Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans and Designations of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; Connecticut; Enhanced Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program; Approval of Maintenance Plan, Carbon Monoxide Redesignation Plan and Emissions Inventory for the Connecticut Portion of the New York-N. New Jersey- Long Island Area

EPA is conditionally approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Connecticut on June 24, 1998 and a commitment submitted November 13, 1998 to start on-board diagnostic testing (OBD) by July 1, 2001. This revision conditionally approves the Connecticut statewide enhanced inspection and maintenance (I/M) program. The effect of this action is to conditionally approve the State's I/M SIP revision which for the most part is approvable, but which does not meet all EPA enhanced I/M program regulatory requirements. Connecticut has committed to correcting these deficiencies by July 1, 1999. EPA is also approving a request by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CTDEP) on May 29, 1998 to redesignate the Connecticut portion of the New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island carbon monoxide nonattainment area from nonattainment to attainment for carbon monoxide (CO). EPA is approving this request which establishes the Connecticut portion of this area as attainment for carbon monoxide and requires the State to implement its 10 year maintenance plan that will insure that the area remains in attainment. Under the Clean Air Act (CAA), section 107 as amended in 1990, designations can be revised if sufficient air quality data is available to warrant such revisions. EPA is approving the Connecticut request because it addresses the redesignation requirements set forth in the CAA. This action is being taken under section 107 of the Clean Air Act.