders, etc., that comprise its SIP.
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    \1\ The EPA explains and elaborates on these ambiguities and its
approach to address them in its September 13, 2013 Infrastructure
SIP Guidance (available at https://www3.epa.gov/airquality/urbanair/sipstatus/docs/
    Guidance_on_Infrastructure_SIP_Elements_Multipollutant_FINAL_Sept
_2013.pdf), as well as in numerous EPA actions, including the EPA's
prior action on California's infrastructure SIP to address the 1997
and 2008 ozone NAAQS (79 FR 63350 (October 23, 2014)).
    \2\ See U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decision in
Montana Environmental Information Center v. EPA, No. 16-71933 (Aug.
30, 2018).
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II. Background

A. Statutory Requirements

    As discussed in section I of this proposed rule, CAA section
110(a)(1) requires each state to submit to the EPA, within three years
after the promulgation of a primary or secondary NAAQS or any revision
thereof, an infrastructure SIP revision that provides for the
implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of such NAAQS. Section
110(a)(2) contains the infrastructure SIP requirements, which generally
relate to the information, authorities, compliance assurances,
procedural requirements, and control measures that constitute the
``infrastructure'' of a state's air quality management program. These
infrastructure SIP requirements (or ``elements'') required by section
110(a)(2) are as follows:
     Section 110(a)(2)(A): Emission limits and other control
measures.
     Section 110(a)(2)(B): Ambient air quality monitoring/data
system.
     Section 110(a)(2)(C): Program for enforcement of control
measures and regulation of new and modified stationary sources.
     Section 110(a)(2)(D)(i): Interstate pollution transport.
     Section 110(a)(2)(D)(ii): Interstate pollution abatement
and international air pollution.
     Section 110(a)(2)(E): Adequate resources and authority,
conflict of interest, and oversight of local and regional government
agencies.
     Section 110(a)(2)(F): Stationary source monitoring and
reporting.
     Section 110(a)(2)(G): Emergency episodes.
     Section 110(a)(2)(H): SIP revisions.
     Section 110(a)(2)(J): Consultation with government
officials, public notification, prevention of significant deterioration
(PSD), and visibility protection.
     Section 110(a)(2)(K): Air quality modeling and submittal
of modeling data.
     Section 110(a)(2)(L): Permitting fees.
     Section 110(a)(2)(M): Consultation/participation by
affected local entities.
    Two elements identified in section 110(a)(2) are not governed by
the three-year submittal deadline of section 110(a)(1) and are
therefore not addressed in this action. These two elements are: (i)
Section 110(a)(2)(C) to the extent it refers to permit programs
required under part D (nonattainment new source review (NSR)), and (ii)
section 110(a)(2)(I), pertaining to the nonattainment planning
requirements of part D. As a result, this action does not address
requirements for the nonattainment NSR portion of section 110(a)(2)(C)
or the whole of section 110(a)(2)(I).

B. NAAQS Addressed by This Proposal

    Ground-level ozone pollution is formed from the reaction of
volatile organic compounds (VOC) and oxides of nitrogen
(NOX) in the presence of sunlight. These two pollutants,
referred to as ozone precursors, are emitted by many types of sources,
including on-and off-road motor vehicles and engines, power plants and
industrial facilities, and smaller area sources such as lawn and garden
equipment and paints. Scientific evidence indicates that adverse public
health effects occur following exposure to elevated levels of ozone,
particularly in children and adults with lung disease. Breathing air
containing ozone can reduce lung function and inflame airways, which
can increase respiratory symptoms and aggravate asthma or other lung
diseases.
    On October 26, 2015, the EPA promulgated a revised NAAQS for
ozone.\3\ The EPA had previously promulgated NAAQS for ozone in 1979,
1997 and 2008. The 2015 ozone NAAQS revised the level of the standards
to 0.070 parts per million (ppm) averaged across eight hours.
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    \3\ 80 FR 65292.
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C. EPA Guidance Documents

    EPA has issued several guidance memos on infrastructure SIPs that
have informed our evaluation, including the following:
     March 2, 1978 guidance on the conflict of interest
requirements of section 128, pursuant to the requirement of section
110(a)(2)(E)(ii).\4\
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    \4\ Memorandum dated March 2, 1978, from David O. Bickart,
Deputy General Counsel, Office of General Counsel (OGC), ``Guidance
to States for Meeting Conflict of Interest Requirements of Section
128.''
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     August 15, 2006 guidance on the interstate transport
requirements of section 110(a)(2)(D)(i) with respect to the 1997 ozone
and 1997 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) NAAQS (``2006
Transport Guidance'').\5\
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    \5\ Memorandum dated August 15, 2006, from William T. Harnett,
Director, Air Quality Policy Division, Office of Air Quality
Planning and Standards (OAQPS), ``Guidance for State Implementation
Plan Submissions to Meet Current Outstanding Obligations Under
Section 110(a)(2)(D)(i) for the 8-Hour Ozone and PM2.5
National Ambient Air Quality Standards.''
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     September 25, 2009 guidance on infrastructure SIP
requirements for the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS (``2009 Infrastructure
SIP Guidance'').\6\
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    \6\ Memorandum dated September 25, 2009, from William T.
Harnett, Director, Air Quality Policy Division, OAQPS, ``Guidance on
SIP Elements Required Under Sections 110(a)(1) and (2) for the 2006
24-Hour Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality
Standards.''
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     September 13, 2013 guidance on infrastructure SIP
requirements for the 2008 ozone, 2010 nitrogen dioxide
(NO2), 2010 sulfur dioxide (SO2), 2012
PM2.5, and future NAAQS (``2013 Infrastructure SIP
Guidance'').\7\
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    \7\ Memorandum dated September 13, 2013, from Stephen D. Page,
Director, OAQPS, ``Guidance on Infrastructure State Implementation
Plan Elements under Clean Air Act Sections 110(a)(1) and
110(a)(2).''
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III. California's Submittal

    In California, the California Air Resources Board (CARB or
``State'') is the state agency responsible for the adoption and
submission to the EPA of California SIPs and SIP revisions. CARB
submitted its infrastructure SIP revision (``2018 Infrastructure SIP''
or ``California's 2018 Submittal'') for the 2015 ozone NAAQS on October
1, 2018.\8\
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    \8\ Letter dated October 1, 2018, from Richard W. Corey,
Executive Officer, CARB, to Michael Stoker, Regional Administrator,
EPA Region IX.
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    On June 25, 2020, CARB supplemented its 2018 Infrastructure SIP by
submitting ozone emergency episode contingency plans for San Luis
Obispo County APCD, Amador County APCD, Calaveras County APCD, Mariposa
County APCD, Northern Sierra AQMD, and Tuolumne County APCD.\9\ It also
submitted an exemption request from emergency episode planning
requirements for Lake County AQMD based on that District's attainment
status. This submittal (``California's 2020 Submittal'') addresses CAA
section 110(a)(2)(G) requirements for the 2015 ozone NAAQS.
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    \9\ Letter dated June 16, 2020, from Richard W. Corey, Executive
Officer, CARB, to John Busterud, Regional Administrator, EPA Region
IX, with Ozone Emergency Episode Plans for Amador County, San Luis
Obispo County, Northern Sierra, Tuolumne County, Mariposa County,
and Calaveras County and Exemption Request for Lake County.
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    We find that these submittals (referred to collectively herein as
``California's Infrastructure SIP Submittals'') meet the procedural
requirements for public participation under CAA section 110(a)(2) and
40 CFR 51.102. We also find that they meet the applicable completeness
criteria in Appendix V to

40 CFR part 51. We are proposing to act on California's Infrastructure
SIP Submittals.

IV. The EPA's Evaluation and Proposed Action

A. Proposed Approvals and Partial Approvals

    Based upon the evaluation presented in this notice, the EPA
proposes to approve California's Infrastructure SIP Submittals with
respect to the 2015 ozone NAAQS for the following infrastructure SIP
requirements. Proposed partial approvals are indicated by the
parenthetical ``(in part).''
     Section 110(a)(2)(A): Emission limits and other control
measures.
     Section 110(a)(2)(B): Ambient air quality monitoring/data
system.
     Section 110(a)(2)(C) (in part): Program for enforcement of
control measures and regulation of new and modified stationary sources.
     110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II) (in part): Interstate pollution
transport.
     Section 110(a)(2)(D)(ii) (in part): Interstate pollution
abatement and international air pollution.
     Section 110(a)(2)(E): Adequate resources and authority,
conflict of interest, and oversight of local and regional government
agencies.
     Section 110(a)(2)(F): Stationary source monitoring and
reporting.
     Section 110(a)(2)(G): Emergency episodes.
     Section 110(a)(2)(H): SIP revisions.
     Section 110(a)(2)(J) (in part): Consultation with
government officials, public notification, PSD, and visibility
protection.
     Section 110(a)(2)(K): Air quality modeling and submittal
of modeling data.
     Section 110(a)(2)(L): Permitting fees.
     Section 110(a)(2)(M): Consultation/participation by
affected local entities.

B. Proposed Partial Disapprovals

    EPA proposes to partially disapprove California's Infrastructure
SIP Submittals with respect to the NAAQS identified for each of the
following infrastructure SIP requirements (details of the partial
disapprovals are presented after this list):
     Section 110(a)(2)(C) (in part): Program for enforcement of
control measures and regulation of new and modified stationary sources
(due to prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) program
deficiencies in certain air districts).
     Section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II) (in part): Interstate
pollution transport (due to PSD program deficiencies in certain air
districts).
     Section 110(a)(2)(D)(ii) (in part): Interstate pollution
abatement and international air pollution.
     Section 110(a)(2)(J) (in part): Consultation with
government officials, public notification, PSD, and visibility
protection (due to PSD program deficiencies in certain air districts).
    These partial disapprovals are for districts in California that do
not have fully SIP-approved PSD programs. The disapprovals will not
create any new consequences for these districts or the EPA as the
districts already implement the EPA's federal PSD program at 40 CFR
52.21, pursuant to delegation agreements, for all regulated NSR
pollutants. They will also not create any new highway sanctions, which
are not triggered by disapprovals of infrastructure SIPs.
    At this time, the EPA is not acting on the interstate transport
requirements of 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I), which prohibits emission sources
from contributing significantly to nonattainment, or interfering with
maintenance, of the NAAQS in another state. The EPA will propose action
on the interstate transport requirements for the 2015 ozone NAAQS in a
separate notice.

