Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designations of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; North Carolina: Redesignation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park 1997 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area to Attainment

EPA is taking final action to approve a request submitted on July 24, 2009, from the State of North Carolina, through the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR), Division of Air Quality (DAQ), to redesignate the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) 1997 8-hour ozone nonattainment area (herein referred to as the "GSMNP Area") to attainment for the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). The GSMNP Area for the 1997 8-hour ozone standard is comprised of portions of Haywood and Swain Counties in North Carolina. EPA's approval of the redesignation request is based on the determination that the GSMNP Area has met the criteria for redesignation to attainment set forth in the Clean Air Act (CAA), including the determination that the GSMNP Area has attained the 8-hour ozone standard. Additionally, EPA is approving a revision to the North Carolina State Implementation Plan (SIP) including the 8-hour ozone maintenance plan for the GSMNP Area that contains the new 2011 and 2020 motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) for nitrogen oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) and an insignificance finding for volatile organic compounds (VOC) contribution from motor vehicles to the 8-hour ozone pollution in the GSMNP Area. Through this action, EPA is also finding the NO<INF>X</INF> MVEBs and the VOC insignificance finding adequate for the purposes of transportation conformity. This action also approves the emissions inventory submitted with the maintenance plan (under the CAA section 172(c)(3)). On March 12, 2008, EPA issued a revised ozone standard. EPA later announced on September 16, 2009, that it may reconsider this revised ozone standard. The current action, however, is being taken to address requirements under the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS. Requirements for the GSMNP Area under the 2008 standard will be addressed in the future.