Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; North Carolina; Charlotte; Base Year Emissions Inventory and Emissions Statement for the 2008 8-Hour Ozone Standard

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve the state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of North Carolina, through the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NC DENR) on July 7, 2014, to address the base year emissions inventory and emissions statement requirements for the State's portion of the Charlotte- Gastonia-Rock Hill, North Carolina-South Carolina 2008 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as the "bi-state Charlotte Area" or "Area"). Annual emissions reporting (i.e., emission statement) and a base year emissions inventory are required for all ozone nonattainment areas. The Area is comprised of the entire county of Mecklenburg and portions of Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Rowan and Union Counties in North Carolina; and a portion of York County in South Carolina. EPA will consider and take action on the South Carolina submission for the emissions inventory and emissions statement for its portion of this Area in a separate action.