CCLME.ORG - 40 CFR PART 52—APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
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(continued)

(viii) Notwithstanding the requirements in paragraphs (aa)(12)(iii) through (vii) of this section, where an owner or operator of an emissions unit cannot demonstrate a correlation between the monitored parameter(s) and the PAL pollutant emissions rate at all operating points of the emissions unit, the Administrator shall, at the time of permit issuance:

(a) Establish default value(s) for determining compliance with the PAL based on the highest potential emissions reasonably estimated at such operating point(s); or

(b) Determine that operation of the emissions unit during operating conditions when there is no correlation between monitored parameter(s) and the PAL pollutant emissions is a violation of the PAL.

(ix) Re-validation. All data used to establish the PAL pollutant must be re-validated through performance testing or other scientifically valid means approved by the Administrator. Such testing must occur at least once every 5 years after issuance of the PAL.

(13) Recordkeeping requirements. (i) The PAL permit shall require an owner or operator to retain a copy of all records necessary to determine compliance with any requirement of paragraph (aa) of this section and of the PAL, including a determination of each emissions unit's 12-month rolling total emissions, for 5 years from the date of such record.

(ii) The PAL permit shall require an owner or operator to retain a copy of the following records for the duration of the PAL effective period plus 5 years:

(a) A copy of the PAL permit application and any applications for revisions to the PAL; and

(b) Each annual certification of compliance pursuant to title V and the data relied on in certifying the compliance.

(14) Reporting and notification requirements. The owner or operator shall submit semi-annual monitoring reports and prompt deviation reports to the Administrator in accordance with the applicable title V operating permit program. The reports shall meet the requirements in paragraphs (aa)(14)(i) through (iii) of this section.

(i) Semi-annual report. The semi-annual report shall be submitted to the Administrator within 30 days of the end of each reporting period. This report shall contain the information required in paragraphs (aa)(14)(i)(a) through (g) of this section.

(a) The identification of owner and operator and the permit number.

(b) Total annual emissions (tons/year) based on a 12-month rolling total for each month in the reporting period recorded pursuant to paragraph (aa)(13)(i) of this section.

(c) All data relied upon, including, but not limited to, any Quality Assurance or Quality Control data, in calculating the monthly and annual PAL pollutant emissions.

(d) A list of any emissions units modified or added to the major stationary source during the preceding 6-month period.

(e) The number, duration, and cause of any deviations or monitoring malfunctions (other than the time associated with zero and span calibration checks), and any corrective action taken.

(f) A notification of a shutdown of any monitoring system, whether the shutdown was permanent or temporary, the reason for the shutdown, the anticipated date that the monitoring system will be fully operational or replaced with another monitoring system, and whether the emissions unit monitored by the monitoring system continued to operate, and the calculation of the emissions of the pollutant or the number determined by method included in the permit, as provided by (aa)(12)(vii).

(g) A signed statement by the responsible official (as defined by the applicable title V operating permit program) certifying the truth, accuracy, and completeness of the information provided in the report.

(ii) Deviation report. The major stationary source owner or operator shall promptly submit reports of any deviations or exceedance of the PAL requirements, including periods where no monitoring is available. A report submitted pursuant to §70.6(a)(3)(iii)(B) of this chapter shall satisfy this reporting requirement. The deviation reports shall be submitted within the time limits prescribed by the applicable program implementing §70.6(a)(3)(iii)(B) of this chapter. The reports shall contain the following information:

(a) The identification of owner and operator and the permit number;

(b) The PAL requirement that experienced the deviation or that was exceeded;

(c) Emissions resulting from the deviation or the exceedance; and

(d) A signed statement by the responsible official (as defined by the applicable title V operating permit program) certifying the truth, accuracy, and completeness of the information provided in the report.

(iii) Re-validation results. The owner or operator shall submit to the Administrator the results of any re-validation test or method within 3 months after completion of such test or method.

(15) Transition requirements. (i) The Administrator may not issue a PAL that does not comply with the requirements in paragraphs (aa)(1) through (15) of this section after March 3, 2003.

(ii) The Administrator may supersede any PAL that was established prior to March 3, 2003 with a PAL that complies with the requirements of paragraphs (aa)(1) through (15) of this section.

(bb) If any provision of this section, or the application of such provision to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of this section, or the application of such provision to persons or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid, shall not be affected thereby.

(cc) Without regard to other considerations, routine maintenance, repair and replacement includes, but is not limited to, the replacement of any component of a process unit with an identical or functionally equivalent component(s), and maintenance and repair activities that are part of the replacement activity, provided that all of the requirements in paragraphs (cc)(1) through (3) of this section are met.

