Federal Implementation Plan Addressing Regional Ozone Transport for the 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (Final Rule)
New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)
No
Regular
Approved without change
07/15/2024
06/05/2023
In accordance with 5 CFR 1320, the information collection is approved for three years. As terms of clearance, OMB instructs the agency to submit the ICR renewal in the standard 18-question format and to provide a clear documentation of the number of responses it is requesting for the subsequent approval period. Prior to the next renewal, the agency should also provide a mechanism for electronic submission of EPA Form 7620-4, or explain why doing so is not feasible.
table that charts list comparision
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
07/31/2027
36 Months From Approved
421
0
0
2,510
0
0
172,929
0
0
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing an information collection request (ICR), related specifically to electric generating units (EGU), for the proposed Federal Implementation Plan Addressing Regional Ozone Transport for the 2015 Primary Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard. The proposed rule would amend the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) NOx Ozone Season Group 3 trading program addressing seasonal NOx emissions in various states. Under the proposed rule, all EGU sources in the original twelve Group 3 states (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia) would remain. Additionally, EGU sources in eight states (Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin) currently covered by the CSAPR NOX Ozone Season Group 2 Trading Program would transition from the Group 2 program to the revised Group 3 trading program beginning with the 2023 ozone season. Further, sources in five states not currently covered by any CSAPR NOX ozone season trading program would join the revised Group 3 trading program: Delaware, Minnesota, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. In total, EGU sources in 25 states would be covered by the Group 3 program. There is an existing ICR (OMB Control Number 2060-0667), that includes information collection requirements placed on EGU sources for the six Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) trading programs addressing sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, annual nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions, or seasonal NOX emissions in various sets of states, and the Texas SO2 trading program which is modeled after CSAPR. This ICR accounts for the additional respondent burden related to the amendments to the CSAPR NOx Ozone Group 3 trading program. For most sources already reporting data under the CSAPR NOx Ozone Season Group 3 or CSAPR NOx Ozone Group 2 trading programs, there would be no incremental burden or cost, as reporting requirements will remain identical. Certain sources with a common stack configuration and/or those that are large, coal-fired EGUs, will be subject to additional emission reporting requirements under the proposed rule. These sources will need to make a one-time monitoring plan and Data Acquisition and Handling System (DAHS) update to meet the additional reporting requirements. Remaining for assessment of incremental cost and burden are only those sources in the five states not currently reporting data under a CSAPR NOx Ozone Season program. Sources in Minnesota are already reporting data for the CSAPR NOx Annual program with almost identical information collection requirements, requiring only a one-time monitoring plan and DAHS update. Most of the affected sources in Delaware, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming are already reporting data as part of the Acid Rain Program, thus only requiring a monitoring plan and DAHS update as well. Four additional EGUs in Delaware already report data under SIP requirements adopted to meet the NOX SIP Call and would face identical information requirements under this proposal. For the units that already report to EPA under the Acid Rain Program or the NOX SIP Call, with the exception of any one-time costs to update monitoring plans and DAHS, all information collection costs and burden are already reflected in the previously approved ICRs for those other rules (OMB Control Nos. 2060-0258 and 2060-0445).
In total, there are an estimated 16 units in Delaware, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming that do not already report data to EPA according to 40 CFR part 75 and that would need to implement one of the Part 75 monitoring methodologies, including certification of monitoring systems or implementation of the low mass emissions methodology. These units would also require monitoring plan and DAHS updates.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Federal Implementation Plan Addressing Regional Ozone Transport for the 2015 Primary Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard: Transport Obligations for Electric Generating Units - Voluntary