C. The EPA's Evaluation of California's Submittal

    We have evaluated California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP and the
existing provisions of the California SIP for compliance with the
infrastructure SIP requirements of CAA section 110(a)(2) and applicable
regulations in 40 CFR part 51 (``Requirements for Preparation,
Adoption, and Submittal of State Implementation Plans'').
1. CAA Section 110(a)(2)(A)--Emission Limits and Other Control Measures
a. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements
    Section 110(a)(2)(A) requires SIPs to ``include enforceable
emission limitations and other control measures, means, or techniques
(including economic incentives such as fees, marketable permits, and
auctions of emissions rights), as well as schedules and timetables for
compliance, as may be necessary or appropriate to meet the applicable
requirements of this Act.''
    In the 2013 Infrastructure SIP Guidance, the EPA states that a
submittal meets the requirements of CAA section 110(a)(2)(A) if it
identifies ``existing EPA-approved SIP provisions or new SIP provisions
that the air agency has adopted and submitted for EPA approval that
limit emissions of pollutants relevant to the subject NAAQS, including
precursors of the relevant NAAQS pollutant where applicable.''
    VOC and NOX are precursors to ozone formation across all
source categories. Their emissions are grouped into two general
categories: Stationary sources and mobile sources. Stationary sources
are further divided into ``point'' and ``area'' sources. Point sources
typically refer to permitted facilities that have one or more
identified and fixed pieces of equipment and emissions points.
Stationary area sources are many smaller point sources, and include
sources that have internal combustion engines, and gasoline dispensing
facilities (gas stations). Area sources consist of widespread and
numerous smaller emission sources, such as small permitted facilities
and households. The mobile sources category can be divided into two
major subcategories: ``on-road'' and ``off-road'' mobile sources. On-
road mobile sources include light-duty automobiles, light-, medium-,
and heavy-duty trucks, and motorcycles. Off-road mobile sources include
aircraft, locomotives, construction equipment, mobile equipment, and
recreational vehicles.
b. Summary of the State's Submission
    In its 2018 submittal, California describes different regulatory
authorities in California involving state, local, and federal
governments. The submittal explains that the state agency, California
Air Resources Board (CARB), has authority to adopt and implement
controls for on-road and off-road mobile sources, as well as for the
fuels that power them. CARB also has authority to regulate consumer
products. Local air pollution control districts have authority to adopt
and implement controls for stationary sources and small local
businesses. If a district fails to meet its responsibilities, CARB is
authorized to act in its stead. Some of CARB's authorities also
complement federal control measures, such as standards for fuels and
vehicles that the EPA establishes. Although CARB acknowledges that
several areas in California have not yet met the ozone standards, it
notes that current and future regulations implemented under state and
local authority will enable continued progress towards attaining those
standards.
    CARB describes how it has regulated a wide range of mobile sources,
including heavy-duty trucks and passenger vehicles that are already in
use. CARB has also regulated fuels. In the submittal, CARB states that
these regulations have reduced emissions from vehicles and off-road
sources such as lawn and garden equipment,

recreational vehicles and boats, and construction equipment.
    Starting with mobile sources, California states that its stringent
motor vehicle and fuel standards, in-use rules, and inspection programs
such as Smog Check and heavy-duty truck inspections have resulted in
cars and trucks that are 99 percent and 98 percent cleaner,
respectively, than their uncontrolled counterparts. In addition, CARB
describes its emission standards for off-road sources and states that
it has collaborated with the EPA to regulate sources subject to a
combination of state and federal authority, as exemplified by
locomotive engine standards and low-sulfur diesel fuel standards for
near-shore ships.
    With respect to stationary sources and small local businesses, CARB
states that emission limits are achieved through a combination of
prohibitory rules establishing emission limits by facility type,
permits specifying equipment use and operating parameters, and an NSR
program that allows industrial growth while mitigating environmental
impacts. Examples of facilities regulated under such district programs
include refineries, manufacturing facilities, cement plants,
refinishing operations, electrical generation and biomass facilities,
boilers, and generators.\10\ The state then provides examples of SIP-
approved emission control measures for VOCs (listed as hydrocarbons, or
HC) and NOX.\11\
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    \10\ California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP, 6.
    \11\ Id. at 7, Table 3.
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    Finally, CARB notes that all EPA-approved SIP provisions that limit
emissions of ozone precursors, along with all other pollutants, are
listed online at the website https://www.epa.gov/sips-ca. These rules,
along with others mentioned in California's submittal, are discussed
further in our evaluation section below.
c. The EPA's Review of the State's Submission
    California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP broadly describes, and
provides examples of, the emission limitations employed by the State
and air districts to achieve emission reductions that will help areas
within the State attain and maintain the 2015 ozone NAAQS. The
submittal also includes the table below with specific examples of
measures that control emissions of ozone precursors. Some emissions
control one precursor, while others control multiple precursors and may
also control other pollutants that are not affected by the 2015 ozone
NAAQS. The control measures in this table reflect the authorities of
state and local air agencies in a variety of geographic areas in
California. These measures control the ozone precursors of HCs, VOCs,
and NOX. The state-level regulations reflect state authority
to regulate emissions from vehicles and fuels and to regulate consumer
products. The local air district regulations reflect local authority to
regulate stationary sources, such as boilers and cement kilns, as well
as stationary area sources like confined animal feeding operations.
Additional examples of rules that control ozone precursor emissions
were discussed in the EPA's Overarching Technical Support Document \12\
for our 2016 final action on California's Infrastructure SIP Submission
for the 2008 ozone NAAQS.
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    \12\ California Infrastructure SIP Overarching Technical Support
Document, U.S. EPA, Region 9 (September 2014).

                     Table 1--Examples of California SIP-Approved Emission Control Measures
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                                        Pollutant or precursor
           Rule description             emission  controlled a  Rule/regulation  number      Federal Register
                                                                           b                     citation
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Exhaust Emissions Standards and Test   HC, NOX, PM, CO........  State Regulation 13 CCR  75 FR 26653.
 Procedures--1985 & Subsequent Model                             1956.8.
 Heavy-Duty Engines and Vehicles.
Exhaust Emissions Standards and Test   HC, NOX, PM, CO........  State Regulation 13 CCR  75 FR 26653.
 Procedures--2004 & Subsequent Model                             1961.
 Passenger Cars, Light-Duty Trucks,
 and Medium-Duty Vehicles.
California Reformulated Gasoline       HC, SOX................  State Regulation 13 CCR  60 FR 43379, 75 FR
 Regulations.                                                    2250-2297.               26653.
Regulations for Large Spark-Ignition   HC, NOX................  State Regulation 13 CCR  80 FR 76468.
 Engines and Off-Road Large Spark                                2433, 13 CCR 2775-
 Ignition Engine Fleet Requirements.                             2775.2.
Consumer Products....................  VOC....................  State Regulation, 17     77 FR 7535.
                                                                 CCR Subchapter 8.5,
                                                                 Article 2.
RECLAIM (Regional Clean Air            NOX....................  South Coast AQMD Rule    80 FR 43176.
 Incentives Market) Program.                                     2002.
NOX Emissions from Natural Gas Fired,  NOX....................  South Coast AQMD Rule    81 FR 17390.
 Fan-Type Central Furnace.                                       1111.
Crude Oil Production Sumps...........  HC.....................  San Joaquin Valley APCD  77 FR 64227.
                                                                 Rule 4402.
Confined Animal Facility Operations..  VOC....................  San Joaquin Valley APCD  77 FR 2228.
                                                                 Rule 4570.
Portland Cement Kilns................  NOX....................  Mojave Desert AQMD Rule  68 FR 9015.
                                                                 1161.
Glass Melting Furnaces...............  VOC, NOX...............  Mojave Desert AQMD Rule  77 FR 39181.
                                                                 1165.
Transfer of Gasoline into Vehicle      HC.....................  Sacramento Metro AQMD    78 FR 898.
 Fuel Tanks.                                                     Rule 449.
Stationary Internal Combustion         NOX....................  Sacramento Metro AQMD    61 FR 18962.
 Engines Located at Major Stationary                             Rule 412.
 Sources of NOX.
NOX and CO from Boilers, Steam         NOX....................  Bay Area AQMD Rule 10..  73 FR 17896.
 Generators and Process Heaters in
 Petroleum Refineries.
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\a\ HC = hydrocarbons; NOX = oxides of nitrogen; PM = particulate matter; CO = carbon monoxide; SOX = oxides of
  sulfur; VOC = volatile organic compounds, SO2 = sulfur dioxide.
\b\ CCR = California Code of Regulations, AQMD = Air Quality Management District, APCD = Air Pollution Control
  District.

    In sum, the state and local emission limit provisions in the
California SIP, including those cited in California's 2018 Submittal,
for mobile, area, and stationary sources address a wide variety of
sources and are extensive. The NOX and VOC emission limits
serve to limit ambient ozone concentrations, which will help all areas
in the State attain and maintain the 2015 ozone NAAQS. We therefore
propose to find that the SIP-approved emission limits discussed in
California's Infrastructure SIP Submittals and in this notice provide
an adequate basis to conclude that California meets the requirements of
CAA section 110(a)(2)(A) for the 2015 ozone NAAQS.

2. CAA Section 110(a)(2)(B)--Ambient Air Quality Monitoring/Data System
a. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements
    Section 110(a)(2)(B) of the CAA requires SIPs to ``provide for
establishment and operation of appropriate devices, methods, systems,
and procedures necessary to--(i) monitor, compile, and analyze data on
ambient air quality, and (ii) upon request, make such data available to
the Administrator.''
    In the 2013 Infrastructure SIP Guidance, the EPA states that a
submittal meets the requirements of CAA section 110(a)(2)(B) if it
cites its authority to perform air quality monitoring, collect air
quality data, and submit that data to the EPA, and provides a narrative
description of how those provisions meet the requirements. The guidance
notes that some authorizing provisions may provide general authority
that includes monitoring activities. In the 2013 Infrastructure SIP
Guidance, the EPA also notes that, for new or revised NAAQS, submittals
should describe how the state will meet changes in monitoring
requirements.
b. Summary of the State's Submission
    In its 2018 Infrastructure SIP, California cites its overall
authority to implement air quality control programs in Health and
Safety Code (HSC) 39602. CARB also cites HSC 39607(a) and 39607(c) as
the provisions that authorize it to collect air quality data and to
monitor air pollutants in cooperation with local agencies, including
local air districts.\13\ Although these provisions are not SIP-
approved, they direct the state to ``[e]stablish a program to secure
data on air quality in each air basin'' and to ``[m]onitor air
pollutants in cooperation with districts and with other agencies.''
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    \13\ California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP, 8.
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    In its submittal, California goes on to describe the state's
monitoring network and requirements. CARB notes that over 700 monitors
operate at over 250 sites in the State and that current information
about individual monitors, and the data the monitors collect, are
available on CARB's website. The data are also reported to the EPA's
Air Quality System.
    CARB describes how it and local districts conduct annual
evaluations of the adequacy of the monitoring networks in annual
network monitoring reports submitted to the EPA. Ten districts submit
their own reports, and CARB submits a report that covers the remaining
25 districts. The reports provide information about monitoring
locations and data collected at those sites. Types of monitoring
conducted at these sites include ``State and Local Air Monitoring
sites, National Core multi-pollutant monitoring stations, Chemical
Speciation Network sites, Special Purpose Monitoring sites, and
Photochemical Assessment Monitoring sites operated by CARB and the
districts, as well as other data providers such as the National Park
Service in more than 30 Core Based Statistical Areas.'' \14\ The EPA
approves the reports and provides information on areas where the
network can be improved. CARB explains that data that are collected for
federal purposes are measured using EPA-approved methods and that they
are subject to the quality assurance and siting requirements of 40 CFR
part 58.
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    \14\ Id. at 9.
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    The 2018 Infrastructure SIP submission notes that the 2015 ozone
standard did not establish new monitoring requirements, and states that
the current network is adequate to continue monitoring for attainment
status with the new standard.
c. The EPA's Review of the State's Submission
    In its 2018 submittal, CARB cites HSC section 39602 for overarching
SIP authority, and HSC sections 39607(a) and (c) for specific authority
to establish air quality monitoring with the air districts. CARB also
describes California's network of monitors, how data are collected and
made publicly available online, and how data are submitted to the EPA
annually. We propose to find that California's provisions for
monitoring and data collection provide adequate authority to monitor
ambient air quality for purposes of CAA section 110(a)(2)(B) with
respect to the 2015 ozone NAAQS.
    With respect to California's compliance with the federal regulatory
requirements relevant for section 110(a)(2)(B), we reviewed
California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP in conjunction with California's
2019 Annual Network Plans (ANPs) and the EPA response letters to those
plans. As California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP notes, CARB and ten
districts submit ANPs to the EPA every year. The most recent ANPs
California was required to submit to the EPA were for the year 2019.
The EPA has approved all of the 2019 ANPs, and they are included in the
docket for this action, along with the EPA's response letters.
Consequently, California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP, along with its 2017
ANPs, provide an adequate basis for the EPA to propose approval with
respect to CAA section 110(a)(2)(B).
3. CAA Section 110(a)(2)(C)--Program for Enforcement of Control
Measures and for Construction or Modification of Stationary Sources
a. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements
    Section 110(a)(2)(C) requires that each SIP ``include a program to
provide for the enforcement of the measures described in [section
110(a)(2)(A)], and regulation of the modification and construction of
any stationary source within the areas covered by the plan as necessary
to assure that [NAAQS] are achieved, including a permit program as
required in parts C and D [of title I of the Act].''
    In the 2013 Infrastructure SIP guidance, the EPA states, ``[t]his
element consists of three sub-elements; enforcement, state-wide
regulation of new and modified minor sources and minor modifications of
major sources; and preconstruction permitting of major sources and
major modifications in areas designated attainment or unclassifiable
for the subject NAAQS as required by CAA title I part C (i.e., the
major source PSD program).'' The EPA's guidance also explains that the
element C requirement for infrastructure SIPs to comply with CAA title
I part C requirements encompasses all regulated NSR pollutants, not
just the 2015 ozone NAAQS.
i. Enforcement
    With respect to the requirement to include a program to provide for
the enforcement of control measures, the EPA is evaluating the state's
general enforcement authorities to determine whether they have been
approved into California's SIP and whether they adequately provide for
SIP enforcement statewide. In the 2013 Infrastructure SIP Guidance, the
EPA states, ``To satisfy this subelement, an infrastructure SIP
submission should identify the statutes, regulations, or other
provisions in the existing SIP (or new provisions that are submitted as
part of the infrastructure SIP to be incorporated into the SIP) that
provide for enforcement of those emission limits and control measures
that the air agency has identified in its submission for purposes of
satisfying Element A.''
ii. PSD Permitting
    The EPA is also evaluating whether California has a complete PSD
permitting program in place covering the requirements for all NAAQS
pollutants. The PSD program applies to

