Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Virginia; Prevention of Significant Deterioration and Nonattainment New Source Review; Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to the Virginia State Implementation Plan (SIP), submitted by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ) on August 25, 2011. The revisions pertaining to Virginia's Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program are being fully approved. EPA is granting limited approval to the revisions pertaining to Virginia's nonattainment New Source Review (NSR) program. In both cases, the revisions incorporate preconstruction permitting regulations for fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) into the Virginia SIP. In addition, EPA is approving these revisions and portions of other related submissions for the purpose of determining that Virginia has met its statutory obligations with respect to the infrastructure requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) which relate to Virginia's PSD permitting program and are necessary to implement, maintain, and enforce the 1997 8-hour ozone and PM<INF>2.5</INF> National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), the 2006 PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS, and the 2008 lead NAAQS. EPA is approving these revisions in accordance with the requirements of the CAA. A previous PSD program approval of Virginia's Chapter 80, Article 8 regulations was provided to the Commonwealth as a "limited approval" for reasons that do not impact the approval of the August 25, 2011 submission. A correction related to that prior limited approved is also included in this action.