Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; State of California; PM-10; Revision of Designation; Redesignation of the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin PM-10 Nonattainment Area to Attainment; Approval of PM-10 Maintenance Plan for the San Joaquin Valley Air Basin; Approval of Commitments for the East Kern PM-10 Nonattainment Area

EPA is approving the State of California's request under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act) to revise the designation for the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) serious nonattainment area for particulate matter of ten microns or less (PM-10) (SJV nonattainment area) by splitting the area into two separate nonattainment areas: The San Joaquin Valley Air Basin (SJVAB) serious PM-10 nonattainment area and the East Kern serious PM-10 nonattainment area. EPA is also redesignating the SJVAB nonattainment area to attainment for the PM-10 national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) and approving the PM-10 maintenance plan, motor vehicle emissions budgets and conformity trading mechanism for the area. EPA is also excluding from use in determining that the area has attained the standard exceedances on July 4, 2007, and January 4, 2008, that EPA has concluded were caused by exceptional events. Finally, EPA is approving enforceable commitments by the Kern County Air Pollution Control District and the California Air Resources Board to install a PM-10 monitor in the East Kern nonattainment area and to address CAA requirements under section 189(d) as necessary for the area.