any new major source or a source making a major modification in an
attainment area. The program requirements include installation of the
best available control technology (BACT), an air quality analysis, an
additional impacts analysis, and public involvement. For the purposes
of infrastructure SIPs, the EPA evaluates whether state PSD programs
address the following ``structural elements'': (1) Provisions
identifying NOX as an ozone precursor consistent with the
requirements of the EPA's Phase 2 implementation rule for the 1997 8-
hour ozone NAAQS; \15\ (2) provisions to regulate PM2.5,
including condensable PM, and its precursor emissions (SO2
in all areas, and NOX and/or VOC as appropriate), consistent
with the requirements of the EPA's NSR/PSD implementation rule for the
1997 PM2.5 NAAQS; \16\ and (3) provisions to regulate
Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) consistent with the EPA's regulations to
implement the PSD program for GHGs, including ``Prevention of
Significant Deterioration and Title V Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule,''
\17\ and ``Limitation of Approval of Prevention of Significant
Deterioration Provisions Concerning Greenhouse Gas Emitting-Sources in
State Implementation Plans,'' \18\ as applicable.
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    \15\ 70 FR 71611 (November 29, 2005) (codified at 40 CFR
51.166(b)(1)(ii), (b)(2)(ii), (b)(23)(i), (b)(49)(i)).
    \16\ 73 FR 28321 (May 16, 2008) (codified at 40 CFR
51.166(b)(23)(i), (b)(49)(i), (b)(49)(vi)).
    \17\ 75 FR 31514 (June 3, 2010).
    \18\ 75 FR 82535 (December 30, 2010).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

iii. Minor NSR
    With respect to the requirement to include a program that provides
for regulation of the modification and construction of stationary
sources, the EPA is evaluating whether California has existing EPA-
approved SIP provisions for Minor NSR for the 2015 ozone NAAQS. The
Minor NSR program applies to a new minor source and/or a minor
modification at both major and minor sources, in both attainment and
nonattainment areas. Major sources are facilities that have the
potential to emit pollutants in amounts equal to or greater than the
corresponding major source threshold levels. These threshold levels
vary by pollutant and/or source category. Major sources must comply
with specific emission limits, which are generally more stringent in
nonattainment areas. Minor sources are facilities that have the
potential to emit pollutants in amounts less than the corresponding
major source thresholds.
    Under the Minor NSR program, new sources or modifications at
existing sources must comply with any emissions control measures
required by the state. The program must not interfere with attainment
or maintenance of the NAAQS or the control strategies of a SIP or
tribal implementation plan (TIP).
b. Summary of the State's Submission
i. Enforcement
    California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP describes three provisions of
the state HSC that provide CARB and air districts with enforcement
authority. HSC section 40001(a) states, ``Subject to the powers and
duties of the state board, the districts shall adopt and enforce rules
and regulations to achieve and maintain the state and federal ambient
air quality standards in all areas affected by emission sources under
their jurisdiction, and shall enforce all applicable provisions of
state and federal law.'' HSC section 40000 gives CARB the authority to
regulate mobile sources and local air districts the authority to
regulate all other sources. California's HSC thus provides for the
control of all types of sources and for the enforcement of those
controls. In addition, HSC section 39002 gives local and regional
authorities primary responsibility for control of air pollution from
all sources other than vehicular sources.
ii. PSD Permitting
    In its 2018 Infrastructure SIP, CARB explains that districts have
the authority to adopt and enforce PSD permitting programs under HSC
section 40000. The state explains that PSD applies statewide for new
major sources or major modifications to existing major sources of
NO2, SO2 and CO because all areas in California
are designated as attainment or unclassifiable for each NAAQS for those
pollutants. PSD also applies in areas that are attainment or
unclassifiable for the other NAAQS. A spreadsheet \19\ listing the
attainment status of California air districts for all NAAQS is included
in the docket for this rulemaking. PSD permits can be issued by local
districts, the EPA, or both.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \19\ EPA Region IX, Spreadsheet of Nonattainment Areas in
California Air Districts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The submittal includes a table from the EPA's website listing
districts that have SIP-approved PSD permit programs. The table
indicates that 14 districts have PSD programs that are approved into
the SIP: Bay Area,\20\ Butte County,\21\ Eastern Kern,\22\ Feather
River,\23\ Great Basin,\24\ Imperial County,\25\ Monterey Bay,\26\
Placer County,\27\ Sacramento Metro,\28\ San Joaquin Valley,\29\ San
Luis Obispo,\30\ Santa Barbara,\31\ Yolo-Solano,\32\ and Ventura.\33\
At the time of CARB's submission of the 2018 Infrastructure SIP,
Sacramento Metro was incorrectly listed on the EPA's website as having
a fully SIP-approved PSD program. Sacramento Metro, along with four
other air districts (Mendocino, North Coast, Northern Sonoma, and South
Coast) operate PSD programs under a partial Federal Implementation Plan
(FIP) and are not completely SIP-approved. The website has since been
corrected.\34\ The remaining 17 districts in California operate either
partially or fully under a FIP, and do not have full SIP-approved PSD
programs. Therefore, 22 air districts in California do not fully meet
the PSD requirements of element C.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \20\ 83 FR 23372 (May 21, 2018).
    \21\ 80 FR 69880 (November 12, 2015).
    \22\ 77 FR 73316 (December 10, 2012).
    \23\ 80 FR 69880.
    \24\ Id.
    \25\ 77 FR 73316.
    \26\ 80 FR 15899 (March 26, 2015).
    \27\ 77 FR 73316.
    \28\ 76 FR 43183 (July 20, 2011).
    \29\ 77 FR 65305 (October 26, 2012).
    \30\ 80 FR 69880.
    \31\ 80 FR 69880.
    \32\ 77 FR 73316.
    \33\ 82 FR 13243 (March 10, 2017).
    \34\ https://www.epa.gov/caa-permitting/air-permit-delegation-and-psd-sip-approval-status-epa-region-9#ca (last visited on
September 14, 2020).
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iii. Minor NSR
    For Minor NSR programs, California reiterates that local districts
are responsible for regulating stationary sources in California under
HSC 39002 and 40000. CARB explains that this responsibility extends to
implementing a Minor NSR program, and that all 35 California air
districts administer their own Minor NSR programs. CARB also explains
that many of the NSR rules are SIP-approved and explains that
information about the approval status of those rules is available from
the EPA.
c. The EPA's Review of the State's Submission
i. Enforcement
    California described HSC sections 39002, 40000, and 40001 in its
2018 Infrastructure SIP submittal. These three provisions provide
authority to CARB and local air districts to enforce the emission
limits on mobile and stationary sources which were described in element
A.
    In addition to the three authority provisions cited in California's
2018 Infrastructure SIP, CARB has identified other statutory
enforcement authorities in previous submittals. These include

HSC 40752, which requires the air pollution control officers for each
air district to observe and enforce rules, regulations, and permit
conditions, and HSC 40753, which gives air pollution control officers
authority to enforce certain air pollution-related provisions of
California's Vehicular Code. They also included the provisions of HSC
section 42400 et seq., which establish criminal and civil penalties for
violations of state and district rules, regulations, and permits.
Further, the EPA's proposal to approve California's previous
infrastructure SIP identified additional statutory provisions that
relate to inspection and enforcement authority at the state and
district level. It also identified numerous SIP-approved state and
local rules that provide CARB and the air districts with authority to
enforce SIP-approved emissions limits on various types of sources.
These measures are described in the EPA's Overarching Technical Support
Document for the EPA's action on California's previous Infrastructure
SIP submission.\35\ Some of the enforcement authorities apply broadly,
while others are specific to the SIP-approved rules they address. For
example, Lassen County APCD's agricultural burning rule cites the
penalty provisions of HSC 42400 and establishes procedures for
documenting violations of that rule. San Joaquin Valley APCD's rules
1040 and 1050 are general enforcement and penalty provisions that
incorporate the enforcement authorities and penalty provisions of the
state HSC into district rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \35\ California Infrastructure SIP Overarching Technical Support
Document, U.S. EPA, Region 9 (September 2014).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Based on the provisions cited in California's 2018 Infrastructure
SIP and the SIP-approved provisions discussed in the EPA's previous
action on California's multi-pollutant infrastructure SIP, we propose
to approve California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP submittal with respect
to the requirement in section 110(a)(2)(C) to include a program to
provide for the enforcement of control measures.
ii. PSD Permitting
    For the 13 local air districts with EPA-approved PSD programs, we
are proposing to partially approve California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP
for the PSD portion of 110(a)(2)(C). This represents an increase from
the EPA's 2016 final action on California's previous infrastructure
SIP, when only seven air districts met the PSD requirements.\36\ These
districts' PSD programs met all of the structural elements, in addition
to other requirements for PSD rule approval, and were fully approved
into the SIP.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \36\ 81 FR 18766 at 18772 (April 1, 2016).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Of the remaining 22 local air districts, five are subject to a
partial FIP, which means their programs cover some, but not all, of the
structural elements. These are the Mendocino County, North Coast
Unified, Northern Sonoma County, Sacramento Metro, and South Coast air
district PSD programs. South Coast AQMD has a SIP-approved PSD program
for GHGs only, but it does not have a SIP-approved PSD program to
address the other two structural elements. Mendocino County AQMD,
Northern Sonoma County APCD, and Sacramento Metro AQMD each have PSD
programs that generally address the structural PSD elements, but
certain sources are subject to a FIP rather than the local PSD
program.\37\ In addition, the PSD program of North Coast Unified AQMD
is subject to a FIP to address deficiencies related to identifying
NOX as an ozone precursor and specifying requirements for
the regulation of PM2.5, PM2.5 precursors,
condensable PM2.5, or PSD increments for PM2.5.
None of the 17 remaining air districts in California have SIP-approved
PSD programs. Consequently, they do not meet any of the structural
elements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \37\ These sources are cogeneration and resource recovery
projects, projects with stack heights greater than 65 meters or that
use ``dispersion techniques'' as defined in 51.100 (which are major
sources or major modifications under 52.21), and sources for which
the EPA has issued permits under 52.21 for which applications were
received by July 31, 1985.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For the 22 local air districts that do not meet each of the
structural PSD elements for all criteria pollutants, we are proposing
to partially disapprove California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP for the
PSD-related requirements of CAA section 110(a)(2)(C). However, because
each of these districts is already subject to a PSD FIP for each of the
specific deficiencies, a final action of this proposed partial
disapproval will not trigger any new obligation for the EPA to
promulgate a FIP.
iii. Minor NSR
    In the EPA's final rule approving California's previous
infrastructure SIP, we determined that all California air districts had
SIP-approved minor source permit programs that require minor sources to
obtain a permit prior to construction. These Minor NSR programs cover
all NAAQS through a broad definition of the term ``air contaminants.''
The EPA's approvals are codified at 40 CFR 52.220 and have not been
removed or replaced. Some local program rules have been updated; a
table of those rules and their citations is included in the docket for
this rulemaking.\38\ Because all districts in California continue to
have approved minor source permit programs, the EPA proposes to approve
the 2018 Infrastructure SIP for the Minor NSR requirements of element
C.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \38\ EPA Region IX, Spreadsheet of California Minor NSR
Programs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. CAA Section 110(a)(2)(D)--Interstate and International Air Pollution
a. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements
    The requirements of CAA section 110(a)(2)(D) can be broken down
into six sub-elements. The EPA refers to the first four of these sub-
elements as ``prongs.'' Prongs 1 and 2, which include the requirements
of CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I), prohibit emission sources from
contributing significantly to nonattainment, or interfering with
maintenance, of the NAAQS in another state. The EPA is not evaluating
California's 2018 Submittal against those requirements at this time and
will propose action on the interstate transport requirements for the
2015 ozone NAAQS in a separate notice.
    CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II) requires SIPs to include provisions
prohibiting any source or other type of emissions activity in one state
from interfering with measures required of any other state to prevent
significant deterioration of air quality (Prong 3) or from interfering
with measures required of any other state to protect visibility in
Class I areas (Prong 4). The EPA's 2006 Transport Guidance states that
the requirements of interstate transport Prong 3 may be met by the
state's confirmation in a SIP submission that major sources and major
modifications in the state are subject to PSD and nonattainment NSR
programs that implement the relevant standards.\39\ The EPA's
subsequent guidance memos rely or expand upon the legal and technical
rationale presented in the 2006 Transport Guidance.\40\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \39\ 2006 Transport Guidance, 6.
    \40\ 2009 Infrastructure SIP Guidance, 4-5, and 2013
Infrastructure SIP Guidance, 30-32.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Therefore, to meet the requirements of Prong 3 in section
110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II) regarding measures to prevent significant
deterioration of air quality, states may submit infrastructure SIPs
confirming that major sources and major modifications in the state are
subject to comprehensive EPA-approved PSD programs and nonattainment
NSR programs that address the NAAQS

