Approval and Promulgation of Ozone Attainment Plan and Finding of Failure To Attain; State of California, San Francisco Bay Area

EPA is approving in part and disapproving in part the 1999 San Francisco Bay Area Ozone Attainment Plan (1999 Plan), submitted by the State of California to EPA to attain the 1-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) in the San Francisco Bay Area. Specifically, EPA is approving the baseline emissions inventory, the Reasonable Further Progress (RFP) demonstration, control measure commitments, and contingency measures in the 1999 Plan as meeting the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) applicable to the Bay Area ozone nonattainment area. EPA is also approving the removal of transportation control measures (TCMs) 6, 11, 12, and 16 from the state implementation plan (SIP) for ozone purposes. We are disapproving the attainment assessment, its associated motor vehicle emissions budgets, and the reasonably available control measure (RACM) demonstration. The disapproval triggers, on its effective date, an 18-month clock for mandatory application of sanctions, a 2-year time clock for promulgation of a federal implementation plan (FIP), and a transportation conformity freeze. EPA is also finding that the San Francisco Bay Area ozone nonattainment area did not attain the 1-hour ozone NAAQS by its November 15, 2000 attainment deadline. As a consequence, the State is required to submit a new plan no later than 12 months after the effective date of this rulemaking.