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The Western Regional Air Partnership (WRAP),
comprising governors from Western states, tribal leaders and federal agency representatives, is seeking public
comment on four proposed options regarding regional emissions milestones for stationary sources of sulfur dioxide
(SO2), as well as proposed recommendations regarding a backstop
emissions trading program. Comments are important for developing final recommendations for western air quality
regulations to be submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Availability of Proposed Options
Three documents are available for review on the WRAP Web site at www.wrapair.org.
They are reports from the WRAP's Market Trading Forum (MTF), the Initiatives Oversight Committee, and a brief summary
of the WRAP's proposal for comment. Copies may also be obtained by contacting: Patrick Cummins,
Western Governors' Association; 600 17th Street, Suite 1705 S. Tower; Denver, Colorado 80202 (tel: 303-623-9378; pcummins@westgov.org);
or Bill Grantham, National Tribal Environmental Council; 2221 Rio Grande NW; Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104 (tel:
505-242-2175; bgrantham@ntec.org ).
Public Workshops Will Be Held on the Following Dates:
| June 27 |
Santa Fe, New Mexico - 7 p.m. |
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Runnels Building Auditorium; 1190 St. Francis Drive |
| June 27 |
Las Vegas, Nevada – 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.
– Workshop for Tribes |
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Holiday Inn, Emerald Springs; 325 E. Flamingo Road |
| June 27 |
Flagstaff, Arizona – 4 p.m. |
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Northern Arizona University, DuBois Center |
| June 28 |
Salt Lake City, Utah –
7 p.m. |
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Department of Environmental Quality, Room 101; 162 N. 1950 W. |
| June 29 |
Casper, Wyoming
– 7 p.m. |
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Basco Building; 777 W. First Street |
| TBA |
Colorado |
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Initial Public Comment Period
Initial public comment will be held from May 15 until July 7, 2000. Comments
may be submitted in writing to Patrick Cummins, Western Governors' Association; 600 17th Street, Suite 1705 S.
Tower; Denver, Colorado or Bill Grantham, National Tribal Environmental Council; 2221 Rio Grande NW; Albuquerque,
New Mexico 87104. Comments may also be filed electronically on the WRAP Web site at www.wrapair.org or by submitting comments
on floppy disk. In addition, comments may be presented at any one of the public workshops. Written comments should
include a typewritten, or legible hand written summary of key issues no more than 250 words in length. The purpose
of the initial public comment period is to provide input to the WRAP as it narrows its options and continues development
of final recommendations regarding a regional backstop market trading program.
Final Public Comment Period and Public Meetings
Public comment on final recommendations will be sought Aug. 14
- Sept. 8, 2000. Currently, meetings are being considered for Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming. Others may be added. Details will be made available shortly on the WRAP Web site. Final
recommendations will be submitted to EPA by Oct. 2, 2000.
Background
The WRAP was created as the successor organization to the Grand Canyon
Visibility Transport Commission (GCVTC), which made over 70 recommendations in June 1996 for improving visibility
in 16 national parks and wilderness areas on the Colorado Plateau. The Partnership promotes, supports and monitors
implementation of those recommendations throughout the West. Under EPA's Regional Haze Rule, nine of the Western
states have the option to comply with the GCVTC's regional visibility protection program. The program requires
the establishment of a regional emission milestone for 2018, in addition to interim milestones. The recommendations
and options regarding the market trading program were developed over the last two years by WRAP committees comprising
a diverse group of stakeholders including industry, environmental groups and academia. |
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