Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

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Notice of Intent to Revise the State Implementation Plan for Air Quality: Attainment Demonstration for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS Contingency Measures and Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets

Notice of Intent to Revise the State Implementation Plan for Air Quality:

Attainment Demonstration for the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
Contingency Measures and Motor Vehicle Emissions 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 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Ozone. This plan revision is necessary to fulfill the requirements under sections 172 and 182(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for severe nonattainment areas. This revision addresses the attainment demonstration for Connecticut’s Southwest Connecticut nonattainment area, 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. While the full impact on future year ozone levels associated with deregulatory efforts by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are yet to be determined, DEEP concludes, based on the photochemical grid modeling previously conducted by EPA in 2023, which took into account then currently adopted emissions control programs, that Southwest Connecticut may plausibly attain the 2008 ozone NAAQS by the July 20, 2027, attainment date.

This SIP revision also includes motor vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) for Southwest Connecticut.

As required under CAA section 172(c)(9), the SIP revision must include contingency measures to take effect upon a finding of failure to attain the ozone NAAQS by the attainment date. DEEP proposes to reduce MVEBs as contingency in the event of a finding of failure to attain the 2008 NAAQS by the severe attainment date of July 20, 2027. As described in the SIP, the MVEBs proposed for attainment in Table 1 will, after July 20, 2027, be reduced to the levels in Table 2 if the area fails to attain the standard by the attainment date. The levels in Table 2 provide one year’s worth (OYW) of progress toward attainment and results in additional reductions of 1.8 tons/day and 1.9 tons/day of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, respectively. Upon a finding of failure to attain, the budgets in Table 2 would take effect without further comment.
 
Table 1. Proposed Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets for Attainment in Southwest Connecticut.

 Southwest CT   VOC (tons/day)    NOx (tons/day)
 Proposed MVEBs  12.7 14.8

Table 2. Proposed Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets Reduced for Contingency Measures in the Event that Southwest Connecticut is Found Not to Attain the 2008 Ozone NAAQS by July 20, 2027.
     
 Southwest CT VOC (tons/day)  NOx (tons/day)
 MVEBs Reduced for
 Contingency Measures		  10.8  13.0
    
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 February 24, 2026, 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 February 24, 2026. 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 February 18, 2026. If no request for a hearing is received on or before February 18, 2026, 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 February 19, 2026. 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.

Draft SIP for Southwest Connecticut for the 2008 Ozone Standards