Findings of Failure To Submit Complete State Implementation Plans Required for the 1997, 2006, and 2012 PM2.5 NAAQS; California; San Joaquin Valley

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to find that California has failed to submit complete state implementation plans (SIPs) required under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act") to implement the 1997, 2006, and 2012 national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS or "standards") for fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) in the San Joaquin Valley. For the 1997 annual and 24-hour PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS, California was required to submit by December 31, 2016, a SIP submission that provides for, among other things, annual reductions in emissions of direct PM<INF>2.5</INF> or a PM<INF>2.5</INF> plan precursor pollutant within the area of not less than five percent of the amount of such emissions as reported in the most recent inventory for the area. For the 2006 24-hour PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS, California was required to submit by August 21, 2017, a SIP submission that meets the requirements for Serious PM<INF>2.5</INF> nonattainment areas, including the requirement for best available control measures (BACM). For the 2012 annual PM<INF>2.5</INF> NAAQS, California was required to submit by October 15, 2016, a SIP submission that meets the requirements for Moderate PM<INF>2.5</INF> nonattainment areas, including the requirement for reasonably available control measures (RACM). California submitted substantial portions of each of these required SIP submissions as part of an integrated plan on November 16, 2018, but each of these submissions fails to meet the EPA's minimum criteria for completeness. If the EPA has not affirmatively found that the State has submitted complete SIPs that correct the deficiencies in each of these SIP submissions within 18 months of this finding, the offset sanction will apply in the area. If within 6 additional months the EPA still has not affirmatively determined that the State has submitted complete SIPs that correct the deficiencies, the highway funding sanction will apply in the area. No later than 2 years after the