Search Results for keywords:"National Ambient Air Quality Standards"

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making available Volumes 1 and 2 of the Integrated Review Plan (IRP) for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Ozone and Related Photochemical Oxidants. These volumes provide background information, policy-relevant issues, and key considerations for the review of air quality criteria concerning ozone. The public can comment on Volume 2 until January 21, 2025, and these comments will help inform the EPA's further development and public consultation. This work is part of a broader effort to ensure air quality standards protect public health and welfare under the Clean Air Act.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a change to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by Kentucky, which updates the status designations of areas within the state to align with federal standards for air quality. This update affects several National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and ensures that Kentucky's regulations are in line with the Clean Air Act. The changes impact designations for pollutants like ozone, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide, confirming how these areas meet or do not meet federal air quality standards. The effective date of this rule is March 31, 2021.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted a request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to extend its information collection regarding the implementation of the 8-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone. This extension is needed to help states manage nonattainment areas for the 2008 and 2015 ozone standards by requiring plans that include solutions for improving air quality. Public comments on this proposal are being accepted until February 18, 2025. The proposal notes a reduction in the annual burden because fewer states now need to comply with the older standards.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve changes to Ohio's State Implementation Plan (SIP) for nitrogen oxide standards. These changes were submitted by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency on November 4, 2024, and include minor updates to the language and referenced materials in the rules. The goal of these revisions is to help Ohio meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for nitrogen dioxide. Public comments on this proposal are welcome until January 29, 2025.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a revision to Delaware's state implementation plan (SIP) concerning air quality standards. This update aligns Delaware's rules with the current National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) by revising standards for ground-level ozone and removing outdated sulfur dioxide standards that were revoked by the EPA. The amendments also update references for EPA's sampling and analytical procedures. This final rule takes effect on January 22, 2025, expanding the federal enforceability of these standards.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to West Virginia's state implementation plan (SIP), which updates the state's incorporation of the EPA's National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and related monitoring methods. These changes span updates made between June 2018 and June 2019, including new reference methods for measuring air pollutants like sulfur oxides, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide. This proposal is made under the Clean Air Act, and the EPA is inviting public comment on this update, although they are not seeking input on the specific levels of NAAQS already established in prior proposals.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a correction for a previously published rule regarding air quality standards for particulate matter, particularly focusing on PM2.5 standards. The final rule, originally published in March 2024, had errors in its text about deadlines for state plans and technical descriptions for air quality monitors. The EPA clarified that states must submit implementation plans within three years of the standards' announcement, not their effective date. Additionally, several technical corrections were made, such as updating measurement methods and fixing typographical errors, all of which don't change the rule's substance.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) under the Clean Air Act for the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District in California. This new rule includes stricter guidelines for New Source Review (NSR) in nonattainment areas where air quality standards are not met. The FIP aims to regulate the construction of new major sources and modifications of existing sources, addressing deficiencies in the existing Mojave Desert program. An important aspect of this rule is the EPA's disapproval of a Mojave Desert District rule regarding emissions offsets, following a court decision questioning the EPA's previous approval of that rule.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) from Louisiana that aims to meet the air quality standards set by the Clean Air Act. Submitted on November 4, 2020, the plan addresses requirements to reduce emissions that affect visibility and pollution in neighboring states, fulfilling a previous shortcoming related to Prong 4, which involves visibility transport rules. With the approval of Louisiana's regional haze plan, the EPA believes the state now satisfies the necessary provisions for various pollutants, including ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter (PM2.5). The plan ensures that Louisiana's measures align with federal air quality standards and do not interfere with the air quality efforts of other states.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule that partially approves and partially disapproves Arizona's State Implementation Plan (SIP) for addressing regional haze, a form of air pollution. Arizona's plan aimed to tackle haze by revising strategies to improve visibility in protected natural areas. The EPA found that while some parts of the plan meet federal requirements, others do not because they lack adequate analysis or justification. The EPA's decision starts a process that could lead to federal intervention unless Arizona submits an improved plan that meets all necessary criteria.