pollutants for areas of the state that have been designated
nonattainment. States waiting for EPA action on their nonattainment NSR
programs may implement 40 CFR part 51 Appendix S to meet this
infrastructure SIP requirement.
    Prong 4 of section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II) prohibits emissions activity
within one state from interfering with measures required in another
state to protect visibility. In the 2013 Infrastructure SIP Guidance,
the EPA indicates that states can meet the requirements of Prong 4 by
having an approved SIP that fully meets the EPA's regulations for
regional haze.
    The fifth and sixth sub-elements under 110(a)(2)(D) concern the
interstate pollution abatement requirements of CAA section 126 and the
international transport requirements of CAA section 115. In the EPA's
2013 Infrastructure SIP Guidance, the EPA states that this sub-element
is satisfied when an infrastructure SIP ensures compliance with the
applicable requirements of CAA sections 126(a), 126(b) and 126(c), and
115.
b. Summary of the State's Submission
    For Prong 3, California states in its 2018 submittal that the
requirement to prevent states from interfering with the ability of
other states to prevent significant deterioration of air quality can be
satisfied by SIP-approved PSD programs and SIP-approved nonattainment
NSR programs. CARB states that, as described in the submission for
element C, 14 districts have SIP-approved PSD programs. However, as
noted earlier in this notice, only 13 districts have SIP-approved PSD
programs. CARB also notes that many districts in California have SIP-
approved nonattainment NSR programs. For Prong 4, CARB states that the
EPA fully approved California's Regional Haze SIP in June 2011.\41\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \41\ 76 FR 34608 (June 14, 2011).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For the requirements of 110(a)(2)(D)(ii) concerning interstate
pollution abatement and international transport, CARB states in its
submittal that no CAA 126 petitions have been filed by other states
against California regarding emissions from any source or group of
stationary sources that cause or would cause or contribute to
violations of the NAAQS in the petitioning state. With respect to the
international pollution abatement provisions of CAA section 115, CARB
states that the EPA Administrator has not made any findings that
California causes or contributes to air pollution in a foreign country
that may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or
welfare.
c. The EPA's Review of the State's Submission
    In the 2013 Infrastructure SIP Guidance, the EPA explains its
interpretation of Prong 3 ``to mean that the infrastructure SIP
submission should have provisions to prevent emissions of any regulated
pollutant from interfering with any other air agency's comprehensive
PSD permitting program, in addition to the new or revised NAAQS that is
the subject of the infrastructure submission.'' It also notes that,
since nonattainment NSR requirements are due after infrastructure SIPs
for new and revised NAAQS, ``a fully approved nonattainment NSR program
with respect to any previous NAAQS may generally be considered by the
EPA as adequate for purposes of meeting the requirement of prong 3 with
respect to sources and pollutants subject to such program.'' Because
all districts in California are in attainment for at least one NAAQS, a
SIP-approved PSD program is necessary to meet the requirements of Prong
3. In areas that are nonattainment for any NAAQS, a prior SIP-approved
nonattainment NSR program is also required. A spreadsheet listing the
attainment status of all California air districts for all NAAQS is
included in the docket for this rulemaking.\42\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \42\ EPA Region IX, Spreadsheet of Nonattainment Areas in
California Air Districts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To determine whether California meets the Prong 3 requirements, we
analyzed the attainment status of each district for all NAAQS to
determine whether they are required to have SIP-approved PSD programs,
SIP-approved nonattainment NSR programs, or both.
    Nine districts have both SIP-approved PSD programs and SIP-approved
nonattainment NSR programs: Bay Area, Butte, Eastern Kern, Feather
River, Imperial, Placer, San Joaquin, Ventura, and Yolo-Solano. San
Luis Obispo has a SIP-approved PSD program and submitted a 2008 ozone
nonattainment NSR rule that has not yet been approved by the EPA, so
the district relies on 40 CFR part 51 Appendix S for permitting of
sources that emit ozone precursors.\43\ We propose to fully approve
these 10 districts for the requirements of element D, Prong 3.
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    \43\ Letter dated September 25, 2019, from Dora K. Drexler,
Manager, Engineering & Compliance Division, San Luis Obispo County
Air Pollution Control District, to Gerardo Rios, Chief, Air Permits
Office, EPA Region IX.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Three additional districts, Great Basin, Monterey Bay, and Santa
Barbara, have SIP-approved PSD programs. Monterey Bay and Santa Barbara
are in attainment with all NAAQS, so their PSD programs alone are
sufficient to meet the requirements of Prong 3. Great Basin is a
nonattainment area for PM10 that has a previously approved
nonattainment NSR program, which satisfies the requirements of Prong 3.
We propose to fully approve these three districts for the requirements
of element D, Prong 3.
    Twelve districts have SIP-approved nonattainment NSR programs or
are using Appendix S, but do not have a SIP-approved PSD program
covering all pollutants. These districts are Amador,\44\ Antelope
Valley, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mariposa,\45\ Mojave Desert, Northern
Sierra,\46\ Sacramento Metro, San Diego, South Coast, Tehama,\47\ and
Tuolumne.\48\ We propose to partially disapprove these 12 districts for
the PSD requirements of element D, Prong 3. Because these districts
already implement the EPA's PSD FIP, there are no further consequences
and no further FIP obligations on the EPA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \44\ Letter dated September 17, 2019, from Jim McHargue, Air
Pollution Control Officer, Amador Air District, to Gerardo Rios,
Chief, Air Permits Office, EPA Region IX.
    \45\ Letter dated August 23, 2019, from Eric Sergienko,
Director, Mariposa County Air Pollution Control District, to Gerardo
Rios, Chief, Air Permits Office, EPA Region IX.
    \46\ Letter dated August 27, 2019, from Gretchen Bennitt,
Executive Director, Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District,
to Gerardo Rios, Chief, Air Permits Office, EPA Region IX.
    \47\ Letter dated September 27, 2019, from Joseph Tona, County
of Tehama Air Pollution Control District, to Gerardo Rios, Chief,
Air Permits Office, EPA Region IX.
    \48\ Letter dated November 4, 2019, from Kelle Schroeder, Air
Pollution Control Officer, County of Tuolumne, to Gerardo Rios,
Chief, Air Permits Office, EPA Region IX.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Ten districts are in attainment for all NAAQS and have no SIP-
approved PSD programs in place. These districts are Colusa, Glenn,
Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, North Coast, Northern Sonoma, Shasta,
and Siskiyou. Because these districts are not nonattainment for any
NAAQS, nonattainment NSR requirements do not apply. However, because
these districts all implement the EPA's PSD FIP, they do not meet the
PSD requirements of element D, Prong 3. We propose to partially
disapprove these districts for element D, Prong 3. Because these
districts implement the EPA's PSD FIP, no further FIP obligation
applies.
    The requirements of Prong 4 relate to the Regional Haze Rule. The
EPA previously approved California's most recent SIP submittal for
Regional Haze.\49\ As noted in the EPA's 2013 Infrastructure SIP
Guidance, an

