Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; Kentucky: Redesignation of the Kentucky Portion of the Louisville 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area to Attainment for Ozone

EPA is approving a request, submitted on September 29, 2006, from the Commonwealth of Kentucky (Kentucky), through the Kentucky Division for Air Quality (KDAQ), to redesignate the Kentucky portion of the bi-State Louisville 8-hour ozone nonattainment area to attainment for the 8-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). The Kentucky portion of the bi-State Louisville 8-hour ozone nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as the "Kentucky State Louisville Area") is comprised of three Kentucky Counties--Bullitt, Jefferson and Oldham. The Indiana portion of the bi-State Louisville 8-hour ozone nonattainment area is comprised of two Indiana Counties--Clark and Floyd. EPA's approval of Kentucky's redesignation request is based upon the determination that Kentucky has demonstrated that the Kentucky State Louisville Area has met the criteria for redesignation to attainment specified in the Clean Air Act (CAA), including the determination that the entire (both the Kentucky and Indiana portions) bi-State Louisville 8-hour ozone nonattainment area has attained the 8- hour ozone standard. Additionally, EPA is approving the 8-hour ozone maintenance plan for the Kentucky State Louisville Area, including the regional motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) for nitrogen oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which cover the Kentucky and Indiana portions of this bi-State area. In July and September 2006, Indiana submitted a redesignation request and maintenance plan for the Indiana portion of this 8-hour ozone area with identical MVEBs to those reflected in Kentucky's maintenance plan. EPA is taking action on that redesignation request and maintenance plan in a separate action. This final rule also addresses a comment made on EPA's proposed rulemaking for this action, previously published April 27, 2007 (72 FR 20966).