U.S. EPA FACT SHEET Partial Approval and Partial Disapproval of Air Quality State Implementation Plans September 30, 2014 Summary • The Clean Air Act requires states to adopt air quality plans that demonstrate they have the infrastructure in place to implement, maintain and enforce national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). These plans, known as Infrastructure State Implementation Plans (SIPs), need to be updated as new air quality standards are adopted. • EPA is proposing to partially approve and partially disapprove five California Infrastructure SIP submittals that collectively address the following NAAQS: o 1997 and 2008 ozone standards o 1997, 2006, and 2012 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) standards o 2008 lead (Pb) standard o 2010 nitrogen dioxide (N02) standard o 2010 sulfur dioxide (S02) standard Today's action proposes to approve California's submittals for the vast majority of the applicable Clean Air Act requirements. Additionally, there are several narrow deficiencies that need to be corrected. Background • EPA's action is based on a thorough review of the California Air Resources Board (ARB) Infrastructure SIP submittals, the California SIP for the standards listed above, and relevant state, county, and federal regulations and requirements. • EPA is proposing to approve most of California's Infrastructure SIP submittals, including: o Approval for requirements related to emission limits, enforcement provisions, resources, stationary source monitoring, consultation, modeling, and permit fees, and the vast majority of the requirements for ambient air monitoring, interstate transport, and emergency episode planning. o New provisions to address conflict of interest requirements that apply to government bodies that approve permits and enforcement orders; o Reclassification of Great Basin Valley to a higher emergency episode classification for particulate matter (PM) and approval of a new PM emergency episode rule for this region; and o Reclassification of four emergency episode planning areas for ozone, N02, and/or S02, which would relieve the areas of the emergency episode contingency plan requirement. • EPA identified several narrow deficiencies, including: o Ozone monitoring in the Bakersfield portion of San Joaquin Valley; o Prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) permit program requirements to regulate PM2.5 in Mendocino County, North Coast Unified, and Northern Sonoma County districts; and new source review (NSR) programs for minor sources in Lake County, Mojave Desert, Northern Sierra, and Tuolumne County districts; o Emergency episode plans for ozone in El Dorado County and Placer County and for PM2.5 in San Joaquin Valley. 1 ------- • Finalization of the partial disapprovals for these deficiencies would trigger a two-year deadline for EPA to promulgate a FIP, but would not trigger any sanctions on the state or districts. • Today's action will not impose any new or additional requirements on industry. ARB and each of the affected air agencies is expected to take necessary steps to remedy the remaining deficiencies. • EPA is committed to working closely with ARB and the districts affected by the proposed partial disapprovals to resolve these deficiencies as soon as practicable. Next Steps • A 30-day public comment period will follow publication in the Federal Register. For More Information, visit: http://www.epa.gov/region9/air/actions/ca.html. 2 ------- |