Foreign Pollution Saves Arizona City from Clean Air Penalties
Published Date: 11/19/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
The EPA says the Phoenix-Mesa area in Arizona would have met clean air rules for ozone by August 2024 if it weren’t for pollution coming from outside the U.S. This means the area won’t face stricter penalties or reclassification and can keep its current status. People and businesses in Phoenix-Mesa can breathe a little easier knowing the EPA recognizes international pollution’s role here.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Phoenix-Mesa Keeps Moderate Status
The EPA proposes to determine the Phoenix-Mesa area would have met the 2015 ozone standard by the August 3, 2024 Moderate attainment date but for pollution coming from outside the United States. If finalized, the Phoenix-Mesa area will remain classified as a Moderate nonattainment area and will not be reclassified to a higher category under Clean Air Act section 181(b)(2), so the automatic reclassification and attendant consequences tied to failure to attain would not apply.
EPA Eases 179B(b) Demonstration Burden
The EPA proposes a new interpretation of Clean Air Act section 179B(b) under which states seeking a retrospective 179B(b) determination will no longer be expected to show they "could not attain" the standard by implementing on-the-books measures and potential controls (for example, RACM/RACT) in order to qualify for approval. Approval still does not relieve a state of its obligation to adopt and submit required SIP elements for its classification, except for contingency measures tied to a failure-to-attain finding.
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