WSR 06-20-125

DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY


[ Filed October 4, 2006, 11:22 a.m. ]


Public Hearing

Department of Ecology Air Quality Program

Including Vancouver Ozone Maintenance Plan/Southwest Clean Air Agency Rules in the State Implementation Plan



     The department of ecology (ecology) is holding two successive public hearings on proposed changes to the state implementation plan (SIP). The SIP is a statewide plan for meeting federal air quality standards.

     Background information: The Southwest Clean Air Agency (SWCAA) developed a maintenance plan SIP revision for the Vancouver, Washington portion of the Portland-Vancouver bi-state ozone area. The plan shows the area will maintain the eight-hour ozone standard through 2015. The plan also includes a contingency plan in case the area exceeds or violates the ozone standard.

     The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the air quality standard for ozone air pollution from a one-hour standard to an eight-hour standard to provide better public health protection. When an air quality standard is revised, the Clean Air Act requires states to develop a plan to implement, maintain, and enforce the revised standard. States submit these plans to EPA for approval. If EPA approves a state's plan, it becomes part of the SIP.

     The hearings: Ecology will hold two successive hearings immediately following SWCAA's November board meeting. The purpose of the first hearing is to receive public comment on including SWCAA's maintenance plan in the SIP. The purpose of the second hearing is to receive public comment on including SWCAA's revised rules for air pollution sources in the SIP.

     SWCAA's revised rules include updates to the following sections of its general regulation for air pollution sources:

SWCAA 400-030 Definitions
SWCAA 400-101 Emission exempt from Registration Requirements
*SWCAA 400-111 Requirements for New Sources in a Maintenance Plan Area
*SWCAA 400-113 Requirements for New Sources in Attainment or Nonclassifiable Areas
SWCAA 400-171 Public Involvement
SWCAA 400-200 Vertical Dispersion Requirement, Creditable Stack Height and Dispersion Techniques
     *SWCAA 400-111 and SWCAA 400-113 support the Vancouver ozone maintenance plan.

     Hearings will be held following the Southwest Clean Air Agency's 3:00 p.m. board meeting on Thursday, November 2, 2006, Southwest Clean Air Agency, 11815 N.E. 99th Street, Suite 1294, Vancouver, WA 99682-2394.

     Review copies are available: You can review copies of the SIP revision at the following locations:


Southwest Clean Air Agency

11815 N.E. 99th Street

Suite 1294

Vancouver, WA 99682-2394


Department of Ecology

Air Quality Program

300 Desmond Drive

Lacey WA 98503


Vancouver Community Library

1007 East Mill Plain Boulevard

Vancouver, WA 98663


Department of Ecology

Vancouver Field Office

2108 Grand Boulevard

Vancouver, WA 98661-4622


     How to comment: You can comment in person at the hearings, or mail, e-mail or fax your comments to Doug Schneider, Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 4700, Olympia, WA 98504-7600, fax (360) 407-7534, e-mail dsch461@ecy.wa.gov. You must provide your comments by 5:00 p.m., November 9, 2006.

     For more information please contact Doug Schneider.

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