(a) Purpose. This section establishes Federal Implementation Plan requirements for new and existing units in the industries specified in paragraph (b) of this section to eliminate significant contribution to nonattainment, or interference with maintenance, of the 2015 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards in other states pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 7410(a)(2)(D)(i)(I).

(b) Definitions. The terms used in this section and §§ 52.41 through § 52.46 are defined as follows:

Calendar year means the period between January 1 and December 31, inclusive, for a given year.

Existing affected unit means any affected unit for which construction commenced before August 4, 2023.

New affected unit means any affected unit for which construction commenced on or after August 4, 2023.

Operator means any person who operates, controls, or supervises an affected unit and shall include, but not be limited to, any holding company, utility system, or plant manager of such affected unit.

Owner means any holder of any portion of the legal or equitable title in an affected unit.

Potential to emit means the maximum capacity of a unit to emit a pollutant under its physical and operational design. Any physical or operational limitation on the capacity of the unit to emit a pollutant, including air pollution control equipment and restrictions on hours of operation or on the type or amount of material combusted, stored, or processed, shall be treated as part of its design only if the limitation or the effect it would have on emissions is federally enforceable. Secondary emissions do not count in determining the potential to emit of a unit.

Rolling average means the weighted average of all data, meeting quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) requirements in this part or otherwise normalized, collected during the applicable averaging period. The period of a rolling average stipulates the frequency of data averaging and reporting. To demonstrate compliance with an operating parameter a 30-day rolling average period requires calculation of a new average value each operating day and shall include the average of all the hourly averages of the specific operating parameter. For demonstration of compliance with an emissions limit based on pollutant concentration, a 30-day rolling average is comprised of the average of all the hourly average concentrations over the previous 30 operating days. For demonstration of compliance with an emissions limit based on lbs-pollutant per production unit, the 30-day rolling average is calculated by summing the hourly mass emissions over the previous 30 operating days, then dividing that sum by the total production during the same period.

(c) General requirements. (1) The NOX emissions limitations or emissions control requirements and associated compliance requirements for the following listed source categories not subject to the CSAPR ozone season trading program constitute the Federal Implementation Plan provisions that relate to emissions of NOX during the ozone season (defined as May 1 through September 30 of a calendar year): §§ 52.41 for engines in the Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas Industry, 52.42 for kilns in the Cement and Concrete Product Manufacturing Industry, 52.43 for reheat furnaces in the Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing Industry, 52.44 for furnaces in the Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing Industry, 52.45 for boilers in the Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing, Metal Ore Mining, Basic Chemical Manufacturing, Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing, and Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills industries, and 52.46 for Municipal Waste Combustors.

(2) The provisions of this section or § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46 apply to affected units located in each of the following States, including Indian country located within the borders of such States, beginning in the 2026 ozone season and in each subsequent ozone season: Arkansas, California, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.

(3) The testing, monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements of this section or § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46 only apply during the ozone season, except as otherwise specified in these sections. Additionally, if an owner or operator of an affected unit chooses to conduct a performance or compliance test outside of the ozone season, all recordkeeping, reporting, and notification requirements associated with that test shall apply, without regard to whether they occur during the ozone season.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, the effectiveness of paragraphs (a) and (b), (c)(1) through (3), and (d) through (g) of this section and §§ 52.41, 52.42, 52.43, 52.44, 52.45, and 52.46 is stayed for sources located in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia, including Indian country located within the borders of such States.

(d) Requests for extension of compliance. (1) The owner or operator of an existing affected unit under § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46 that cannot comply with the applicable requirements in those sections by May 1, 2026, due to circumstances entirely beyond the owner or operator's control, may request an initial compliance extension to a date certain no later than May 1, 2027. The extension request must contain a demonstration of necessity consistent with the requirements of paragraph (d)(3) of this section.

(2) If, after the EPA has granted a request for an initial compliance extension, the source remains unable to comply with the applicable requirements in § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46 by the extended compliance date due to circumstances entirely beyond the owner or operator's control, the owner or operator may apply for a second compliance extension to a date certain no later than May 1, 2029. The extension request must contain an updated demonstration of necessity consistent with the requirements of paragraph (d)(3) of this section.

(3) Each request for a compliance extension shall demonstrate that the owner or operator has taken all steps possible to install the controls necessary for compliance with the applicable requirements in § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46 by the applicable compliance date and shall:

(i) Identify each affected unit for which the owner or operator is seeking the compliance extension;

(ii) Identify and describe the controls to be installed at each affected unit to comply with the applicable requirements in § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46;

(iii) Identify the circumstances entirely beyond the owner or operator's control that necessitate additional time to install the identified controls;

(iv) Identify the date(s) by which on-site construction, installation of control equipment, and/or process changes will be initiated;

(v) Identify the owner or operator's proposed compliance date. A request for an initial compliance extension under paragraph (d)(1) of this section must specify a proposed compliance date no later than May 1, 2027, and state whether the owner or operator anticipates a need to request a second compliance extension. A request for a second compliance extension under paragraph (d)(2) of this section must specify a proposed compliance date no later than May 1, 2029, and identify additional actions taken by the owner or operator to ensure that the affected unit(s) will be in compliance with the applicable requirements in this section by that proposed compliance date;

(vi) Include all information obtained from control technology vendors demonstrating that the identified controls cannot be installed by the applicable compliance date;

(vii) Include any and all contract(s) entered into for the installation of the identified controls or an explanation as to why no contract is necessary or obtainable; and

(viii) Include any permit(s) obtained for the installation of the identified controls or, where a required permit has not yet been issued, a copy of the permit application submitted to the permitting authority and a statement from the permitting authority identifying its anticipated timeframe for issuance of such permit(s).

(4) Each request for a compliance extension shall be submitted via the Compliance and Emissions Data Reporting Interface (CEDRI) or analogous electronic submission system provided by the EPA no later than 180 days prior to the applicable compliance date. Until an extension has been granted by the Administrator under this section, the owner or operator of an affected unit shall comply with all applicable requirements of this section and shall remain subject to the May 1, 2026 compliance date or the initial extended compliance date, as applicable. A denial will be effective as of the date of denial.

(5) The owner or operator of an affected unit who has requested a compliance extension under this paragraph (d)(5) and is required to have a title V permit shall apply to have the relevant title V permit revised to incorporate the conditions of the extension of compliance. The conditions of a compliance extension granted under this paragraph (d)(5) will be incorporated into the affected unit's title V permit according to the provisions of an EPA-approved state operating permit program or the Federal title V regulations in 40 CFR part 71, whichever apply.

(6) Based on the information provided in any request made under paragraph (d) of this section or other information, the Administrator may grant an extension of time to comply with applicable requirements in § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46 consistent with the provisions of paragraph (d)(1) or (2) of this section. The decision to grant an extension will be provided by notification via the CEDRI or analogous electronic submission system provided by the EPA and publicly available, and will identify each affected unit covered by the extension; specify the termination date of the extension; and specify any additional conditions that the Administrator deems necessary to ensure timely installation of the necessary controls (e.g., the date(s) by which on-site construction, installation of control equipment, and/or process changes will be initiated).

(7) The Administrator will provide notification via the CEDRI or analogous electronic submission system provided by the EPA to the owner or operator of an affected unit who has requested a compliance extension under this paragraph (d)(7) whether the submitted request is complete, that is, whether the request contains sufficient information to make a determination, within 60 calendar days after receipt of the original request and within 60 calendar days after receipt of any supplementary information.

(8) The Administrator will provide notification via the CEDRI or analogous electronic submission system provided by the EPA, which shall be publicly available, to the owner or operator of a decision to grant or intention to deny a request for a compliance extension within 60 calendar days after providing written notification pursuant to paragraph (d)(7) of this section that the submitted request is complete.

(9) Before denying any request for an extension of compliance, the Administrator will provide notification via the CEDRI or analogous electronic submission system provided by the EPA to the owner or operator in writing of the Administrator's intention to issue the denial, together with:

(i) Notice of the information and findings on which the intended denial is based; and

(ii) Notice of opportunity for the owner or operator to present via the CEDRI or analogous electronic submission system provided by the EPA, within 15 calendar days after he/she is notified of the intended denial, additional information or arguments to the Administrator before further action on the request.

