Air Plan Approval; Missouri; Moderate Attainment Plan Elements for the 2015 8-Hour Ozone Standard for the Missouri Portion of the St. Louis Nonattainment Area
Key claim: EPA proposes to approve Missouri’s vehicle inspection program, nonattainment new-source review rules, and major-source VOC/NOx control technology determinations as meeting moderate ozone requirements for the St. Louis area.
Abstract
(Proposed Rule · Environmental Protection Agency) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve portions of a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Missouri on September 6, 2023, as meeting Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements for the 2015 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) in the Missouri portion of the St. Louis, MO-IL bi-state nonattainment area. Specifically, the EPA is proposing approval of the submitted vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) program, nonattainment new source review (NNSR) program, and reasonably available control technology (RACT) determinations for major sources of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOX) SIP elements as meeting applicable Moderate nonattainment area requirements for the 2015 8-hour ozone NAAQS. The EPA will address the remaining SIP elements in a separate action.
Why this matters
The action completes the Missouri-side Moderate area SIP package for the bi-state St. Louis 2015 ozone nonattainment area, complementing prior EPA approval of Illinois’ Metro East elements and keeping the region on the Section 182 compliance track. Practically, it locks in vehicle inspection, nonattainment New Source Review, and major-source VOC/NOx RACT determinations as federally enforceable, shaping permitting costs and emissions-control obligations for St. Louis-area industry and drivers.