The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the 2012 PM2.5 annual standard of 12 µg/m3 on January 13, 2013. The Clean Air Act (CAA) mandates the District to develop and submit an attainment plan for the 2012 annual PM2.5 standard to EPA.
EPA initially designated the District as Moderate nonattainment for the 2012 PM2.5 standard in 2015. The District submitted the 2016 PM2.5 Plan to address Moderate area requirements for the 2012 PM2.5 standard and to request to be reclassified to Serious nonattainment. EPA approved the Moderate Plan and reclassified the District to Serious nonattainment, effective December 2021.
The District addressed Serious Plan requirements for the 2012 PM2.5 standard, along with other standards, as part of the integrated 2018 PM2.5 Plan. The District and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) submitted this Plan years earlier than required in order to achieve early emission reductions. EPA proposed approval of the Serious Plan for the 2012 PM2.5 standard in December 2021, however, EPA then reversed their prior decision and proposed disapproval in October 2022. In response to the reversal, CARB withdrew the Plan with District concurrence in October 2022.
The District adopted the Initial State Implementation Plan (SIP) Requirements for the 2012 Annual PM2.5 Standard on October 19, 2023, to fulfill the first portion of SIP elements required by the CAA for Serious PM2.5 nonattainment areas, including an updated emissions inventory, precursor demonstration, and the demonstration that BACM requirements continue to be satisfied in the Valley. Additionally, the District fulfilled Nonattainment New Source Review (NNSR) requirements through amendments to District Rule 2201 (New and Modified Stationary Source Review Rule) in April 2023.
The District and CARB are continuing to conduct an open public process as the remaining elements of the Plan requirements are developed. These elements include the final modeling analysis, attainment strategy and emission reduction commitments, reasonable further progress/quantitative milestones, and contingency measures to support the Valley’s attainment of the 2012 PM2.5 standard as expeditiously as practicable.
|
Public engagement is an important part of the planning process to involve the Community’s voices.
The District invites you to get involved in the public engagement process for PM2.5 attainment planning efforts. To receive notices of upcoming public workshops and meetings, sign up for the District’s PM Plans Listserv.
