🌬️Air Quality Regulation Impacts on California Businesses and Compliance
Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking another action in a series of actions to revise the format of the former "Identification of plan" section for the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). Specifically, the EPA is adding the nonregulatory provisions and quasi-regulatory measures to the "Identification of plan--in part" section that the EPA established to provide for the phased transition of the California SIP to the revised format. The nonregulatory provisions and quasi- regulatory measures affected by this format revision have been previously submitted by the State of California and approved by the EPA. This action is the third in a series of actions intended to change the format for the entire California SIP.
Learn More🏭EPA Revises Compliance Deadline for Aerosol Coatings Emission Standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking interim final action to revise the compliance deadline in recent amendments to the National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Aerosol Coatings under Clean Air Act (CAA) section 183(e). Specifically, the EPA is revising the compliance date for requirements amended in January 17, 2025, from July 17, 2025, to January 17, 2027. The EPA seeks comments on this targeted revision to the compliance date and will respond and update this interim final action as appropriate.
Learn More🌬️EPA Proposes Revisions to Missouri Air Quality Standards
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Missouri State Implementation Plan (SIP) related to Definitions and Common Reference Tables used in Missouri rules. EPA has also previously approved this rule as part of the air planning and permitting program. Some of the definitions are associated with those programs, even though many of the definitions pertain only to the SIP. 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 Missouri Rule for Sulfur Dioxide Emissions Compliance
The EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the Missouri State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the State of Missouri. Missouri requests that EPA approve replacing the previous statewide sulfur dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>) rule in the SIP with the latest version of a newer SO<INF>2</INF> rule (10 CSR 10-6.261). This action would result in a number of changes to the SIP, including removing outdated requirements as a result of facilities that have historically closed or switched from coal to lower sulfur fuels, as well as those that have become subject to more stringent SO<INF>2</INF> requirements elsewhere in the Missouri SIP. Other revisions include reinstating SO<INF>2</INF> emission limits for the Ameren-Labadie and Evergy-Hawthorn power plants that had been previously removed. The revisions do not impact the stringency of the SIP, nor do they impact the state's ability to attain or maintain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In conjunction with proposing approval of revisions to the Missouri SIP, the EPA is proposing to approve Missouri's negative declaration of sources subject to sulfuric acid production requirements submitted by the MoDNR to the EPA on May 4, 2022.
Learn More🌬️EPA Air Plan Approval
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is updating the regulatory materials that are incorporated by reference into the Idaho State Implementation Plan (SIP). The EPA is also notifying the public of corrections and clarifying changes in the Code of Federal Regulations tables that identify the regulatory materials incorporated by reference into the Idaho SIP. This update affects the materials that are available for public inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration and the EPA Region 10 Office.
Learn More🌍Implications of New Air Quality Regulations for San Joaquin Valley
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the "2023 Maintenance Plan and Redesignation Request for the Revoked 1-Hour Ozone Standard" ("San Joaquin Valley Maintenance Plan" or "Plan") as a revision to the state implementation plan (SIP) for the State of California. The San Joaquin Valley Maintenance Plan includes, among other elements, an emissions inventory consistent with attainment and contingency provisions. The EPA is also proposing to find that the State of California's request to redesignate the San Joaquin Valley area from nonattainment to attainment for the revoked 1979 1-hour national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS or "standard") for ozone ("1979 ozone NAAQS," "1-hour ozone NAAQS," or "1-hour ozone standard") meets all the Clean Air Act (CAA or "the Act") criteria for redesignation. Therefore, the EPA is proposing to terminate all anti-backsliding obligations for the San Joaquin Valley area for the revoked 1-hour ozone NAAQS.
Learn More🌬️New EPA Delegation of NSPS and NESHAP to Louisiana
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) has submitted updated regulations for receiving delegation and approval of its program for the implementation and enforcement of certain New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for all sources, as provided for under previously approved delegation mechanisms. The updated State regulations incorporate by reference certain NSPS and NESHAP promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as they existed through July 1, 2021. EPA is providing notice that it is updating the delegation of certain NSPS to LDEQ and proposing to approve the delegation of certain NESHAP to LDEQ. The proposed delegation of authority under this action does not apply to sources located in Indian country.
Learn More🌍EPA Delegates NESHAP Authority to Oklahoma for Air Quality Management
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) has submitted updated regulations for receiving delegation and approval of its program for the implementation and enforcement of certain National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for all sources, as provided for under previously approved delegation mechanisms. The updated State regulations incorporate by reference certain NESHAP promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as they existed through June 30, 2022. The EPA is providing notice that it is taking final action to approve the delegation of certain NESHAP to ODEQ. The final delegation of authority under this action applies to sources located in certain areas of Indian country as discussed herein.
Learn More🌬️Proposed EPA Rule for Eastern Kern Air Quality
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a revision to the Eastern Kern Air Pollution Control District (EKAPCD or "District") portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision concerns emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NO<INF>X</INF>) from stationary gas turbines. We are proposing to approve a local rule to regulate these emission sources 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🌫️Missouri's St. Louis Area Reclassified as Serious Ozone Nonattainment
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is accepting comment on a determination that the Missouri portion of the St. Louis, MO-IL bi-state nonattainment area failed to attain the 2015 8-hour 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 is reclassified by operation of law to "Serious" nonattainment for the 2015 ozone NAAQS. On November 25, 2024, the EPA published a final action in the Federal Register which determined that the St. Louis area failed to attain the 2015 ozone NAAQS by the Moderate area attainment date. That action also reclassified the area to Serious by operation of law with an effective date of December 31, 2024. On January 24, 2025, the EPA received a petition for reconsideration of that final action from the State of Missouri. On March 5, 2025, EPA Region 7 granted the petition for reconsideration and stated our intention to undergo a notice and comment rulemaking. Therefore, the EPA is accepting comment on the determination that the St. Louis area failed to attain by the attainment date. The Illinois portion of the St. Louis, MO-IL bi-state area is addressed separately.
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