Determinations of Attainment by the Attainment Date, Extensions of the Attainment Date, and Reclassification of Several Areas Classified as Moderate for the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action for 11 ozone nonattainment areas that are classified as "Moderate" for the 2008 ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). First, the agency is determining that two Moderate areas-- Baltimore, Maryland, and Mariposa County, California--attained the standards by the July 20, 2018, applicable attainment date. Second, the agency is granting a 1-year attainment date extension for the two Moderate areas in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin--Inland Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, and Shoreline Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. Third, the agency is determining that seven Moderate areas failed to attain the standards by the applicable attainment date--Chicago-Naperville, Illinois- Indiana-Wisconsin; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Greater Connecticut, Connecticut; Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, Texas; Nevada County (Western part), California; New York-North New Jersey-Long Island, New York-New Jersey-Connecticut; and San Diego County, California. The effect of failing to attain by the applicable attainment date is that these areas will be reclassified by operation of law to "Serious" nonattainment for the 2008 ozone NAAQS on September 23, 2019, the effective date of this final rule. Accordingly, the responsible state air agencies must submit State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions and implement controls to satisfy the statutory and regulatory requirements for Serious areas for the 2008 ozone NAAQS according to the deadlines established in this final rule.