🌬️New EPA Regulations on Sulfur Dioxide Emissions in North Carolina
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the North Carolina Division of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), Division of Air Quality (DAQ) on November 28, 2023, for the purpose of revising regulations that establish sulfur dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>) emission limits and compliance parameters for SO<INF>2</INF>-emitting combustion sources in the State. EPA is proposing to approve these changes pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and EPA regulations.
Learn More🌫️Wyoming EPA Approves Air Quality Regulation for Jim Bridger Units
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Wyoming on December 30, 2022, and supplemented on August 31, 2023, and November 16, 2023, addressing regional haze for Jim Bridger Units 1 and 2 (Wyoming 2022 SIP revision). Wyoming's 2022 SIP revision provides oxides of nitrogen (NO<INF>X</INF>) emission and heat input limits that collectively allow for identical reasonable progress as part of the long term strategy during the first implementation period as the associated emission limits in the existing SIP for Jim Bridger Units 1 and 2. The EPA is also approving monthly and annual NO<INF>X</INF> and sulfur dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>) emission limits for Jim Bridger Units 1 through 4 that were included in Wyoming's 2022 SIP revision. The EPA is taking this action pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).
Learn More🌫️Proposed Rule for South Carolina's Regional Haze Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a regional haze State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) dated March 3, 2022, as satisfying the applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for the program's second planning period. South Carolina's SIP submission addresses the requirement that states must periodically revise their long-term strategies for making reasonable progress toward 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 planning period of the regional haze program. EPA is proposing this action pursuant to sections 110 and 169A of the Act.
Learn More🚗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 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 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🌫️Connecticut's EPA SIP Revisions on Ozone Nonattainment Areas
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Connecticut. This action consists of revisions to Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies (RCSA) sections 22a-174-22e and 22a-174- 22f, primarily to add compliance dates for sources brought into the applicability of these sections due to a change in the definition of "severe non-attainment area for ozone," The definition change had previously been approved into Connecticut's SIP. This action is being taken in accordance with the Clean Air Act.
Learn More🌫️Colorado Regional Haze Regulation and Business Implications
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to partially approve and partially disapprove a regional haze state implementation plan (SIP) submission submitted by the State of Colorado under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for the program's second implementation period. Colorado's 2022 SIP submission addresses the requirement that states revise their long-term strategies every implementation period to make 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. We propose to base our partial disapproval of Colorado's long-term strategy on its inclusion of insufficiently justified enforceable source closures that are not consistent with statutory requirements. Colorado's 2022 SIP submission also addresses other applicable requirements for the second implementation period of the regional haze program. Concurrently, the EPA is proposing to approve a revision to Colorado's SIP consolidating existing regional haze provisions into the same regulation where the State's new, second planning period provisions are located.
Learn More🌬️Proposed Air Quality Regulations for Montana Business Compliance
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve elements of a state implementation plan (SIP) submission from Montana regarding the infrastructure requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The infrastructure requirements are designed to ensure that the structural components of each state's air quality management program are adequate to meet the state's responsibilities under the CAA. Additionally, EPA is proposing to approve Montana's request to update their SIP, to incorporate the most current version of the "Guideline on Air Quality Models." The EPA is taking this action pursuant to the CAA.
Learn More🌬️Proposed Revisions to Minnesota Air Quality Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a revision to the Minnesota State Implementation Plan (SIP) which updates Minnesota's air program rules. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) submitted the request to EPA on October 1, 2021. The revision to Minnesota's air quality rules will reflect changes that have occurred to the State air quality rules since July 2020. EPA is proposing to approve MPCA's submittal, which will result in consistent requirements of rules at both the State and Federal level.
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