(1) Capital cost threshold for equipment replacement. (i) For an electric utility steam generating unit, as defined in §52.21(b)(31), the fixed capital cost of the replacement component(s) plus the cost of any associated maintenance and repair activities that are part of the replacement shall not exceed 20 percent of the replacement value of the process unit, at the time the equipment is replaced. For a process unit that is not an electric utility steam generating unit the fixed capital cost of the replacement component(s) plus the cost of any associated maintenance and repair activities that are part of the replacement shall not exceed 20 percent of the replacement value of the process unit, at the time the equipment is replaced.

(ii) In determining the replacement value of the process unit; and, except as otherwise allowed under paragraph (cc)(1)(iii) of this section, the owner or operator shall determine the replacement value of the process unit on an estimate of the fixed capital cost of constructing a new process unit, or on the current appraised value of the process unit.

(iii) As an alternative to paragraph (cc)(1)(ii) of this section for determining the replacement value of a process unit, an owner or operator may choose to use insurance value (where the insurance value covers only complete replacement), investment value adjusted for inflation, or another accounting procedure if such procedure is based on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, provided that the owner or operator sends a notice to the reviewing authority. The first time that an owner or operator submits such a notice for a particular process unit, the notice may be submitted at any time, but any subsequent notice for that process unit may be submitted only at the beginning of the process unit's fiscal year. Unless the owner or operator submits a notice to the reviewing authority, then paragraph (cc)(1)(ii) of this section will be used to establish the replacement value of the process unit. Once the owner or operator submits a notice to use an alternative accounting procedure, the owner or operator must continue to use that procedure for the entire fiscal year for that process unit. In subsequent fiscal years, the owner or operator must continue to use this selected procedure unless and until the owner or operator sends another notice to the reviewing authority selecting another procedure consistent with this paragraph or paragraph (cc)(1)(ii) of this section at the beginning of such fiscal year.

(2) Basic design parameters. The replacement does not change the basic design parameter(s) of the process unit to which the activity pertains.

(i) Except as provided in paragraph (cc)(2)(iii) of this section, for a process unit at a steam electric generating facility, the owner or operator may select as its basic design parameters either maximum hourly heat input and maximum hourly fuel consumption rate or maximum hourly electric output rate and maximum steam flow rate. When establishing fuel consumption specifications in terms of weight or volume, the minimum fuel quality based on British Thermal Units content shall be used for determining the basic design parameter(s) for a coal-fired electric utility steam generating unit.

(ii) Except as provided in paragraph (cc)(2)(iii) of this section, the basic design parameter(s) for any process unit that is not at a steam electric generating facility are maximum rate of fuel or heat input, maximum rate of material input, or maximum rate of product output. Combustion process units will typically use maximum rate of fuel input. For sources having multiple end products and raw materials, the owner or operator should consider the primary product or primary raw material when selecting a basic design parameter.

(iii) If the owner or operator believes the basic design parameter(s) in paragraphs (cc)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section is not appropriate for a specific industry or type of process unit, the owner or operator may propose to the reviewing authority an alternative basic design parameter(s) for the source's process unit(s). If the reviewing authority approves of the use of an alternative basic design parameter(s), the reviewing authority shall issue a permit that is legally enforceable that records such basic design parameter(s) and requires the owner or operator to comply with such parameter(s).

(iv) The owner or operator shall use credible information, such as results of historic maximum capability tests, design information from the manufacturer, or engineering calculations, in establishing the magnitude of the basic design parameter(s) specified in paragraphs (cc)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section.

(v) If design information is not available for a process unit, then the owner or operator shall determine the process unit's basic design parameter(s) using the maximum value achieved by the process unit in the five-year period immediately preceding the planned activity.

(vi) Efficiency of a process unit is not a basic design parameter.

(3) The replacement activity shall not cause the process unit to exceed any emission limitation, or operational limitation that has the effect of constraining emissions, that applies to the process unit and that is legally enforceable.

Note to paragraph (cc): By a court order on December 24, 2003, this paragraph (cc) is stayed indefinitely. The stayed provisions will become effective immediately if the court terminates the stay. At that time, EPA will publish a document in the Federal Register advising the public of the termination of the stay.

[43 FR 26403, June 19, 1978]

Editorial Note: For Federal Register citations affecting §52.21, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and on GPO Access.

§ 52.23 Violation and enforcement.
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Failure to comply with any provisions of this part, or with any approved regulatory provision of a State implementation plan, or with any permit condition or permit denial issued pursuant to approved or promulgated regulations for the review of new or modified stationary or indirect sources, or with any permit limitation or condition contained within an operating permit issued under an EPA-approved program that is incorporated into the State implementation plan, shall render the person or governmental entity so failing to comply in violation of a requirement of an applicable implementation plan and subject to enforcement action under section 113 of the Clean Air Act. With regard to compliance schedules, a person or Governmental entity will be considered to have failed to comply with the requirements of this part if it fails to timely submit any required compliance schedule, if the compliance schedule when submitted does not contain each of the elements it is required to contain, or if the person or Governmental entity fails to comply with such schedule.

[39 FR 33512, Sept. 18, 1974, as amended at 54 FR 27285, June 28, 1989]

§ 52.24 Statutory restriction on new sources.
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(a) Any area designated nonattainment pursuant to section 107(d) of the Act to which, immediately prior to the enactment of the Amendments to the Act of 1990 (November 15, 1990), a prohibition of construction or modification of major stationary sources was applied, shall retain that prohibition if such prohibition was applied by virtue of a finding of the Administrator that the State containing such an area:

(1) Failed to submit an implementation plan meeting the requirements of an approvable new source review permitting program; or

(2) Failed to submit an implementation plan that provided for timely attainment of the national ambient air quality standard for sulfur dioxide by December 31, 1982. This prohibition shall apply until the Administrator approves a plan for such area as meeting the applicable requirements of part D of title I of the Act as amended (NSR permitting requirements) or subpart 5 of part D of title I of the Act as amended (relating to attainment of the national ambient air quality standards for sulfur dioxide), as applicable.

(b) Permits to construct and operate as required by permit programs under section 172(c)(5) of the Act may not be issued for new or modified major stationary sources proposing to locate in nonattainment areas or areas in a transport region where the Administrator has determined that the applicable implementation plan is not being adequately implemented for the nonattainment area or transport region in which the proposed source is to be constructed or modified in accordance with the requirements of part D of title I of the Act.

(c) Whenever, on the basis of any information, the Administrator finds that a State is not in compliance with any requirement or prohibition of the Act relating to the construction of new sources or the modification of existing sources, the Administrator may issue an order under section 113(a)(5) of the Act prohibiting the construction or modification of any major stationary source in any area to which such requirement applies.

(d) The restrictions in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section apply only to major stationary sources of emissions that cause or contribute to concentrations of the pollutant (or precursors, as applicable) for which the transport region or nonattainment area was designated such, and for which the applicable implementation plan is not being carried out in accordance with, or does not meet, the requirements of part D of title I of the Act.

(e) For any transport region or any area designated as nonattainment for any national ambient air quality standard, the restrictions in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section shall apply to any major stationary source or major modification that would be major for the pollutant (or precursors, where applicable) for which the area is designated nonattainment or a transport region, if the stationary source or major modification would be constructed anywhere in the designated nonattainment area or transport region.

(f) The provisions in §51.165 of this chapter shall apply in interpreting the terms under this section.

(g) At such time that a particular source or modification becomes a major stationary source or major modification solely by virtue of a relaxation in any enforceable limitation which was established after August 7, 1980, on the capacity of the source or modification otherwise to emit a pollutant, such as a restriction on hours of operation, then:

(1) If the construction moratorium imposed pursuant to this section is still in effect for the nonattainment area or transport region in which the source or modification is located, then the permit may not be so revised; or

(2) If the construction moratorium is no longer in effect in that area, then the requirements of §51.165 of this chapter shall apply to the source or modification as though construction had not yet commenced on the source or modification.

(h) This section does not apply to major stationary sources or major modifications locating in a clearly defined part of a nonattainment area or transport region (such as a political subdivision of a State), where EPA finds that a plan which meets the requirements of part D of title I of the Act is in effect and is being implemented in that part.

(i)–(j) [Reserved]

(k) For an area designated as nonattainment after July 1, 1979, the Emission Offset Interpretative Ruling, 40 CFR part 51, appendix S shall govern permits to construct and operate applied for during the period between the date of designation as nonattainment and the date the NSR permit program meeting the requirements of part D is approved. The Emission Offset Interpretative Ruling, 40 CFR part 51, appendix S, shall also govern permits to construct and operate applied for in any area designated under section 107(d) of the CAA as attainment or unclassifiable for ozone that is located in an ozone transport region prior to the date the NSR permitting program meeting the requirements of part D is approved.

[70 FR 71704, Nov. 29, 2005]

Editorial Note: For Federal Register citations affecting §52.24, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and on GPO Access.

§ 52.26 Visibility monitoring strategy.
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(a) Plan Disapprovals. The provisions of this section are applicable to any State implementation plan which has been disapproved with respect to visibility monitoring. Specific disapprovals are listed where applicable in Subparts B through DD of this part. The provisions of this section have been incorporated by reference into the applicable implementation plan for various States, as provided in Subparts B through DDD of this part.

(b) Definitions. For the purposes of this section:

(1) Visibility protection area means any area listed in 40 CFR 81.401–81.436 (1984).

(2) All other terms shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Clean Air Act, or in the protection of visibility program (40 CFR 51.301), all as in effect on July 12, 1985.

(c) Monitoring Requirements. (1) The Administrator, in cooperation with the appropriate Federal land manager, shall monitor visibility within each visibility protection area in any State whose State implementation plan is subject to a disapproval for failure to satisfy 40 CFR 51.305 (1984).

