Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Commonwealth of Kentucky; Regional Haze State Implementation Plan

EPA is finalizing a limited approval and a limited disapproval of two revisions to the Kentucky state implementation plan (SIP) submitted by the Commonwealth of Kentucky through the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Division of Air Quality (KYDAQ), on June 25, 2008, and May 28, 2010. Kentucky's June 25, 2008, and May 28, 2010, SIP revisions address regional haze for the first implementation period. Specifically, these revisions address the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and EPA's rules that require states to prevent any future and remedy any existing anthropogenic impairment of visibility in mandatory Class I areas (national parks and wilderness areas) caused by emissions of air pollutants from numerous sources located over a wide geographic area (also referred to as the "regional haze program"). States are required to assure reasonable progress toward the national goal of achieving natural visibility conditions in Class I areas. EPA is finalizing a limited approval of Kentucky's June 25, 2008, and May 28, 2010, SIP revisions to implement the regional haze requirements for Kentucky on the basis that these revisions, as a whole, strengthen the Kentucky SIP. Also in this action, EPA is finalizing a limited disapproval of these same SIP revisions because of the deficiencies in the Commonwealth's regional haze SIP revisions arising from the remand by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit) to EPA of the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR).