Finding of Significant Contribution and Rulemaking for Certain States in the Ozone Transport Assessment Group Region for Purposes of Reducing Regional Transport of Ozone

In accordance with the Clean Air Act (CAA), today's action is a final rule to require 22 States and the District of Columbia to submit State implementation plan (SIP) revisions to prohibit specified amounts of emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NO<INF>X</INF>)--one of the precursors to ozone (smog) pollution--for the purpose of reducing NO<INF>X</INF> and ozone transport across State boundaries in the eastern half of the United States. Ground-level ozone has long been recognized, in both clinical and epidemiological research, to affect public health. There is a wide range of ozone-induced health effects, including decreased lung function (primarily in children active outdoors), increased respiratory symptoms (particularly in highly sensitive individuals), increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits for respiratory causes (among children and adults with pre-existing respiratory disease such as asthma), increased inflammation of the lung, and possible long-term damage to the lungs. In today's action, EPA finds that sources and emitting activities in each of the 22 States and the District of Columbia (23 jurisdictions) emit NO<INF>X</INF> in amounts that significantly contribute to nonattainment of the 1-hour and 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), or will interfere with maintenance of the 8-hour NAAQS, in one or more downwind States. Further, by today's action, EPA is requiring each of the affected upwind jurisdictions (sometimes referred to as upwind States) to submit SIP revisions prohibiting those amounts of NO<INF>X</INF> emissions which significantly contribute to downwind air quality problems. The reduction of those NO<INF>X</INF> emissions will bring NO<INF>X</INF> emissions in each of those States to within the resulting statewide NO<INF>X</INF> emissions budget levels established in today's rule. The 23 jurisdictions are: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusett