[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 66274]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23255]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9952-56-Region 6]
Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Petition for Objection to
State Operating Permit for Yuhuang Chemical Company, Inc. Methanol
Plant in Louisiana
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of final action.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Clean Air Act (CAA) Section 505(b)(2) and 40 CFR
70.8(d), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator signed
an Order, dated August 31, 2016, denying in part and granting in part a
petition asking EPA to object to the operating permit issued by the
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) to Yuhuang
Chemical Company, Inc. for its Methanol Plant (Title V operating permit
1560-00295-V0). The EPA's August 31, 2016 Order responds to a petition
submitted by the Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN) and
Sierra Club (Collectively the Petitioners) on May 18, 2015. Sections
307(b) and 505(b)(2) of the Act provide that a petitioner may ask for
judicial review of those portions of the Orders that deny objections
raised in the petitions in the appropriate United States Court of
Appeals. Any petition for review shall be filed by November 28, 2016,
pursuant to section 307(b) of the Act.
ADDRESSES: You may review copies of the final Order, the petition, and
other supporting information at EPA Region 6, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas,
Texas 75202-2733.
EPA requests that if at all possible, you contact the individual
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to view copies of
the final Order, petition, and other supporting information. You may
view the hard copies Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00
p.m., excluding Federal holidays. If you wish to examine these
documents, you should make an appointment at least 24 hours before the
visiting day. Additionally, the final Order signed on August 31, 2016
is available electronically at: https://www.epa.gov/title-v-operating-permits/title-v-petition-database.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brad Toups at (214) 665-7258, email
address: [email protected] or the above EPA, Region 6 address.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CAA affords EPA a 45-day period to
review, and object, as appropriate, to a title V operating permit
proposed by a state permitting authority. Section 505(b)(2) of the CAA
authorizes any person to petition the EPA Administrator, within 60 days
after the expiration of this review period, to object to a title V
operating permit if EPA has not done so. Petitions must be based only
on objections to the permit that were raised with reasonable
specificity during the public comment period provided by the state,
unless the petitioner demonstrates that it was impracticable to raise
these issues during the comment period or unless the grounds for the
issue arose after this period.
EPA received the petition from the Petitioners on May 18, 2015 for
the operating permit issued on May 5, 2015 to Yuhuang Chemical Facility
located in St. James Parish, Louisiana.
The Petitioner requested that the Administrator object to the
proposed operating permit issued by the LDEQ to Yuhuang on several
bases. In total, the Petitioner raised four primary claims in the
Petition. The claims are described in detail in Section IV of the
Order. In summary, the issues raised are that: (1, claim III) the
permit fails to comply with the Act's requirements for public
participation; (2, claim IV) the permit fails to meet PSD requirements;
(3, claim V) a tank design is hazardous and there are additional
unaccounted for emissions; and (4, claim VI) the LDEQ failed to
adequately respond to EPA's comments. The Order issued on August 31,
2016 responds to claims III, IV, V, and VI (pp. 6-30).
Pursuant to sections 505(b) and 505(e) of the Clean Air Act (42
U.S.C. 7661d(b) and (e)) and 40 CFR 70.7(g) and 70.8(d), the Louisiana
Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) has 90 days from the receipt
of the Administrator's order to resolve the objections identified in
Claim IV of the Order and submit a proposed determination or
termination, modification, or revocation and reissuance of the Yuhuang
Chemical Company, Inc. title V permit in accordance with the EPA's
objection. The Order issued on August 31, 2016 responds to the Petition
and explains the basis for EPA's decision.
Dated: September 21, 2016.
Ron Curry,
Regional Administrator, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 2016-23255 Filed 9-26-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P