Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans: Minnesota: Minneapolis-St. Paul Carbon Monoxide Maintenance Plan Update

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

EPA is proposing to approve a revision to the Minnesota State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the maintenance of the Carbon Monoxide (CO) ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) submitted on November 10, 2004. Specifically, EPA is proposing approval of Minnesota's revised 2009 emissions inventories and 2009 Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets (MVEB) recalculated using MOBILE6 for the Minneapolis-St. Paul CO maintenance area.

In the final rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the SIP revision as a direct final rule without prior proposal, because EPA views this as a noncontroversial revision and anticipate no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approval is set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse comments are received in response to this proposed rule, no further activity is contemplated in relation to this proposed rule. If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period on this action. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

DATES:

Written comments must be received on or before January 10, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments, identified by Regional Material in EDocket (RME) ID No. R05-OAR-2004-MN-0002 by one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov . Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.

Agency Web site: http://docket.epa.gov/rmepub/index.jsp . Regional Material in EDocket (RME), EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, is EPA's preferred method for receiving comments. Once in the system, select “quick search,” then key in the appropriate RME Docket identification number. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.

E-mail: bortzer.jay@epa.gov.

Fax: (312) 886-5824.

Mail: You may send written comments to: J. Elmer Bortzer, Chief, Air Programs Branch, (AR-18J), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604.

Hand delivery: Deliver your comments to: J. Elmer Bortzer, Chief, Air Programs Branch (AR-18J), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, 18th floor, Chicago, Illinois 60604.

Such deliveries are only accepted during the Regional Office's normal hours of operation. The Regional Office's official hours of business are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. excluding Federal holidays.

Instructions: Direct your comments to Regional Material in EDocket (RME) ID No. R05-OAR-2004-MN-0002. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through Regional Material in EDocket (RME), regulations.gov, or e-mail. The EPA Regional Material in EDocket (RME) Web site and the federal regulations.gov Web site are “anonymous access” systems, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through RME or regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional instructions on submitting comments, go to section I of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

Docket: All documents in the electronic docket are listed in the Regional Material in EDocket (RME) index at http://www.epa.gov/rmepub/index.jsp . Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, i.e., Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically in RME or in hard copy at Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Air and Radiation Division, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604. (Please telephone Michael Leslie at (312) 353-6680 before visiting the Region 5 Office.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael Leslie, Environmental Engineer, Criteria Pollutant Section, Air Programs Branch (AR-18J), USEPA, Region 5, 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, (312) 353-6680. leslie.michael@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this action apply to me?

B. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?

II. What Action is EPA Taking Today?

III. Where Can I Find More Information About This Proposal and the Corresponding Direct Final Rule?

I. General Information

A. Does This Action Apply to me?

This action primarily applies to the transportation sector represented by Metropolitan Council, the Minnesota Department of Transportation and persons needing to travel in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

B. What Should I Consider as I Prepare my Comments for EPA?

1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit Confidential Business Information (CBI) to EPA through Regional Material in EDocket (RME), regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.

2. Tips for Preparing Your Comments. When submitting comments, remember to:

a. Identify the rulemaking by docket number and other identifying information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page number).

b. Follow directions—The agency may ask you to respond to specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number.

c. Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives and substitute language for your requested changes.

d. Describe any assumptions and provide any technical information and/or data that you used.

e. If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how you arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be reproduced.

f. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns, and suggest alternatives.

g. Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the use of profanity or personal threats.

h. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period deadline identified.

II. What Action is EPA Taking Today?

EPA is proposing to approve the Minnesota SIP revision submitted on November 10, 2004. This submittal revises Minnesota's 1996 and 2009 CO emission inventories and 2009 MVEB using MOBILE6 for the Minneapolis-St. Paul CO maintenance area.

III. Where Can I Find More Information About This Proposal and the Corresponding Direct Final Rule?

For additional information, see the Direct Final Rule which is located in the Rules section of this Federal Register. Copies of the request and the EPA's analysis are available electronically at Regional Material in EDocket (RME) or in hard copy at the above address. (Please telephone Michael Leslie at (312) 353-6680 before visiting the Region 5 Office.)

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52

• Environmental protection
• Air pollution control
• Carbon monoxide