§7476 Other pollutants

Summary

The EPA Administrator must study and then, within two years after August 7, 1977, issue rules to stop big declines in air quality caused by hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, photochemical oxidants, and nitrogen oxides. For any pollutant that gets a new national air standard after August 7, 1977, the EPA must issue similar rules within two years after that standard is set. The rules take effect one year after they are issued. States must send updated plans to the EPA within 21 months, and the EPA will approve or disapprove them within 25 months. The rules must give clear numeric tests for permit decisions, push for better pollution controls, protect air quality values, and meet the law’s goals. They must be at least as strict as the existing allowed-increase limits and can use air-quality increments, limits on emissions per area, or other measures. For pollutants except sulfur oxides and particulate matter, a state does not need an area-classification plan if its plan has other measures that the EPA finds are at least as effective. The EPA may replace the old particulate limits with limits for particles 10 micrometers or smaller, as long as the new limits are equally strict; until then, the old limits stay in effect.