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April 2, 2004
Some Eastern States Will Take Further Steps
to Reduce Smog-Forming Pollution
Additional reductions of nitrogen oxides from power plants will assist several eastern states in achieving air quality standards for ground-level ozone, or smog, under an EPA rule signed today by EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt. The rule completes the second and final phase of the Nitrogen Oxides State Implementation Plan (SIP) Call, or "NOx SIP Call," an action that will reduce a projected 1 million tons of NOx, 10 percent of which will be addressed in this second phase. The air pollution controls will improve air quality for more than 100 million people. The rule will reduce smog-forming emissions of NOx that cross state lines and impair air quality. It requires states that submitted SIPs to meet the Phase I NOx SIP Call budgets to submit Phase II SIP revisions as needed to achieve the necessary incremental reductions of NOx. It also requires Georgia and Missouri to submit SIP revisions meeting the full NOx SIP Call budgets, since they were not required to submit Phase I SIPs. Sources in Alabama and Michigan will implement Phase II for the portion of the states covered by the NOx SIP Call.
Click on the links below to read:
Supreme Court declines to hear SIP Call Case
On March 5, 2001, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal
of EPA's rule to reduce the regional transport of ozone (commonly
known as the NOx SIP Call). Several Midwestern and Southeastern
states and utilities had asked the Supreme Court to hear the case,
after a March 2000 decision by the US Court of Appeals for the D.C.
Circuit that largely upheld the SIP Call rule. By declining to hear
the case, the Supreme Court has let the DC Circuit's ruling stand.
In its March 2000 decision, the DC Circuit remanded to EPA a few
minor aspects NOx SIP Call rule. On Jan. 5, 2001, EPA issued a proposed
rule to address those remanded issues.
Click on the links below to read:
December 19, 2000
Eleven states, DC, fail
to submit complete plans for meeting NOx SIP Call
On December 19, 2000, EPA issued findings that 11 states and the
District of Columbia have not submitted complete plans showing how
they will meet nitrogen oxide reductions as required by the SIP
Call rule. The findings will help continue the progress toward achieving
those reductions and will help ensure that all states subject to
the NOx SIP Call do their part in reducing NOx emissions. Click
on these links to read:
June 22, 2000
DC Circuit Court of Appeals
Issues Final Ruling on NOx SIP Call, Denies Rehearing Requests
On June 22, 2000, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals made a final
ruling upholding EPA's rule known as the NOx SIP Call, and denying
requests to rehear the case. This decision will allow EPA to move
forward to ensure that Americans in the eastern United States breathe
cleaner air by reducing the interstate transport of smog-causing
nitrogen oxide emissions (NOx) from power plants and other industrial
sources. Click on the links below to read:
December 17, 1999
Regional Transport of Smog (Ozone) Section
126 Petitions
On December 17, the EPA granted petitions filed by four northeastern
states seeking to reduce ozone pollution (smog) through reductions
in nitrogen oxide emissions from other states. This action will
provide cleaner air for more than 100 million people.
The petitions were filed under Section 126 of the Clean Air Act,
which gives any state the authority to ask EPA to set emissions
limits for specific sources of pollution in other states that significantly
contribute to its air quality problems. EPA is granting four of
eight petitions filed in August 1997 for the 1-hour ozone standard:
Connecticut; Massachusetts; New York; and Pennsylvania. As a result
of today's action, 392 facilities in 12 states will have to reduce
annual emissions by a total of nearly 510,000 tons from 2007 levels.
Click on the links below to view:
- A
fact sheet summarizing today's action (PDF,
4pp., 15KB) | (WPD)
- The
text of the final rule | (WPD)
- A
table of petitions granted (PDF,
1pp., 4KB) | (WPD)
- A
table of pending petitions (PDF,
1pp., 4KB) | (WPD)
- Summaries
of petitions granted (PDF,
6pp., 48KB) | (WPD)
- Summaries
of affected facilities, by state (PDF,
35pp., 132KB) | (WPD)
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