EPA Aims to Assure Programs Run Consistently, Smoothly

U.S. EPA is revising parts of its permitting process for certain new or modified industrial facilities in areas that do not meet the agency's health-based, national airquality standards for ground-level ozone and fine particle pollution.

EPA is taking two actions to ensure nationwide consistency as states implement the New Source Review (NSR) air permitting program.

In the first, the EPA is updating a section of its NSR regulations known as "Appendix S," which includes requirements that states must rely on to implement NSR in areas where the agency has not yet approved a state plan to implement the program. Appendix S will remain in place until EPA approves a state's implementation plan, ensuring national consistency with 2002 NSR reform rules for permitting new or modified industrial facilities in areas working to attain and maintain national air-quality standards.

In the second, the EPA is seeking comment on two options for improving recordkeeping and reporting requirements for sources that make modifications that do not trigger NSR. EPA seeks input on whether a source should use its projected actual emissions increases, or potential emissions increases, as the basis for determining whether recordkeeping and reporting are required. EPA will accept comment on this rule for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.