🌫️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🌍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🌫️Proposed South Carolina Ozone Maintenance Plan Compliance Rule
On September 26, 2023, the State of South Carolina, through the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES, formerly the "South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control"), submitted a request for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision containing the State's plan for maintaining the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS or standard) through 2036 for the South Carolina portion of the bi-state Charlotte-Rock Hill, North Carolina- South Carolina 2008 8-hour ozone nonattainment area (the entire area is hereinafter referred to as the "bi-State Charlotte Area" and the South Carolina portion is hereinafter referred to as the "York County Area"). EPA is proposing to approve and incorporate this maintenance plan, including the 2018 and 2036 motor vehicle emission budgets (budgets) for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) for the York County Area, into the SIP. EPA is also notifying the public of the status of EPA's adequacy determination for the budgets for the York County Area.
Learn More🌍EPA Determines Attainment for Sacramento Metro Area Ozone Standards
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing our determination that the Sacramento Metro, California area attained the 2008 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) by its December 31, 2024 attainment date. This determination is based on quality-assured and certified ambient air quality monitoring data from 2022 through 2024. We are also finalizing a determination that the requirement for the State to have contingency measures for reasonable further progress (RFP) and attainment for the 2008 ozone NAAQS no longer applies for this area.
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 Reclassifies Shinnecock Indian Nation as Serious Nonattainment
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is determining that Indian country under the jurisdiction of the Shinnecock Indian Nation located within the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island nonattainment area (Shinnecock Indian Nation area) failed to attain the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) by the applicable attainment date. The effect of failing to attain by the applicable attainment date is that the area will be reclassified by operation of law to "Serious" nonattainment for the 2015 ozone NAAQS on September 2, 2025, the effective date of this final rule. This action fulfills the EPA's obligation under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to determine whether ozone nonattainment areas attained the NAAQS by the attainment date and to publish a document in the Federal Register identifying each area that is determined as having failed to attain and identifying the reclassification.
Learn More🌫️EPA Approves Connecticut's Ozone Emissions Inventory Revision
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Connecticut that relate to the 2015 8-hour 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. This action will approve submittals which include the 2017 base year emissions inventories for these two nonattainment areas for the 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Learn More🌬️Proposed Air Quality Regulations for Montana Business Compliance
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve elements of a state implementation plan (SIP) submission from Montana regarding the infrastructure requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The infrastructure requirements are designed to ensure that the structural components of each state's air quality management program are adequate to meet the state's responsibilities under the CAA. Additionally, EPA is proposing to approve Montana's request to update their SIP, to incorporate the most current version of the "Guideline on Air Quality Models." The EPA is taking this action pursuant to the CAA.
Learn More🌫️EPA Proposes Ozone Standards Failure for San Joaquin Valley
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to determine that the San Joaquin Valley, California area failed to attain the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard by its June 15, 2024 "Extreme" area attainment date. This proposed determination is based on quality-assured and certified ambient air quality monitoring data from 2021 through 2023.
Learn More🌫️Proposed EPA Regulations Impacting Utah Air Quality Standards
Pursuant to the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a portion of a Utah State Implementation Plan (SIP) submission addressing interstate transport for the 2008 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). The "interstate transport" provision requires that each state's SIP contain adequate provisions to prohibit emissions from within the state from significantly contributing to nonattainment or interfering with maintenance of the NAAQS in other states. In this action, EPA is only addressing the requirement prohibiting interference with maintenance, referred to as "prong 2," for the 2008 ozone NAAQS.
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