🌍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 New Air Quality Regulations for California Businesses
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a revision to the Placer County Air Pollution Control District (PCAPCD or "District") portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision concerns the District's Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act") nonattainment new source review permitting program that regulates construction and modifications of major stationary sources of air pollution in nonattainment areas. We are proposing to approve a local rule that has been revised to address deficiencies previously identified by the EPA in a prior action that included a limited approval/limited disapproval of a prior version of the rule. We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action. Elsewhere in this Federal Register, we are making an interim final determination that will defer the imposition of CAA sanctions associated with our previous limited disapproval.
Learn More🌿EPA Defers Sanctions for Placer County Air Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making an interim final determination that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has submitted a Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act") State implementation plan (SIP) revision on behalf of the Placer County Air Pollution Control District (PCAPCD or "District") that corrects deficiencies concerning the District's nonattainment new source review stationary source permitting program. This determination is based on a proposed approval, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, of PCAPCD Rule 502, "New Source Review." The effect of this interim final determination is to defer sanctions that were triggered by the EPA's previous limited disapproval of PCAPCD Rule 502 in 2023.
Learn More🌍EPA Proposes Approval of Florida SIP Revisions on Air Quality
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) on August 15, 2023. The revision seeks to remove certain Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR)-related definitions, and CAIR-related portions of certain definitions, in the Stationary Sources--General Requirements chapter of the Florida SIP because they have become obsolete. EPA is proposing to approve these changes pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).
Learn More🌫️EPA's Interim Decision on Air Quality Regulations in California
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making an interim final determination that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has submitted a Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act") state implementation plan (SIP) revision on behalf of the Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District (AVAQMD or "District") that corrects deficiencies concerning the District's New Source Review (NSR) stationary source permitting program. This determination is based on a proposed approval, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, of AVAQMD Rules 1301, 1302 (except 1302(C)(5) and 1302(C)(7)(c)), 1303, 1304, 1305, and 1309. The effect of this interim final determination is to stay the application of the offset sanction and to defer the action of the highway sanction that were triggered by the EPA's limited disapproval of AVAQMD Rules 1301, 1302 (except 1302(C)(5) and 1302(C)(7)(c)), 1303, 1304, 1305, 1309 on July 3, 2023.
Learn More🌫️Idaho's Regional Haze Plan
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the Idaho regional haze State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted on August 5, 2022, and supplemented on May 8, 2024. Idaho submitted the SIP revision to address 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🌬️EPA Reopens Comment Period for Alaska Air Quality Proposal
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reopening the public comment period on the proposed rule entitled "Air Plan Approval; AK, Fairbanks North Star Borough; 2006 24-hour PM<INF>2.5</INF> Serious Area and 189(d) Plan" published on January 8, 2025. Commenters requested more time to review the proposal and prepare comments. In response, the EPA is providing an additional 30 days for the public to provide comment on all aspects of the proposed rule. The January 8, 2025, notice of proposed rulemaking also started the EPA's adequacy process for the motor vehicle emissions budgets and began the public comment period for that process. The EPA is not reopening the public comment period for the adequacy process, and it intends to proceed with the adequacy process outside of this rulemaking.
Learn More🌬️EPA Proposes Changes to Alabama’s Air Quality Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Alabama, through the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) on December 20, 2023. The revision modifies the State's air quality regulations as incorporated into the SIP by changing the definition of "volatile organic compounds" (VOC) to be consistent with Federal regulations. The revision also addresses typographical errors and increases clarity and consistency with EPA's definitions and Alabama's Legislative Services Agency requirements.
Learn More🌫️Approval of Updates to South Carolina's Cross-State Air Pollution Rule
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted through the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) on September 26, 2023, 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>) for large electric generating units (EGUs). EPA is approving South Carolina's September 26, 2023, SIP revision because it is consistent with EPA's good neighbor CSAPR trading programs and the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).
Learn More🌍EPA Reinstates Ohio Air Nuisance Rule
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to correct a November 19, 2020, rulemaking removing the Air Nuisance Rule (ANR) from the Ohio State Implementation Plan (SIP). This action is in response to a February 10, 2023, decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (Sixth Circuit or Court) to remand without vacatur EPA's removal of the ANR from the Ohio SIP. Because the Court did not vacate EPA's removal of the ANR, the ANR is currently not in Ohio's SIP. After reevaluating EPA's November 19, 2020, rulemaking, upon remand, EPA proposed to determine that its November 2020 final action was in error, and to correct that action by reinstating the ANR as part of the Ohio SIP. EPA proposed to take this action on February 22, 2024 and received both supportive and adverse comments. EPA is finalizing this action as proposed, and upon the effective date of this action, the ANR will be reinstated into the Ohio SIP.
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