Sacramento Air Wins: EPA Pauses Ozone Penalties
Published Date: 3/21/2025
Rule
Summary
The EPA says the Sacramento Metro area has cleaned up its air enough to meet ozone pollution rules by the end of 2024. Because of this, the EPA is pausing any penalties that might have been coming. This decision starts March 21, 2025, but people can still share their thoughts until April 21, 2025.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Offset Sanction Pause Takes Effect
The EPA is staying (pausing) the offset sanction for the Sacramento Metro area effective March 21, 2025. That offset sanction had previously gone into effect on January 17, 2025, and will remain stayed while the EPA completes its attainment determination process.
Highway Funding Sanction Deferred
The EPA is deferring the highway funding sanction that was scheduled to take effect on July 17, 2025. The deferral is effective March 21, 2025, while the EPA finalizes whether the Sacramento Metro area attained the 2008 ozone standard by its December 31, 2024 attainment date.
Contingency Measures Requirement May End
The EPA proposes that the Sacramento Metro area attained the 2008 ozone standard by the December 31, 2024 attainment date; if finalized, the area's requirements to have reasonable further progress (RFP) contingency measures and attainment contingency measures for that standard will no longer apply. If no comments change EPA's assessment, sanctions and sanction clocks tied to the June 15, 2023 disapproval will be permanently terminated on the effective date of a final determination of attainment.
Applies to Tribal Lands; No Substantial Tribal Costs
The EPA states this stay and deferral apply throughout the Sacramento Metro nonattainment area, including Tribal lands, and that the determination will not impose substantial direct costs on Tribal governments.
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