Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; Kentucky; Redesignation of the Kentucky Portion of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 1997 Annual Fine Particulate Matter Nonattainment Area to Attainment

EPA is taking final action to approve a request submitted on February 12, 2012, by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Division for Air Quality (DAQ), to redesignate the Kentucky portion of the tri-state Huntington- Ashland, West Virginia-Kentucky-Ohio fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as the "Huntington-Ashland Area" or "Area") to attainment for the 1997 Annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The Huntington-Ashland Area is composed of Boyd County and a portion of Lawrence County in Kentucky; Lawrence and Scioto Counties and portions of Adams and Gallia Counties in Ohio; and Cabell and Wayne Counties and a portion of Mason County in West Virginia. EPA's approval of the redesignation request is based on the determination that Kentucky has met the criteria for redesignation to attainment set forth in the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act). EPA is approving a revision to the Kentucky State Implementation Plan (SIP) to include the 1997 Annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> maintenance plan for the Kentucky portion of the Huntington-Ashland Area. EPA is also approving the on-road motor vehicle insignificance finding for direct PM<INF>2.5</INF> and nitrogen oxides (NOx) for the Kentucky portion of the Huntington-Ashland Area.