♻️Massachusetts Final Authorization of Hazardous Waste Management Program
Massachusetts has applied to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for final authorization of revisions to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as amended. EPA proposes to grant final authorization to Massachusetts for these revisions by a direct final rule, which can be found in the "Rules and Regulations" section of this Federal Register. We have explained the reasons for this authorization in the preamble to the direct final rule. Unless EPA receives written comments that oppose this authorization during the comment period, the direct final rule will become effective on the date it establishes, and EPA will not take further action on this proposal.
Learn More🌫️EPA Approves Idaho's Regional Haze Implementation Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the Idaho regional haze State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted on August 5, 2022, supplemented on September 27, 2024, and clarified on August 12, 2025, as satisfying applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act and the EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for the program's second implementation period. The Idaho SIP revision addressed the requirement to make reasonable progress toward the national goal of preventing any future, and remedying any existing, anthropogenic impairment of visibility in certain national parks and wilderness areas.
Learn More🧪Massachusetts Hazardous Waste Program Revisions Authorized by EPA
Massachusetts has applied to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for final authorization of revisions to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as amended. The EPA has reviewed Massachusetts' application and has determined that these revisions satisfy all requirements needed to qualify for final authorization. Therefore, we are taking direct final action to authorize the State's changes. In the "Proposed Rules" section of this Federal Register, EPA is also publishing a separate document that serves as the proposal to authorize these revisions. Unless EPA receives written comments that oppose this authorization during the comment period, the decision to authorize Massachusetts' revisions to its hazardous waste program will take effect.
Learn More🌍Business Implications of California's Carbon Monoxide SIP Revision
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve a revision to the California state implementation plan (SIP) that removes carbon monoxide (CO) contingency measures and monitoring requirements from the maintenance plan for three CO maintenance areas: Chico Urbanized Area, Modesto Urbanized Area, and Stockton Urbanized Area. We are approving the revision under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act").
Learn More🌫️EPA Approves California's Regional Haze Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the regional haze state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by California on August 9, 2022 (hereinafter the "2022 California Regional Haze Plan" or "the Plan"), under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for the program's second implementation period. The Plan addresses the requirement that states must periodically revise their long-term strategies for making 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. The Plan also addresses other applicable requirements for the second implementation period of the regional haze program. The EPA is taking this action pursuant to CAA sections 110 and 169A.
Learn More🌍Extension of Coachella Valley Ozone Attainment Date to 2025
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing a one- year extension of the "Extreme" attainment date from June 15, 2024 to June 15, 2025, for the 1997 ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) to the Riverside County (Coachella Valley), California ozone nonattainment area ("Coachella Valley"). The EPA is also taking final action on the exceptional event request submitted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on October 11, 2024. This action is based on the EPA's concurrence on the exceptional events demonstration, which removed from the design value (DV) calculation the wildfire-influenced data recorded at the Palm Springs--Fire Station monitor (AQS Site ID #060655001) on July 14-15, 2023, and the extension request submitted by the State of California.
Learn More🌫️EPA Air Quality Regulations Changes Impacting Lane County Businesses
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to approve the June 26, 2024, submitted revisions to the Oregon State Implementation Plan (SIP) applicable in Lane County, Oregon. The changes update the local stationary source permitting regulations to align with existing State regulations. The revisions eliminate generic plant site emission limits in favor of source-specific and source- category specific limits, update construction notification requirements, clarify the use of modeling and monitoring for compliance assurance, and streamline the permit application process.
Learn More🌬️Kentucky SO2 Nonattainment Regulations and Business Compliance
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve two State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Energy and Environment Cabinet (Cabinet), Division of Air Quality (DAQ) on January 26, 2024, and February 15, 2024, to certify two requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act). These revisions establish that the Kentucky SIP satisfies the nonattainment new source review (NNSR) and base year emissions inventory requirements for the 2010 1-hour sulfur dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for the Henderson-Webster SO<INF>2</INF> nonattainment area (hereinafter "Henderson-Webster SO<INF>2</INF> Nonattainment Area" or "Area"). These actions are being proposed pursuant to the CAA.
Learn More🌬️EPA Withdraws Nonattainment Designation for Texas Areas
On May 16, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (the Court) granted petitions for review of the EPA's nonattainment area designation for the Rusk and Panola Counties area, Texas for the 2010 SO<INF>2</INF> National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). Accordingly, that nonattainment designation for the area has been vacated. The vacatur of the nonattainment designation necessarily requires the withdrawal of two contingent actions since the underlying designation is no longer valid: EPA's finding of failure to submit an attainment plan (FFS) issued on August 10, 2020, and EPA's finding of failure to attain the NAAQS by the attainment date (FFA) issued on December 17, 2024. The EPA is withdrawing these two final actions in accordance with the court's decision and finds that any requirements deriving from either the FFS or the FFA are no longer applicable.
Learn More🌫️EPA Approves Michigan's Regional Haze Plan - Business Implications
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the Regional Haze State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) on August 23, 2021, and supplemented on July 24, 2025, as satisfying applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for the program's second implementation period. EGLE's SIP submission addresses the requirement that States must periodically revise their long-term strategies for making 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. The SIP submission also addresses other applicable requirements for the second implementation period of the regional haze program. EPA is taking this action pursuant to sections 110 and 169A of the CAA.
Learn More