approved Regional Haze submittal meets the requirements for Prong 4. We
therefore propose to approve the 2018 Infrastructure SIP for the Prong
4 requirements of CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(II).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \49\ 76 FR 34608 (June 14, 2011).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    With respect to the requirement in CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)(ii)
regarding compliance with the applicable requirements of section 126
relating to interstate pollution abatement, we note that the
requirements of section 126(b) and (c), which pertain to petitions by
affected states to EPA regarding sources violating the interstate
transport provisions of CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)(i), do not apply to
our action because there are no such pending petitions relating to
California. We therefore concur with California in this regard and have
evaluated its 2018 Submittal only for purposes of compliance with CAA
section 126(a).
    Section 126(a) of the CAA requires that each SIP require that
proposed, major new or modified sources, which may significantly
contribute to violations of the NAAQS in any air quality control region
in other states, to notify all potentially affected, nearby states.
Many of California's 35 permitting jurisdictions (i.e., air districts)
have SIP-approved PSD permit programs that require notice to nearby
states consistent with the EPA's relevant requirements. Specifically,
the following air districts meet the requirements of CAA section
126(a): Bay Area, Butte, Eastern Kern, Feather River, Imperial, Placer,
San Joaquin, Ventura, Yolo-Solano, San Luis Obispo, Great Basin,
Monterey Bay, and Santa Barbara. We are proposing partial approval of
the 2018 Infrastructure SIP for these districts for the requirements of
CAA 110(a)(2)(D)(ii).
    The remaining air districts do not have fully SIP-approved PSD
programs covering all pollutants. Thus, California remains deficient
with respect to the PSD requirements in part C, title I of the Act and
with respect to the requirement in CAA section 126(a) regarding
notification to affected, nearby states of major new or modified
sources proposing to locate in these remaining air districts. We are
proposing partial disapproval of the 2018 Infrastructure SIP for the
requirements of 110(a)(2)(D)(ii) for Amador, Antelope Valley,
Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lake, Lassen, Mariposa, Mendocino,
Modoc, Mojave Desert, North Coast, Northern Sierra, Northern Sonoma,
Sacramento Metro, San Diego, Shasta, Siskiyou South Coast, Tehama, and
Tuolumne air districts. These deficiencies are, however, adequately
addressed with respect to all regulated NSR pollutants in such air
districts by the Federal PSD program in 40 CFR 52.21 and no further
action is required. For these reasons, we propose to find that the
California SIP partially meets, and partially does not meet the
requirement in CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)(ii) regarding compliance with
the applicable interstate pollution abatement requirements of CAA
section 126.
    Section 115 of the CAA authorizes the EPA Administrator to require
a state to revise its SIP when certain criteria are met and the
Administrator has reason to believe that any air pollutant emitted in
the United States causes or contributes to air pollution which may
reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare in a
foreign country. The Administrator may do so by giving formal
notification to the governor of the state in which the emissions
originate. Because no such formal notification has been made with
respect to emissions originating in California, as noted in
California's 2018 Submittal, the EPA has no reason to approve or
disapprove any existing state rules with regard to CAA section 115.
Therefore, we propose to find that the existing California SIP is
sufficient to satisfy the requirement in CAA section 110(a)(2)(D)(ii)
regarding compliance with the applicable requirements of section 115.
5. CAA Section 110(a)(2)(E)--Resources, Authority, and Oversight
a. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements
    Section 110(a)(2)(E) of the CAA requires SIPs to provide (i)
necessary assurances that the state (or, except where the Administrator
deems inappropriate, the general purpose local government or
governments, or a regional agency designated by the state or general
purpose local governments for such purpose) will have adequate
personnel, funding, and authority under state (and, as appropriate,
local) law to carry out such implementation plan (and is not prohibited
by any provision of federal or state law from carrying out such
implementation plan or portion thereof), (ii) requirements that the
state comply with the requirements regarding state boards under section
128, and (iii) necessary assurances that, where the state has relied on
a local or regional government, agency, or instrumentality for the
implementation of any plan provision, the state has responsibility for
ensuring adequate implementation of such plan provision.
    In the 2013 Infrastructure SIP Guidance, the EPA states that, in
order to meet the requirements of subelement (i) of 110(a)(2)(E) of the
CAA, infrastructure SIP submittals should identify the organizations
involved in developing, implementing, and enforcing EPA-approved SIP
provisions for the relevant NAAQS, and describe their responsibilities.
It also states that submittals should explain how resources, personnel,
and legal authority are adequate to meet any changes in resources
requirements that may be needed to meet the new or revised NAAQS.
    In order to address the requirements of subelement (ii) regarding
state boards under section 128, the provisions that implement section
128 need to be approved into the SIP. These provisions apply to any
board or body that has responsibility for approving permits or
enforcement orders or has authority to hear appeals of permits or
enforcement orders. Specifically, such boards or bodies must have at
least a majority of members who represent the public interest and do
not derive any significant portion of their income from persons subject
to CAA permits or enforcement orders. In addition, any potential
conflicts of interest by members of such board or body or the head of
an executive agency with similar powers must be adequately disclosed.
The EPA has previously approved California provisions that address
these conflict of interest requirements \50\ and is evaluating updates
to those provisions in this submittal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \50\ 81 FR 18766 (April 1, 2016).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In order to meet subelement (iii), states that have authorized
local or regional agencies to implement SIPs must provide necessary
assurances that the state air agency retains responsibility for
adequate SIP implementation of the relevant NAAQS, in this case the
2015 ozone NAAQS.
b. Summary of the State's Submission
    Regarding legal authority, CARB's 2018 Infrastructure SIP cites HSC
sections 39600 and 39602, which designate CARB as the authority
responsible for all air pollution control purposes set forth in federal
law. CARB also notes that HSC 39002 provides CARB authority to
implement control activities in areas where local or regional
authorities fail to meet their responsibilities under state law. In
previous submittals, CARB also described various HSC provisions that
give the state authority to regulate mobile sources, as well as
provisions that give districts the authority to regulate stationary
sources and

provisions that give other agencies, such as the California Department
of Pesticide Regulation, the authority to regulate other sources, such
as pesticides.\51\
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    \51\ California Infrastructure SIP Overarching Technical Support
Document, U.S. EPA, Region 9 (September 2014).
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    Regarding funding and personnel, California states that ``the 2017-
2018 CARB and district budgets totaled over $2.2 billion, with more
than 3,600 full-time equivalent staff positions.'' It explains that the
state legislature approves CARB's budget and staff resources every year
and that district governing boards approve local air district budgets.
CARB has the opportunity to present annual budget requests to meet the
requirements of the CAA through the legislative budget process. While
CARB cannot predict future levels of funding, it notes that CARB's
programs are mandated, that the agency has been funded through state
appropriations for three decades, and that the Budget Act of 2018
included $1.370 billion for CARB at the time of submission.
    CARB notes that a majority of its budget and district budgets go
toward meeting CAA requirements. It also explains that fees from
regulated entities make up a portion of CARB's budget and can only be
used for air pollution control. Revenues from fees and taxes related to
motor vehicles are also deposited into an account at the state level
and are required to be used for mitigation of air and sound emissions
from motor vehicles. At the district level, funding also comes from
fees from regulated entities, motor vehicle registration fees, grants,
and other sources.
    Regarding conflict of interest provisions, California's 2018
Submittal explains that Government Code (GC) 82048(a) and California
Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 2, section 18700 define ``public
officials'' and ``members'' of state or local government to include any
``individual who performs duties as part of a committee, board,
commission, group, or other body'' that possesses ``decisionmaking
authority'', including by making ``a final government decision.'' CARB
further explains that this broad definition encompasses the members of
hearing boards and local district boards, as well as air pollution
control officers, who approve permits or enforcement orders in
California.
    CARB also states that, under CCR, Title 2, section 18700, public
officials may not make, participate in or influence decisions in which
they have a foreseeable material financial interest. This financial
interest in a decision is defined in GC section 87103 as a material
effect on the public official, or his or her immediate family, that is
distinguishable from the financial effect on the public. According to
the state, ``section 87103 also provides that a public official has a
financial interest in a decision if it involves: a business or property
in which they have $2,000 or more invested; any source of income
amounting to $500 or more within a year; any business where they are a
director, officer, trustee, employee, or manager; or any donor who has
given them $250 or more within a year.'' \52\ CARB goes on to note that
GC section 87302 creates requirements for board members to file
disclosures of economic interests in order to disclose potential
conflicts of interest. This includes the regular filing of Form 700
statements, which are made public.
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    \52\ California's 2018 Submittal, 17.
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    In its 2018 Infrastructure SIP, CARB updated some of the conflict
of interest statutes that were previously submitted to the EPA.
Specifically, CCR, Title 2, section 18700 was changed to incorporate
certain conflict of interest requirements contained in the version of
section 18701 that was approved into the SIP in our 2016 action on
California's multi-pollutant Infrastructure SIP.\53\ Corresponding
parts of section 18701 were also removed. \54\ CARB's 2018 submittal
included the revised text of both sections 18700 and 18701.
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    \53\ 81 FR 18766 (April 1, 2016).
    \54\ See technical clarification dated March 21, 2019, from
Matthew Densberger, CARB, to Panah Stauffer, EPA Region IX. Subject:
California iSIP Conflict of Interest Provisions.
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c. The EPA's Review of the State's Submission
    California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP provides assurance that the
agencies charged with implementing federal clean air requirements have
the necessary authority and resources to do so. The EPA has previously
determined that these authorities comply with 40 CFR 51.240,\55\ and we
find that they continue to do so. While California's Infrastructure SIP
Submittals do not provide specific personnel and funding figures for
each of the state and district air agencies, the 2017-2018 total
figures of $2.2 billion with over 3,600 full-time equivalent staff
positions represent a very large investment towards fulfilling state
and federal clean air requirements and goals. The state also describes
funding that comes from the legislature, fees, state and federal grants
in its submittal. We conclude that the information on funding levels
and sources, as well as personnel levels, are a fair representation of
the state's resources and provide the necessary assurance of adequate
funding and personnel to implement the 2015 ozone NAAQS. Therefore, we
propose to find that California's 2018 Submittal meets the resource-
and authority-related requirements of CAA section 110(a)(2)(E)(i).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \55\ California Infrastructure SIP Overarching Technical Support
Document, U.S. EPA, Region 9 (September 2014).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    California's SIP submission includes GC statutes and California CCR
provisions that impose the requirements mandated by CAA section 128.
The EPA previously approved several versions of these provisions into
the SIP when it took final action on California's multi-pollutant
infrastructure SIP submittal in 2016.\56\
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    \56\ The provisions that were previously approved into the SIP
in 2016, which remain in the SIP and form part of the basis of our
proposed approval of California's 2015 Ozone SIP submission for the
conflict of interest requirements in CAA sections 110(a)(2)(E)(ii)
and 128, include California Government Code sections 82048, 87103,
and 87302.
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    In addition to referencing three provisions that the EPA relied
upon in its final approval of California's conflict of interest
requirements in 2016, the State has also included an updated version of
CCR, Title 2, section 18700, which maintains the key provisions of that
section and also incorporates language in CCR, Title 2, section 18701
that the EPA previously approved into the SIP. We are proposing to
approve the updated versions of CCR, Title 2, sections 18700 and 18701
into the SIP. These updated provisions continue to meet the conflict of
interest requirements of CAA sections 110(a)(2)(E)(ii) and 128.
    In our final approval of California's conflict of interest
requirements in 2016, the EPA concurred with California's
interpretation that ``those who approve permits or enforcement orders
within California . . . are `public officials' '' and, by extension,
that permits and enforcement orders fall within the meaning of
``governmental decision.'' \57\ The revised provisions of CCR, Title 2,
section 18700(a) continue to define public officials' disqualifying
financial interests based on reasonably foreseeable material financial
effects. The revised section 18700 also continues to refer to section
18703 to define specific levels of financial interest and income that
would constitute a disqualifying financial

