Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Maryland; Redesignation Request and Associated Maintenance Plan for the Baltimore, Maryland Nonattainment Area for the 1997 Annual Fine Particulate Matter Standard

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the State of Maryland's request to redesignate to attainment the Baltimore, Maryland Nonattainment Area (Baltimore Area or Area) for the 1997 annual fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). EPA has determined that the Baltimore Area attained the standard and that it continues to attain the standard. In addition, EPA is approving, as a revision to the Maryland State Implementation Plan (SIP), the Baltimore Area maintenance plan to show maintenance of the 1997 annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS through 2025 for the Area. The maintenance plan includes the 2017 and 2025 PM<INF>2.5</INF> and nitrogen oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) mobile vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) for the Baltimore Area for the 1997 annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS, which EPA is approving for transportation conformity purposes. These actions are being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).