Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Mississippi; 110(a)(2)(E)(ii) Infrastructure Requirements for the 1997 and 2006 Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards

EPA is taking final action to approve in part, and disapprove in part, the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submission, provided by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), on October 11, 2012. This submission pertains to specific Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements for the 1997 annual and 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) infrastructure SIPs. This action focuses on one component of the infrastructure requirements in the CAA. The CAA requires states to include provisions in their SIP to address conflicts of interest for state boards or bodies that approve CAA permits and enforcement orders and disclosure of conflict of interest requirements. Specifically, EPA is now approving the submission as it relates to the public interest requirements of CAA and the conflict of interest disclosure provisions. EPA is also now disapproving Mississippi's submission only as it pertains to compliance with the significant portion of income requirements of the CAA. Through this action, EPA is only taking action on the infrastructure SIP requirement related to Mississippi's obligation to address conflicts of interest requirements for state boards or bodies that approve CAA permits and enforcement orders and disclosure of conflict of interest requirements. All other applicable Mississippi infrastructure elements for the 1997 annual and 2006 24- hour PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS have been addressed through separate rulemakings. EPA is also taking action to finalize substantive SIP revisions included with MDEQ's October 11, 2012, submission.