Proposed Rule2025-18652
Air Plan Approval; Ohio; Volatile Organic Compounds RFD Beaufort
Primary source
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Published
September 25, 2025
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a May 2, 2025, State Implementation Plan (SIP) submittal from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA). The SIP submittal consists of an alternate control technology emission limit of 5.9 pounds of volatile organic compounds per gallon (lbs VOC/gallon) for RFD Beaufort, Inc.'s life raft manufacturing plant at 1420 Wolf Creek Trail, Wadsworth, Ohio. This limit applies to the facility's nylon reinforced polyurethane adhesive process. The limitation is established through the Ohio SIP for control of emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from stationary sources and is listed as an enforceable condition in the facility's operating permit, issued by Ohio EPA on March 25, 2025.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 184 (Thursday, September 25, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 184 (Thursday, September 25, 2025)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 46120-46121]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-18652]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA-R05-OAR-2025-0232; FRL-12930-01-R5]
Air Plan Approval; Ohio; Volatile Organic Compounds RFD Beaufort
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to
approve a May 2, 2025, State Implementation Plan (SIP) submittal from
the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA). The SIP submittal
consists of an alternate control technology emission limit of 5.9
pounds of volatile organic compounds per gallon (lbs VOC/gallon) for
RFD Beaufort, Inc.'s life raft manufacturing plant at 1420 Wolf Creek
Trail, Wadsworth, Ohio. This limit applies to the facility's nylon
reinforced polyurethane adhesive process. The limitation is established
through the Ohio SIP for control of emissions of volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) from stationary sources and is listed as an
enforceable condition in the facility's operating permit, issued by
Ohio EPA on March 25, 2025.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 27, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R05-
OAR-2025-0232 at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, or via email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d1bdb0bfb6bcb0bfffbcb8b2b9b0b4bd91b4a1b0ffb6bea7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0a666b646d676b6424676369626b6f664a6f7a6b246d657c">[email protected]</span></a>. For comments submitted at <a href="http://Regulations.gov">Regulations.gov</a>,
follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted,
comments cannot be edited or removed from the docket. EPA may publish
any comment received to its public docket. Do not submit to EPA's
docket at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> any information you consider to
be Confidential Business Information (CBI), Proprietary Business
Information (PBI), or other information whose disclosure is restricted
by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be
accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is considered the
official comment and should include discussion of all points you wish
to make. EPA will generally not consider comments or comment contents
located outside of the primary submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or
other file sharing system). For additional submission methods, please
contact the person identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section. For the full EPA public comment policy, information about CBI,
PBI, or multimedia submissions, and general guidance on making
effective comments, please visit <a href="https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets">https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tyler Salamasick, Air and Radiation
Division (AR18J), Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West
Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, (312) 886-6206,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7f0c1e131e121e0c161c14510b06131a0d3f1a0f1e51181009"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3c4f5d505d515d4f555f5712484550594e7c594c5d125b534a">[email protected]</span></a>. The EPA Region 5 office is open from 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document whenever ``we,''
``us,'' or ``our'' is used, we mean EPA.
I. What is the background for this action?
On May 2, 2025, Ohio EPA requested concurrence and approval of a
director-approved VOC alternate control technology emissions limitation
for adhesive use at RFD Beaufort's life raft manufacturing plant
located at 1420 Wolf Creek Trail, Wadsworth, Ohio. The Ohio SIP
contains VOC emission control requirements for adhesives under Ohio
Administrative Code (OAC) rule 3745-21-28.
RFD Beaufort contends that the potentially applicable category for
its polyurethane coated nylon fabric adhesive process was ``sheet-
applied rubber installation'' with a corresponding VOC content limit of
7.1 lbs VOC/gal (minus water and exempt solvents). Ohio EPA reviewed
the definition of ``sheet-applied rubber installation'' in OAC rule
3745-21-01(II)(46) and determined that this was not an appropriate
category for this application and that the facility needs an alternate
limit. Ohio is proposing to add a new source-specific limit rather than
applying the general ``adhesive to substrate'' limitation. Additional
information regarding Ohio's review can be found in the May 2, 2025,
supplemental information submitted with the alternate control
requirements request.
RFD Beaufort's current adhesive has a VOC content of 5.92 lbs VOC/
gal (minus water and exempt solvents). RFD Beaufort reviewed other
adhesive options and asserts that no other adhesive has passed the
performance specifications required for life-saving devices. RFD
Beaufort evaluated alternative controls and determined that it is not
technically or economically feasible to install controls on these
processes.
OAC rule 3745-21-28(C)(4) allows for an alternative category to be
established if EPA approves the alternative limitation as a revision to
the Ohio SIP. Ohio EPA requests that EPA approve portions of the Final
Permit-to-Install and Operate (P0127562), issued to RFD Beaufort on
March 25, 2025, as a revision to the SIP to make them federally
enforceable and fulfill the requirements of OAC rule 3745-21-28(C)(4).
