Withdrawal and Partial Approval/Partial Disapproval of Clean Air Plans; San Joaquin Valley, California; Contingency Measures for 2008 Ozone Standards

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to withdraw the portion of a March 25, 2019 final action conditionally approving state implementation plan (SIP) submissions from the State of California under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act") to address contingency measure requirements for the 2008 ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS or "standards") in the San Joaquin Valley, California ozone nonattainment area. The SIP submissions include the portions of the "2016 Ozone Plan for 2008 8- Hour Ozone Standard" and the "2018 Updates to the California State Implementation Plan" that address the contingency measure requirement for San Joaquin Valley. Simultaneously, the EPA is taking final action to partially approve and partially disapprove these SIP submissions. These actions are in response to a decision issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Association of Irritated Residents v. EPA, Ninth Circuit, No. 19-71223, opinion filed August 26, 2021) remanding the EPA's conditional approval of the contingency measure SIP submissions back to the Agency for further proceedings consistent with the decision.