Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD): Reconsideration of Interpretation of Regulations That Determine Pollutants Covered by the Federal PSD Permit Program

Résumé

In a December 18, 2008 memorandum, EPA established an interpretation of the regulatory phrase "subject to regulation" that is applied to determine the pollutants subject to the federal Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program under the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act). On February 17, 2009, the EPA Administrator granted a petition for reconsideration of the regulatory interpretation in the memorandum. However, the Administrator did not grant a request to stay the memorandum, so the interpretation remains in effect for the federal PSD program pending completion of this reconsideration action. This document implements the grant of reconsideration by discussing and requesting public comment on various interpretations of the regulatory phrase "subject to regulation." The interpretations discussed in this document include our current and preferred interpretation, which would make PSD applicable to a pollutant on the basis of an EPA regulation requiring actual control of emissions of a pollutant, as well as interpretations that would make PSD applicable to a pollutant on the basis of an EPA regulation requiring monitoring or reporting of emissions of a pollutant, the inclusion of