Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Maryland; Redesignation of the Kent and Queen Anne's 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area to Attainment and Approval of the Maintenance Plan

EPA is approving a redesignation request and a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland. The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) is requesting that Kent and Queen Anne's 8-hour Ozone Nonattainment Area (Kent and Queen Anne's area) be redesignated as attainment for the 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). In conjunction with its redesignation request, the State submitted a SIP revision consisting of a maintenance plan which provides for continued attainment of the 8- hour ozone NAAQS for the next 12 years, until 2018. Concurrently, EPA is approving the maintenance plan as meeting the requirements of Clean Air Act (CAA) 175A(b) with respect to the 1-hour ozone maintenance plan update. EPA is also approving the adequacy determination for the motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) that are identified in the 8-hour maintenance plan for Kent and Queen Anne's area for purposes of transportation conformity, and is approving those MVEBs. EPA is approving the redesignation request and the maintenance plan revision to the Maryland SIP in accordance with the requirements of the CAA.