October 17, 2022
ATLANTA (October 17, 2022) Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published EPA’s approval of the Georgia Redesignation Request and Maintenance Plan, redesignating the Atlanta 2015 8-Hour ozone NAAQS Nonattainment Area to Attainment.
“Working in partnership with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and other key stakeholders, we have achieved a significant milestone in improving air quality in the Atlanta area,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Daniel Blackman. “This is a great step forward that will result in Atlantans breathing cleaner, healthier air.
“Commuters, residents, local governments, employers, and regulated industry in the Atlanta area have worked collaboratively with the State of Georgia over the years to meet this health-based goal. Within EPD, this was truly a team effort across all Programs in the Air Protection Branch. This work sets the foundation to ensure that all communities in Atlanta have clean, healthy air to breathe for generations to come,” said Richard Dunn, Georgia EPD Director.
“This announcement is great news for Georgia citizens living in the Atlanta Metro Area. Air quality in the Atlanta Area continues to improve and EPA’s announcement is more evidence of that improvement,” said Karen Hays, Chief of the Air Protection Division.
This action redesignates the previous Atlanta 2015 Ozone NAAQS Nonattainment Area, consisting of Bartow, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Henry Counties to Attainment for the 2015 8-Hour ozone NAAQS and approves implementation of a maintenance plan to keep the area in attainment for the next 10 years. A second 10-year maintenance plan is due to be submitted to EPA by Georgia in 2030.
Background
Effective August 3, 2018, the Atlanta Area was designated as nonattainment for the 2015 8-hour ozone NAAQS and classified as a marginal nonattainment area. On February 28, 2022, Georgia requested that EPA redesignate the Atlanta Area to attainment for the 2015 8-hour ozone NAAQS and approve the State’s plan for maintaining attainment of the 2015 8-hour ozone NAAQS, and the Motor Vehicle Emission Budgets for oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds for the Area.
In a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published on August 26, 2022, EPA proposed to approve Georgia’s February 28, 2022 request. Comments on the August 26, 2022, NPRM were due on or before September 26, 2022, and EPA did not receive any comments.
For more information on the Final Air Plan Approval and Air Quality GA; Redesignation of Atlanta, GA
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