interest for a public official. In addition, these limitations on a
public official's actions continue to be on-going, and a public
official must abide by them throughout his or her time as a public
official. Thus, the requirements of the revised section 18700 apply in
such a way that a board that acts on permits and/or enforcement orders
may never have a majority of persons that have a conflict of interest.
We find that the revised provisions of section 18700 meet the
requirements of CAA section 128(a)(1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \57\ California Infrastructure SIP Conflict of Interest
Technical Support Document, U.S. EPA, Region 9 (September 2014).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The requirements for disclosure in GC section 87302 have not
changed and continue to meet the requirements of CAA section 128(a)(2).
GC 87302 creates requirements for the conflict of interest codes for
local agencies, which must include initial and annual disclosures of
financial interests. Air districts may have their own agency conflict
of interest codes or may be governed by the conflict of interest
provisions in their county administrative codes, depending on the
geographic jurisdiction of the district. For example, San Joaquin
Valley APCD has its own conflict of interest code that incorporates by
reference the state conflict of interest regulations.\58\ This and
other air district codes identify which officials are required to file
under the conflict of interest provisions. Those officials include
district governing board members, hearing board members, and certain
employees. In addition, governing boards may be mostly or entirely
composed of elected officials, such as county supervisors and city
councilmembers. Such officials are specifically required to disclose
financial interests in the process of campaigning and being elected to
those offices by GC 87200. The statewide statutes and regulations
governing conflicts of interest ensure that air district boards and
employees disclose their financial interests.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \58\ https://www.valleyair.org/Board_meetings/GB/agenda_minutes/Agenda/2019/August/final/18.pdf and https://www.valleyair.org/Board_meetings/GB/agenda_minutes/Agenda/2019/June/final/25.pdf (last
visited on September 14, 2020).
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    Therefore, we propose to find that GC sections 82048, 87103, and
87302, in combination with the updated version of CCR, Title 2, section
18700, are adequate to meet the requirements of CAA section 128. We
also propose to approve the updated versions of CCR, Title 2, section
18700 and CCR, Title 2, section 18701 into the SIP to replace the
previous versions of CCR, Title 2, sections 18700 and 18701.
    Regarding oversight of local agencies, pursuant to CAA section
110(a)(2)(E)(iii), HSC section 41500(c) requires CARB to review air
district enforcement programs and determine whether ``reasonable action
is being taken to enforce their programs, rules, and regulations.'' In
turn, if CARB finds that a district is not taking reasonable action,
HSC section 41505 grants CARB the authority, after public hearing, to
exercise the district's powers to achieve and maintain the state and
federal ambient air quality standards. These provide the necessary
assurances that, where the State has relied on the air districts, CARB
retains responsibility for ensuring adequate implementation of the SIP.
We propose to find that HSC sections 41500(c) and 41505 provide the
State with adequate oversight authority as required under CAA section
110(a)(2)(E)(iii) and 40 CFR 51.232(b)(2).
6. CAA Section 110(a)(2)(F)--Stationary Source Monitoring and Reporting
a. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements
    CAA section 110(a)(2)(F) requires: (i) The installation,
maintenance, and replacement of equipment, and the implementation of
other necessary steps, by owners or operators of stationary sources to
monitor emissions from such sources, (ii) periodic reports on the
nature and amounts of emissions and emissions-related data from such
sources, and (iii) correlation of such reports by the state agency with
any emission limitations or standards established pursuant to the CAA,
which reports shall be available at reasonable times for public
inspection.
    Pursuant to 40 CFR 51.212, SIPs must provide for periodic testing
and inspection of stationary sources as well as enforceable test
methods for emission limits. In addition, plans must not preclude the
use of credible evidence of compliance to establish whether emission
standards have been violated. To meet these requirements, in the 2013
Infrastructure SIP Guidance the EPA indicates that SIP submissions
should describe the air agency programs for source testing, reference
the statutory authority for the air agency program, and certify the
absence of any provision preventing the use of any credible evidence.
    In addition, 40 CFR 51.211, 40 CFR 51.321-51.323, the EPA's Air
Emissions Reporting Rule, and 40 CFR 51.45(b) establish requirements
for states to receive emissions reports from stationary sources and to
submit periodic emission inventory reports to the EPA. In the 2013
Infrastructure SIP Guidance, the EPA notes that all states have
existing periodic source reporting and emission inventory practices, so
submittals may be able to certify existing air agency reporting
authority and requirements.
    Finally, 40 CFR 51.116 creates requirements for correlating source
emissions reports with emission limitations or standards based on
applicable test method(s) or averaging period(s). In the 2013
Infrastructure SIP Guidance, the EPA explains that submittals should
reference or include air agency requirements that provide for
correlation between estimated emissions and allowable emissions, as
well as the public availability of emission reports by sources.
b. Summary of the State's Submission
    In its 2018 submittal, CARB states that local districts are
responsible for developing stationary source emission monitoring and
reporting requirements. It cites HSC section 4001(a), which requires
districts to adopt and enforce regulations to maintain federal ambient
air quality standards, and HSC section 41511, which gives the state
board and the district authority to require stationary source owners to
determine the amount of emissions from their sources. For testing and
inspection of stationary sources, California notes that districts have
the authority to conduct inspections and take samples under HSC section
41510. Although CARB does not certify the absence of any provision
preventing the use of credible evidence in its 2018 submittal, it notes
that credible evidence includes the data from stationary source
emission monitoring rules.\59\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \59\ California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP, 18-19.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CARB says in its 2018 submittal that districts typically fulfill
the stationary source monitoring requirements by adopting regulations
that establish emission limits and reporting requirements, including
the requirements under the Air Emissions Reporting Requirements (AERR)
Rule. Under these rules, stationary source owners and operators must
determine the amount of pollutants emitted by their facilities. CARB
explains that these rules may be incorporated into the SIP after they
are adopted by the districts. California's submittal includes a table
of examples of SIP-approved local district rules that fulfill federal
monitoring and reporting requirements.\60\ These rules all require
continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) at stationary sources
and include requirements for stationary sources to report their
emissions or to maintain

emissions data and make them available to the local air district on
request.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \60\ California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP, 20.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    CARB goes on to explain that, while some districts have rules that
cover both monitoring and reporting, others have separate requirements
for stationary source reporting. A second table in the submittal \61\
provides examples of SIP-approved stationary source reporting rules.
These rules range from requiring sources to provide written emissions
statements to the local air district to making daily air monitoring
data public.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \61\ Id. at 22.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In addition to the rules listed in the tables in the submittals,
California's submittal includes links to two online databases. The
first is California's District Rules Database,\62\ which has stationary
source rules for all districts; the rules in this online database may
be SIP-approved. The second is the EPA's website listing state rules
that have been approved into the SIP.\63\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \62\ https://ww3.arb.ca.gov/drdb/drdb.htm (last visited on
September 14, 2020).
    \63\ https://www.epa.gov/air-quality-implementation-plans/approved-air-quality-implementation-plans-region-9?readform&count=100&state=California (last visited on September 14,
2020).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For correlation of stationary source emission reports with
applicable emission limits, California refers again to its overarching
authorities in HSC section 41511. The state explains that all 35 local
air districts in California address the correlation requirements
through their programs for stationary source testing, inspection, and
compliance. For example, some air districts have rules that require
CEMS equipment. Those rules require sources to assess compliance with
applicable emission limits and may include calculation procedures to
correlate emissions with the applicable emission standards. CARB states
that some air districts have SIP-approved rules that closely mirror the
language of 40 CFR 51.116(c), such as Mendocino County AQMD Rule
240(e)(3) (``Permit to Operate--Compliance Verification'') and Great
Basin Unified APCD Rule 215(D) (``Public Availability of Emissions
Data''). Finally, it states that all California air districts have
federally-approved Title V operating permit programs wherein each
permit specifies the air pollution requirements that apply to the
permitted source, including those for emission limits, monitoring,
recordkeeping, and reporting.
    CARB explains that it is responsible for compiling stationary
source emissions data from the districts and reporting it to the EPA.
The submittal includes a link to CARB's internet Facility Search Tool,
which allows the public to search for facilities' emissions of criteria
and toxic pollutants. CARB notes that California's emissions inventory
includes information from over 14,000 stationary sources and requires
sources to report at rates lower than the federal AERR's reporting
thresholds. The emissions inventory is relevant to all federal criteria
pollutant standards, including the 2015 ozone standard.
c. The EPA's Review of the State's Submission
    California presents information in its 2018 Infrastructure SIP on
the state's and districts' overarching authorities to adopt rules and
regulations to determine emissions from stationary sources, specify
recordkeeping and reporting requirements, assess compliance with
emission limits and permit conditions, and make such data available to
the public. The submittal also references databases of specific
stationary sources within California, and representative examples of
SIP-approved regulations that require stationary source monitoring,
reporting, and correlation of emission limits with applicable emission
limits and permit conditions. We find that the example SIP-approved
rules cited in California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP submittal are
representative of the State as a whole. Therefore, we propose to find
that the overarching authorities and SIP-approved regulations provide
an adequate basis to conclude that California meets the requirements of
CAA section 110(a)(2)(F), as discussed below.
    The underlying California statutes that provide authority for CARB
and the air districts to adopt rules and regulations to determine
emissions from stationary sources, specify recordkeeping and reporting
requirements, assess compliance with emission limits and permit
conditions, and make such data available to the public include HSC
sections 40001(a), 41510, and 41511. CARB maintains an extensive online
database of stationary sources and a means for the public to filter
emissions data by air basin, county, or source category via a facility
search engine on its website.\64\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \64\ https://www.arb.ca.gov/app/emsinv/facinfo/facinfo.php?_ga=2.153745848.1835329346.1588725854-1437116183.1580401972 (last visited on September 14, 2020).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In reviewing SIP-approved regulations for stationary source
monitoring and reporting, we primarily reviewed the examples provided
in California's 2018 Submittal and present our evaluation for each of
the three sub-elements of section 110(a)(2)(F) as follows. For section
110(a)(2)(F)(i), California's 2018 Submittal cites several rules that
require stationary source monitoring, especially for CEMS on applicable
equipment. For instance:
     Placer County APCD Rule 233, section 500 requires CEMS for
NOX emissions from biomass boilers;
     Santa Barbara County APCD Rule 328(C) requires continuous
emissions monitoring for NOX, SO2, and opacity
from fossil fuel-fired steam generators, for NOX from nitric
acid plants, and for SO2 from sulfuric acid plants, for
SO2 from certain fluid bed cokers, for SO2 from
CO boilers of regenerators of fluid bed catalytic cracking units, and
for SO2 and opacity from fluid bed catalytic cracking units;
     South Coast AQMD Rule 1146 requires boilers, steam
generators, and process heaters equal to or greater than 5 million
British thermal units per hour to install CEMS for ammonia emissions;
and
     San Joaquin Valley APCD Rule 4354, section (5.9) requires
CEMS for emissions of NOX, VOCs, and SOX from
glass melting furnaces under certain conditions.
    We propose to find that these and other examples in the California
SIP are consistent with the stationary source monitoring requirement of
CAA section 110(a)(2)(F)(i).
    With respect to CAA section 110(a)(2)(F)(ii), California's 2018
Submittal provides examples of SIP-approved regulations for several
districts that require reporting of stationary source emissions data.
For example:
     Bay Area Regulation 2, Rule 1-429 requires permitted
sources that may emit VOC or NOX and subject to the Rule to
provide the District a written statement showing actual emissions from
the source,
     Santa Barbara County APCD Rule 212 requires sources
permitted to emit 10 tons per year (tpy) or more of NOX or
reactive organic compounds (ROG, or VOC) to annually report actual
emissions of NOX or VOC in writing to the air district,
     San Diego County APCD Rule 19.3, section (c)(3) similarly
requires annual reporting by sources emitting 25 tpy or more of
NOX or VOC in writing to the air district, and
     South Coast AQMD Rule 1420.1, sections (m) and (n) set
requirements for large lead-acid battery facilities to monitor lead
(Pb) emissions, report them to the district, and retain records of
emissions.
    We propose to find that these examples and others in the California

SIP provide for periodic reports on the nature and amount of emissions
from applicable stationary sources, consistent with CAA section
110(a)(2)(F)(ii).
    With respect to CAA section 110(a)(2)(F)(iii), California points to
SIP-approved rules that require emission data from stationary source
owners or operators to be correlated with applicable emission
limitations and control measures and for that information to be
available to the public during normal business hours at the district
offices. For example, Mendocino County AQMD Rule 1-240(e)(3) and Great
Basin Unified APCD Rule 215(D) track the language of 40 CFR 51.116(c)
by requiring that emissions data will be correlated with applicable
emission limits and other control measures and be made publicly
available. California's online database includes a facility search
engine, which makes emissions information publicly available for
correlation. Therefore, based on the extent of the source categories
and sizes that are required to report emissions, California's publicly
available emissions databases, and the examples of SIP-approved rules
requiring correlation of reported emissions with emission limitations,
we propose to find that the California SIP meets the correlation and
public availability requirements of CAA section 110(a)(2)(F)(iii).
7. CAA Section 110(a)(2)(G)--Emergency Powers and Contingency Plans
a. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements
    Section 110(a)(2)(G) of the CAA requires infrastructure SIPs to
``provide for authority comparable to that in [CAA section 303],''
which reads as follows:

    Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the
Administrator, upon receipt of evidence that a pollution source or
combination of sources (including moving sources) is presenting an
imminent and substantial endangerment to public health or welfare,
or the environment, may bring suit on behalf of the United States in
the appropriate United States district court to immediately restrain
any person causing or contributing to the alleged pollution to stop
the emission of air pollutants causing or contributing to such
pollution or to take such other action as may be necessary. If it is
not practicable to assure prompt protection of public health or
welfare or the environment by commencement of such a civil action,
the Administrator may issue such orders as may be necessary to
protect public health or welfare or the environment. Prior to taking
any action under this section, the Administrator shall consult with
appropriate State and local authorities and attempt to confirm the
accuracy of the information on which the action proposed to be taken
is based. Any order issued by the Administrator under this section
shall be effective upon issuance and shall remain in effect for a
period of not more than 60 days, unless the Administrator brings an
action pursuant to the first sentence of this section before the
expiration of that period. Whenever the Administrator brings such an
action within the 60-day period, such order shall remain in effect
for an additional 14 days or for such longer period as may be
authorized by the court in which such action is brought.