(10) The Administrator's final decision to deny any request for an extension will be provided via the CEDRI or analogous electronic submission system provided by the EPA and publicly available, and will set forth the specific grounds on which the denial is based. The final decision will be made within 60 calendar days after presentation of additional information or argument (if the request is complete), or within 60 calendar days after the deadline for the submission of additional information or argument under paragraph (d)(9)(ii) of this section, if no such submission is made.

(11) The granting of an extension under this section shall not abrogate the Administrator's authority under section 114 of the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).

(e) Requests for case-by-case emissions limits. (1) The owner or operator of an existing affected unit under § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46 that cannot comply with the applicable requirements in those sections due to technical impossibility or extreme economic hardship may submit to the Administrator, by August 5, 2024, a request for approval of a case-by-case emissions limit. The request shall contain information sufficient for the Administrator to confirm that the affected unit is unable to comply with the applicable emissions limit, due to technical impossibility or extreme economic hardship, and to establish an appropriate alternative case-by-case emissions limit for the affected unit. Until a case-by-case emissions limit has been approved by the Administrator under this section, the owner or operator shall remain subject to all applicable requirements in § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46. A denial will be effective as of the date of denial.

(2) Each request for a case-by-case emissions limit shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(i) A demonstration that the affected unit cannot achieve the applicable emissions limit with available control technology due to technical impossibility or extreme economic hardship.

(A) A demonstration of technical impossibility shall include:

(1) Uncontrolled NOX emissions for the affected unit established with a CEMS, or stack tests obtained during steady state operation in accordance with the applicable reference test methods of 40 CFR part 60, appendix A-4, any alternative test method approved by the EPA as of June 5, 2023, under 40 CFR 59.104(f), 60.8(b)(3), 61.13(h)(1)(ii), 63.7(e)(2)(ii)(2), or 65.158(a)(2) and available at the EPA's website (https://www.epa.gov/emc/broadly-applicable-approved-alternative-test-methods), or other methods and procedures approved by the EPA through notice-and-comment rulemaking; and

(2) A demonstration that the affected unit cannot meet the applicable emissions limit even with available control technology, including:

(i) Stack test data or other emissions data for the affected unit; or

(ii) A third-party engineering assessment demonstrating that the affected unit cannot meet the applicable emissions limit with available control technology.

(B) A demonstration of extreme economic hardship shall include at least three vendor estimates of the costs of installing control technology necessary to meet the applicable emissions limit and other information that demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the Administrator, that the cost of complying with the applicable emissions limit would present an extreme economic hardship relative to the costs borne by other comparable sources in the industry.

(ii) An analysis of available control technology options and a proposed case-by-case emissions limit that represents the lowest emissions limitation technically achievable by the affected unit without causing extreme economic hardship relative to the costs borne by other comparable sources in the industry. The owner or operator may propose additional measures to reduce NOX emissions, such as operational standards or work practice standards.

(iii) Calculations of the NOX emissions reduction to be achieved through implementation of the proposed case-by-case emissions limit and any additional proposed measures, the difference between this NOX emissions reduction level and the NOX emissions reductions that would have occurred if the affected unit complied with the applicable emissions limitations in § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46, and a description of the methodology used for these calculations.

(3) The owner or operator of an affected unit who has requested a case-by-case emissions limit under this paragraph (e)(3) and is required to have a title V permit shall apply to have the relevant title V permit revised to incorporate the case-by-case emissions limit. Any case-by-case emissions limit approved under this paragraph (e)(3) will be incorporated into the affected unit's title V permit according to the provisions of an EPA-approved state operating permit program or the Federal title V regulations in 40 CFR part 71, whichever apply.

(4) Based on the information provided in any request made under this paragraph (e)(4) or other information, the Administrator may approve a case-by-case emissions limit that will apply to an affected unit in lieu of the applicable emissions limit in § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46. The decision to approve a case-by-case emissions limit will be provided via the CEDRI or analogous electronic submission system provided by the EPA in paragraph (d) of this section and publicly available, and will identify each affected unit covered by the case-by-case emissions limit.

(5) The Administrator will provide notification via the CEDRI or analogous electronic submission system provided by the EPA in paragraph (d) of this section to the owner or operator of an affected unit who has requested a case-by-case emissions limit under this paragraph (e)(5) whether the submitted request is complete, that is, whether the request contains sufficient information to make a determination, within 60 calendar days after receipt of the original request and within 60 calendar days after receipt of any supplementary information.

