Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Maryland; Revised Major Stationary Source Applicability for Reasonably Available Control Technology and Permitting and Revised Offset Ratios for the Washington Area

EPA is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland. This revision pertains to changes in Maryland's regulations for new source permitting for major sources of volatile organic compound (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) emissions and regulations requiring reasonably available control technology on major stationary sources of nitrogen oxides in the Washington, DC ozone nonattainment area. The revision modifies the currently approved SIP to make the following changes applicable in the Washington, DC ozone nonattainment area: modify the emissions offset ratio; lower the applicability threshold of the new source review (NSR) permit program; and, lower the applicability threshold of the NO<INF>X</INF> reasonable available control technology (NO<INF>X</INF> RACT) rule. Maryland made these changes in response to the reclassification of the Washington, DC ozone nonattainment area to severe nonattainment. The intended effect of this action is to approve these changes to Maryland's NSR permitting program and NO<INF>X</INF> RACT regulations for the Washington, DC ozone nonattainment area.