🌫️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 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.
Learn More🚗EPA Finds Adequacy of Emissions Budgets for Klamath Falls
The EPA is notifying the public that we have found the motor vehicle emissions budgets for the Klamath Falls, Oregon 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter standard nonattainment area adequate for transportation conformity purposes. The budgets were submitted on August 20, 2024, as part of Oregon's Klamath Falls Redesignation Request and Maintenance Plan. As a result of our finding, the Klamath Falls area must use these budgets for future transportation conformity determinations.
Learn More🌬️EPA Proposes Revisions to Georgia SIP for Emissions Requirements
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 (GA EPD), on June 27, 2024, seeking to revise a source monitoring and reporting regulation by, among other things, removing the requirement for emissions statements in counties formerly designated as nonattainment for ozone and to revise the permit by rule regulation. EPA is proposing to approve these revisions pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).
Learn More🌫️Tennessee's Regional Haze Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a regional haze State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation (TDEC), dated February 23, 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. Tennessee'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🌬️North Carolina Air Quality Regulation
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve separate but related State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the North Carolina Division of Air Quality (NCDAQ). First, EPA is proposing to approve a SIP revision submitted by NCDAQ on behalf of the State of North Carolina on October 27, 2023, to remove certain exemptions available at the discretion of a State official for emissions exceeding otherwise applicable SIP emission limitations. Second, EPA is proposing to approve a SIP revision submitted by NCDAQ on behalf of Mecklenburg County Air Quality (MCAQ or Mecklenburg County) on October 25, 2023, to remove a parallel local exemption analogous to the State's for emissions exceeding otherwise applicable SIP emission limitations. In addition, EPA is proposing to approve minor and administrative changes to certain regulatory provisions that have been revised by the State and Mecklenburg County since EPA's last approval of those provisions. EPA is proposing to approve these SIP revisions pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).
Learn More🌫️Georgia Air Pollution Rule Updates
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted through the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA EPD) on July 18, 2024, regarding updates to the State's Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) emissions trading programs. The SIP revision incorporates by reference (IBRs) certain amendments EPA has made to the regulations for the Federal CSAPR trading programs for annual emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) and sulfur dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>) and the Federal CSAPR trading program for NO<INF>X</INF> emissions during the ozone season from May 1 to September 30, all three of which apply to large electric generating units (EGUs). EPA created these Federal trading programs in 2011 as market-based mechanisms for Georgia and certain other states to address their obligations to downwind states under the Clean Air Act's (CAA's) good neighbor provision with respect to the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) and ground-level ozone. The SIP revision also updates the definition for "Volatile Organic Compound." EPA is proposing to approve Georgia's July 18, 2024, SIP revision because it is consistent with EPA's good neighbor CSAPR trading programs and the CAA.
Learn More🌍EPA Approves New York Emission Statement Certification
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving portions of the comprehensive State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by New York State that certify that the State has satisfied the requirements for an emission statement program for both the Serious and Moderate classifications of the 2008 and 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), respectively. These actions are being taken in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA). The EPA proposed to approve this SIP revision on May 8, 2025, and received no comments.
Learn More🏭EPA Proposes New Emissions Limits for Carmeuse Lime in Ohio
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the addition of Director's Final Findings and Orders (DFFOs) issued by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) to Carmeuse Lime, Inc. into the Ohio State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the 2010 sulfur dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The DFFOs establish a new emissions limit for SO<INF>2</INF> emissions from the combined lime kiln stack that receives and emits SO<INF>2</INF> emissions from two rotary lime kilns at the Carmeuse Lime Maple Grove Facility in Seneca County, Ohio.
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).
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