National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Asbestos

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Final rule; amendments.

SUMMARY:

On September 18, 2003 (68 FR 54790), EPA issued amendments to the national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for asbestos under section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA). This action corrects typographical errors in Table 1 to the amendments that were promulgated on September 18, 2003.

Section 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), provides that, when an agency for good cause finds that notice and public procedure are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest, the agency may issue a rule without providing notice and an opportunity for public comment. We have determined that there is good cause for making this action final without prior proposal and opportunity for comment because the corrections to the final rule do not change the requirements of the final rule. They are minor technical corrections and are not controversial. Thus, notice and public procedure are unnecessary. We find that this constitutes good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) (see also the final sentence of section 307(d)(1) of the Clean Air Act (CAA), 42 U.S.C. 7607(d)(1), indicating that the good cause provisions of the APA continue to apply to this type of rulemaking under the CAA).

DATES:

The final rule is effective on August 19, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

The EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID No. OAR 2002-0082. All documents in the docket are listed in the EDOCKET index at http://www.epa.gov/edocket . Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, i.e., confidential business information or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically in EDOCKET or in hard copy at the EPA Air Docket. This Docket Facility is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. e.s.t., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The EPA Air Docket is located at the EPA Docket Center, EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the EPA Air Docket is (202) 566-1742.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Susan Fairchild, U.S. EPA, Minerals and Inorganic Chemicals Group (C-504-05), Emission Standards Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, telephone number (919) 541-5167, facsimile number (919) 541-5600, electronic mail address: fairchild.susan@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Regulated Entities: Entities potentially regulated by this action include:

World wide Web (WWW). In addition to being available in the docket, an electronic copy of this action will also be available on the WWW through the Technology Transfer Network (TTN). Following signature, a copy of this action will be posted on EPA's TTN policy and guidance page for newly proposed or promulgated rules: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg . The TTN at EPA's web site provides information and technology exchange in various areas of air pollution control.

I. Background

On November 20, 1990, the Federal Register published EPA's revision of the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Asbestos (asbestos NESHAP), 40 CFR part 61, subpart M, (55 FR 48406). That rule contained regulatory provisions for the labeling of asbestos waste that cited to regulations then in place from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for proper labeling of asbestos waste. Subsequent to the publication of that rule, OSHA renumbered the provisions cited in the asbestos NESHAP.

On September 18, 2003, the Federal Register published EPA's amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Asbestos (asbestos NESHAP), 40 CFR part 61, subpart M, (55 FR 48406). Those amendments correctly identify the current OSHA regulatory citations for properly labeling asbestos waste that is managed under the asbestos NESHAP. However, typographical errors occurred in Table 1: Cross Reference to Other Asbestos Regulations in the Federal Register publication of that notice and today's final rule amendments correct the errors.

II. Final Rule Amendments to the Asbestos NESHAP

The current OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 0.1 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc). However, Table 1 found at 40 CFR 61.156 erroneously identifies the OSHA PEL as 0.2 f/cc. Today's action corrects Table 1 at 40 CFR 61.156, to reference the OSHA regulation but the NESHAP will not reference the current level of the PEL. Therefore, the section of Table 1 which is being corrected now reads as follows:

We find for good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) that notice and comment procedures are unnecessary, and we are not soliciting comments on the amendments. The corrections are nonsubstantive in nature and do not affect the requirements for subject persons under the regulations. The regulations will continue to cite to the same OSHA regulations, and merely revise commentary statements accompanying the citations. In addition, the changes are noncontroversial and simply correct two typographical errors. Finally, the final rule amendments raise no new substantive issues beyond those raised in the previous direct final rule and notice of proposed rulemaking published on September 18, 2003. The EPA received no adverse comments regarding those notices, so an additional period of public comment is unnecessary.

III. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews

Under Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review (58 FR 51735, October 4, 1993), this action is not a “significant regulatory action” and is, therefore, not subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget. This action is not a “major rule” as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2). The final rule does not impose an information collection burden under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Because EPA has made a “good cause” finding that this action is not subject to notice and comment requirements under the APA or any other statute, it is not subject to the regulatory flexibility provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), or to sections 202 and 205 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4). In addition, this action does not significantly or uniquely affect small governments or impose a significant intergovernmental mandate, as described in sections 203 and 204 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. The final rule does not have substantial direct effects on the States, or on the relationship between the national government and the States, as specified in Executive Order 13132, Federalism (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999). Today's action also does not significantly or uniquely affect the communities of tribal governments, as specified by Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments (65 FR 67249, November 6, 2000). Also, the final rule is not subject to Executive Order 13045, Protection of Children from Environmental Health and Safety Risks (62 FR 1985, April 23, 1997) because it is not economically significant. The final rule is not subject to Executive Order 13211, Actions Concerning Regulations That Significantly Affect Energy Supply, Distribution, or Use (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001) because it is not a significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866. The final rule does not involve changes to the technical standards related to test methods or monitoring methods; thus the requirements of section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272) do not apply. Also, the final rule does not involve special consideration of environmental justice-related issues as required by Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations (59 FR 7629, February 16, 1994). The EPA has complied with Executive Order 12630, Governmental Actions and Interference With Constitutionally Protected Property Rights (Takings) (53 FR 8859, March 15, 1988) by examining the takings implications of the final rule in accordance with the “Attorney General's Supplemental Guidelines for the Evaluation of Risk and Avoidance of Unanticipated Takings” issued under the Executive Order. In issuing the final rule, EPA has taken the necessary steps to eliminate drafting errors and ambiguity, minimize potential litigation, and provide a clear legal standard for affected conduct, as required by section 3 of Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform (61 FR 4729, February 7, 1996). The Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), as added by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, generally provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating the rule must submit a rule report, which includes a copy of the rule, to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United States. The EPA will submit a report containing the final rule and other required information to the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the United States prior to publication of the rule in the Federal Register. The final rule is not a “major rule” as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 61

• Environmental protection
• Asbestos
• Air pollution control
• Hazardous substances

For the reasons stated in the preamble, title 40, chapter I, part 61 is amended as follows:

1. The authority citation for part 61 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.

2. Section 61.156 is amended by revising Table 1 to read as follows: