Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Georgia: Prevention of Significant Deterioration; Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule and Fine Particulate Matter Revision

EPA is proposing to approve a draft revision to the Georgia State Implementation Plan (SIP), submitted by the State of Georgia, through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Environmental Protection Division (EPD), to EPA on September 30, 2010, for parallel processing. The proposed revision makes two changes for which EPA is proposing approval in today's rulemaking. First, the proposed SIP revision modifies Georgia's New Source Review (NSR) Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program. Specifically, the proposed SIP revision establishes appropriate emission thresholds for determining which new stationary sources and modification projects become subject to Georgia's PSD permitting requirements for their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Second, the proposed SIP revision incorporates provisions for implementing the PSD program for fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>). The first component of this proposed SIP revision is necessary because without it, on January 2, 2011, PSD requirements would apply at the 100 or 250 tons per year (tpy) levels provided under the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act), which would overwhelm Georgia's permitting resources. The second component of this proposed SIP revision (addressing the PM<INF>2.5</INF> national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS)) is necessary to comply with Federal regulations related to PSD permitting. EPA is proposing approval of Georgia's September 30, 2010, SIP revision because the Agency has made the preliminary determination that this SIP revision is in accordance with the CAA and EPA regulations regarding PSD permitting for GHGs and the PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS.