Air Plan Approval and Air Quality Designation; KY; Redesignation of the Kentucky Portion of the Louisville 1997 Annual PM2.5 Nonattainment Area to Attainment

On March 5, 2012, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Division for Air Quality, submitted a request for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to redesignate the portion of Kentucky that is within the bi-state Louisville, KY-IN fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) nonattainment area (hereinafter referred to as the "bi-state Louisville Area" or "Area") to attainment for the 1997 Annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) and to approve a state implementation plan (SIP) revision containing a maintenance plan for the Area. EPA is taking final action to approve the Commonwealth's plan for maintaining the 1997 Annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS in the Area, including the motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) for nitrogen oxide (NO<INF>X</INF>) and PM<INF>2.5</INF> for the years 2015 and 2025 for the bi-state Louisville Area, and incorporate it into the SIP, and to redesignate the Kentucky portion of the Area to attainment for the 1997 Annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS. Additionally, EPA finds the 2025 MVEBs for the bi-state Louisville Area adequate for the purposes of transportation conformity.