Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§7474 Area redesignation

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 85— - AIR POLLUTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES › Part Part C— - Prevention of Significant Deterioration of Air Quality › Subpart subpart i— - clean air › § 7474

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

States may change an area's air-quality classification to Class I when they think it is right. Big federal areas over 10,000 acres—like national monuments, preserves, recreation areas, wild rivers, wildlife refuges, lakeshores or seashores, and national parks or wilderness areas set up after August 7, 1977—can only be put in Class I or II. The Governor must approve the change after talking with the state legislature (or its leaders), and local governments that represent most people living there must agree. The change also must not make pollution levels go above the allowed limits in nearby areas and must meet the other rules in this law. Before any change, the state must give public notice and hold hearings where the change would happen and where it could have an effect. The state must prepare and share a report about health, environment, economic, social, and energy impacts and must review that report. If the area includes federal land, the state must tell the federal land manager and give up to 60 days for comments. If the federal land manager objects, the state must publish any differences and explain why. The EPA Administrator must write rules within six months after August 7, 1977 so plans for big new polluting facilities that depend on a Class III designation are available before hearings. The EPA Administrator can reject a redesignation if procedure or other requirements are not met; a rejected change keeps the old classification. Tribes alone may redesignate lands inside their reservations, but they follow the same dispute steps. If a State or tribe disagrees with a redesignation or a permit for a major polluting source that would cause too much extra pollution, they can ask the EPA Administrator to negotiate or decide. The Administrator’s decision becomes part of the enforceable plan and must consider the size and air-quality value of the land.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §7474

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as otherwise provided under subsection (c), a State may redesignate such areas as it deems appropriate as class I areas. The following areas may be redesignated only as class I or II:
(1)an area which exceeds ten thousand acres in size and is a national monument, a national primitive area, a national preserve, a national recreation area, a national wild and scenic river, a national wildlife refuge, a national lakeshore or seashore, and
(2)a national park or national wilderness area established after August 7, 1977, which exceeds ten thousand acres in size.
(A)such redesignation has been specifically approved by the Governor of the State, after consultation with the appropriate Committees of the legislature if it is in session or with the leadership of the legislature if it is not in session (unless State law provides that such redesignation must be specifically approved by State legislation) and if general purpose units of local government representing a majority of the residents of the area so redesignated enact legislation (including for such units of local government resolutions where appropriate) concurring in the State’s redesignation;
(B)such redesignation will not cause, or contribute to, concentrations of any air pollutant which exceed any maximum allowable increase or maximum allowable concentration permitted under the classification of any other area; and
(C)such redesignation otherwise meets the requirements of this part.
(b)(1)(A)Prior to redesignation of any area under this part, notice shall be afforded and public hearings shall be conducted in areas proposed to be redesignated and in areas which may be affected by the proposed redesignation. Prior to any such public hearing a satisfactory description and analysis of the health, environmental, economic, social, and energy effects of the proposed redesignation shall be prepared and made available for public inspection and prior to any such redesignation, the description and analysis of such effects shall be reviewed and examined by the redesignating authorities.
(B)Prior to the issuance of notice under subparagraph (A) respecting the redesignation of any area under this subsection, if such area includes any Federal lands, the State shall provide written notice to the appropriate Federal land manager and afford adequate opportunity (but not in excess of 60 days) to confer with the State respecting the intended notice of redesignation and to submit written comments and recommendations with respect to such intended notice of redesignation. In redesignating any area under this section with respect to which any Federal land manager has submitted written comments and recommendations, the State shall publish a list of any inconsistency between such redesignation and such recommendations and an explanation of such inconsistency (together with the reasons for making such redesignation against the recommendation of the Federal land manager).
(C)The Administrator shall promulgate regulations not later than six months after August 7, 1977, to assure, insofar as practicable, that prior to any public hearing on redesignation of any area, there shall be available for public inspection any specific plans for any new or modified major emitting facility which may be permitted to be constructed and operated only if the area in question is designated or redesignated as class III.
(2)The Administrator may disapprove the redesignation of any area only if he finds, after notice and opportunity for public hearing, that such redesignation does not meet the procedural requirements of this section or is inconsistent with the requirements of section 7472(a) of this title or of subsection (a) of this section. If any such disapproval occurs, the classification of the area shall be that which was in effect prior to the redesignation which was disapproved.
(c)Lands within the exterior boundaries of reservations of federally recognized Indian tribes may be redesignated only by the appropriate Indian governing body. Such Indian governing body shall be subject in all respect to the provisions of subsection (e).
(d)The Federal Land Manager shall review all national monuments, primitive areas, and national preserves, and shall recommend any appropriate areas for redesignation as class I where air quality related values are important attributes of the area. The Federal Land Manager shall report such recommendations, within 22 So in original. Probably should be “with”. supporting analysis, to the Congress and the affected States within one year after August 7, 1977. The Federal Land Manager shall consult with the appropriate States before making such recommendations.
(e)If any State affected by the redesignation of an area by an Indian tribe or any Indian tribe affected by the redesignation of an area by a State disagrees with such redesignation of any area, or if a permit is proposed to be issued for any new major emitting facility proposed for construction in any State which the Governor of an affected State or governing body of an affected Indian tribe determines will cause or contribute to a cumulative change in air quality in excess of that allowed in this part within the affected State or tribal reservation, the Governor or Indian ruling body may request the Administrator to enter into negotiations with the parties involved to resolve such dispute. If requested by any State or Indian tribe involved, the Administrator shall make a recommendation to resolve the dispute and protect the air quality related values of the lands involved. If the parties involved do not reach agreement, the Administrator shall resolve the dispute and his determination, or the results of agreements reached through other means, shall become part of the applicable plan and shall be enforceable as part of such plan. In resolving such disputes relating to area redesignation, the Administrator shall consider the extent to which the lands involved are of sufficient size to allow effective air quality management or have air quality related values of such an area.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1990—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–549, which directed the insertion of “The extent of the areas referred to in paragraph (1) and (2) shall conform to any changes in the boundaries of such areas which have occurred subsequent to
August 7, 1977, or which may occur subsequent to
November 15, 1990.” before “Any area (other than an area referred to in paragraph (1) or (2))”, was executed by making the insertion before “Any area (other than an area referred to in paragraph (1) or (2)”, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. 1977—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(42), inserted “or is inconsistent with the requirements of section 7472(a) of this title or of subsection (a) of this section” after “this section”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 95–190, § 14(a)(43), inserted “an” after “If any State affected by the redesignation of”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 7474

Title 42The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73