Rulemaking on Section 126 Petition From North Carolina To Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine Particulate Matter and Ozone; Federal Implementation Plans To Reduce Interstate Transport of Fine Particulate Matter and Ozone: Notice of Actions Denying Petitions for Reconsideration

The EPA is providing notice that it has responded to 4 petitions for reconsideration of a final rule published in the Federal Register on April 28, 2006. The rule promulgated Federal implementation plans (FIPs) for the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and responded to a petition from North Carolina that was submitted under section 126 of the Clean Air Act (CAIR FIPs-Section 126 Rule). Subsequent to publishing the rule, EPA received 4 petitions for reconsideration from ARRIPA (dated June 26, 2006), Colver Power Project (dated June 27, 2006), the State of North Carolina (dated June 26, 2006), and Southern Environmental Law Center (on behalf of Southern Environmental Law Center, Sierra Club, and Environment North Carolina) (dated June 27, 2006). The EPA considered the petitions and supporting information along with information contained in the rulemaking docket (Docket No. EPA-OAR-HQ-2004-0076) in reaching a decision on the petitions. EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson denied the petitions for reconsideration in separate letters to the petitioners dated February 27, 2007 to ARRIPA and to Colver Power Project and dated May 7, 2007 to Southern Environmental Law Center and to the State of North Carolina. The letters explain EPA's reasons for the denials.