[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 168 (Thursday, September 2, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 49330]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18933]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8875-01-R6]


Clean Air Act Operating Permit Program; Petitions for Objection 
to State Operating Permit for Blanchard Refining Company, Galveston Bay 
Refinery, Galveston County, Texas

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of final order on petition for objection to Clean Air 
Act Title V operating permit.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator signed 
an Order dated August 9, 2021, granting in part and denying in part a 
Petition dated April 11, 2017 from the Environmental Integrity Project 
and Sierra Club. The Petition requested that the EPA object to a Clean 
Air Act (CAA) title V operating permit issued by the Texas Commission 
on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to Blanchard Refining Company 
(Blanchard) for its Galveston Bay Refinery located in Galveston County, 
Texas.

ADDRESSES: The EPA requests that you contact the individual listed in 
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to view copies of the final 
Order, the Petition, and other supporting information. Out of an 
abundance of caution for members of the public and our staff, the EPA 
Region 6 office is currently closed to the public to reduce the risk of 
transmitting COVID-19. Please call or email the contact listed below if 
you need alternative access to the final Order and Petition, which are 
available electronically at: https://www.epa.gov/title-v-operating-permits/title-v-petition-database.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Aimee Wilson, EPA Region 6 Office, Air 
Permits Section, (214) 665-7596, wilson.aimee@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CAA affords EPA a 45-day period to 
review and object to, as appropriate, operating permits proposed by 
state permitting authorities under title V of the CAA. Section 
505(b)(2) of the CAA authorizes any person to petition the EPA 
Administrator to object to a title V operating permit within 60 days 
after the expiration of the EPA's 45-day review period if the EPA has 
not objected on its own initiative. Petitions must be based only on 
objections to the permit that were raised with reasonable specificity 
during the public comment period provided by the state, unless the 
petitioner demonstrates that it was impracticable to raise these issues 
during the comment period or unless the grounds for the issue arose 
after this period.
    The EPA received the Petition from the Environmental Integrity 
Project and Sierra Club dated April 11, 2017, requesting that the EPA 
object to the issuance of operating permit no. O1541, issued by TCEQ to 
the Galveston Bay Refinery in Galveston County, Texas. The Petition 
claims the proposed permit improperly incorporated a State-only major 
source flexible permit, failed to establish a compliance schedule for 
Blanchard to obtain a federally approved major source permit, failed to 
identify, incorporate, and assure compliance with permits by rule (PBR) 
claimed by Blanchard, and failed to assure compliance with emission 
limits and operating requirements established by Blanchard's New Source 
Review (NSR) permits, including permits by rule.
    On August 9, 2021, the EPA Administrator issued an Order granting 
in part and denying in part the Petition. The Order explains the basis 
for EPA's decision.

    Dated: August 23, 2021.
David Garcia,
Director, Air and Radiation Division, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 2021-18933 Filed 9-1-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


