[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 87 (Friday, May 5, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 22284-22285]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-11046]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[WI45-01-6501; FRL-5203-1]
Approval of the State Implementation Plan; Wisconsin
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: On January 10, 1995, the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (USEPA) proposed approval of the State Implementation
Plan (SIP) revision request for the Milwaukee ozone nonattainment area
(Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Washington, and Waukesha
counties), as submitted by the State of Wisconsin. The purpose of the
revision is to offset any growth in emissions from growth in vehicle
miles traveled (VMT), or number of vehicle trips, and to attain
reduction in motor vehicle emissions, in combination with other
measures, as needed to comply with Reasonable Further Progress (RFP)
milestones of the Clean Air Act (Act). Wisconsin submitted the
implementation plan revision to satisfy the statutory mandates, found
in section 182 of the Act, which requires the State to submit a SIP
revision that identifies and adopts specific enforceable Transportation
Control Measures (TCM) to offset any growth in emissions from growth in
VMT, or number of vehicle trips, in severe ozone nonattainment areas.
The USEPA received no public comments on the above proposed approval.
This rule finalizes the approval of the first element of the VMT offset
program for the Milwaukee area.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This action will be effective June 5, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the SIP revision, public comments and USEPA's
responses are available for inspection at the following address: (It is
recommended that you telephone Michael Leslie at (312) 353-6680 before
visiting the Region 5 Office.) United [[Page 22285]] States
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Air and Radiation Division,
77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604.
A copy of this SIP revision is available for inspection at the
following location: Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) Docket and
Information Center (Air Docket 6102), room M1500, United States
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street S.W., Washington, D.C.
20460, (202) 260-7548.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael G. Leslie, Regulation
Development Section (AT-18J), Air Toxics and Radiation Branch, Air and
Radiation Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency,
Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, Telephone
Number (312) 353-6680.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background Information
Section 182(d)(1)(A) of the Act requires States that contain severe
ozone nonattainment areas to adopt transportation control measures and
transportation control strategies to offset growth in emissions from
growth in VMT or number of vehicle trips and to attain reductions in
motor vehicle emissions (in combination with other measures) as needed
to comply with the Act's RFP milestones and attainment requirements.
The requirements for establishing a VMT Offset program are set forth in
182(d)(1)(A) and discussed in the General Preamble to Title I of the
Act (57 FR 13498 April 16, 1992).
As described in the proposal, section 182(d)(1)(A) sets forth three
elements that must be met by a VMT Offset SIP. Under USEPA's
alternative interpretation, the three required elements of section
182(d)(1)(A) are separable, and can be divided into three separate
submissions that could be submitted on different dates. Section 179(a)
of the Act, in establishing how USEPA would be required to apply
mandatory sanctions if a State fails to submit a full SIP, also
provides that the sanctions clock starts if a State fails to submit one
or more SIP elements, as determined by the Administrator. The USEPA
believes that this language provides USEPA the authority to determine
that the different elements of the SIP submissions are separable.
Moreover, given the continued timing problems addressed above, USEPA
believes it is appropriate to allow States to separate the VMT Offset
SIP into three elements, each to be submitted at different times: (1)
The initial requirement to submit TCMs that offset growth in emissions;
(2) the requirement to comply with the 15 percent periodic reduction
requirement of the Act; and (3) the requirement to comply with the
post-1996 periodic reduction and attainment requirements of the Act.
II. Final Rulemaking Action
In this action, USEPA is approving the first element of the VMT
offset SIP revision submitted by the State of Wisconsin. As noted in
the January 10, 1995, proposal, the USEPA will not take final action on
the second element until the State has submitted a complete 15 percent
ROP plan. The third element of the Wisconsin VMT offset SIP will also
be the subject of a future rulemaking.
This action has been classified as a Table 3 action by the Regional
Administrator under the procedures published in the Federal Register on
January 19, 1989 (54 FR 2214-2225), as revised by an October 4, 1993,
memorandum from Michael H. Shapiro, Acting Assistant Administrator for
Air and Radiation. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has
exempted this regulatory action from Executive Order 12866 review.
Nothing in this action should be construed as permitting or
allowing or establishing a precedent for any future request for
revision to any SIP. Each request for revision to any SIP shall be
considered separately in light of specific technical, economic, and
environmental factors and in relation to relevant statutory and
regulatory requirements.
Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 600 et seq., USEPA
must prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis assessing the impact of
any proposed or final rule on small entities. 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604.
Alternatively, USEPA may certify that the rule will not have a
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
Small entities include small businesses, small not-for-profit
enterprises, and government entities with jurisdiction over populations
of less than 50,000.
The SIP approvals under section 110 and subchapter I, part D, of
the Act do not create any new requirements, but simply approve
requirements that the State is already imposing. Therefore, because the
Federal SIP approval does not impose any new requirements, I certify
that it does not have a significant impact on small entities affected.
Moreover, due to the nature of the Federal-State relationship under the
Act, preparation of a regulatory flexibility analysis would constitute
Federal inquiry into the economic reasonableness of State action. The
Act forbids USEPA to base its actions concerning SIPs on such grounds.
Union Electric Co. v. USEPA, 427 U.S. 246, 256-66 (1976).
Under section 307(b)(1) of the Act, petitions for judicial review
of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for
the appropriate circuit by July 5, 1995. Filing a petition for
reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule does not affect
the finality of this rule for the purposes of judicial review nor does
it extend the time within which a petition for judicial review may be
filed, and shall not postpone the effectiveness of such rule or action.
This action may not be challenged later in proceedings to enforce its
requirements. (See Section 307(b)(2)).
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Ozone.
Dated: April 20, 1995.
Valdas V. Adamkus,
Regional Administrator.
40 CFR part 52 is amended as follows:
PART 52--[AMENDED]
1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C 7401-7671q.
Subpart YY--Wisconsin
2. Section 52.2585 is amended by adding paragraph (g) to read as
follows:
Sec. 52.2585 Control strategy: Ozone.
* * * * *
(g) Approval--On November 15, 1993, the Wisconsin Department of
Natural Resources submitted a revision to the ozone State
Implementation Plan. The submittal pertained to a plan for forecasting
VMT in the severe ozone nonattainment area of southeastern Wisconsin
and demonstrated that Transportation Control Measures would not be
necessary to offset growth in emissions.
[FR Doc. 95-11046 Filed 5-4-95; 8:45 am]
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