🌫️EPA Proposes Disapproval of West Virginia's Regional Haze SIP
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to disapprove a revision to West Virginia's State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WV DEP) on August 12, 2022. The SIP was submitted to satisfy applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for the program's second planning period. If finalized, disapproval does not start a mandatory sanctions clock. The EPA is taking this action pursuant to sections 110 and 169A of the Clean Air Act.
Learn More🌍EPA Denies Petition Against Shell Chemical's Operating Permit
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator signed an Order dated December 19, 2024, denying a petition dated June 11, 2024, from Air Alliance Houston (the Petitioner). The petition requested that the EPA object to a Clean Air Act (CAA) title V operating permit issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to Shell Chemical LP, for its Deer Park Chemical Plant located in Harris County, Texas. In addition, and as a part of the Order, the EPA Administrator found that cause exists to reopen the Shell Chemical Deer Park Chemical Plant permit pursuant to 40 CFR part 70.7.
Learn More🌍EPA Reinstates Ohio Air Nuisance Rule
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to correct a November 19, 2020, rulemaking removing the Air Nuisance Rule (ANR) from the Ohio State Implementation Plan (SIP). This action is in response to a February 10, 2023, decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (Sixth Circuit or Court) to remand without vacatur EPA's removal of the ANR from the Ohio SIP. Because the Court did not vacate EPA's removal of the ANR, the ANR is currently not in Ohio's SIP. After reevaluating EPA's November 19, 2020, rulemaking, upon remand, EPA proposed to determine that its November 2020 final action was in error, and to correct that action by reinstating the ANR as part of the Ohio SIP. EPA proposed to take this action on February 22, 2024 and received both supportive and adverse comments. EPA is finalizing this action as proposed, and upon the effective date of this action, the ANR will be reinstated into the Ohio SIP.
Learn More🌍Proposed EPA Regulations Impacting California Air Quality Compliance
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing action on three permitting rules submitted as a revision to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD or "District") portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern the District's New Source Review (NSR) permitting program for new and modified sources of air pollution under section 110(a)(2)(C) and part D of title I of the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act"). This action will update the California SIP with rules that the District has revised to address deficiencies identified in a previous limited disapproval action and to incorporate other revisions related to NSR requirements. We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action. Elsewhere in this Federal Register, we are making an interim final determination that will defer the imposition of CAA sanctions associated with our previous limited disapproval action. This action also proposes to revise regulatory text to clarify that the SJVUAPCD is not subject to the federal implementation plan related to protection of visibility.
Learn More🌱EPA Proposes New Air Quality Regulations for Arizona Agriculture
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing an approval and a limited approval and limited disapproval of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) submission made by the State of Arizona to address emissions of particulate matter 10 micrometers in diameter or smaller (PM<INF>10</INF>) from agricultural operations. The SIP submission includes an amended statute, two definition rules, and two rules regulating crop and animal operations in Pinal County, Arizona. We are proposing action on local rules to regulate these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act"). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.
Learn More🌍New SIP Deadlines and Compliance Requirements Under Ozone Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing deadlines for submission of state implementation plan (SIP) revisions and implementation of the relevant control requirements that will apply for nonattainment areas reclassified as Moderate, Serious, and Severe under the current and any future ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) as a result of either failing to attain the standard by the applicable classification attainment date or the EPA granting a voluntary reclassification request. This final rule articulates the implementation requirements and timeframes that will apply for all such areas once reclassified. The EPA is also finalizing regulatory revisions to codify its existing interpretation that following reclassification, a state is no longer required to submit SIP revisions addressing certain, but not all, requirements related to the prior classification level for an ozone nonattainment area.
Learn More🌍New EPA Updates to Alaska Air Quality Regulations Announced
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is updating the materials that are incorporated by reference (IBR) into the Alaska State Implementation Plan (SIP). The regulations affected by this update have been previously submitted by the State of Alaska and approved by the EPA. In this final rule, the EPA is also notifying the public of corrections and clarifying changes in the Code of Federal Regulations tables that identify the materials incorporated by reference into the Alaska SIP. This update affects the materials that are available for public inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration and the EPA Regional Office.
Learn More🌎EPA Approves Air Quality Revisions in Maricopa County, Arizona
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve revisions to the Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD or "County") portions of the Arizona State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern the County's reasonably available control technology (RACT) demonstration for the aerospace coating category and negative declarations for the 2008 8- hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS or "standards") in the portion of the Phoenix-Mesa ozone nonattainment area regulated by the MCAQD, as well as a rule covering emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from surface coatings and industrial adhesives. We are also approving a local rule that regulates these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "the Act").
Learn More🌍EPA Updates Ozone Measurement Calibration Requirements for 2025
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is correcting a final rule published in the Federal Register on October 12, 2023, that became effective on November 13, 2023. The final rule updated the current ozone absorption cross-section to the recommended consensus- based value of 1.1329x10<SUP>-17</SUP> cm\2\ molecule<SUP>-1</SUP> or 304.39 atm<SUP>-1</SUP> cm<SUP>-1</SUP>. After publication, the EPA became aware of an error in the preamble text regarding the date for State, local, and Tribal monitoring agencies to complete implementation of the new ozone cross-section value, as well as a lack of clarity as to which entities the 2025 and 2026 implementation dates apply. With this action, the EPA is updating the final rule preamble and regulatory text to clarify the applicable implementation dates and the specific entities to which they apply. These corrections do not include any substantive changes to the final rule.
Learn More🌍Montana EPA Approves Change to Oxygenated Fuels Program
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ or "the State"), on January 30, 2024, requesting to change the status of gasoline requirements (the "oxygenated fuels" or "oxyfuels" program) in the Missoula, Montana Carbon Monoxide (CO) Limited Maintenance Plan (LMP) from active control measure to a contingency measure. The SIP revision contains a non- interference demonstration under the Clean Air Act (CAA), which concludes that converting the oxygenated gasoline program from a control measure to a contingency measure in the Missoula CO LMP would not interfere with attainment or maintenance of the CO National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). The EPA is finalizing approval of Montana's SIP submittal pursuant the CAA.
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