177 



Now, we want to see that followed through obviously, and we 

 think it will be. There are some glitches in the State incorporating 

 all of the provisions of our agreement into the permit, but we think 

 we are going to be able to work that out, and we are going to work 

 it out. That is a condition of our whole approach to this, and we 

 expect the bargain to be kept. 



Mr. Synar. Well, we are watching. 



Now, are there any other clean coal plants on the horizon? 



Mr. Frampton. Near national parks? 



Mr. Synar. Yes. 



Mr. Frampton. Not that I know of. I would just say that we re- 

 ceived a great deal of concern from the Department, from the new 

 administration, the Department of Energy, and I feel pretty con- 

 fident that if one of these should come up in this administration 

 that we would have some notice and we would have some consulta- 

 tion, and we would have a different, a very different approach. Be- 

 cause, frankly, the Secretary and her staff over there are very con- 

 cerned about park and wilderness air quality issues, and I think 

 are going to take a very different attitude to these issues in the fu- 

 ture. 



Mr. Synar. We are, too, and we are going to look at this in the 

 subcommittee. 



Ms. Nichols, your time. 



First of all, we are glad to hear of this new shift that you have 

 announced today and that you have agreed at least to begin this 

 process. For the record, under oath, what is the timetable for draft- 

 ing these regulations? 



Ms. Nichols. Well, we intend to meet or exceed the statutory 

 timeframe for issuance of the regulations, and I think obviously 

 that is necessary. I would just like to comment that I have been 

 on board at EPA for 6 months now, and I have made visibility an 

 issue of high priority to me in terms of 



Mr. Synar. Let me stop you here. What timetable are you talk- 

 ing about on regional haze? Statutory? 



Ms. Nichols. The absolute deadline, I believe, would be 1996 to 

 act on the recommendations coming out of the Grand Canyon com- 

 mission. 



Mr. Synar. From the Grand Canyon? 



Ms. Nichols. It is my belief that is an absolute deadline. 



Mr. Synar. Are we looking at the next couple of years or what 

 are we looking at? 



Ms. Nichols. As I indicated earlier, we are moving forward now 

 with all the groundwork so that we will be prepared to issue the 

 regulations shortly after, I can't say simultaneously with, but very 

 soon after we receive the final report from the Grand Canyon com- 

 mission. 



Mr. Synar. So 1996? 



Ms. NICHOLS. I would say early 1996, the beginning part of 1996. 



Mr. Synar. What is early, first 3 months? 



Ms. Nichols. I am not going to give you a month, but probably 

 in the first quarter would be a realistic time to call me back here 

 if you haven't seen it. 



Mr. Synar. Oh, we will. 