(2) The Administrator, in monitoring visibility within each such area, shall determine both background visibility conditions and reasonably attributable visibility impairment caused by a source or small group of sources for that area. The extent and the form of monitoring shall be sufficient for use in determining the potential effects of a new stationary source on visibility in the area, the stationary source or sources that are causing any visibility impairment, and progress toward remedying that impairment.

(3) The Administrator shall use the following as appropriate to monitor visibility within each such area: (i) photographic cameras, (ii) fine particulate matter samplers, (iii) teleradiometers, (iv) nephelometers, (v) human observation, or (vi) other appropriate technology.

(4) The Administrator, in cooperation with the Federal land managers, shall prepare monitoring plans that describe, to the maximum extent practicable, the methods and instruments of data collection, the monitoring locations and frequencies, the implementation schedule, the quality assurance procedures, and the methods of data reporting that the Administrator will use for each area. The Administrator shall make these plans available to the public.

(5) The Administrator shall establish a central repository of monitoring data that includes any data on background visibility conditions and reasonably attributable impairment that the Administrator collects under this section and that the Federal land manager may collect or may have collected independently. These data shall be available to any person, subject to reasonable charges for copying.

(d) Monitoring Plan Revision. (1) The Administrator shall review the monitoring plan annually for each visibility protection area, revise it as necessary, and include an assessment of changes to visibility conditions since the last review. The Administrator shall make all plan revisions available to the public.

(2) Any person may make a request to the Administrator, at any time, for a revision to a monitoring plan. The Administrator shall respond to any such request within one year.

(e) Delegation. The Administrator may delegate, with respect to a particular visibility protection area, any of his functions under this section to any State or local air pollution control agency of any State whose boundaries encompass that area or to any Federal land manager with jurisdiction over the area.

[50 FR 28550, July 12, 1985]

§ 52.27 Protection of visibility from sources in attainment areas.
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(a) Plan disapproval. The provisions of this section are applicable to any State implementation plan which has been disapproved with respect to protection of visibility, in mandatory Class I Federal areas, from sources emitting pollutants in any portion of any State where the existing air quality is better than the national ambient air quality standards for such pollutants, and where a State PSD program has been approved as part of the applicable SIP pursuant to 40 CFR 51.24. Specific disapprovals are listed where applicable in Subparts B through DDD of this part. The provisions of this section have been incorporated by reference into the applicable implementation plans for various States, as provided in Subparts B through DDD of this part.

(b) Definitions. For purposes of this section, all terms shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the Clean Air Act, in the prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) program approved as part of the applicable SIP pursuant to 40 CFR 51.24 for the State, or in the protection of visibility program (40 CFR 51.301), all as in effect on July 12, 1985.

(c) Federal visibility analysis. Any person shall have the right, in connection with any application for a permit to construct a major stationary source or major modification, to request that the administrator take responsibility from the State for conducting the required review of a proposed source's impact on visibility in any Federal Class I area. If requested, the Administrator shall take such responsibility and conduct such review pursuant to paragraphs (e), (f) and (g) of this section in any case where the State fails to provide all of the procedural steps listed in paragraph (d) of this section. A request pursuant to this paragraph must be made within 60 days of the notice soliciting public comment on a permit, unless such notice is not properly given. The Administrator will not entertain requests challenging the substance of any State action concerning visibility where the State has provided all of the procedural steps listed in paragraph (d) of this section.

(d) Procedural steps in visibility review. (1) The reviewing authority must provide written notification to all affected Federal land managers of any permit application for any proposed new major stationary source or major modification that may affect visibility in any Federal Class I area. Such notification shall include a copy of all information relevant to the permit application and shall be given within 30 days of receipt and at least 60 days prior to any public hearing on the application for a permit to construct. Such notification shall include the proposed source's anticipated impacts on visibility in any Federal Class I area as provided by the applicant. Notification must also be given to all affected Federal land managers within 30 days of receipt of any advance notification of any such permit application.

(2) The reviewing authority must consider any analysis performed by the Federal land managers, provided within 30 days of the notification required by paragraph (d)(1) of this section, that shows that such proposed new major stationary source or major modification may have:

(i) An adverse impact on visibility in any Federal Class I area, or

(ii) An adverse impact on visibility in an integral vista codified in part 81 of this title.

(3) Where the reviewing authority finds that such an analysis does not demonstrate that the effect in paragraphs (d)(2) (i) or (ii) of this section will occur, either an explanation of its decision or notification as to where the explanation can be obtained must be included in the notice of public hearing.

(4) Where the reviewing authority finds that such an analysis does demonstrate that the effect in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section will occur, the permit shall not be issued.

