The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a change to Washington State's Implementation Plan concerning air quality. This revision, submitted on June 2, 2019, by the Washington Department of Ecology, moves the Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) program from actively addressing air quality issues to a backup measure in five counties. Effective March 22, 2021, this decision aligns with the Clean Air Act requirements and does not impose any new obligations beyond state law. The change affects areas like Clark, King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Spokane Counties and is part of ongoing measures to maintain air quality standards.
Simple Explanation
The EPA has agreed to change how Washington State checks the air quality in some places. They decided that the plan for checking car pollution in a few counties will be used only as a backup instead of the main plan, starting March 22, 2021.