🌫️EPA's Determination on Ozone Standards in California
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that the San Joaquin Valley, California area failed to attain the 1997 8- hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) by its June 15, 2024 "Extreme" area attainment date. This determination is based on quality-assured and certified ambient air quality monitoring data from 2021 through 2023. As a result of this determination, the State of California is required to implement nonattainment contingency measures and the stationary source fee program required under Clean Air Act (CAA) section 185.
Learn More🌫️Proposed Expansion of Northern Wasatch Front Ozone Nonattainment Area
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a request to expand the boundary for the Northern Wasatch Front (NWF) 2015 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) nonattainment area (NAA). The request was submitted by the State of Utah on February 27, 2023. The newly expanded portion of the NWF NAA will have the same classification as the original NWF NAA under the 2015 ozone NAAQS and all applicable Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements will become applicable to the newly designated portion upon the effective date of the final action. The EPA is taking this action pursuant to the CAA.
Learn More🌬️EPA Proposes Air Quality Rule for San Joaquin Valley Businesses
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a revision to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD or "District") portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP) concerning a rule submitted to address section 185 of the Clean Air Act (CAA or the "Act") with respect to the revoked 1997 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS or "standard"). We are proposing action on this local rule that was submitted as an equivalent alternative to a statutory section 185 program. We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.
Learn More🌬️New Jersey EPA Approval of NOx SIP Requirements and Business Impact
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a revision in the New Jersey State Implementation Plan (SIP) that includes a signed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) developed between the EPA and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The MOA demonstrates how the State will maintain compliance with its nitrogen oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) emission control obligations for the types of large non-electricity generating units (non-EGUs) that were previously regulated under the New Jersey NO<INF>X</INF> Budget Program. This action is being taken in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Learn More🎨Proposed Rule on VOC Emissions for Architectural Coatings in Arizona
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD or "County") portion of the Arizona State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from architectural coatings. Architectural coatings include house paints, stains, industrial maintenance coatings, traffic coatings, and other similar products. We are proposing to approve local rules to regulate these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act"). The revisions would update the Arizona SIP by replacing an outdated rule version with the current version in effect and would lower VOC emissions limits for some architectural coatings if contingency measures are triggered in the future. We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.
Learn More🌫️EPA Proposes Updated VOC Regulations Affecting Maricopa Businesses
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD) portion of the Arizona State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern rules that regulate volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions from solvent cleaning operations. We are proposing to approve the revisions under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act"). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.
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🌫️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🌍EPA Proposes Approval of Ohio's Ozone Regulation Revisions
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Chapters 3745-21 and 3745-110 into the Ohio State Implementation Plan (SIP). The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency ("Ohio" or "Ohio EPA") submitted these revisions on March 30, 2022, and supplemented the submittal on February 1, 2023, and August 28, 2023. EPA is proposing to approve parts of OAC Chapters 3745-21 and 3745-110 as satisfying some of the Moderate Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) and Nitrogen Oxide (NO<INF>x</INF>) RACT requirements for the Cleveland, OH nonattainment area (Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit counties) under the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard ("NAAQS" or "standard"). Finally, EPA is proposing to approve OAC rule 3745-15-03, submitted by Ohio on February 9, 2023, and supplemented on December 1, 2023, and December 30, 2024.
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