Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Commonwealth of VirginiaPrevention of Significant Deterioration Program

EPA is approving a revision to the Commonwealth of Virginia's State Implementation Plan (SIP) under which the Commonwealth will be implementing the Prevention of Significant Deterioration of Air Quality program (PSD program) pursuant to its own SIP regulations. The Commonwealth had been implementing the PSD program under the terms of an EPA delegation to the Commonwealth of the authority to implement the Federal PSD regulations. Under the PSD program those constructing new major sources of a criteria air pollutant in areas that are attainment for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) set for that pollutant, or constructing major modifications to such sources in such areas, must demonstrate that emissions from those sources will not cause violations of the NAAQS, or significantly deteriorate air quality beyond specified ambient increments, and that the emissions will be controlled by Best Available Control Technology (BACT). Additional provisions relevant to Class I areas may also apply.