Reclassification

1. Reclassification of areas. All areas (except as otherwise provided under 40 CFR 52.21(e)) must be designated either class I, class II, or class III. Any designation other than class II is subject to the redesignation procedures of this section. Redesignation (except as otherwise precluded by 40 CFR 52.21(e)) is subject to approval by the administrator of the United States environmental protection agency. a. Reclassification by petition. (1) Filing of petition. After twenty percent of the qualified electors in any county, as determined by the vote cast for the office of governor at the last preceding gubernatorial election, shall petition the department to reclassify any area within such county (except as precluded by 40 CFR 52.21(e)) to class I, class II, or class III, the department shall hold a hearing and take such other action as specified in subsection 3. The department shall reclassify the area proposed in the petition for reclassification only if such reclassification is substantially supported by the hearing record. (2) Contents of petition. The petition to reclassify any area to either class I, class II, or class III must contain a legal description of the area which the petition is to affect; an explanation of the meaning and purpose of the petition and reclassification; a statement to the effect that those persons signing the petition desire the described area to be reclassified to either class I, class II, or class III and such statement must specify which class; a list of those persons or person circulating such petition, which persons must be designated "Committee of Petitioners"; an affidavit to be attached to each petition and sworn to under oath before a notary public by the person circulating each petition attesting to the fact that the person circulated such petition and that each of the signatures to such petition is the genuine signature of the person whose name it purports to be, and that each such person is a qualified elector in the county in which the petition was circulated; all petitions' signatures must be numbered and dated by month, day, and year, and the name must be written with residence address and post office address including the county of residence followed by state of North Dakota. b. Reclassification upon department's own motion. At such time as the department may determine, it may hold a public hearing and take such other action as specified in subsection 2 in order to reclassify any area of this state (except as precluded by 40 CFR 52.21(e)) to class I, class II, or class III. The department shall reclassify the area proposed for reclassification only if such reclassification is substantially supported by the hearing record. 2. Procedures for reclassification. a. Except as precluded by 40 CFR 52.21(e), the department may reclassify any area of this state, including any federally owned lands, but excluding lands within the exterior boundaries of any Indian reservations, to either class I or class II pursuant to subdivisions a and b of subsection 1, provided that: (1) At least one public hearing is held in or near the area affected and this public hearing is held in accordance with the procedures established in subsection 3. (2) Other states, Indian governing bodies, and federal land managers whose lands may be affected by the proposed redesignation are notified at least thirty days prior to the public hearing. (3) A discussion of the reasons for the proposed redesignation including a satisfactory description and analysis of the health, environmental, economic, social, and energy effects of the proposed redesignation is prepared and made available for public inspection at least thirty days prior to the hearing and the notice announcing the hearing contains appropriate notification of the availability of such discussion. (4) Prior to the issuance of notice respecting the redesignation of any area that includes any federal lands, the state shall provide written notice to the appropriate federal land manager and afford adequate opportunity (but not in excess of sixty days) to confer with the state respecting the redesignation and to submit written comments and recommendations with respect to such redesignation. In redesignating any area with respect to which any federal land manager has submitted written comments and recommendations, the state shall publish a list of any inconsistency between such redesignation and such comments and recommendations and an explanation of such inconsistency (together with the reasons for making such redesignation against the recommendation of the federal land manager). (5) The proposed redesignation is based on the record of the state's hearing, which must reflect the basis for the proposed redesignation, including consideration of: (a) Growth anticipated in the area. (b) The social, environmental, health, energy, and economic effects of such redesignation upon the area being proposed for redesignation and upon other areas and states. (c) Any impacts of such proposed redesignation upon regional or national interests. Anticipated growth shall include growth resulting both directly and indirectly from proposed development. (6) The redesignation is proposed after consultation with the elected leadership of local and other substate general purpose governments in the area covered by the proposed redesignation. b. Except as precluded by 40 CFR 52.21(e), the department may reclassify any area of this state, including any federally owned lands, but excluding lands within the exterior boundaries of any Indian reservations, to class III if: (1) Such redesignation would meet the requirements of subdivision a. (2) Such redesignation has been specifically approved by the governor of the state, after consultation with the appropriate committees of the legislative assembly if it is in session or with the leadership of the legislative assembly if it is not in session, and if general purpose units of local government representing a majority of the residents of the area so redesignated enact legislation or pass resolutions concurring the state's redesignation. (3) Such redesignation will not cause, or contribute to, a concentration of any air contaminant which would exceed any maximum allowable increase permitted under the classification of any other area, or any applicable ambient air quality standard. (4) Prior to any public hearing on redesignation of any area, there must be available, insofar as is practicable for public inspection, any specific plans for any new major stationary source or major modification which may be permitted to be constructed and operated only if the area in question is redesignated as class III. 3. Reclassification hearings. a. Any hearing required by subsection 2 shall be held only after reasonable notice, which shall be considered to include, at least thirty days prior to the date of such hearing: (1) Notice given to the public by prominent advertisement in the region affected announcing the date, time, and place of such hearing. (2) Availability of each proposed plan or revision for public inspection in at least one location in each region to which it will apply, and the availability of each compliance schedule for public inspection in at least one location in the region in which the affected source is located. (3) Notification to the administrator of the United States environmental protection agency (through the appropriate regional office). (4) Notification to each local air pollution control agency in each region to which the plan, schedule, or revision will apply. (5) In the case of an interstate region, notification to any other states included, in whole or in part, in the region. (6) Notification to any states, Indian governing bodies, and federal land managers whose lands may be affected by the proposed redesignation. b. The department shall prepare and retain for inspection a record of each hearing. The record must contain, as a minimum, a list of witnesses together with the text of each presentation. c. Any hearing held pursuant to the provisions of this subsection must be held only for the purpose of considering such reclassification as has been noticed under the provisions of subsection 2, and consideration of reclassification to other classes not so noticed shall not be allowed. d. Any hearing held pursuant to these provisions may be continued for such purposes and for such periods of time as the department may determine. 4. Time limitation. Notwithstanding any other regulation herein, the department shall rule upon any proposed reclassification within eighteen months of the official public notification of such proposed redesignation by the department.