🚗Rhode Island's Motor Vehicle Inspection Program Amendments Proposal
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Office of Air Resources on December 20, 2023, that includes an amended regulation for the Enhanced Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) program in Rhode Island. Overall, the submittal removes obsolete references, adds definitions, and clarifies the Rhode Island I/M program requirements, which consist primarily of conducting Onboard Diagnostics (OBD) testing. The intended effect of this action is to propose approval of the State's amended I/M program regulation into the Rhode Island SIP. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA). EPA has evaluated the SIP revision and has preliminarily determined the changes will not impact emissions under the Rhode Island I/M program. EPA is proposing to conclude that approval of the SIP revision will not interfere with attainment or maintenance of any National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) or with any other applicable requirement of the CAA. Therefore, EPA is proposing to determine that Rhode Island's December 20, 2023, SIP revision is consistent with the applicable provisions of the CAA.
Learn More🌍EPA Proposes Conditional Approval for Mojave Desert Air Permits
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing conditional approval of five permitting rules as a revision to the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District (MDAQMD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These are revisions to the District's New Source Review (NSR) air permitting program rules for new and modified sources of air pollution under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act"). The submitted rules address deficiencies identified in a previous limited disapproval action and incorporate other revisions related to the NSR permitting requirements. If finalized, this action will update the MDAQMD's current SIP with the revised rules. As a separate action in this Federal Register, we are making an interim final determination that will stay or defer the imposition of CAA sanctions associated with our previous limited disapproval action.
Learn More🌬️EPA Approves Maryland's NOx Ozone Emission Caps Compliance Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland. This revision (Maryland Submittal #24-01) pertains to the re-allocation of nitrogen oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) ozone season emission caps for large non-electric generating units (non-EGUs, affected units). The amendment also updates a cross reference to the Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR). This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Learn More🌍EPA's Interim Decision on Air Quality Regulations in California
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making an interim final determination that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has submitted a Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act") state implementation plan (SIP) revision on behalf of the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District (MDAQMD or "District") that corrects deficiencies concerning the District's New Source Review (NSR) stationary source permitting program. This determination is based on a proposed conditional approval, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, of MDAQMD Rules. The effect of this interim final determination is to stay the application of the offset sanction and to defer or stay the action of the highway sanction that were triggered by the EPA's limited disapproval of MDAQMD Rules on June 30, 2023.
Learn More🌬️EPA Approves Connecticut Air Plan Revision and Its Implications
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) to (1) remove State Order 7002B issued to Dow Chemical USA (Dow) in Gales Ferry on May 25, 1982, from the Connecticut SIP, (2) remove State Order 8027 issued to Pratt & Whitney Division of United Technologies Corporation (Pratt & Whitney) in North Haven on March 22, 1989, from the Connecticut SIP, and (3) add Consent Order 8381 issued to Thames Shipyard and Repair Company (Thames Shipyard) in New London, CT on December 3, 2021, to the Connecticut SIP. State Orders 8027 and 7002B addressed reasonably available control technology (RACT) for volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and sulfur fuel content limits for Pratt & Whitney and Dow, respectively. EPA is approving the Thames Shipyard Order into Connecticut's SIP to ensure RACT requirements with respect to VOC emissions from shipbuilding and repair operations continue to be implemented at Thames Shipyard. This action is being taken in accordance with the Clean Air Act.
Learn More🌍EPA Proposes Air Plan Approval for Ortho Clinical Diagnostics
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a revision to the State of New York's State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) related to a source-specific SIP (SSSIP) revision for Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, 513 Technology Boulevard, Rochester, New York (the Facility). The EPA is proposing to find that the control options in this SSSIP revision implement Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) with respect to volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from the relevant Facility source, which are identified as one solvent-based film coating machine. This SSSIP revision is intended to implement VOC RACT for the relevant Facility source in accordance with the requirements for implementation of the 2008 and 2015 ozone NAAQS. EPA proposes to determine that this action will not interfere with ozone NAAQS requirements and meets all applicable requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Learn More🌬️Texas Air Quality Control Technology Revisions by EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is supplementing a proposed rule published on March 10, 2021, to approve revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) concerning Nitrogen Oxide (NO<INF>X</INF>) and Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) requirements for the Serious Houston-Galveston-Brazoria (HGB), 2008 8-hour ozone National Air Quality Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) nonattainment area. Because of comments received on the March 10, 2021, proposal, we are providing additional analysis, in this proposal, regarding the RACT requirements which apply to sources of VOC in this area. Consistent with this analysis, EPA is proposing to determine that the Texas Rules meet the RACT requirements for sources of VOCs in the HGB Serious ozone nonattainment area for the purposes of the 2008 standard. The NO<INF>X</INF> portion of the RACT analysis in the March 10, 2021, proposal will be addressed in a separate action. The EPA is providing an opportunity for public comment on this supplemental proposal. Comments received on the March 10, 2021, proposal and this supplemental proposal will be addressed in a final rule.
Learn More🌬️Proposed EPA Rule on Nitrogen Oxides Control Technology in Texas
Pursuant to the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP). The revisions were submitted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on May 12, 2020, and May 13, 2020, and address certain CAA requirements for the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Serious Nonattainment Area (NAA) for the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). Specifically, EPA is proposing to approve the revisions to 30 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 117 to implement the major source Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) requirement for Nitrogen Oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>), as addressed in the NO<INF>X</INF> RACT analysis and negative declaration included with the Serious area Attainment Demonstration (AD) SIP revision. The volatile organic compounds (VOC) portion of the RACT analysis in the Serious area AD submittal is addressed in a separate action.
Learn More🌫️EPA Approves Air Quality Redesignation for Liberty-Clairton Area
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's request to redesignate to attainment the Liberty-Clairton, Pennsylvania nonattainment area (Liberty-Clairton Area) for the 1997 annual and 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS or standard). The EPA has determined that the Liberty-Clairton Area attained both the 1997 annual and 2006 24-hour PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS and has met the statutory requirements for redesignation. The EPA is approving, as a revision to the Pennsylvania State Implementation Plan (SIP), the Commonwealth's plan for maintaining the 1997 annual and 2006 24-hour PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS through 2035 for the Liberty-Clairton Area. Additionally, the EPA is approving the maintenance plan for the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania nonattainment area (Allegheny County Area) for the 2012 annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS through 2035. The maintenance plan includes 2017, 2026, and 2035 mobile vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) for mobile sources of PM<INF>2.5</INF> and nitrogen oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) for the Allegheny County Area for the 2012 annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS, which the EPA is approving for transportation conformity purposes. This action does not redesignate the Allegheny County Area to attainment for the 2012 annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS. Both the redesignation request and maintenance plan were submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP or Pennsylvania) on behalf of the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD). This action is being taken under the CAA.
Learn More🌫️EPA Proposes Approval for Washington's Regional Haze Compliance Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the regional haze State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by Washington on January 28, 2022, to address applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for the regional haze program's second implementation period. The EPA is proposing this action pursuant to the CAA.
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