Notice of Intent to Revise the State Implementation Plan for Air Quality: 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards
A public hearing was not requested by January 10, 2024, therefore the public hearing originally scheduled for January 23, 2024 has been cancelled
Notice of Intent to Revise the State Implementation Plan for Air Quality:
Attainment Demonstration for the 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) Contingency Measures and Statewide Motor Vehicle Budgets
The Commissioner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) hereby gives notice of intent to revise the State Implementation Plan (SIP) to comply with the 2015 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Ozone. This plan revision is necessary to fulfill the requirements under sections 172 and 182(b) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for moderate nonattainment areas. This revision addresses the attainment demonstrations for Connecticut’s two nonattainment areas, Southwest Connecticut, which is part of the New York- Northern New Jersey- Long Island (NY-NJ-CT) Nonattainment Area and includes Fairfield, New Haven, and Middlesex counties, and the Greater Connecticut Nonattainment Area, comprised of Connecticut’s remaining five counties. DEEP concludes that, but for ozone enhancement due to exceptional events (Canadian and US fires), Greater Connecticut can attain the 2015 ozone NAAQS with a one-year extension. Southwest Connecticut cannot attain the NAAQS due to remaining contributions to nonattainment from upwind states.
This SIP revision also includes motor vehicle emissions budgets for both Greater Connecticut and Southwest Connecticut.
Additionally, as required under CAA section 172(c)(9), the SIP revision must include feasible contingency measures to assure control measures are in place to take effect if an area fails to attain the ozone NAAQS by an applicable attainment date or fails to make reasonable further progress (RFP). DEEP was unable to find feasible contingency measures and is seeking comment on potential feasible contingency measures for Connecticut’s nonattainment areas.
This SIP revision will be submitted to EPA for review and approval.
The authority to adopt this SIP revision is granted by section 22a-174 of the Connecticut General Statutes (CGS). This notice is required pursuant to 40 Code of the Federal Regulations 51.102.
Written comments. Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposal. Comments should be submitted no later than 4:00 PM on January 23, 2024 via electronic mail to Kristin Salimeno at kristin.salimeno@ct.gov.
Public hearing. In addition to accepting written comments, DEEP will also hold a public online hearing, only upon request, at 2:00 PM on January 23, 2024. A request to hold the hearing may be made by any person by electronic mail to kristin.salimeno@ct.gov. Such a request must be made by 4:00 PM on January 10, 2024. If no request for a hearing is received on or before January 10, 2024, the hearing will be cancelled. Information on the status of the hearing, and details concerning the hearing formatting and timing, if it is not cancelled, will be posted on DEEP’s website at Public Notices: Proposed State Implementation Plan Revisions as of January 16, 2024. Questions concerning the cancellation of the public hearing may be directed to kristin.salimeno@ct.gov or (860) 424-3055.
Additional information. The SIP revisions described above are posted on the DEEP website at Public Notices: Proposed State Implementation Plan Revisions.. For further information, contact Kristin Salimeno of the Bureau of Air Management by electronic mail to kristin.salimeno@ct.gov.
ADA PUBLICATION STATEMENT
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are seeking a communication aid or service, have limited proficiency in English, wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint, or require some other accommodation, including equipment to facilitate virtual participation, please contact the DEEP Office of Diversity and Equity at 860-418-5910 or by email at deep.accommodations@ct.gov. Any person needing an accommodation for hearing impairment may call the State of Connecticut relay number - 711. In order to facilitate efforts to provide an accommodation, please request all accommodations as soon as possible following notice of any agency hearing, meeting, program or event.
2015 Moderate Ozone SIP Draft