The requested portions include permit condition C.1.b)(1)c., which
establishes the adhesive material VOC limit, and condition C.1.b)(2)c.,
which establishes associated monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting
requirements.\1\
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\1\ On August 7, 2025, Ohio EPA provided EPA with additional
clarification stating that it submitted a typo requesting EPA
approve emission unit condition C.2.b)(2)c. into the SIP. Instead,
Ohio EPA requests that EPA approve emission unit condition
C.1.b)(2)c. in permit no. P0127562.
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Ohio EPA provided an opportunity for public comment on the draft
permit and opened a public comment period, which closed on February 14,
2025. Ohio EPA did not receive any comments on the alternate limit. The
final March 25, 2025, Permit-to-Install and Operate (P0127562) is
included with Ohio's SIP submittal and as part of the docket for this
rulemaking action.
II. What is EPA's analysis of the source-specific VOC limit?
EPA reviewed Ohio's assessment of the RFD Beaufort alternative
controls and agrees with their determination that it is not technically
or economically feasible to install added controls on these processes
as demonstrated by their actual emissions. An alternative emissions
limitation is appropriate for RFD Beaufort. The facility's process is
unique and does not clearly fall under one of the specific limits
listed in Ohio's rules. A source specific limit would reasonably limit
emissions from their process. This new limit would be consistent with
their current adhesive, which has a VOC content of 5.92 lbs VOC/gal
(minus water and exempt solvents). The permit conditions, which EPA
proposes to approve into Ohio's SIP, impose a limit of 5.9 lbs VOC/gal
[[Page 46121]]
on RFD Beaufort along with relevant monitoring, recordkeeping, and
reporting requirements.\2\
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\2\ Ohio's VOC limitation standards in OAC rule 3745-21-28 are
calculated to two significant digits. RFD Beaufort's adhesive VOC
content of 5.92 lbs VOC/gal would comply with a 5.9 lbs VOC/gal
limit.
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This SIP revision does not include the relaxation of any existing
requirements. EPA determines that this revision, if approved, will not
interfere with any Clean Air Act (CAA) applicable requirement as
required by CAA section 110(l). The alternate control technology
emissions limitation for RFD Beaufort in OAC rule 3745-21-28 is a limit
established under the rule consistent with the current VOC content of
the coating utilized by the facility.
III. What action is EPA taking?
EPA is proposing to approve the alternative emissions limitation
for Emission Unit Group 1: R001, R002, R003, R004, R005, R006, R007,
R008, R009, R010 by approving permit conditions C.1.b)(1)c. and
C.1.b)(2)c. into the Ohio SIP as listed in the March 25, 2025, final
permit to install and operate (P0127562).
IV. Incorporation by Reference
In this rulemaking, EPA is proposing to include in a final EPA rule
regulatory text that includes incorporation by reference. In accordance
with requirements of 1 CFR 51.5, EPA is proposing to incorporate by
reference Ohio Division of Air Pollution Control Permit-to-Install for
RFD Beaufort (Facility ID 1652080002), issued on March 25, 2025, as
described in section III of this preamble. EPA has made, and will
continue to make, these documents generally available through
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> and at the EPA Region 5 Office (please contact the
person identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of
this preamble for more information).
V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP
submission that complies with the provisions of the CAA and applicable
Federal regulations. 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a). Thus, in
reviewing SIP submissions, EPA's role is to approve State choices,
provided that they meet the criteria of the CAA. Accordingly, this
action merely approves State law as meeting Federal requirements and
does not impose additional requirements beyond those imposed by State
law. For that reason, this action:
<bullet> Is not a significant regulatory action subject to review
by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Order 12866 (58
FR 51735, October 4, 1993);
<bullet> Is not subject to Executive Order 14192 (90 FR 9065,
February 6, 2025) because SIP actions are exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866;
<bullet> Does not impose an information collection burden under the
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
<bullet> Is certified as not having a significant economic impact
on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
<bullet> Does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or
uniquely affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4);
<bullet> Does not have federalism implications as specified in
Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999);
<bullet> Is not subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 19885,
April 23, 1997) because it approves a State program;
<bullet> Is not a significant regulatory action subject to
Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001); and
<bullet> Is not subject to requirements of section 12(d) of the
National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272
note) because application of those requirements would be inconsistent
with the CAA.
In addition, the SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian
reservation land or in any other area where EPA or an Indian Tribe has
demonstrated that a Tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of Indian
country, the rulemaking does not have Tribal implications and will not
impose substantial direct costs on Tribal governments or preempt Tribal
law as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9,
2000).
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by
reference, Intergovernmental relations, Ozone, Volatile organic
compounds.
Dated: September 15, 2025.
Anne Vogel,
Regional Administrator, Region 5.
[FR Doc. 2025-18652 Filed 9-24-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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