Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Illinois: Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance

The USEPA is giving full approval through a direct final action to a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted on June 26, 1995, by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). This revision is a formal submittal of the 1992 motor vehicle emission inspection and maintenance (I/M) program enhancements developed and implemented, in part, as a response to the 1989 Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) agreement between Illinois and Wisconsin, and USEPA. The volatile organic compound (VOC) emission reduction from these improvements are creditable reduction toward achieving the 15 percent Reasonable Further Progress requirements toward attainment of the public health based ozone air quality standard. Illinois estimates that these program improvements achieve 8.4 tons per day (TPD) VOC reduction in the Chicago area and 0.2 TPD reduction in the East St. Louis area. The Chicago and East St. Louis ozone nonattainment areas are required to attain the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) as specified under the Clean Air Act (Act) by 2007 and 1996 respectively. The implementation of these program enhancements in the areas stated above, have contributed to the further reduction of vehicle emissions which contribute to the formation of urban smog in Illinois. In the proposed rules section of this Federal Register, USEPA is proposing approval of this I/M program and SIP revision and solicits public comments on the action. If adverse comments are received on this direct final rule, USEPA will withdraw this final rule and address these comments in a subsequent final rule based on the proposed rule.