🌍EPA Notice on Acid Rain Program Compliance and Responsibilities
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted an information collection request (ICR), Acid Rain Program under Title IV of the Clean Air Act Amendments (EPA ICR Number 1633.19, OMB Control Number 2060-0258) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through May 31, 2025. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on September 5, 2024 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.
Learn More🌬️EPA Approves Texas Air Quality Permitting Updates for Emissions
Pursuant to the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving portions of a revision to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on July 9, 2021. The revision includes updates to the Texas Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and Nonattainment New Source Review (NNSR) permitting programs to incorporate Federal New Source Review (NSR) regulations for Project Emissions Accounting (PEA).
Learn More🌬️EPA Approves Washington State SIP Revisions for Clean Air Compliance
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving Washington State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions to the Southwest Clean Air Agency (SWCAA) air quality regulations submitted by the State of Washington, through the Department of Ecology (Ecology) on June 22, 2023. The revisions were submitted in part to respond to the EPA's June 12, 2015 "SIP call" in which the EPA found a provision in the Washington SIP applicable in the area regulated by SWCAA to be substantially inadequate, providing affirmative defenses that operate to limit the jurisdiction of the Federal court in an enforcement action related to excess emissions during startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM) events. The EPA's approval of the SIP revisions to the substantially inadequate provision corrects the SWCAA deficiency identified in the 2015 SSM SIP call and the EPA's January 2022 finding of failure to submit. Washington withdrew some portions of the revisions submitted that were not identified in the 2015 SSM SIP call and therefore the EPA is not approving those withdrawn portions. The EPA proposed to approve this action on December 10, 2024, and received no comments.
Learn More🌬️EPA Approves Connecticut's SIP Revisions for Ozone Standards
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Connecticut for the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). These revisions certify the adequacy of the SIP to satisfy the nonattainment new source review permitting requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the reclassification of the Greater Connecticut area to moderate nonattainment for the 2015 ozone NAAQS, and certify the emission statement program satisfies CAA requirements for the initial nonattainment designations and the reclassification to moderate nonattainment for the 2015 ozone NAAQS. This action is being taken in accordance with the CAA.
Learn More🌍EPA Proposes Renewal of Risk Management Program Information Collection
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), Risk Management Program Requirements and Petitions to Modify the List of Regulated Substances under Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act (Renewal) (EPA ICR Number 1656.19, OMB Control Number 2050-0144) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through September 30, 2025. This notice allows for 60 days for public comments.
Learn More⚠️EPA Proposed Information Collection Request on Off-Site Consequence Analysis
The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), Distribution of Off-Site Consequence Analysis Information under Section 112(r)(7)(H) of the Clean Air Act (CAA), as amended (EPA No. 1981.09, OMB Control Number 2050-0172), to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through November 30, 2025. An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Learn More🌬️Spokane Air Quality Regulation Updates and Business Implications
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to the Washington State Implementation Plan (SIP) that were submitted by the Department of Ecology (Ecology) in coordination with the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency (SRCAA). In 2021, the EPA approved a comprehensive update to the SRCAA general air quality regulations in the SIP, which include new source review permitting requirements as well as other general requirements for sources regulated under SRCAA's jurisdiction. In this action, the EPA is approving additional updates to the SRCAA general air quality regulations promulgated since our comprehensive approval in 2021.
Learn More🌫️Louisiana's Air Quality Regulation Proposal by EPA on SO₂ Transport
Pursuant to the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the portion of the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submittal from the State of Louisiana 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 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🌍Connecticut EPA Approval of Ozone State Implementation Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Connecticut. The SIP revisions are for the Connecticut portion of the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT Serious ozone nonattainment area for the 2008 ozone standard. The revisions pertain to requirements relating to reasonable further progress (RFP) plans, an enhanced vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance (I/M) program, transportation conformity, and a clean fuels for motor vehicles program. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act.
Learn More🌳EPA's Interim Final Determination Eases Sanctions for Sacramento Area
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making an interim final determination to stay and defer the imposition of sanctions under the Clean Air Act (CAA), based on a proposed determination that the Sacramento Metro area has attained the 2008 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) by its December 31, 2024, attainment date. The proposed determination of attainment is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
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