EPA Takes Final Action on Marginal Areas under 2008 Ozone NAAQS

Nancy Kruger, Deputy Director for the National Association of Clean Air Agencies, announced they received word this morning that the EPA Administrator, yesterday (Monday, April 11), signed a final action determining whether the 36 nonattainment areas originally classified as Marginal for the 2008 ozone NAAQS met the standards by the Clean Air Act-established attainment date of July 20, 2015.

The Administrator has determined that

• 17 areas attained the ozone NAAQS by the July 20, 2015 deadline,
• 8 areas meet the requirements for a one-year extension to the attainment date – to July 20, 2016 and
• 11 areas did not attain the 2008 NAAQS, do not qualify for the one-year extension and will be bumped up to Moderate.  These areas must submit a revised SIP to EPA by January 1, 2017 demonstrating how they will meet the 2008 NAAQS by July 20, 2018.

EPA will post the notice of final rulemaking and a summary fact sheet later today at