(6) The Administrator will provide notification via the CEDRI or analogous electronic submission system described by the EPA in paragraph (d) of this section, which shall be publicly available, to the owner or operator of a decision to approve or intention to deny the request within 60 calendar days after providing notification pursuant to paragraph (e)(5) of this section that the submitted request is complete.

(7) Before denying any request for a case-by-case emissions limit, the Administrator will provide notification via the CEDRI or analogous electronic submission system provided by the EPA to the owner or operator in writing of the Administrator's intention to issue the denial, together with:

(i) Notice of the information and findings on which the intended denial is based; and

(ii) Notice of opportunity for the owner or operator to present via the CEDRI or analogous electronic submission system provided by the EPA, within 15 calendar days after he/she is notified of the intended denial, additional information or arguments to the Administrator before further action on the request.

(8) The Administrator's final decision to deny any request for a case-by-case emissions limit will be provided by notification via the CEDRI or analogous electronic submission system provided by the EPAand publicly available, and will set forth the specific grounds on which the denial is based. The final decision will be made within 60 calendar days after presentation of additional information or argument (if the request is complete), or within 60 calendar days after the deadline for the submission of additional information or argument under paragraph (e)(7)(ii) of this section, if no such submission is made.

(9) The approval of a case-by-case emissions limit under this section shall not abrogate the Administrator's authority under section 114 of the Act.

(f) Recordkeeping requirements. (1) The owner or operator of an affected unit subject to the provisions of this section or § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46 shall maintain files of all information (including all reports and notifications) required by these sections recorded in a form suitable and readily available for expeditious inspection and review. The files shall be retained for at least 5 years following the date of each occurrence, measurement, maintenance, corrective action, report, or record. At minimum, the most recent 2 years of data shall be retained on site. The remaining 3 years of data may be retained off site. Such files may be maintained on microfilm, on a computer, on computer floppy disks, on magnetic tape disks, or on microfiche.

(2) Any records required to be maintained by § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46 that are submitted electronically via the EPA's Compliance and Emissions Data Reporting Interface (CEDRI) may be maintained in electronic format. This ability to maintain electronic copies does not affect the requirement for facilities to make records, data, and reports available upon request to the EPA as part of an on-site compliance evaluation.

(g) CEDRI reporting requirements. (1) You shall submit the results of the performance test following the procedures specified in paragraphs (g)(1)(i) through (iii) of this section:

(i) Data collected using test methods supported by the EPA's Electronic Reporting Tool (ERT) as listed on the EPA's ERT website (https://www.epa.gov/electronic-reporting-air-emissions/electronic-reporting-tool-ert) at the time of the test. Submit the results of the performance test to the EPA via the CEDRI or analogous electronic reporting approach provided by the EPA to report data required by § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46, which can be accessed through the EPA's Central Data Exchange (CDX) (https://cdx.epa.gov/). The data must be submitted in a file format generated using the EPA's ERT. Alternatively, you may submit an electronic file consistent with the extensible markup language (XML) schema listed on the EPA's ERT website.

(ii) Data collected using test methods that are not supported by the EPA's ERT as listed on the EPA's ERT website at the time of the test. The results of the performance test must be included as an attachment in the ERT or an alternate electronic file consistent with the XML schema listed on the EPA's ERT website. Submit the ERT generated package or alternative file to the EPA via CEDRI.

(iii)(A) The EPA will make all the information submitted through CEDRI available to the public without further notice to you. Do not use CEDRI to submit information you claim as confidential business information (CBI). Although we do not expect persons to assert a claim of CBI, if you wish to assert a CBI claim for some of the information submitted under paragraph (g)(1) or (2) of this section, you should submit a complete file, including information claimed to be CBI, to the EPA.

(B) The file must be generated using the EPA's ERT or an alternate electronic file consistent with the XML schema listed on the EPA's ERT website.

(C) Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. Information not marked as CBI may be authorized for public release without prior notice. Information marked as CBI will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.

(D) The preferred method to receive CBI is for it to be transmitted electronically using email attachments, File Transfer Protocol, or other online file sharing services. Electronic submissions must be transmitted directly to the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) CBI Office at the email address [email protected], and as described in this paragraph (g), should include clear CBI markings and be flagged to the attention of Lead of 2015 Ozone Transport FIP. If assistance is needed with submitting large electronic files that exceed the file size limit for email attachments, and if you do not have your own file sharing service, please email [email protected] to request a file transfer link.

