Federal “Good Neighbor Plan” for the 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards; Response to Judicial Stays of SIP Disapproval Action for Certain States
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking interim final action to stay, for emissions sources in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas only, the effectiveness of the federal implementation plan (FIP) requirements established to address the obligations of these and other states to mitigate interstate air pollution with respect to the 2015 national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone (the Good Neighbor Plan). The EPA is also revising certain other regulations to ensure that sources in these states will continue to be subject to previously established requirements to mitigate interstate air pollution with respect to other ozone NAAQS while the Good Neighbor Plan's requirements are stayed. These revisions will also ensure that the stay is limited to requirements for which the EPA does not currently have authority to implement a FIP pending judicial review. The stay and the associated revisions to other regulations are being issued in response to judicial orders that partially stay, pending judicial review, a separate, earlier EPA action which disapproved certain state implementation plan (SIP) revisions submitted by these and other states. Finally, for states for which the Good Neighbor Plan's requirements are not being stayed, the EPA is revising three near-term deadlines that are incorrect as published in the Good Neighbor Plan.