Particulate matter

Reconsideration of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter

Based on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) reconsideration of the air quality criteria and the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM), the EPA is revising the primary annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> standard by lowering the level from 12.0 [micro]g/m\3\ to 9.0 [micro]g/m\3\. The Agency is retaining the current primary 24-hour PM<INF>2.5</INF> standard and the primary 24-hour PM<INF>10</INF> standard.

Publication Date: 
Wednesday, March 6, 2024 - 4:00am

Air Plan Approval; Iowa; State Implementation Plan and State Operating Permits Program

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Iowa State Implementation Plan (SIP) and the Operating Permit Program for the State of Iowa. The revisions update incorporations by reference to EPA methods for performance testing (stack testing), update the definitions, and adopt the most recent National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone. These revisions do not impact the stringency of the SIP or have an adverse effect on air quality.

Publication Date: 
Friday, February 16, 2024 - 4:00am

Approval of State Plans for Designated Facilities and Pollutants; MO; Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Control of Emissions From Existing Municipal Solid Waste Landfills

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a revision to the Missouri State Implementation Plan (SIP) related to municipal solid waste landfills in the St. Louis ozone nonattainment area. The revision to this rule includes incorporating by reference Emission Guidelines (EG) for Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfills. EPA is approving this SIP revision based on EPA's finding that the rule implements more stringent thresholds and do not impact the stringency of the SIP or have an adverse effect on air quality.

Publication Date: 
Friday, February 16, 2024 - 4:00am

Air Plan Approval and Operating Permit Program Approval; Connecticut; Revision to Definitions

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve, through parallel processing, a revised definition in the State Implementation Plan (SIP) and the Title V Operating Permit Program for the State of Connecticut. On November 30, 2023, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) submitted to EPA the State's adopted regulatory amendments to the definition of ``severe non-attainment area for ozone'' for inclusion in the EPA-approved SIP and Title V Operating Permit Program.

Publication Date: 
Monday, February 12, 2024 - 4:00am

Air Plan Approval; Georgia; Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving changes to Georgia's State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the State of Georgia through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA DNR), Environmental Protection Division (EPD), on June 8, 2022, and on June 6, 2023.

Publication Date: 
Friday, February 9, 2024 - 4:00am

Air Plan Approval; Ohio; Canton, Cleveland, and Steubenville Second 10-Year 2006 24-Hour PM2.5 Limited Maintenance Plans

Under the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the limited maintenance plans (LMPs) submitted by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) for the Canton-Massillon (Stark County), Cleveland-Akron-Lorain (Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit Counties) and Steubenville- Weirton Ohio-West Virginia (Jefferson County) maintenance areas. The plans address the second 10-year maintenance periods for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 2.5 micrometers (PM<INF>2.5</INF>).

Publication Date: 
Monday, January 22, 2024 - 4:00am

Air Plan Approval; Illinois; NAAQS Update

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) on July 8, 2022. Illinois revised its air pollution control rules entitled ``Part 243--Ambient Air Quality Standards'' and updated the ``List of Designated Reference and Equivalent Methods'' in response to EPA rulemakings and changes to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) that EPA adopted in 2021.

Publication Date: 
Wednesday, January 17, 2024 - 4:00am

Air Plan Approval; WA; Excess Emissions, Startup, Shutdown, and Malfunction Revisions

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Washington, through the Department of Ecology on November 12, 2019. The revisions were submitted by Washington in response to EPA's June 12, 2015 ``SIP call'' in which EPA found a substantially inadequate Washington SIP provision providing affirmative defenses that operate to limit the jurisdiction of the Federal court in an enforcement action related to excess emissions during startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM) events.

Publication Date: 
Thursday, December 28, 2023 - 4:00am

Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan; San Francisco Bay Area

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action under the Clean Air Act (CAA or ``Act'') to approve a revision to the San Francisco Bay Area portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision consists of updated transportation conformity procedures related to the interagency coordination on project-level conformity and exchange of travel data for emissions inventories developed for air quality plans and regional transportation conformity analyses. This action updates the transportation conformity criteria and procedures in the California SIP.

Publication Date: 
Thursday, December 28, 2023 - 4:00am

Air Plan Approval; Arizona; Maricopa County Air Quality Department

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD) portion of the Arizona State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern a rule that includes definitions for certain terms that are necessary for the implementation of local rules that regulate sources of air pollution. We are proposing to approve the rule under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

Publication Date: 
Wednesday, December 27, 2023 - 4:00am

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