(E) If you cannot transmit the file electronically, you may send CBI information through the postal service to the following address: OAQPS Document Control Officer (C404-02), OAQPS, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, Attention Lead of 2015 Ozone Transport FIP. The mailed CBI material should be double wrapped and clearly marked. Any CBI markings should not show through the outer envelope.

(F) All CBI claims must be asserted at the time of submission. Anything submitted using CEDRI cannot later be claimed CBI. Furthermore, under CAA section 114(c), emissions data is not entitled to confidential treatment, and the EPA is required to make emissions data available to the public. Thus, emissions data will not be protected as CBI and will be made publicly available.

(G) You must submit the same file submitted to the CBI office with the CBI omitted to the EPA via the EPA's CDX as described in paragraphs (g)(1) and (2) of this section.

(2) Annual reports must be submitted via CEDRI or analogous electronic reporting approach provided by the EPA to report data required by § 52.41, § 52.42, § 52.43, § 52.44, § 52.45, or § 52.46.

(3) If you are required to electronically submit a report through CEDRI in the EPA's CDX, you may assert a claim of EPA system outage for failure to timely comply with that reporting requirement. To assert a claim of EPA system outage, you must meet the requirements outlined in paragraphs (g)(3)(i) through (vii) of this section.

(i) You must have been or will be precluded from accessing CEDRI and submitting a required report within the time prescribed due to an outage of either the EPA's CEDRI or CDX systems.

(ii) The outage must have occurred within the period of time beginning five business days prior to the date that the submission is due.

(iii) The outage may be planned or unplanned.

(iv) You must submit notification to the Administrator in writing as soon as possible following the date you first knew, or through due diligence should have known, that the event may cause or has caused a delay in reporting.

(v) You must provide to the Administrator a written description identifying:

(A) The date(s) and time(s) when CDX or CEDRI was accessed and the system was unavailable;

(B) A rationale for attributing the delay in reporting beyond the regulatory deadline to EPA system outage;

(C) A description of measures taken or to be taken to minimize the delay in reporting; and

(D) The date by which you propose to report, or if you have already met the reporting requirement at the time of the notification, the date you reported.

(vi) The decision to accept the claim of EPA system outage and allow an extension to the reporting deadline is solely within the discretion of the Administrator.

(vii) In any circumstance, the report must be submitted electronically as soon as possible after the outage is resolved.

(4) If you are required to electronically submit a report through CEDRI in the EPA's CDX, you may assert a claim of force majeure for failure to timely comply with that reporting requirement. To assert a claim of force majeure, you must meet the requirements outlined in paragraphs (g)(4)(i) through (v) of this section.

(i) You may submit a claim if a force majeure event is about to occur, occurs, or has occurred or there are lingering effects from such an event within the period of time beginning five business days prior to the date the submission is due. For the purposes of this section, a force majeure event is defined as an event that will be or has been caused by circumstances beyond the control of the affected unit, its contractors, or any entity controlled by the affected unit that prevents you from complying with the requirement to submit a report electronically within the time period prescribed. Examples of such events are acts of nature (e.g., hurricanes, earthquakes, or floods), acts of war or terrorism, or equipment failure or safety hazard beyond the control of the affected unit (e.g., large scale power outage).

(ii) You must submit notification to the Administrator in writing as soon as possible following the date you first knew, or through due diligence should have known, that the event may cause or has caused a delay in reporting.

(iii) You must provide to the Administrator:

(A) A written description of the force majeure event;

(B) A rationale for attributing the delay in reporting beyond the regulatory deadline to the force majeure event;

(C) A description of measures taken or to be taken to minimize the delay in reporting; and

(D) The date by which you propose to report, or if you have already met the reporting requirement at the time of the notification, the date you reported.

(iv) The decision to accept the claim of force majeure and allow an extension to the reporting deadline is solely within the discretion of the Administrator.

(v) In any circumstance, the reporting must occur as soon as possible after the force majeure event occurs.

[88 FR 36869, June 5, 2023, as amended at 88 FR 49303, July 31, 2023; 88 FR 67107, Sept. 29, 2023]