🌫️New EPA Rules Remove Affirmative Defense for Polyether Polyols Industry
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Polyether Polyols (PEPO) Production under the Clean Air Act (CAA). Specifically, for this NESHAP, the EPA is finalizing the removal of affirmative defense provisions associated with the violation of air emission standards due to malfunctions.
Learn More🌬️Georgia Eases Air Quality Permitting Requirements for Businesses
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Georgia through the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) on June 27, 2024. The revision seeks to remove permitting requirements related to nonattainment, including nonattainment new source review (NNSR), from Georgia's SIP as obsolete, remove certain provisions related to the use of emission reduction credits (ERCs), and make other changes based upon the lack of any areas designated as nonattainment for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in Georgia. EPA is proposing to approve these changes pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).
Learn More🚗Proposed Rule for Pennsylvania Vehicle Emission Standards
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This SIP revision addresses Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements for the enactment of a Basic vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance (I/M) program for the five counties comprising the Pennsylvania portion of the Philadelphia-Wilmington- Atlantic City, PA-NJ-MD-DE Moderate nonattainment area (Philadelphia nonattainment area) for the 2015 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS).
Learn More🌫️EPA Approves Emission Rule Revision in Mojave Desert Air Quality Management
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 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NO<INF>X</INF>) from internal combustion engines. We are approving a local rule that regulates these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the "Act"). The EPA is also making additional administrative updates to the MDAQMD portion of the California SIP by correcting text in the Code of Federal Regulations.
Learn More🌫️Proposed Amendments to Connecticut's Air Pollution Regulations by EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve regulatory amendments that revise two previous program approvals from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP). The revisions include amendments to the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies (RCSA) that revise the Connecticut State Operating Permit Program and amendments to RCSA that revise limitations on potential to emit Clean Air Act (CAA) pollutants. A significant aspect of this action involves revising the definition of "hazardous air pollutant" in the RCSA in response to EPA adding 1- bromopropane to the list of hazardous air pollutants. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act.
Learn More🌬️Proposed Revisions to Arkansas Air Quality Implementation Plan
Pursuant to the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Arkansas State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted to the EPA on February 4, 2025. The revisions address the codification of the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission (APC & EC) Rule 19 and Regulations 9, 26, and 31 into the Code of Arkansas Rules (CAR). The revisions are non-substantive and administrative in nature, and do not add or relax any provisions in the approved SIP.
Learn More🌫️EPA Approves South Dakota’s Regional Haze State Implementation Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a regional haze state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of South Dakota on July 29, 2022 (South Dakota's 2022 SIP submission), as satisfying applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for the program's second implementation period. The EPA is taking this action pursuant to CAA.
Learn More🌍EPA Proposes Approval of Ohio's Ozone Regulation Revisions
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Chapters 3745-21 and 3745-110 into the Ohio State Implementation Plan (SIP). The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency ("Ohio" or "Ohio EPA") submitted these revisions on March 30, 2022, and supplemented the submittal on February 1, 2023, and August 28, 2023. EPA is proposing to approve parts of OAC Chapters 3745-21 and 3745-110 as satisfying some of the Moderate Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) and Nitrogen Oxide (NO<INF>x</INF>) RACT requirements for the Cleveland, OH nonattainment area (Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit counties) under the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard ("NAAQS" or "standard"). Finally, EPA is proposing to approve OAC rule 3745-15-03, submitted by Ohio on February 9, 2023, and supplemented on December 1, 2023, and December 30, 2024.
Learn More🌬️Texas Air Plan Approval
Pursuant to the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the portion of the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submittal from the State of Texas demonstrating that the State satisfies the interstate transport requirements of section 110(a)(2)(D)(i)(I), also known as the "good neighbor" provision of the CAA, for the 2010 1-hour sulfur dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>) primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). The good neighbor provision requires each State's implementation plan to contain adequate provisions prohibiting the interstate transport of air pollution in amounts that will contribute significantly to nonattainment, or interfere with maintenance, of a NAAQS in any other State.
Learn More🚛Proposed Rules for Heavy-Duty Vehicle Inspections in California
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to partially approve and partially disapprove or, in the alternative, to fully approve a submission by the State of California to revise its State Implementation Plan (SIP) relating to the control of emissions from non-gasoline combustion vehicles over 14,000 pounds. EPA is proposing to disapprove the State's "Heavy-Duty Inspection and Maintenance Regulation" to the extent it applies to vehicles registered out-of-state or out-of-country. The EPA has substantial concerns that the State has not provided adequate assurances under Clean Air Act (CAA) section 110(a)(2)(E)(i) that implementation of the SIP is not prohibited by Federal law. EPA seeks comment on this and other aspects of this proposed rule. If finalized as a partial approval and partial disapproval, this rule would allow certain aspects of the covered State regulations to go into effect and would not trigger CAA section 179 sanctions because the submittal is not a required submission under CAA section 110(a)(2). If finalized as an approval, this rule would allow all covered State regulations to go into effect.
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