Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Texas; Environmental Speed Limit Revision; and Voluntary Mobile Emission Reduction Program Commitment for the Houston/Galveston (HG) Ozone Nonattainment Area

The EPA is approving, through parallel processing, revisions to the Texas Ozone attainment demonstration State Implementation Plan. This approval covers two separate actions. First, we are approving a revision to the SIP that would suspend the 55 miles per hour (mph) environmental speed limit for all vehicles until May 1, 2005. In the interim, the speed limits would be increased from the current 55 mph speed limit to a level 5 mph below the speed limit that was in place prior to May 2002. The new speed limits would apply in Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller counties. Second, we are approving a clarification of the State enforceable commitment to remedy any shortfalls in emission reductions attributed to the Voluntary Emission Reduction Program (VMEP) in the Houston/Galveston (HG) nonattainment area.