892 Proposed revision of the State Implementation Plan for Southeastern Pennsylvania Area (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties) included in the Philadelphia-Wilmington, Atlantic City, PA-DE-MD-NJ 8-hour ozone nonattainment ...

Proposed Revision to the State Implementa- tion Plan for Southeastern Pennsylvania Area (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties) included in the Philadelphia-Wilmington, Atlantic City, PA-DE-MD-NJ 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area; Public Hearing

[37 Pa.B. 2349]
[Saturday, May 19, 2007]

   Ground-level ozone concentrations above the health-based 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) pose a serious human health threat and can also cause damage to crops, forests and wildlife. The Commonwealth is seeking public comment on a revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the Southeastern Pennsylvania area included in the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-DE-MD-NJ 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area (Philadelphia Nonattainment Area). Effective June 15, 2004, the Pennsylvania portion of this ''moderate'' 8-hour ozone nonattainment areas, consists of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties.

   The Commonwealth is seeking public comment on a revision to the SIP for this area. This document contains information on ozone trends in the area, decreases in emissions of ozone precursors and shows that the area meets all requirements necessary for an approvable SIP revision for a ''moderate'' nonattainment area. The plan demonstrates how the area will attain the health-based 8-hour ozone NAAQS by June 2010 by presenting evidence from photochemical modeling, ozone trends and regional transport impacts. The plan demonstrates how it will meet 2008 and 2009 reasonable further progress milestones for emission reductions through state and Federal control measures. It also contains the base year 2002 emissions inventory, a reasonably available control measure analysis, a contingency plan to bring the area back into attainment should violations of the NAAQS occur after the standard is attained and mobile source emission budgets for purposes of transportation conformity. After consideration of comments received, the SIP revision will be finalized and submitted to the EPA for approval.

   This proposal is available on the Department's website at www.depweb.state.pa.us (choose ''Air Topics'') or through the contact persons listed.

   The Department will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the proposals on Friday, June 22, at 1 p.m. at the Department of Environmental Protection's Southeast Regional Office, 2 East Main Street, Norristown, PA. Persons wishing to present testimony at the hearing should contact Yvette House, P. O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105, [phone] or [e-mail] to reserve a time. Persons who do not reserve a time will be able to testify as time allows. Witnesses should keep testimony to 10 minutes and should provide two written copies of their statement at the hearing.

   Persons with a disability who wish to attend the hearing and require an auxiliary aid, service or other accommodation to participate in the proceeding should contact Yvette House at [phone] or yhouse@ state.pa.us. TDD users may contact the AT&T Relay Service at [phone] to discuss how the Department can best accommodate their needs.

   The Department must receive comments no later than June 26, 2007. Written comments should be sent to the attention of Arleen Shulman, Division of Air Resource Management, Bureau of Air Quality, P. O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8468, [e-mail]. Use ''Philadelphia Ozone SIP'' in the subject line.

KATHLEEN A. MCGINTY,   
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 07-892. Filed for public inspection May 18, 2007, 9:00 a.m.]