(5) Where the reviewing authority finds that such an analysis does demonstrate that the effect in paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section will occur, the reviewing authority may issue a permit if the emissions from the source or modification will be consistent with reasonable progress toward the national goal. In making this decision, the reviewing authority may take into account the costs of compliance, the time necessary for compliance, the energy and nonair quality environmental impacts of compliance, and the useful life of the source.

(e) Federal land manager notification. The Administrator shall provide all of the procedural steps listed in paragraph (d) of this section in conducting reviews pursuant to this section.

(f) Monitoring. The Administrator may require monitoring of visibility in any Federal Class I area near the proposed new stationary source or major modification for such purposes and by such means as the Administrator deems necessary and appropriate.

(g) Public participation. The Administrator shall follow the applicable procedures at 40 CFR part 124 in conducting reviews under this section. The Administrator shall follow the procedures at 40 CFR 52.21(q) as in effect on August 7, 1980, to the extent that the procedures of 40 CFR part 124 do not apply.

(h) Federal permit. In any case where the Administrator has made a finding that a State consistently fails or is unable to provide the procedural steps listed in paragraph (d) of this section, the Administrator shall require all prospective permit applicants in such State to apply directly to the Administrator, and the Administrator shall conduct a visibility review pursuant to this section for all permit applications.

[50 FR 28551, July 12, 1985, as amended at 52 FR 45137, Nov. 24, 1987]

§ 52.28 Protection of visibility from sources in nonattainment areas.
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(a) Plan disapproval. The provisions of this section are applicable to any State implementation plan which has been disapproved with respect to protection of visibility, in mandatory Class I Federal areas where visibility is considered an important value, from sources emitting pollutants in any portion of any State where the existing air quality is not in compliance with the national ambient air quality standards for such pollutants. Specific disapprovals are listed where applicable in Subparts B through DDD of this part. The provisions of this section have been incorporated into the applicable implementation plans for various States, as provided in Subparts B through DDD of this part.

(b) Definitions. For the purposes of this section:

(1) Visibility protection area means any area listed in 40 CFR 81.401–81.436 (1984).

(2) All other terms shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the protection of visibility program (40 CFR 51.301) or the prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) program either approved as part of the applicable SIP pursuant to 40 CFR 51.24 or in effect for the applicable SIP pursuant to 40 CFR 52.21, all as in effect on July 12, 1985.

(c) Review of major stationary sources and major modifications—source applicability and exemptions. (1) No stationary source or modification to which the requirements of this section apply shall begin actual construction without a permit which states that the stationary source or modification would meet those requirements. The Administrator has sole authority to issue any such permit unless the authority has been delegated pursuant to paragraph (i) of this section.

(2) The requirements of this section shall apply to construction of any new major stationary source or major modification that would both be constructed in an area classified as nonattainment under section 107(d)(1)(A), (B) or (C) of the Clean Air Act and potentially have an impact on visibility in any visibility proctection area.

(3) The requirements of this section shall apply to any such major stationary source and any such major modification with respect to each pollutant subject to regulation under the Clean Air Act that it would emit, except as this section otherwise provides.

(4) The requirements of this section shall not apply to a particular major stationary source or major modification, if:

(i) The source or modification would be a nonprofit health or nonprofit educational institution, or a major modification would occur at such an institution, and the governor of the State in which the source or modification would be located requests that it be exempt from those requirements; or

(ii) The source or modification would be a major stationary source or major modification only if fugitive emissions, to the extent quantifiable, are considered in calculating the potential to emit of the stationary source or modification and the source does not belong to any of the following categories:

(A) Coal cleaning plants (with thermal dryers);

(B) Kraft pulp mills;

(C) Portland cement plants;

(D) Primary zinc smelters;

(E) Iron and steel mills;

(F) Primary aluminum ore reduction plants;

(G) Primary copper smelters;

(H) Municipal incinerators capable of charging more than 250 tons of refuse per day;

(I) Hydrofluoric, sulfuric, or nitric acid plants;

(J) Petroleum refineries;

(K) Lime plants;

(L) Phosphate rock processing plants;

(M) Coke oven batteries;

(N) Sulfur recovery plants;

(O) Carbon black plants (furnace process);

(P) Primary lead smelters;

(Q) Fuel conversion plants;

(R) Sintering plants;

(S) Secondary metal production plants;

(T) Chemical process plants;

(U) Fossil-fuel boiler (or combination thereof) totaling more than 250 million British thermal units per hour heat input;

(V) Petroleum storage and transfer units with a total storage capacity exceeding 300,000 barrels;

(W) Taconite ore processing plants;

(X) Glass fiber processing plants;

(Y) Charcoal production plants;

(Z) Fossil fuel-fired steam electric plants of more than 250 million British thermal units per hour heat input;

(AA) Any other stationary source category which, as of August 7, 1980, is being regulated under section 111 or 112 of the Act; or

(iii) The source is a portable stationary source which has previously received a permit under this section, and

(A) The owner or operator proposes to relocate the source and emissions of the source at the new location would be temporary; and

(B) The emissions from the source would not exceed its allowable emissions; and

(C) The emissions from the source would impact no Class I area and no area where an applicable increment is known to be violated; and

(D) Reasonable notice is given to the Administrator, prior to the relocation, identifying the proposed new location and the probable duration of operation at the new location. Such notice shall be given to the Administrator not less than 10 days in advance of the proposed relocation, unless a different time duration is previously approved by the Administrator.

(5) The requirements of this section shall not apply to a major stationary source or major modification with respect to a particular pollutant if the owner or operator demonstrates that, as to that pollutant, the source or modification is located in an area designated as attainment under section 107 of the Clean Air Act.

(6) The requirements of this section shall not apply to a major stationary source or major modification with respect to a particular pollutant, if the allowable emissions of that pollutant from the source, or the net emissions increase of that pollutant from the modification:

(i) Would impact no Class I area and no area where an applicable increment is known to be violated, and

(ii) Would be temporary.

(d) Visibility Impact Analyses. The owner or operator of a source shall provide an analysis of the impairment to visibility that would occur as a result of the source or modification and general commercial, residential, industrial and other growth associated with the source or modification.

(e) Federal land manager notification. (1) The Federal land manager and the Federal official charged with direct responsibility for management of Federal Class I areas have an affirmative responsibility to protect the air quality related values (including visibility) of such lands and to consider, in consultation with the Administrator, whether a proposed source or modification will have an adverse impact on such values.

(2) The Administrator shall provide written notification to all affected Federal land managers of any permit application for any proposed new major stationary source or major modification that may affect visibility in any visibility protection area.The Administrator shall also provide for such notification to the Federal official charged with direct responsibility for management of any lands within any such area. Such notification shall include a copy of all information relevant to the permit application and shall be given within 30 days of receipt and at least 60 days prior to any public hearing on the application for a permit to construct. Such notification shall include an analysis of the proposed source's anticipated impacts on visibility in any visibility protection area. The Administrator shall also notify all affected FLM's within 30 days of receipt of any advance notification of any such permit application.

(3) The Administrator shall consider any analysis performed by the Federal land manager, provided within 30 days of the notification required by paragraph (e)(2) of this section, that such proposed new major stationary source or major modification may have an adverse impact on visibility in any visibility protection area. Where the Administrator finds that such an analysis does not demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Administrator that an adverse impact on visibility will result in the visibility protection area, the Administrator must, in the notice of public hearing, either explain his decision or give notice as to where the explanation can be obtained.

(f) Public participation. The Administrator shall follow the applicable procedures of 40 CFR part 124 in processing applications under this section. The Administrator shall follow the procedures at 40 CFR 52.21(q) as in effect on August 7, 1980, to the extent that the procedures of 40 CFR part 124 do not apply.

(g) National visibility goal. The Administrator shall only issue permits to those sources whose emissions will be consistent with making reasonable progress toward the national goal of preventing any future, and remedying any existing, impairment of visibility in visibility protection areas which impairment results from man-made air pollution. In making the decision to issue a permit, the Administrator may take into account the costs of compliance, the time necessary for compliance, the energy and nonair quality environmental impacts of compliance, and the useful life of the source.

(h) Monitoring. The Administrator may require monitoring of visibility in any visibility protection area near the proposed new stationary source or major modification for such purposes and by such means as the Administrator deems necessary and appropriate.

(i) Delegation of authority. (1) The Administrator shall have the authority to delegate the responsibility for conducting source review pursuant to this section to any agency in accordance with paragraphs (i)(2) and (3) of this section.

(2) Where the Administrator delegates the responsibility for conducting source review under this section to any agency other than a Regional Office of the Environmental Protection Agency, the following provisions shall apply:

(i) Where the delegate agency is not an air pollution control agency it shall consult with the appropriate State and local air pollution control agency prior to making any determination under this section. Similarly, where the delegate agency does not have continuing responsibility for managing land use, it shall consult with the appropriate State and local agency primarily responsible for managing land use prior to making any determination under this section.

(ii) The delegate agency shall submit a copy of any public comment notice required under paragraph (f) of this section to the Administrator through the appropriate Regional Office.

(3) The Administrator's authority for reviewing a source or modification located on an Indian Reservation shall not be redelegated other than to a Regional Office of the Environmental Protection Agency, except where the State has assumed jurisdiction over such land under other laws. Where the State has assumed such jurisdiction, the Administrator may delegate his authority to the States in accordance with paragraph (i)(2) of this section.

