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State Implementation Plans
Disapproval of the 2003 & 2008 Alabama Visible Emissions Rule Revisions
After a thorough review and reconsideration, EPA has determined that changes made in 2008 to Alabama’s “visible emissions rule” do not ensure compliance with the Clean Air Act. Click here for a fact sheet related to today’s action. In 2009, several environmental groups petitioned EPA to reconsider the Agency’s 2008 approval of changes to state rules governing the visible emissions from 19 large industrial facilities in Alabama. Visible emissions can be seen coming out of a smokestack or other emission point and are measured as opacity. Opacity can be used as a surrogate for harmful particulate matter and can show that control devices may not be working properly.
This action will protect air quality and human health in Alabama. There is a general relationship between visible emissions and particulate matter, which is linked to a number of harmful health effects. While the amount of particulate matter in visible emissions can vary from source to source, excess visible emissions have long been used as an indicator of emissions of particulate matter.
After approving changes to Alabama’s visible emissions rule in October 2008, the agency received a petition from environmental groups to reconsider the approval. EPA granted the petition because the Agency agreed that the petitioners raised procedural and substantive issues that warranted additional review and opportunity for public comment. The Agency has completed its reconsideration and has decided to disapprove the changes made in 2008. Click here for a copy of EPA’s disapproval action. The result of this decision is that Alabama’s visible emissions rule will revert to its pre-2008 form. This action does not increase requirements beyond those that were already in place before Oct. 2008, when changes to Alabama’s visibility rule were finalized. EPA does not anticipate increased cost of compliance for sources that were already in compliance with the previous requirements.
The decision to disapprove the changes made in October 2008 will ensure that the citizens in Alabama enjoy the health benefits and air quality protection afforded by the Clean Air Act. Particulate matter pollution – especially fine particles – contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so small that they can get deep into the lungs and cause serious health problems. Particles can cause premature death and a wide range of lung and heart disease, including heart attacks and asthma.
Atlanta, GA Now Meets Smog Standards
March 25, 2011 - Today, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a proposed determination that the Atlanta area meets the 1997 federal ozone standard. The Atlanta area includes the following 20 counties: Barrow, Barlow, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, Spalding and Walton.
EPA opened up a 30-day public comment period for this proposed determination on March 25, 2011. For more information on the Atlanta area proposed ozone attainment determination, visit docket number EPA-R04-OAR-2010-1036 at www.regulations.gov (Enter keyword EPA-R04-OAR-2010-1036) or click here for EPA’s proposed rulemaking.
EPA's proposal to determine that the Atlanta area is attaining the standard is based on air quality monitoring data through the past ozone season. The Atlanta area has made significant progress in improving air quality. This progress is a result of hard work and great cooperation among local, state and federal agencies, private partners and the over four million Georgians who live and work in the Atlanta area.
Ground level ozone is a primary component of smog. Smog is formed when a mixture of air pollutants, primarily nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, are baked in the hot summer sun. These pollutants are released from cars and factories. Ozone can cause wheezing, shortness of breath and chest pain. Asthmatics, children and older adults are especially at risk. However, even healthy people may suffer adverse health effects when ozone concentrations are high.
State Implementation Plans
This page provides you with access to the State Implementation Plans (SIP) and Local Implementation Plans (LIP) developed by Region 4 State and Local air pollution control agencies. The SIPs listed below are for those air agencies within Region 4. Each SIP is available for review via your web browser. Also provided are links to Region 4 State and Local air agencies. These web sites may contain state implementation plans for that State that may be different from the Federally Approved version. The State version may contain revisions that have not yet been submitted or approved by EPA. There also may be some revisions that EPA cannot approve (e.g. related to non-criteria pollutants) or that have been diasapproved by EPA. To obtain SIPs for air agencies located outside of Region 4, contact the appropriate EPA Regional Office. Each SIP is available for review via your web browser via Adobe Acrobat. Each SIP is also available in WordPerfect 8 format and has been compressed ("zipped") for downloading.
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To obtain the Adobe Acrobat reader, click on the "Get Acrobat Reader" button below and follow the instructions on the Adobe page for downloading the reader. When you have obtained the Acrobat Reader, use your browser's 'Back' function to return to EPA Region 4.
NOTE: The term "regulatory" refers to those state rules and regulations which have been incorporated by reference (IBR'ed) into the applicable subpart of 40 CFR part 52 subsection (c) and (d). Regulatory requirements include state-adopted rules and regulations, source-specific emission limitation, and in some cases, provisions in the enabling statutes. The nonregulatory control measures which have been submitted for incluson in the SIP by the state have gone through state rulemaking process and the public was given an opportunity to participate in the rulemaking. Because the documents and materials listed in subsection (e) are nonregulatory, they will not undergo the IBR process under 1 CFR part 51. These include: SIP narratives, particulate matter plans, carbon monoxide plans, ozone plans, maintenance plans, inspection and maintenance SIP's, emissions inventories, monitoring networks, state statutes submitted for the purposes of demonstrating legal authority, Part D plans, attainment demonstrations, transportation control measures, committal measures, contingency measures, nonregulatory & non-transportation control measures, 15% rate of progress plans, emergency episode plans, and visibility plans.
For information about the contents of this page please contact Nacosta Ward