(a) Approval - Revision to the State Implementation Plan submitted by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on April 17, 2007. the revision is for the purpose of establishing early fine particulate (PM2.5) transportation conformity emission budgets for the Connecticut portion of the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT PM2.5 nonattainment area. The April 17, 2007 revision establishes PM2.5 motor vehicle emission budgets for 2009 of 360 tons per year of direct PM2.5 emissions and 18,279 tons per year of NOX emissions to be used in transportation conformity in the Connecticut portion of the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT PM2.5 nonattainment area.
(b) Determination of Attainment. EPA has determined, as of December 15, 2010, that the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT fine particle (PM2.5) nonattainment area has attained the 1997 PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard. This determination, in accordance with 40 CFR 51.1004(c), suspends the requirements for this area to submit an attainment demonstration, associated reasonably available control measures, a reasonable further progress plan, contingency measures, and other planning SIPs related to attainment of the standard for as long as the area continues to attain the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS.
(c) Approval - Submittal from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, dated September 4, 2008, to address the Clean Air Act (CAA) infrastructure requirements for the 1997 PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). This submittal is approved as meeting the requirements of sections 110(a)(2)(B), (C) (enforcement program only), (E)(i), (E)(iii), (F), (G), (H), (J) (consultation and public notification only), (K), (L), and (M).
(d) Conditional Approval - Submittal from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, dated September 4, 2008, to address the Clean Air Act (CAA) infrastructure requirements for the 1997 PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). EPA is conditionally approving Connecticut's submittal with respect to CAA sections 110(a)(2)(A), (C) only as it related to the PSD program, (D)(ii), (E)(ii), and (J) only as it relates to the PSD program. This conditional approval is contingent upon Connecticut taking actions to meet requirements of these elements within one year of conditional approval, as committed to in letters from the state to EPA Region 1 dated June 15, 2012, and July 11, 2012.
(e) Approval - Submittal from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, dated September 18, 2009, with supplements submitted on January 7, 2011, and August 19, 2011, to address the Clean Air Act (CAA) infrastructure requirements for the 2006 PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). This submittal is approved as meeting the requirements of sections 110(a)(2)(B), (C) (enforcement program only), (E)(i), (E)(iii), (F), (G), (H), (J) (consultation and public notification only), (K), (L), and (M).
(f) Conditional Approval - Submittal from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, dated September 18, 2009, with supplements submitted on January 7, 2011, and August 19, 2011, to address the Clean Air Act (CAA) infrastructure requirements for the 2006 PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). EPA is conditionally approving Connecticut's submittal with respect to CAA sections 110(a)(2)(A), (C) only as it related to the PSD program, (D)(ii), (E)(ii), and (J) only as it relates to the PSD program. This conditional approval is contingent upon Connecticut taking actions to meet requirements of these elements within one year of conditional approval, as committed to in letters from the state to EPA Region 1 dated June 15, 2012, and July 11, 2012.
(g) Determination of Attainment. EPA has determined, as of December 31, 2012, that the New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT fine particle (PM2.5) nonattainment area has attained the 2006 PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard. This determination suspends the requirements for this area to submit an attainment demonstration, associated reasonably available control measures, a reasonable further progress plan, contingency measures, and other planning SIPs related to attainment of the standard for as long as the area continues to attain the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS.
(h) Approval - EPA is approving a request to redesignate the Connecticut portion of the New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT fine particle (PM2.5) area (i.e., New Haven and Fairfield Counties or the Southwestern CT Area) from nonattainment to attainment for the 1997 annual and 2006 24-hour PM2.5 standards. Connecticut submitted this request on June 22, 2012. As part of the redesignation request, the State submitted a maintenance plan as required by section 175A of the Clean Air Act. Elements of the section 175A maintenance plan include a contingency plan and an obligation to submit a subsequent maintenance plan revision as required by the Clean Air Act. The PM2.5 maintenance plan also establishes 2017 and 2025 Motor Vehicle Emission Budgets (MVEBs) for the Area. Connecticut is establishing 2017 MVEBs of 575.8 tons per year (tpy) for direct PM2.5 and 12,791.8 tpy for NOX, and 2025 MVEBs of 516 tpy for direct PM2.5 and 9,728.1 tpy for NOX, for the Southwestern CT Area for maintenance of the 1997 annual and 2006 24-hour PM2.5 standards. The 2017 and 2025 MVEBs were prepared with the MOVES model. Previously SIP-approved 2009 MVEBs prepared with MOBILE6.2 are being withdrawn. Finally, EPA is also approving a comprehensive 2007 emission inventory for this Area.
[72 FR 50063, Aug. 30, 2007, as amended at 75 FR 69577, Nov. 15, 2010; 77 FR 63232, Oct. 16, 2012; 77 FR 76871, Dec. 31, 2012; 78 FR 58469, Sept. 24, 2013]