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

On July 31, 2006, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) submitted a request to redesignate Jefferson County, Ohio to attainment of the 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). In this submittal, Ohio EPA also requested EPA approval of an Ohio State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision for the ozone maintenance plan for Jefferson County. Additional supporting information was also submitted on October 3, 2006. Jefferson County is the Ohio portion of the Steubenville-Weirton, WV-OH 8-hour ozone nonattainment area. EPA is making a determination that this 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 2003-2005 ozone seasons that demonstrate that the 8-hour ozone NAAQS has been attained in the area. Quality-assured monitoring data for 2006 show that the area continues to attain the standard. EPA is also approving, as a SIP revision, the State's maintenance plan for Jefferson County. As a result, Ohio has now satisfied the criteria for redesignation of Jefferson County 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 year 2018 that are contained in the 11-year 8-hour ozone maintenance plan for Jefferson County.