Determination of Attainment, Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; Ohio; Redesignation of Youngstown, OH to Attainment of the 8-Hour Ozone Standard

On February 15, 2007, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA), submitted a request to redesignate its portion of the Youngstown area (Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana Counties) to attainment of the 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), and a request for EPA approval of an ozone maintenance plan. EPA is making a determination that the Youngstown, Ohio ozone nonattainment area has attained the 8-hour ozone NAAQS. This determination is based on three years of complete, quality assured ambient air quality monitoring data for the 2004-2006 ozone seasons that demonstrate that the 8-hour ozone NAAQS has been attained in the area. EPA is approving, as a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision, the State's maintenance plan for the Ohio portion of the area. As a result, Ohio has satisfied the criteria for redesignation of Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana Counties to attainment and EPA is approving the requested redesignation. Further, EPA is approving, for purposes of transportation conformity, the motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) for the years 2009 and 2018 that are contained in the 8-hour ozone maintenance plan for the area.