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Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§7501 Definitions

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 85— - AIR POLLUTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES › Part Part D— - Plan Requirements for Nonattainment Areas › Subpart subpart 1— - nonattainment areas in general › § 7501

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines four key terms used in this part. "Reasonable further progress" means the yearly pollution cuts the law requires or that the Administrator can reasonably require to meet the air-quality standard by the required date. "Nonattainment area" means an area officially labeled "nonattainment" for a pollutant under section 7407(d). "Lowest achievable emission rate" means, for a source, the stricter of the toughest limit in any State plan for that type of source (unless the owner shows it can't be met) or the toughest limit actually achieved in practice. "Modifications" and "modified" mean the same as "modification" in section 7411(a)(4).

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §7501

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

For the purpose of this part—
(1)The term “reasonable further progress” means such annual incremental reductions in emissions of the relevant air pollutant as are required by this part or may reasonably be required by the Administrator for the purpose of ensuring attainment of the applicable national ambient air quality standard by the applicable date.
(2)The term “nonattainment area” means, for any air pollutant, an area which is designated “nonattainment” with respect to that pollutant within the meaning of section 7407(d) of this title.
(3)The term “lowest achievable emission rate” means for any source, that rate of emissions which reflects—
(A)the most stringent emission limitation which is contained in the implementation plan of any State for such class or category of source, unless the owner or operator of the proposed source demonstrates that such limitations are not achievable, or
(B)the most stringent emission limitation which is achieved in practice by such class or category of source, whichever is more stringent.
(4)The terms “modifications” and “modified” mean the same as the term “modification” as used in section 7411(a)(4) of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1990—Pub. L. 101–549, § 102(a)(2)(A), struck out “and section 7410(a)(2)(I) of this title” after “purpose of this part”. Pars. (1), (2). Pub. L. 101–549, § 102(a)(2)(B), (C), amended pars. (1) and (2) generally. Prior to amendment, pars. (1) and (2) read as follows: “(1) The term ‘reasonable further progress’ means annual incremental reductions in emissions of the applicable air pollutant (including substantial reductions in the early years following approval or promulgation of plan provisions under this part and section 7410(a)(2)(I) of this title and regular reductions thereafter) which are sufficient in the judgment of the Administrator, to provide for attainment of the applicable national ambient air quality standard by the date required in section 7502(a) of this title. “(2) The term ‘nonattainment area’ means, for any air pollutant an area which is shown by monitored data or which is calculated by air quality modeling (or other methods determined by the Administrator to be reliable) to exceed any national ambient air quality standard for such pollutant. Such term includes any area identified under subparagraphs (A) through (C) of section 7407(d)(1) of this title.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Part effective Aug. 7, 1977, except as otherwise expressly provided, see section 406(d) of Pub. L. 95–95, set out as an

Effective Date

of 1977 Amendment note under section 7401 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 7501

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73