    In the 2013 Infrastructure SIP Guidance, the EPA states that the
best practice for states is to submit, for inclusion in the SIP, the
statutory or regulatory provisions that provide authority comparable to
CAA section 303 or to cite and include a copy of such provisions,
without including them in the SIP, with a narrative of how they meet
the requirements of section 110(a)(2)(G). The guidance also clarifies
that contingency plans should be submitted for approval into the SIP
(if not already in the SIP) for regions classified Priority I, IA, or
II (Priority II applies only to the sulfur dioxide and particulate
matter NAAQS).
    The air quality thresholds for classifying air quality control
regions (AQCRs) are prescribed in 40 CFR 51.150 and are pollutant-
specific (e.g., ozone) rather than being specific to any given NAAQS
(e.g., 1997 ozone NAAQS). For ozone, an AQCR with a 1-hour ozone level
greater than 0.10 ppm over the most recent three-year period must be
classified Priority I. If the ozone levels in an AQCR are primarily due
to a single point source, it is classified as Priority IA. All other
ozone areas are classified Priority III. Pursuant to 40 CFR 51.151 and
51.152, AQCRs that are classified Priority I or IA for ozone are
required to have SIP-approved emergency episode contingency plans,
while those classified Priority III are not required to have such
plans. The purpose of emergency episode contingency plans is to ensure
that the regions ``provide for taking action necessary to prevent
ambient pollutant concentrations'' from reaching the significant harm
levels defined in 40 CFR 51.151. For ozone, the significant harm level
is 0.6 ppm for a 2-hour average.
    Under 40 CFR 51.152 emergency episode contingency plans are
required to specify two or more stages of episode criteria based on
pollutant levels at any monitoring site. Plans must provide for public
announcement whenever any episode stage has been determined to exist
and must specify adequate emission control actions to be taken at each
episode stage. Examples of adequate actions are provided in Appendix L
to 40 CFR part 51.
    In addition, 40 CFR 51.152 requires prompt acquisition of forecasts
of atmospheric stagnation conditions and of updates of such forecasts
as frequently as they are issued by the National Weather Service,
inspection of sources to ascertain compliance with applicable emission
control action requirements, and communications procedures for
transmitting status reports and orders as to emission control actions
to be taken during an episode stage. The provisions of 40 CFR 51.152(d)
also allow the Administrator to exempt portions of Priority I regions
that have been designated as attainment or unclassifiable for NAAQS
such as the 2015 ozone standard.\65\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \65\ This authority is delegated to the Regional Administrator
based on Delegation 7-10 (``Approval/Disapproval of State
Implementation Plans''), which grants Regional Administrators the
authority to ``propose or take final action on any State
implementation plan under section 110 of the Clean Air Act.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

b. Summary of the State's Submission
    In the California 2018 Infrastructure SIP, the State requested that
the EPA reclassify the Lake County, North Central Coast, and South
Central Coast AQCRs from Priority III to Priority I based on hourly
ozone data from 2015-2017.\66\ Consistent with the provisions of 40 CFR
51.153, reclassification of AQCRs must rely on the most recent three
years of air quality data. CARB states in its 2018 submittal that the
remaining Priority III AQCRs remain Priority III for ozone. This means
their ozone levels have not crossed the Priority I threshold for ozone
based on the most recent three years of air quality data.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \66\ EPA, Region IX, Spreadsheet of Air Quality Control Regions
with Maximum 1-hour Ozone Values Over 100 ppb for 2015-2017.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In its 2018 submittal, CARB identifies the air districts that fall
within each AQCR in order to determine which districts need to develop
emergency episode contingency plans. The Lake County AQCR includes the
Lake County AQMD. The North Central Coast AQCR includes the Monterey
Bay Air Resources District, which already has a SIP-approved emergency
episode contingency plan. The South Central Coast includes the San Luis
Obispo County APCD. CARB identifies Lake County AQMD and San Luis
Obispo County APCD as needing to develop and submit emergency episode
contingency plans for ozone based on the requested AQCR
reclassifications.
    In addition to the air districts identified above, five air
districts in the Mountain Counties AQCR are identified in the 2018 plan
as needing to develop and submit emergency episode

contingency plans for ozone for the first time. These are Amador County
APCD, Calaveras County APCD, Mariposa County APCD, Northern Sierra
AQMD, and Tuolumne County APCD.
    On June 25, 2020, CARB supplemented its 2018 Infrastructure SIP by
submitting ozone emergency episode contingency plans for San Luis
Obispo County APCD, Amador County APCD, Calaveras County APCD, Mariposa
County APCD, Northern Sierra AQMD, and Tuolumne County APCD. It also
submitted an exemption request from emergency episode planning
requirements for Lake County AQMD based on that District's attainment
status.
    Pursuant to the requirements of 40 CFR 51.152, each of the
emergency episode plans included in the submittal outlines three stages
of an ozone emergency (i.e., Alert, Warning and Emergency) based on
monitored levels for the one-hour ozone concentration. For example,
Amador, Western Nevada, Tuolumne, and Calaveras include an Alert stage
of 0.20 ppm, a Warning stage of 0.40 ppm, and an Emergency stage of
0.50 ppm. At each episode stage, the plans provide actions to be
implemented by the local air district, local offices of emergency
services, local offices of education superintendents, local emitting
facilities, and members of the public. These measures include
prohibiting open burning, requesting that schools close, requesting
that members of the public take mass transit instead of driving, and
requesting that stationary sources emitting ozone precursors shut down.
At the episode stages that include measures for stationary sources, the
submitted plans also include provisions for inspection of those sources
to make sure they are complying with the relevant plan requirements.
    The emergency episode plans also provide for public announcement of
these ozone emergency stages and communications procedures for
transmitting status reports and orders during each episode stage. Each
plan includes a list of government agencies, news media, facilities,
and individuals who will be notified when any of the ozone emergency
episode stages are reached. These lists include local county offices of
emergency services, the county superintendents of education, outreach
staff at the local air pollution control districts, and television and
radio stations. The plans submitted to the EPA also account for
acquiring forecasts from the National Weather Service, regional ``Spare
the Air'' programs, and data generated internally by air districts for
submission to public air quality information resources such as the
AirNow website.
    The Lake County AQCR is made up of only one air district, the Lake
County AQMD. In its 2018 submittal, CARB requests that this AQCR be
reclassified to Priority I, and California's 2020 submittal includes an
exemption request for Lake County from the emergency episode
contingency planning requirements for ozone. The request is based on
Lake County's attainment status and EPA discretion to exempt attainment
areas from the emergency episode contingency planning requirements
under 40 CFR 51.152(d)(1).
c. The EPA's Review of the State's Submission
    In California's 2018 submittal, the State requests that three AQCRs
be reclassified as Priority I for the purposes of requiring emergency
episode contingency plans for ozone. In addition, it notes that 5 air
districts in the Mountain Counties AQCR also met the threshold for
Priority I ozone areas in the 2015-2017 time period. The air quality
monitoring data for 2015-2017 indicates that the areas identified in
the 2018 submission, along with the areas that have been previously
classified as Priority I, are those that exceeded 0.10 ppm for 1-hour
ozone measurements. In addition, the emissions inventory information
provided in California's 2020 Submittal shows that the ozone levels in
these areas are due to a mix of sources, including mobile sources,
rather than to a single stationary source. On the basis of California's
ambient air quality data for 2015-2017, we are proposing to grant
California's requests to reclassify Lake County, North Central Coast,
and South Central Coast to Priority I regions.
    The ozone emergency episode contingency plans for San Luis Obispo
County APCD, Amador County APCD, Calaveras County APCD, Mariposa County
APCD, Northern Sierra AQMD, and Tuolumne County APCD meet the
requirements of 51.152(a). Specifically, each plan specifies ``two or
more stages of episode criteria'' and ``adequate emission control
actions to be taken at each episode stage''. Each plan also provides
for ``public announcement whenever any episode stage has been
determined to exist.''
    For example, Calaveras County APCD's ozone emergency episode
contingency plan establishes three episode stages. At every stage, an
emergency episode notification is prepared and sent to eight categories
of recipients. These include the Calaveras County Health Officer, the
Calaveras County Office of Emergency Services, the Calaveras County of
Education Superintendent, neighboring air pollution control districts,
as well as major newspapers, television and radio stations and online
services. Actions at the first stage, which corresponds to hourly ozone
concentrations at or above 0.20 ppm, include prohibiting all open
burning and requesting industrial permitted facilities to initiate
control actions, including reducing or curtailing production. At stage
3, which corresponds to hourly ozone concentrations at or above 0.50
ppm, the plan specifies closing all non-emergency commercial and
industrial facilities, all government facilities which are not
immediately necessary for public health and safety, national security
or national defense, and closing all recreational facilities. These
closures would be implemented through the County Office of Emergency
Services.
    The ozone emergency episode contingency plans for San Luis Obispo
County APCD, Amador County APCD, Calaveras County APCD, Mariposa County
APCD, Northern Sierra AQMD, and Tuolumne County APCD also meet the
requirements of 51.152(b). Specifically, they provide for ``prompt
acquisition of forecasts of atmospheric stagnation conditions and of
updates of such forecasts as frequently as they are issued by the
National Weather Service,'' as required by 40 CFR 51.152(b)(1). For
example, the ozone emergency episode plan for Amador APCD explains that
Amador APCD, Northern Sierra AQMD, Tuolumne APCD and Mariposa County
APCD support the regional Spare the Air program in the Mountain
Counties AQCR. This is ``an air pollution forecasting program which
provides notifications to the public on the daily ozone concentration
forecasts, along with advisories with an episodic ozone reduction
element, during the summer ozone season.'' \67\ According to
California's 2020 submittal, the Spare the Air program notifications
include current ozone concentration measurements from all monitoring
stations within the Mountain Counties Air Basin, and forecasts, based
on the meteorological conditions from the National Weather Service
advisories and local agencies.\68\ The ozone emergency episode plan
submitted for Calaveras County similarly discusses how the District
participates in the same program, noting that the ``District works
cooperatively with CARB and neighboring counties on the daily burn

