In this action, EPA is removing the Texas Employee Commute Options (ECO) rule from the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Texas for the purpose of establishing an ECO program (also known as the Employer Trip Reduction (ETR) program). This action relieves the State from mandatory implementation of the ECO program in the Houston-Galveston ozone nonattainment area. The authority for this removal action is based on Public Law 104-70 and the subsequent EPA policy issued on April 23, 1996. This legislation allows the states to remove such provisions from the SIP, or withdraw their submission, if the state notifies the Administrator, in writing, that the state has undertaken, or will undertake, one or more alternative methods that will achieve emission reductions equivalent to those to be achieved by the removed or withdrawn provisions.