The Environmental Protection Agency on Jan. 28 issued its proposal to approve interstate transport state implementation plan (SIP) submissions from eight states -- Alabama, Arizona, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, and Tennessee -- for the 2015 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS).
The agency also outlined its plans to withdraw the earlier proposed error-correction actions for Iowa and Kansas, as well as the previously proposed SIP disapprovals for Tennessee, New Mexico, and Arizona.
The Clean Air Act “good neighbor” provision requires states to ensure their emissions do not significantly contribute or interfere with maintenance of the ozone NAAQS in other states. If finalized, this proposal would resolve interstate transport obligations for all ten states involved.
The proposal does not make any changes to the Federal Good Neighbor Plan for the 2015 ozone standard.
However, once the SIP approvals are finalized, the EPA would no longer have the authority -- or intent -- to lift the current stay on those federal plans or to implement the Good Neighbor Plan requirements for these or any other states with approved SIPs covering their 2015 ozone interstate transport obligations.
The EPA plans to address the final Good Neighbor Plan, including the remaining states not covered in this proposal and EPA’s definitions of covered sources and “significant contribution” in a separate future phase 2 rulemaking.
Once the proposal is published in the Federal Register, a 30-day public comment period will begin. EPA expects the proposed rule to be published soon.
APPA said it is reviewing the proposal and evaluating whether to develop comments.
