Today, U.S. EPA published a final rule in the Federal Register determining that the “Chicago-Gary-Lake County, Illinois-Indiana” areas have met the 1997 fine particle (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS).
As a result of this determination, “the requirements for these areas to submit an attainment demonstration and
associated reasonably available control measures (RACM), a reasonable further progress plan (RFP), contingency measures, and other State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions related to attainment of the standard are suspended for so long as the areas continue to attain the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS.”
Today’s final rule follows up on U.S. EPA’s November 13, 2009 final rule declaring that Chicagoland met the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS.
Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.
