🌬️EPA Approves Alabama Air Quality Regulation Changes
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving 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🌬️EPA Approves Washington State SIP Revisions for Clean Air Compliance
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving Washington State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions to the Southwest Clean Air Agency (SWCAA) air quality regulations submitted by the State of Washington, through the Department of Ecology (Ecology) on June 22, 2023. The revisions were submitted in part to respond to the EPA's June 12, 2015 "SIP call" in which the EPA found a provision in the Washington SIP applicable in the area regulated by SWCAA to be substantially inadequate, providing affirmative defenses that operate to limit the jurisdiction of the Federal court in an enforcement action related to excess emissions during startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM) events. The EPA's approval of the SIP revisions to the substantially inadequate provision corrects the SWCAA deficiency identified in the 2015 SSM SIP call and the EPA's January 2022 finding of failure to submit. Washington withdrew some portions of the revisions submitted that were not identified in the 2015 SSM SIP call and therefore the EPA is not approving those withdrawn portions. The EPA proposed to approve this action on December 10, 2024, and received no comments.
Learn More🌬️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🌬️Proposed Rule for Emissions Control in Missouri Petroleum Sector
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Missouri State Implementation Plan (SIP) related to the control of emissions during petroleum liquid storage, loading and transfer in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The revisions to this rule include adding incorporations by reference to other state rules, adding definitions specific to the rule, revising unnecessarily restrictive or duplicative language, and making administrative wording changes. These revisions do not impact the stringency of the SIP or have an adverse effect on air quality. The EPA's proposed approval of this rule revision is being done in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Learn More🌫️Proposed Sulfur Dioxide Regulations for Cabot Corporation in Louisiana
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve Louisiana's State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted to EPA on April 2, 2025, for the Evangeline Parish 2010 1-hour sulfur dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>) primary national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) nonattainment area. EPA is proposing approval of the following Clean Air Act (CAA) SIP elements: The attainment demonstration for the SO<INF>2</INF> NAAQS, which includes an Agreed Order on Consent (AOC) for the Cabot Corporation's Ville Platte Plant (Cabot) facility; the reasonable further progress (RFP) plan; the reasonably available control measures (RACM) and reasonably available control technology (RACT) demonstration; the emission inventories; and the contingency measures. The State has demonstrated that its current Nonattainment New Source Review (NNSR) program covers this NAAQS; therefore, no revision to the SIP is required for the NNSR element.
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🌬️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.
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