[50 FR 28551, July 12, 1985]

§ 52.29 Visibility long-term strategies.
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(a) Plan disapprovals. The provisions of this section are applicable to any State implementation plan which has been disapproved for not meeting the requirements of 40 CFR 51.306 regarding the development, periodic review, and revision of visibility long-term strategies. Specific disapprovals are listed where applicable in Subparts B through DDD of this part. The provisions of this section have been incorporated into the applicable implementation plan for various States, as provided in Subparts B through DDD of this part.

(b) Definitions. For the purposes of this section, all terms shall have the meaning as ascribed to them in the Clean Air Act, or in the protection of visibility program (40 CFR 51.301).

(c) Long-term strategy. (1) A long-term strategy is a 10- to 15-year plan for making reasonable progress toward the national goal specified in §51.300(a). This strategy will cover any existing impairment certified by the Federal land manager and any integral vista which has been identified according to §51.304.

(2) The Administrator shall review, and revise if appropriate, the long-term strategies developed for each visibility protection area. The review and revisions will be completed no less frequently than every 3 years from November 24, 1987.

(3) During the long-term strategy review process, the Administrator shall consult with the Federal land managers responsible for the appropriate mandatory Class I Federal areas, and will coordinate long-term strategy development for an area with existing plans and goals, including those provided by the Federal land managers.

(4) The Administrator shall prepare a report on any progress made toward the national visibility goal since the last long-term strategy revisions. A report will be made available to the public not less frequently than 3 years from November 24, 1987. This report must include an assessment of:

(i) The progress achieved in remedying existing impairment of visibility in any mandatory Class I Federal area;

(ii) The ability of the long-term strategy to prevent future impairment of visibility in any mandatory Class I Federal area;

(iii) Any change in visibility since the last such report, or in the case of the first report, since plan approval;

(iv) Additional measures, including the need for SIP revisions, that may be necessary to assure reasonable progress toward the national visibility goal;

(v) The progress achieved in implementing best available retrofit technology (BART) and meeting other schedules set forth in the long-term strategy;

(vi) The impact of any exemption granted under §51.303;

(vii) The need for BART to remedy existing visibility impairment of any integral vista identified pursuant to §51.304.

(d) Delegation of authority. The Administrator may delegate with respect to a particular visibility protection area any of his functions under this section, except the making of regulations, to any State or local air pollution control agency of any State whose boundaries encompass that area.

[52 FR 45137, Nov. 24, 1987]

§ 52.30 Criteria for limiting application of sanctions under section 110(m) of the Clean Air Act on a statewide basis.
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(a) Definitions. For the purpose of this section:

(1) The term “political subdivision” refers to the representative body that is responsible for adopting and/or implementing air pollution controls for one, or any combination of one or more of the following: city, town, borough, county, parish, district, or any other geographical subdivision created by, or pursuant to, Federal or State law. This will include any agency designated under section 174, 42 U.S.C. 7504, by the State to carry out the air planning responsibilities under part D.

(2) The term “required activity” means the submission of a plan or plan item, or the implementation of a plan or plan item.

(3) The term “deficiency” means the failure to perform a required activity as defined in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.

(4) For purposes of §52.30, the terms “plan” or “plan item” mean an implementation plan or portion of an implementation plan or action needed to prepare such plan required by the Clean Air Act, as amended in 1990, or in response to a SIP call issued pursuant to section 110(k)(5) of the Act.

(b) Sanctions. During the 24 months after a finding, determination, or disapproval under section 179(a) of the Clean Air Act is made, EPA will not impose sanctions under section 110(m) of the Act on a statewide basis if the Administrator finds that one or more political subdivisions of the State are principally responsible for the deficiency on which the finding, disapproval, or determination as provided under section 179(a)(1) through (4) is based.

(c) Criteria. For the purposes of this provision, EPA will consider a political subdivision to be principally responsible for the deficiency on which a section 179(a) finding is based, if all five of the following criteria are met.

(1) The State has provided adequate legal authority to a political subdivision to perform the required activity.

(2) The required activity is one which has traditionally been performed by the local political subdivision, or the responsibility for performing the required activity has been delegated to the political subdivision.

(3) The State has provided adequate funding or authority to obtain funding (when funding is necessary to carry out the required activity) to the political subdivision to perform the required activity.

(4) The political subdivision has agreed to perform (and has not revoked that agreement), or is required by State law to accept responsibility for performing, the required activity.

(5) The political subdivision has failed to perform the required activity.

(d) Imposition of sanctions. (1) If all of the criteria in paragraph (c) of this section have been met through the action or inaction of one political subdivision, EPA will not impose sanctions on a statewide basis.

(2) If not all of the criteria in paragraph (c) of this section have been met through the action or inaction of one political subdivision, EPA will determine the area for which it is reasonable and appropriate to apply sanctions.

