
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 67 (Monday, April 8, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 20881-20882]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-08121]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 80

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2011-0135; FRL-9799-6]
RIN 2060-AQ86


Control of Air Pollution From Motor Vehicles: Tier 3 Motor 
Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards; Public Hearing and Comment Period

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Announcement of public hearings and comment period.

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SUMMARY: The EPA is announcing two public hearings to be held for the 
proposed rule ``Control of Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles: Tier 3 
Motor Vehicle Emission and Fuel Standards'' (the proposed rule is 
hereinafter referred to as ``Tier 3''), which will be published 
separately in the Federal Register. The hearings will be held in 
Philadelphia, PA on April 24, 2013 and in Chicago, IL on April 29, 
2013. The comment period for the proposed rulemaking will end on June 
13, 2013.

DATES: The public hearings will be held on April 24, 2013 in 
Philadelphia, PA and on April 29, 2013 in Chicago, IL. To register to 
testify at either hearing, notify the contact person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT at least one week before the date of the 
hearing. Information regarding time of the hearing is also listed below 
in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. The comment period will end on June 13, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: The hearings will be held at the following locations: The 
April 24, 2013 hearing will be held at the Sonesta Hotel Philadelphia, 
1800 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103; the April 29, 2013 hearing 
will be held at the Doubletree Magnificent Mile, 300 E. Ohio Street, 
Chicago, IL 60611. In addition, a conference call-in line will be 
provided to allow for the opportunity for the public to listen to each 
hearing; information regarding the conference number and passcode will 
be posted at www.epa.gov/otaq/tier3.htm. Please note that this 
conference line will allow the public to listen only; persons listening 
will not be able to give an oral presentation via the conference line. 
Written comments on the proposed rule

[[Page 20882]]

may also be submitted to EPA electronically, by mail, by facsimile, or 
through hand delivery/courier. Please refer to the notice of proposed 
rulemaking for the addresses and detailed instructions for submitting 
written comments.
    When the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register, a 
complete set of documents related to the proposal will be available for 
public inspection at the EPA Docket Center, located at 1301 
Constitution Avenue NW., Room 3334, Washington, DC between 8:30 a.m. 
and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. A 
reasonable fee may be charged for copying. Documents are also available 
through the electronic docket system at http://www.regulations.gov. The 
EPA Web site for the rulemaking, which includes a copy of the pre-
publication version of the proposal, can be found at: www.epa.gov/otaq/tier3.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you would like to present oral 
testimony at one of the public hearings, please contact JoNell Iffland, 
Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Assessment and Standards 
Division, Environmental Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood Drive, Ann 
Arbor, MI 48105; telephone number: (734) 214-4454; Fax number: (734) 
214-4816; Email address: Iffland.jonell@epa.gov. Please provide the 
following information: Name, affiliation, address, email address, 
telephone and fax numbers, time you wish to speak (morning, afternoon, 
or no preference; we will try to accommodate these requests in as much 
as possible), and whether you require accommodations such as a sign 
language interpreter or translator.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposal for which EPA is holding the 
public hearings will be published separately in the Federal Register. A 
pre-publication copy of the signed notice of proposed rulemaking has 
been available since March 29, 2013, on the following Web site: 
www.epa.gov/otaq/tier3.htm. EPA is proposing Tier 3 regulations to 
establish more stringent vehicle emissions standards and reduce the 
sulfur content of gasoline beginning in 2017, as part of a systems 
approach to addressing the impacts of motor vehicles and fuels on air 
quality and public health. The proposed gasoline sulfur standard would 
make emission control systems more effective for both existing and new 
vehicles, and would enable more stringent vehicle emissions standards. 
The proposed vehicle standards would reduce both tailpipe and 
evaporative emissions from passenger cars, light-duty trucks, medium-
duty passenger vehicles, and some heavy-duty vehicles. This would 
result in significant reductions in pollutants such as ozone, 
particulate matter, and air toxics across the country and help state 
and local agencies in their efforts to attain and maintain health-based 
National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Motor vehicles are an important 
source of exposure to air pollution both regionally and near roads. The 
proposed Tier 3 vehicle standards are intended to harmonize with 
California's Low Emission Vehicle program, thus creating a federal 
vehicle emissions program that would allow automakers to sell the same 
vehicles in all 50 states. The proposed vehicle standards would be 
implemented over the same timeframe as the greenhouse gas/fuel 
efficiency standards for light-duty vehicles, as part of a 
comprehensive approach toward regulating emissions from motor vehicles.
    Public Hearing: The public hearings will provide interested parties 
the opportunity to present data, views, or arguments concerning the 
proposed rule. The EPA may ask clarifying questions during the oral 
presentations, but will not respond to the presentations at that time. 
Written statements and supporting information submitted during the 
comment period will be considered along with any oral comments and 
supporting information presented at the public hearing. Written 
comments must be received by the last day of the comment period.
    The public hearings will be held on April 24, 2013 in Philadelphia, 
PA and April 29, 2013 in Chicago, IL. Each hearing will begin at 10:00 
a.m. local time and will continue until everyone has had a chance to 
speak. To testify at either of the public hearings, please notify the 
contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT at least 
one week before the hearing you wish to speak at. Once EPA learns how 
many people have registered to speak at each public hearing, we will 
allocate an appropriate amount of time to each participant, allowing 
time for lunch and necessary breaks throughout the day. In addition, we 
will reserve a block of time for anyone else in the audience who wishes 
to give an oral presentation. For planning purposes, each speaker 
should anticipate speaking for no more than ten minutes, although we 
may need to adjust the time for each speaker if there is a large 
turnout. We request that you bring three copies of your statement or 
other material for the EPA panel. It would also be helpful if you send 
us a copy of your statement or other materials before the hearing. To 
accommodate as many speakers as possible, we prefer that speakers not 
use technological aids (e.g., audio-visuals, computer slideshows, 
etc.). However, if you wish to do so, you must notify the contact 
person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. You also must 
make arrangements to provide your presentation or any other aids to EPA 
in advance of the hearing in order to facilitate set-up.
    We will make tentative schedules for the order of testimony at each 
hearing based on the notifications we receive. These schedules will be 
available on the morning of each hearing.
    The hearings will be held at sites accessible to individuals with 
disabilities. Individuals who require accommodations such as sign 
language interpreters should contact the person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section at least one week before the date 
of the of the hearing for which such accommodations are needed.
    Written transcripts of the hearings and written statements 
submitted at a hearing will be included in the rulemaking docket.
    Comment Period: The comment period will remain open until June 13, 
2013.

How can I get copies of this document, the proposed rule, and other 
related information?

    The EPA has established a docket for this action under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OAR- 2011-0135. The EPA has also developed a Web site for 
the proposed rule, including the notice of proposed rulemaking, at the 
address given above. Please refer to the notice of proposed rulemaking 
for detailed information on accessing information related to the 
proposal.

    Dated: April 2, 2013.
Lori Stewart,
Acting Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality.
[FR Doc. 2013-08121 Filed 4-5-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


