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EPA proposes plan needed to implement clean-air designation requested by Wisconsin tribal group

Release Date: 12/13/2006
Contact Information: William Omohundro, (312) 353-8254

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 06-OPA233

CHICAGO (Dec. 12, 2006) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that it is proposing a federal plan that would be needed to implement a Forest County Potawatomi Community request to redesignate lands on its Wisconsin reservation to the most stringent level of protection allowed by the Clean Air Act.

The area is presently designated one level below the most stringent level of protection. Today's proposal does not redesignate the area, but it would codify language necessary to implement the tribe's request, if EPA decides to grant it.

The action will soon be officially proposed in the Federal Register. A subsequent Federal Register will announce two public hearings to take comments on the proposed plan. One hearing will be on the Forest County Potawatomi Community reservation, and another hearing will be in the Rhinelander, Wis., area.

EPA is primarily interested in comments on whether a federal implementation plan is the appropriate mechanism for codifying the redesignation. However, EPA will accept comments on other issues as well. Comments on other aspects of the redesignation have been accepted previously.

Interested parties can download information on the proposal from EPA's Web site at: https://www.epa.gov/nsr. Once the proposal is published, comments may be entered at http://www.regulation.gov. Comments should be identified by docket ID No. EPA-R05-OAR-2004-WI-0002 and may be submitted by going to http://www.regulations.gov, by sending an e-mail to a-and-r-docket@epa.gov, or by faxing to (202) 566-1741.