day information.'' Tuolumne County APCD's plan states that the District
will ``in coordination with the National Weather Service (NWS) Hanford
and Sacramento forecast offices provide prompt notification of air
quality forecasts to the public when atmospheric stagnation conditions
would result in substantially high ozone concentrations.'' \69\ San
Luis Obispo APCD's plan describes how the district publishes 6-day air
quality forecasts through its own website as well as the AirNow
website, the EnviroFlash email program, the AirAware alerts text
program, and through the National Weather Service's communications.
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    \67\ California's 2020 submittal, 11.
    \68\ Id.
    \69\ California's 2020 Submittal, 67.
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    Each of the district plans also provide for ``communications
procedures for transmitting status reports and orders as to emission
control actions to be taken during an episode stage, including
procedures for contact with public officials, major emission sources,
public health, safety, and emergency agencies and news media'', as
required by 40 CFR 51.152(b)(3). For example, the Northern Sierra AQMD
notification list for each ozone emergency episode stage includes CARB,
upwind and downwind districts, major newspapers, television and radio
stations, regional Spare the Air programs, District permitted
facilities, and District staff who do public outreach. The Tuolumne
County APCD notification list for each ozone emergency episode stage
includes CARB, the Tuolumne County Office of Emergency Services, the
Tuolumne County Office of Education, adjacent air districts, as well as
newspapers, television and radio stations, and online media.
    Each of the district plans also provide for ``inspection of sources
to ascertain compliance with applicable emission control action
requirements,'' as required by 40 CFR 51.152(b)(2). For example, the
Amador County APCD plan includes a provision to ``[c]onduct on-site
inspection of targeted facilities to ascertain accomplishment of
applicable emission control actions'' that applies beginning at the
Alert (0.20ppm) stage.\70\ The Northern Sierra AQMD plan states that it
will ``rely on both continuous emission monitoring technology and
inspection to . . . ascertain compliance with applicable emission
control action requirements during any ozone emergency episode stage .
. .'' \71\ Mariposa County APCD and Calaveras County APCD use similar
language to Amador County in their plans. The Tuolumne County APCD plan
indicates the District will ``strive to inspect those sources that
represent the greatest contribution of ozone precursor emissions and
will ascertain whether [they] are adhering to the applicable emission
control action requirements specified in the Emergency Episode
Actions.'' \72\ The San Luis Obispo County APCD plan identifies the
following action at each emergency episode stage: ``If conditions do
not threaten inspectors' safety, confirm control actions have been
implemented.'' \73\
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    \70\ California's 2020 Submittal, 16.
    \71\ Id. at 52.
    \72\ Id. at 67.
    \73\ Id. at 35.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The emergency episode contingency plans for ozone in California's
2020 submittal for Amador County APCD, San Luis Obispo County APCD,
Northern Sierra AQMD, Tuolumne County APCD, Mariposa County APCD, and
Calaveras County APCD meet the requirements of 40 CFR 51.152(a) to
specify two or more stages of episode criteria, provide for public
announcement whenever any episode stage has been determined to exist,
and to specify adequate emission control actions to be taken at each
episode stage. These emergency episode contingency plans also meet the
requirements of 40 CFR 51.152(b) to provide for prompt acquisition of
forecasts of atmospheric stagnation conditions, to provide for
inspection of sources to ascertain compliance with applicable emission
control action requirements, and provide for communications procedures
for transmitting status reports and orders as to emission control
actions to be taken during an episode stage. We propose to approve
these emergency episode contingency plans into the California SIP.
    The other portion of California's 2020 submittal is the exemption
request for ozone emergency episode planning requirements for Lake
County AQMD. The request is based on Lake County being in attainment
for all ozone standards as well as all other NAAQS.\74\ In this
request, Lake County demonstrates the largely rural nature of the area
and documents that the largest sources of ozone precursors in the
county emit less than 50 tpy of each. Further, it notes that the
highest 1-hour ozone concentration observed in the last 40 years has
been 0.103 ppm.
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    \74\ EPA, Region IX, Spreadsheet of Nonattainment Areas in
California Air Districts.
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    Because of Lake County's attainment status for ozone, it meets the
criteria of 51.152(d)(1) that permit the Administrator to exempt those
portions of Priority I regions which have been designated as attainment
under section 107 of the CAA. The mix of ozone precursor sources in the
County, as well as the historical 1-hour ozone levels below 0.10 ppm
make it unlikely that additional measures are needed to keep ozone
pollution below the significant harm level of 0.6 ppm. We propose to
approve the request to exempt the Lake County AQMD from emergency
episode contingency planning requirements of 40 CFR 51.152.
8. CAA Section 110(a)(2)(H)--SIP Revisions
a. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements
    Section 110(a)(2)(H) requires SIPs to ``provide for revision of
such plan--(i) from time to time as may be necessary to take account of
revisions of such national primary or secondary ambient air quality
standard or the availability of improved or more expeditious methods of
attaining such standard, and (ii) except as provided in paragraph
110(a)(3)(C), whenever the Administrator finds on the basis of
information available to the Administrator that the plan is
substantially inadequate to attain the national ambient air quality
standard which it implements or to otherwise comply with any additional
requirements established'' under this Act.
    In the 2013 Infrastructure SIP Guidance, the EPA explains that
states may comply with the requirements of element H by providing a
reference or citation to the provisions that provide the air agency
with authority to meet these requirements, along with a narrative
explanation of how the provisions serve that function.
b. Summary of the State's Submission
    California states in its 2018 submittal that California has revised
and will continue to revise its SIP as mandated by the EPA. It states
that CARB is submitting a revised SIP for the 2015 ozone NAAQS and that
CARB will continue to work with local districts to develop approvable
SIPs as federal standards change, as new attainment methods become
available, or as the EPA determines an existing SIP is inadequate.
California's 2018 Submittal also cites HSC section 39602 as designating
CARB as the agency responsible for implementing the federal CAA, which
includes responsibility for preparing and submitting revisions to the
California SIP to address new or revised standards or improved methods
of meeting the standards. CARB also states that HSC

section 39602 gives it responsibility for revising the California SIP
if the EPA finds the SIP inadequate. It states that CARB consults with
the air districts and other affected entities in developing SIP
revisions and receives public comments on SIP revisions before
submitting them to the EPA.
c. The EPA's Review of the State's Submission
    California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP describes the general
capacity, commitment, and process of the State to submit SIP revisions
as required. It cites the overarching statutory authority of CARB to
implement the CAA, including submission of SIP revisions to address new
and revised NAAQS and improved methods of meeting the NAAQS. We have
reviewed the authority provisions of HSC section 39602 and considered
the authority provisions analyzed under 110(a)(2)(E)(i) above. We
propose to find that they provide for SIP revisions in response to
NAAQS revisions or whenever the EPA Administrator finds the California
SIP to be substantially inadequate to attain the NAAQS or does not
comply with requirements established under the Act, and therefore meet
the requirements of CAA section 110(a)(2)(H).
9. CAA Section 110(a)(2)(I)--Plan Revisions for Nonattainment Areas
    CAA section 110(a)(2)(I) requires SIPs to ``in the case of a plan
or plan revision for an area designated as a nonattainment area, meet
the applicable requirements of part D (relating to nonattainment
areas).''
    While this section requires states to meet nonattainment area
requirements, pursuant to CAA title I, part D, when submitting plans or
plan revisions for nonattainment areas, the EPA has concluded that the
submission of, and subsequent EPA action on, nonattainment SIP
revisions by states is not governed by the three-year submission
deadline identified in CAA section 110(a)(1). Instead, SIP revisions
for nonattainment areas are due and evaluated under the requirements
for nonattainment areas described in part D. Thus, we do not include a
summary of California's response to this requirement nor an evaluation
of such response.
10. CAA Section 110(a)(2)(J)--Consultation, Public Notification,
Visibility Protection, and PSD
a. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements
    Section 110(a)(2)(J) of the CAA requires SIPs to ``meet the
applicable requirements of section 121 (relating to consultation),
section 127 (relating to public notification), and part C (relating to
prevention of significant deterioration of air quality and visibility
protection).''
    Regarding the consultation portion of element J, in the 2013
Infrastructure SIP Guidance, the EPA explains that states may meet the
requirements by showing that there is an established process for
consultation with general-purpose local governments, designated
organizations of elected officials of local governments, and any
federal land manager having authority over federal land to which the
plan applies. Submittals should also identify organizations that
participate in plan development, implementation or enforcement under 40
CFR 51.240, and should include any related agreements among agencies to
do this work.
    CAA section 127 requires SIPs to contain measures to effectively
notify the public during any calendar year on a regular basis of
instances or areas in which any NAAQS is exceeded or was exceeded
during any portion of the preceding calendar year; to advise the public
of the health hazards associated with such pollution; and to enhance
public awareness of the measures which can be taken to prevent such
standards from being exceeded and the ways in which the public can
participate in regulatory and other efforts to improve air quality.
Such measures may include the posting of warning signs on interstate
highway access points to metropolitan areas or television, radio, or
press notices or information. In the 2013 Infrastructure SIP Guidance,
the EPA indicates that state submittals can meet this portion of the
requirement by showing the air agency regularly notifies the public of
NAAQS exceedances and the associated health hazards, and that it makes
the public aware of air quality measures and ways to participate in
them.
    In EPA's 2013 Infrastructure SIP Guidance, the EPA states that the
PSD-related requirements of element J are the same as those of element
C. For that reason, we refer to the 2018 state submittal and our
evaluation of element C above for the PSD requirements of element J.
    Regarding the visibility protection requirements of element J, the
EPA's 2013 Guidance notes that the CAA visibility protection
requirements do not change when the EPA issues a new or revised NAAQS.
The guidance states that air agencies do not need to address visibility
protection requirements in infrastructure SIP submissions.
b. Summary of the State's Submission
    Regarding the consultation portion of element J, California's 2018
Submittal largely includes the same information as prior infrastructure
SIP submittals. It cites HSC section 39602, which designates CARB as
the agency responsible for implementing the federal CAA and
coordinating with local air districts.\75\ CARB notes that the
districts are governed by boards primarily composed of elected
officials and that the districts also play a role in developing SIP
provisions. It states that the air districts collaborate through
workgroups under the California Air Pollution Control Officers
Association (CAPCOA) to discuss air quality matters and that CAPCOA
meets regularly with state and federal air quality officials to develop
rules and ensure their consistent application. The submittal provides
examples of the local, state, and federal stakeholders CARB works with
in developing SIP revisions such as California's 2007 State Strategy
for the 1997 ozone and 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS. These stakeholders
include the metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and the regional
transportation planning agencies (RTPAs) located throughout the State.
The submittal also lists stakeholders, including federal land managers,
with whom CARB consulted during the development of California's 2009
Regional Haze Plan, and describes how CARB coordinates with federal
land managers and other agencies on an ongoing basis for Regional Haze
planning. In addition, the submittal cites the public notification
requirements for state regulations under the California Administrative
Procedures Act as well as the public hearing requirements for district
rules and regulations under HSC section 40725.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \75\ California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP, 29.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In California's 2018 Submittal, CARB also states that, once a SIP
revision is submitted to the EPA, consultation is on-going. For
example, CARB, the EPA, the California Environmental Protection Agency
(CalEPA), and the South Coast and San Joaquin Valley air districts have
signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) committing to develop and test
new air quality control technologies and creating the Clean Air
Technology Initiative with the purpose of accelerating ``progress in
meeting current and future federal standards'' in South Coast and San
Joaquin Valley.\76\ The submittal identifies another example of such
consultation in CARB's memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Union
Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroads to reduce diesel
emissions from rail yards.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \76\ California's 2018 Infrastructure SIP, 34.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regarding public notification of exceedances of air quality
standards, in

California's 2018 Submittal, CARB reiterates past submittals, referring
to the requirements in HSC section 39607(a) for CARB to acquire and
publicly report air quality data for each air basin in the State. CARB
explains that it maintains both current and historical data online.
CARB also notes that HSC 40718 requires CARB to publish maps online
that show areas violating federal air quality standards.\77\ In
addition, the air districts provide daily information about local air
quality levels online. Finally, the submittal cites several websites
that contain information on the health effects of air pollution,
current air quality, and what the public can do to reduce air
pollution.\78\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \77\ Website on ``Area Designations Maps/State and National''
(http://www.arb.ca.gov/desig/adm/adm.htm) (last visited on September
14, 2020).
    \78\ CARB's websites on ``Health Effects of Air Pollution''
(http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/health/health.htm), AQMIS (http://www.arb.ca.gov/aqmis2/aqmis2.php), and ``Air Pollution and What You
Can Do'' (http://www.arb.ca.gov/html/cando.htm) (last visited on
September 14, 2020).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regarding PSD requirements, California's 2018 Submittal refers to
the PSD-approved programs described in element C. For visibility
protection requirements, CARB notes the explanation in the EPA's 2013
Infrastructure SIP guidance that NAAQS revisions do not create new
visibility protection requirements and points out that California has
an approved Regional Haze SIP.\79\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \79\ 76 FR 34608 (June 14, 2011).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

c. The EPA's Review of the State's Submission
    Regarding the consultation requirements of element J, we have
reviewed California's 2018 Submittal, and propose to find that it
provides a satisfactory process of consultation, consistent with CAA
section 121 and 40 CFR 51.240. In its submittal, CARB cites its
overarching responsibility in HSC section 39602 to implement the CAA,
including the requirement to coordinate the activities of all districts
necessary to comply with the CAA. The districts are governed by boards
comprised primarily of local elected officials. They also play a role