Proposed Rule: Determinations of Attainment by the Attainment Date, Extensions of the Attainment Date, and Reclassification of Several Areas Classified as Moderate for the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards Fact Sheet

Proposed Rule: Determinations of Attainment by the Attainment Date, Extensions of the
Attainment Date, and Reclassification of Several Areas Classified as Moderate for the 2008
Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards
FACT SHEET
ACTION
• On November 7, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed actions
for 11 nonattainment areas classified as Moderate for the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air
Quality Standards (NAAQS). These areas were required to attain the standards by July 20,
2018.
• Within six months after the attainment date, by January 20, 2019, the Clean Air Act (CAA)
section 181(b)(2) requires EPA to determine whether these areas attained the standards by
the attainment date, and if not, take appropriate actions.
• After evaluating ozone monitoring data for the years 2015-2017, EPA proposed that:
o Two areas attained the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the attainment date:
1. Baltimore, MD; and
2. Mariposa County, CA.
o Two areas applied for a 1-year extension of the attainment date, as allowed under CAA
section 181(a)(5). EPA proposed to grant the extensions based on the evaluation of ozone
monitoring data for the year 2017. The extension would give each state until July 20,
2019, to achieve the standards:
1. Denver-Boulder-Greeley-Ft. Collins-Loveland, CO; and
2. Sheboygan County, WI.
o Seven areas failed to attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the attainment date. These seven
areas would be reclassified as Serious nonattainment once EPA's final action on this
proposal takes effect. The action would give each state until July 20, 2021, to achieve the
standards:
1. Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI;
2. Dallas-Fort Worth, TX;
3. Greater Connecticut, CT;
4. Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX;
5. Nevada County (Western part), CA;
6. New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island, CT-NY-NJ; and
7. San Diego County, CA.
For these seven areas, EPA is seeking comment on the proposed deadlines by which state
air agencies must submit State Implementation Plan revisions and implement emission
control measures to satisfy the air quality planning requirements for Serious areas.
• At the time of EPA's initial evaluation for this notice, there were three additional
nonattainment areas classified as Moderate for the 2008 ozone NAAQS that are not

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addressed in this notice. EPA intends to determine whether the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ, Imperial
County, CA, and the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pechanga
Reservation areas attained by the attainment date in a separate future notice.
•	EPA will accept comment on this proposal for 30 days following publication in the Federal
Register.
BACKGROUND
•	On March 27, 2008, EPA strengthened the NAAQS for ozone from an 8-hour average
concentration of 0.08 parts per million (ppm) to a more protective 0.075 ppm.
•	Effective on July 20, 2012, EPA designated 46 areas throughout the country as
nonattainment for the 2008 ozone NAAQS, and the areas were classified as either Marginal,
Moderate, Severe or Extreme depending on the extent of each area's ozone problems.
Moderate nonattainment areas were required to attain the standard by July 20, 2018.
•	As of July 20, 2018, 11 areas in 10 states were classified as Moderate nonattainment for the
2008 ozone NAAQS. Some of these areas were initially classified in 2012 as Marginal but
failed to attain by the attainment date of July 20, 2015, and were reclassified as Moderate
nonattainment prior to this notice.
HOW TO COMMENT
•	EPA will accept comments for 30 days beginning when this proposed notice is published in
the Federal Register. All comments should be identified by noting Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2018-0226 and submitted to the Federal e-rulemaking portal (www.regulations.gov).
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
•	If anyone requests a public hearing within 15 days after the proposal publication date, we
will hold a public hearing. If requested, further details concerning a public hearing will be
published in the Federal Register.
•	For additional information about other ways to submit comments, please visit
https://www. epa. gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
•	To download this action from EPA's website, go to https://www.epa.gov/ozone-
pollution/2008-ozone-national-ambient-air-quality-standards-naaqs-nonattainment-actions.
[The official version of this rule will be published in the Federal Register.
•	This action and other associated information are available either electronically at
http://www.regulations.gov, EPA's electronic public docket and comment system or as a
hardcopy at the EPA Docket Center's Public Reading Room. (Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2018-0226).
•	The Public Reading Room is in EPA Headquarters, Room Number 3334 in the William
Jefferson Clinton West Building, located at 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington,
D.C. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. eastern standard time, Monday through
Friday, excluding federal holidays.

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•	Visitors are required to show photographic identification, pass through a metal detector, and
sign EPA visitor log. All visitor materials will be processed through an X-ray machine as
well. Visitors will be provided a badge that must be visible at all times.
•	For further information about this final action, contact Ms. Virginia Raps of EPA's Office of
Air Quality Planning and Standards, at (919) 541-4383 or by email at raps.virginia@epa. gov.

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