🌍New Jersey NOₓ SIP Compliance and Memorandum of Agreement
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a revision in the New Jersey State Implementation Plan (SIP) that includes a signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) developed between the EPA and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The MOA demonstrates how the State will maintain compliance with its nitrogen oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) emission control obligations for the types of large non-electricity generating units (non-EGUs) that were previously regulated under the New Jersey NO<INF>X</INF> Budget Program. This action is being taken in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Learn More🌫️EPA Proposes Rule for Mariposa County Air Quality Standards Compliance
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to determine that the Mariposa County nonattainment area in California ("Mariposa area"), classified as "Moderate" for the 2015 ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS or "standard"), attained the 2015 ozone NAAQS by the August 3, 2024 attainment date. Our proposed determination of attainment is based upon the exclusion of exceedances of the 2015 ozone NAAQS that occurred on multiple days in 2021 and 2022, because the exceedances are due to exceptional events. This action, if finalized as proposed, will fulfill the EPA's statutory obligation to determine whether the Mariposa area attained the NAAQS by the August 3, 2024 attainment date.
Learn More♻️EPA Proposes Revisions to Alter Metal Recycling Permit in Iowa
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing approval of revisions to the Iowa State Implementation Plan (SIP) to include a permit modification for Alter Metal Recycling. The SIP revision addresses modifications to the air construction permit for Alter Metal Recycling included in the State's 2008 Lead (Pb) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) attainment plan for portions of Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, IA. These revisions do not impact the stringency of the SIP or have an adverse effect on air quality. The EPA's proposed approval of this rule revision is being done in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Learn More🌫️Clean Data Determination for Los Angeles-South Coast Air Basin
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making a clean data determination (CDD) for the Los Angeles-South Coast Air Basin ("South Coast") air quality planning area in California based on our determination that the area is attaining the 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). As a result of this CDD, certain Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements that have applied to California will be suspended for so long as the area continues to meet the 2006 24-hour PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS. The EPA is also approving a revision to California's state implementation plan (SIP) consisting of the 2018 base year emissions inventory for the South Coast PM<INF>2.5</INF> nonattainment area, submitted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on December 29, 2020.
Learn More🌫️Vermont's Regional Haze SIP
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the Regional Haze State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by Vermont on July 1, 2024, as satisfying applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA's Regional Haze Rule for the program's second implementation period. Vermont's SIP submission addresses the requirement that states must periodically revise their long-term strategies for making reasonable progress towards the national goal of preventing any future, and remedying any existing, anthropogenic impairment of visibility, including regional haze, in mandatory Class I Federal areas. The SIP submission also addresses other applicable requirements for the second implementation period of the regional haze program. The EPA is taking this action pursuant to sections 110 and 169A of the Clean Air Act.
Learn More🔥Proposed Regulation for Outdoor Burning in Lane County, Oregon
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to approve into the Oregon State Implementation Plan (SIP) the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA) revised outdoor burning rule revisions submitted by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) on July 1, 2024, in coordination with LRAPA. The revised rule, applicable in Lane County, Oregon, clarifies terminology, revises formatting, and expands the residential outdoor burning season to allow burning of woody yard trimmings on approved burn days within Lowell city limits from October 1 through June 15. ODEQ included in the submittal a technical demonstration that the requested expansion of the residential outdoor burning season will not interfere with attainment and maintenance of the NAAQS and other applicable Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements. The EPA is proposing to approve this rule because it meets the applicable requirements of the Clean Air Act.
Learn More🌫️Texas and Oklahoma Regional Haze Plans Assessment by EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve regional haze State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), dated March 20, 2014, and July 20, 2021, as satisfying applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR). Additionally, the EPA is proposing to approve portions of the 2009 Texas Regional Haze SIP submission and portions of the 2010 Oklahoma Regional Haze SIP submission that relate to reasonable progress requirements for the first planning period from 2007 through 2018. Finally, the EPA is also withdrawing its 2023 proposed disapprovals regarding Texas's and Oklahoma's first planning period SIPs and its 2024 proposed action regarding Texas's second planning period SIP. The EPA is taking this action pursuant to sections 110 and 169A of the Act.
Learn More⚡Adjusted Emissions Budgets for Indiana Under CSAPR
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking interim final action to adjust the Revised Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) Update "budget" for nitrogen oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) emissions from Indiana electricity generating units (EGUs) during the May-September "ozone season" for 2024 and subsequent years. Relatedly, EPA is also adjusting the default unit-level allocations of emission allowances to Indiana EGUs for 2024 and subsequent years in accordance with the adjustments to the state emissions budget. When originally establishing state emissions budgets and default unit-level allocations for 2024 and subsequent years in the Revised CSAPR Update rulemaking, EPA relied in part on announcements from EGU owners regarding their plans to retire certain EGUs before the 2024 ozone season. The purpose of the adjustments being made in this action is to account for the subsequent decisions by some EGU owners to defer or cancel the previously announced retirement plans.
Learn More🌫️EPA Approves Air Quality Regulation for Mojave Desert Region
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve a revision to the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District (MDAQMD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision concerns emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NO<INF>X</INF>) from industrial, institutional, and commercial boilers, steam generators, and process heaters. We are approving a local rule that regulates these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act").
Learn More🌫️EPA Approves Michigan's Sulfur Dioxide Compliance Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by Michigan on December 20, 2022, and supplemented on February 21, 2023, December 14, 2023, and April 2, 2024, which amends a SIP submission previously submitted to EPA on May 31, 2016, and June 30, 2016, for attaining the 2010 sulfur dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>) primary national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for the Detroit SO<INF>2</INF> nonattainment area. This action follows a prior action which found that Michigan had satisfied emission inventory and new source review (NSR) requirements for this area but had not met requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the elements that EPA is approving here. This action also follows the promulgation of the 2022 Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) for the Detroit SO<INF>2</INF> nonattainment area.
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