Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans and Designations of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Carbon Monoxide Redesignation Request, Maintenance Plan, and Emissions Inventory for the Cities of Lowell, Springfield, Waltham, and Worcester

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts containing a redesignation request, maintenance plan, and emissions inventory for the carbon monoxide (CO) nonattainment areas of Lowell, Springfield, Waltham, and Worcester. Under the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 (the CAA), air quality designations can be revised if sufficient data is available to warrant such revisions and the redesignation request meets all of the requirements of section 107(d)(E)(3) of the CAA. EPA is approving the Massachusetts redesignation request and maintenance plan because they meet the applicable requirements and will ensure that the four cities remain in attainment. The approved maintenance plan will become a federally enforceable part of the Massachusetts SIP. In this action, EPA is also approving the Massachusetts 1996 baseline emission inventory for CO.