Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Illinois

On January 8, 1996, the State of Illinois submitted to EPA a site-specific State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision request for Reynolds Metals Company's (Reynolds) McCook Sheet and Plate Plant in McCook, Illinois (in Cook County). The purpose of this request is to amend the State's volatile organic material (VOM) reasonably available control technology (RACT) requirements for Reynolds' aluminum rolling operations to mirror the facility's RACT requirements promulgated under the Chicago area Federal Implementation Plan (FIP). VOM, as defined by the State of Illinois, is identical to ``volatile organic compounds'' (VOC), as defined by EPA. Emissions of VOC react with nitrogen oxides in sunlight to form ground-level ozone, commonly known as smog. Exposure to high ozone concentrations causes respiratory irritation, especially to children, seniors, and people with asthma and other respiratory problems. RACT rules establish the lowest VOC emission limitation that major stationary sources are capable of meeting by the application of control technology that is reasonably available, considering technological and economic feasibility. In this action, EPA is approving the requested SIP revision through a ``direct final'' rulemaking; the rationale for this approval is set forth in the ``supplementary information'' section of this rulemaking. Elsewhere in this Federal Register, EPA is proposing approval and soliciting comment on this direct final action; if adverse comments are received, EPA will withdraw the direct final and address the comments received in a new final rule; otherwise, no further rulemaking will occur on this requested SIP revision.