EPA Fixes California Air Pollution Label Glitch
Published Date: 2/14/2025
Rule
Summary
The EPA fixed a technical mistake in the air quality rules for California’s San Joaquin Valley. This update confirms that parts of Fresno and Kern Counties are officially labeled as serious pollution trouble spots, which means stricter air quality plans must stay in place. Local communities and planners should keep an eye on these rules to meet deadlines and protect health without surprise costs.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
San Joaquin Valley labeled 'Serious' for PM2.5
If you live in California's San Joaquin Valley, the EPA corrected the Code of Federal Regulations to confirm that Fresno County and the specified part of Kern County are officially designated "Nonattainment — Serious" for the 2012 annual PM2.5 standard, with the designation date shown as 12/27/2021. The correction was published in the Federal Register on February 14, 2025. This confirms that the stricter air-quality planning status for these areas remains in place.
Designation includes Indian country areas
The rule text explicitly states that the designation "includes areas of Indian country located in each county or area, except as otherwise specified." That means the EPA's "Nonattainment — Serious" classification for the listed counties also applies to tribal (Indian country) areas within those counties under the 2012 annual PM2.5 standard.
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