Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Arkansas; Revisions for the Regulation and Permitting of Fine Particulate Matter

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving portions of three revisions to the Arkansas State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality on July 26, 2010; November 6, 2012; and December 1, 2014. Together, these three submittals update the Arkansas SIP such that the ADEQ has the authority to implement the current National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and regulate and permit emissions of fine particulate matter (particulate matter with diameters less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers (PM<INF>2.5</INF>)), and its precursors, through the Arkansas Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program. The EPA has determined that the Arkansas PSD program meets all Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act) requirements for PM<INF>2.5</INF> PSD and, as a result, our final action will stop the two Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) clocks that are currently running on the Arkansas PSD program pertaining to PM<INF>2.5</INF> PSD implementation. The EPA is also approving a portion of the December 17, 2007, Arkansas SIP submittal for the PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS pertaining to interstate transport of air pollution and PSD. The EPA is finalizing these actions under section 110 and part C of the CAA.