[59 FR 1484, Jan. 11, 1994]

§ 52.31 Selection of sequence of mandatory sanctions for findings made pursuant to section 179 of the Clean Air Act.
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(a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to implement 42 U.S.C. 7509(a) of the Act, with respect to the sequence in which sanctions will automatically apply under 42 U.S.C. 7509(b), following a finding made by the Administrator pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 7509(a).

(b) Definitions. All terms used in this section, but not specifically defined herein, shall have the meaning given them in §52.01.

(1) 1990 Amendments means the 1990 Amendments to the Clean Air Act (Pub. L. No. 101–549, 104 Stat. 2399).

(2) Act means Clean Air Act, as amended in 1990 (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq. (1991)).

(3) Affected area means the geographic area subject to or covered by the Act requirement that is the subject of the finding and either, for purposes of the offset sanction under paragraph (e)(1) of this section and the highway sanction under paragraph (e)(2) of this section, is or is within an area designated nonattainment under 42 U.S.C. 7407(d) or, for purposes of the offset sanction under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, is or is within an area otherwise subject to the emission offset requirements of 42 U.S.C. 7503.

(4) Criteria pollutant means a pollutant for which the Administrator has promulgated a national ambient air quality standard pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 7409 (i.e., ozone, lead, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide).

(5) Findings or Finding refer(s) to one or more of the findings, disapprovals, and determinations described in subsection 52.31 (c).

(6) NAAQS means national ambient air quality standard the Administrator has promulgated pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 7409.

(7) Ozone precursors mean nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOC).

(8) Part D means part D of title I of the Act.

(9) Part D SIP or SIP revision or plan means a State implementation plan or plan revision that States are required to submit or revise pursuant to part D.

(10) Precursor means pollutant which is transformed in the atmosphere (later in time and space from point of emission) to form (or contribute to the formation of) a criteria pollutant.

(c) Applicability. This section shall apply to any State in which an affected area is located and for which the Administrator has made one of the following findings, with respect to any part D SIP or SIP revision required under the Act:

(1) A finding that a State has failed, for an area designated nonattainment under 42 U.S.C. 7407(d), to submit a plan, or to submit one or more of the elements (as determined by the Administrator) required by the provisions of the Act applicable to such an area, or has failed to make a submission for such an area that satisfies the minimum criteria established in relation to any such element under 42 U.S.C. 7410(k);

(2) A disapproval of a submission under 42 U.S.C. 7410(k), for an area designated nonattainment under 42 U.S.C. 7407(d), based on the submission's failure to meet one or more of the elements required by the provisions of the Act applicable to such an area;

(3)(i) A determination that a State has failed to make any submission required under the Act, other than one described under paragraph (c)(1) or (c)(2) of this section, including an adequate maintenance plan, or has failed to make any submission, required under the Act, other than one described under paragraph (c)(1) or (c)(2) of this section, that satisfies the minimum criteria established in relation to such submission under 42 U.S.C. 7410(k)(1)(A); or

(ii) A disapproval in whole or in part of a submission described under paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section; or

(4) A finding that any requirement of an approved plan (or approved part of a plan) is not being implemented.

(d) Sanction application sequencing. (1) To implement 42 U.S.C. 7509(a), the offset sanction under paragraph (e)(1) of this section shall apply in an affected area 18 months from the date when the Administrator makes a finding under paragraph (c) of this section unless the Administrator affirmatively determines that the deficiency forming the basis of the finding has been corrected. To further implement 42 U.S.C. 7509(a), the highway sanction under paragraph (e)(2) of this section shall apply in an affected area 6 months from the date the offset sanction under paragraph (e)(1) of this section applies, unless the Administrator affirmatively determines that the deficiency forming the basis of the finding has been corrected. For the findings under paragraphs (c)(2), (c)(3)(ii), and (c)(4) of this section, the date of the finding shall be the effective date as defined in the final action triggering the sanctions clock.

(2)(i) Notwithstanding paragraph (d)(1) of this section, to further implement 42 U.S.C. 7509(a), following the findings under paragraphs (c)(2) and (c)(3)(ii) of this section, if the State has submitted a revised plan to correct the deficiency prompting the finding and the Administrator, prior to 18 months from the finding, has proposed to fully or conditionally approve the revised plan and has issuedan interim final determination that the revised plan corrects the deficiency prompting the finding, application of the offset sanction under paragraph (e)(1) of this section shall be deferred unless and until the Administrator proposes to or takes final action to disapprove the plan in whole or in part. If the Administrator issues such a proposed or final disapproval of the plan, the offset sanction under paragraph (e)(1) of this section shall apply in the affected area on the later of the date the Administrator issues such a proposed or final disapproval, or 18 months following the finding that started the sanctions clock. The highway sanction under paragraph (e)(2) of this section shall apply in the affected area 6 months after the date the offset sanction under paragraph (e)(1) of this section applies, unless the Administrator determines that the deficiency forming the basis of the finding has been corrected. (continued)