Final rule classifying San Diego and other nonattainment

[NaepcA1]

Dear colleagues --
Today EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson signed a final Federal Register notice classifying 16 nonattainment areas, including the San Diego area, under Subpart 2 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the 1997 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), updating the current nonattainment classification under Subpart 1 of the CAA. Subpart 2 is the section of the CAA that establishes nonattainment area classifications based on air quality.
Based on 2011 ozone data, the San Diego 1997 ozone nonattainment area is eligible for a clean data finding that would suspend any Subpart 2 submittal requirements related to planning. We understand that the San Diego Air Pollution Control District is developing a redesignation request and maintenance plan that upon submittal to and approval by EPA would change the designation of the San Diego 1997 ozone nonattainment area to attainment for the 1997 NAAQS.
Attached are the signed notice and Fact Sheet. Today’s action should soon be available for download at: http://www.epa.gov/airquality/ozonepoll ... tions.html. Today’s final rule and other background information will also soon be available at http://www.regulations.gov.
In addition to today’s action, EPA’s action to finalize the designations and classifications for the 2008 ozone NAAQS is imminent. Any requirements triggered by today’s action may be affected by EPA’s pending action related to the 2008 NAAQS.
If you have any questions, please call me at 415-947-4146 or John Ungvarsky at 415-972-3963.
Thank you.
Amy Zimpfer
Associate Director, Air Division
U.S. EPA Region 9
Phone: (415) 947-4146



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Amy Zimpfer, Air Division, US EPA, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-3901, 415.947.4146, zimpfer.amy@epa.gov