🌬️Colorado Air Quality Plan Approval for Ozone Standards
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve state implementation plan (SIP) submittals under the Clean Air Act (CAA) that address contingency measures requirements for the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for the Denver Metro/North Front Range (DMNFR) ozone nonattainment area. The requirements at issue relate to the area's previous Serious nonattainment classification. The EPA is proposing to find that the State has met the applicable CAA requirements for Serious area contingency measures and is proposing approval of the contingency measures SIP submittals, except that we are not taking action on one of the two identified contingency measures included in the submittals. In addition, the EPA is proposing to approve regulatory revisions that Colorado adopted to implement the submitted motor vehicle coating contingency measure. The EPA is taking this action pursuant to the CAA.
Learn More🌫️EPA Defers Sanctions in Colorado Air Quality Plan
In the Proposed Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is proposing approval of portions of State Implementation Plan (SIP) submissions from the State of Colorado dated June 26, 2023, May 23, 2024, and April 2, 2025. The submissions relate to Colorado Air Quality Control Commission Regulation Number 7 (Reg. 7) and Regulation Number 25 (Reg. 25) and address Colorado's SIP obligations for the contingency measures Serious ozone nonattainment area requirement for the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). In this action, the EPA is making an interim final determination based on that proposed approval. The effect of this interim final determination is that the imposition of sanctions that were triggered by the EPA's November 7, 2023 disapproval are now deferred. Although this action is effective upon publication, the EPA will take comment on this interim final determination.
Learn More🌬️EPA Approves Kansas Air Plan; Emission Inventory and Fees Revised
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) and Operating Permits Program and the 112(l) plan submitted by the State of Kansas on February 20, 2023. The revised Kansas rules update the Class I emission fee and emissions inventory regulations, establish a Class II fee schedule and ensure that Kansas's Operating Permits Program is adequately funded. Approval of these revisions ensures consistency between the State and federally-approved rules and does not impact air quality.
Learn More🌍Allegheny County Redesignation for Sulfur Dioxide Standards Approved
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving both a redesignation request and state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted on November 14, 2023 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on behalf of the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD). The request asked the EPA to redesignate the Allegheny County, Pennsylvania area from nonattainment to attainment for the 2010 1-hour primary sulfur dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS), while the revision included Allegheny County's maintenance plan for the 2010 1-hour primary SO<INF>2</INF> standard for the Allegheny County Area. The EPA is approving this redesignation of the Allegheny County Area from nonattainment to attainment for the 2010 SO<INF>2</INF> NAAQS and the revision to the Pennsylvania SIP in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
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🌬️Indiana EPA Proposes Revisions for NOx Emissions Monitoring
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve under the Clean Air Act (CAA) a request from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to revise the Indiana State Implementation Plan (SIP) to incorporate revisions to nitrogen oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) emissions monitoring, reporting and record keeping requirements for new and existing large non-Electric Generating Units (non-EGUs) affected by the NO<INF>X</INF> SIP Call. This SIP revision would approve monitoring, reporting, and record keeping requirements that are permissible as alternatives under Federal rules for these sources for purposes of the NO<INF>X</INF> SIP Call.
Learn More🌫️Proposed Approval of West Virginia's Regional Haze SIP
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the regional haze State implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by West Virginia (West Virginia, WV, or the State) on August 12, 2022, to address applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for the regional haze program's second implementation period. The EPA is proposing this action pursuant to the CAA. The EPA is also withdrawing its previous proposed rule to disapprove West Virginia's regional haze SIP revision as published in the Federal Register on January 21, 2025.
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🌍Proposed Air Quality Standards for Liberty-Clairton Area by EPA
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a request from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to redesignate the Liberty-Clairton, Pennsylvania nonattainment area (Liberty-Clairton Area) to attainment 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 is also proposing to approve, as revisions 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 proposing to approve 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. The EPA is proposing to find these 2017, 2026, and 2035 MVEBs for PM<INF>2.5</INF> and NO<INF>X</INF> adequate and to approve these MVEBs into the Pennsylvania SIP 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, as Pennsylvania withdrew its redesignation request specific to the Allegheny County Area. 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 Proposes Approval for Connecticut's Air Quality Standards
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing approval of State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Connecticut that relate to the 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The SIP revisions are for the Greater Connecticut and the Connecticut portion of the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT ozone nonattainment areas. The intended effect of this action is to propose approval of submittals which include a 2017 base year emissions inventory for the 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act.
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