# 2026-01772: Air Plan Approval and Air Quality Designation; KY; Redesignation of the Kentucky Portion of the Louisville, KY-IN 2015 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area to Attainment 2026-01772, Air Plan Approval and Air Quality Designation; KY; Redesignation of the Kentucky Portion of the Louisville, KY-IN 2015 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area to Attainment, is a Federal Register rule from Environmental Protection Agency published 2026-01-29, effective 2026-03-02 (as of 2026-06-11). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01772 - As of: 2026-06-11 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-01772 - Title: Air Plan Approval and Air Quality Designation; KY; Redesignation of the Kentucky Portion of the Louisville, KY-IN 2015 8-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area to Attainment - Type: Rule - Agencies: Environmental Protection Agency - Citation: 91 FR 3838 - Published: 2026-01-29 - Effective: 2026-03-02 - Comments close: not stated - Significant: no - Touches household money: no - Regulation identifier numbers: none - Last updated: 2026-06-11 ## Summary The EPA has decided not to change the air quality status of the Kentucky part of the Louisville area from 'needs improvement' to 'good' for ozone pollution. This means Kentucky must keep working on plans to reduce harmful air pollutants like nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. The decision takes effect on March 2, 2026, so local agencies and residents should stay tuned for future updates and actions. ## Abstract The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is denying the request to redesignate the Kentucky portion of the Louisville, Kentucky-Indiana, 2015 8-hour ozone nonattainment area (hereinafter referred to as the "Louisville, KY-IN Area" or "Area") to attainment for the 2015 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS or standards). EPA is taking no action at this time on Kentucky's maintenance plan, including the regional motor vehicle emission budgets for nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) for the years of 2019 and 2035, submitted with Kentucky's redesignation request for the Louisville, KY-IN Area. The redesignation request and the maintenance plan state implementation plan (SIP) revision were submitted by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet (Cabinet), Division for Air Quality (KDAQ), on September 6, 2022. ## Effects PRIA read - Kentucky Portion Remains Nonattainment: cost, low. EPA denied Kentucky's September 6, 2022 request to redesignate the Kentucky portion of the Louisville, KY-IN 2015 8-hour ozone area to attainment, so the Kentucky portion remains a nonattainment area for the 2015 ozone standard (0.070 ppm). This denial is final and takes effect March 2, 2026, so no… - Maintenance Plan and Motor-Vehicle Budgets Not Approved: cost, low. EPA is taking no action at this time on Kentucky's submitted maintenance plan and its regional motor vehicle emission budgets for nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) for the years 2019 and 2035. Because EPA did not approve those SIP elements as part of this action, the motor-… ## Related documents - [2026-19071](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19071): Partial Repeal of the Carbon Pollution Standards for Fossil Fuel-Fired Electric Generating Units, 2026-09-17 - [2026-19072](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19072): Rescission of the Greenhouse Gas Findings for Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plants and Repeal of Regulations for Power Plant Greenhouse Gas Emiss…, 2026-09-17 - [2026-18317](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18317): Updated Definition of “Waters of the United States”, 2026-09-09 - [2026-14112](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14112): Amendments and Nonconformance Penalties for Model Year 2027 and Later Heavy-Duty Highway Engines and Amendments to Inducement Provisions fo…, 2026-07-14 - [2026-13667](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-13667): Minor New Source Review Program Air Permitting Public Participation Requirements for State Implementation Plans, 2026-07-07 - [2026-13263](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-13263): Revisions To Establish the Sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 6) for Public Water Systems, 2026-07-01 ## Sources - [2026-01772 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/29/2026-01772/air-plan-approval-and-air-quality-designation-ky-redesignation-of-the-kentucky-portion-of-the) - [2026-01772 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-01-29/pdf/2026-01772.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-01771, Modification of Class E Airspace; Driggs/Reed Memorial Airport, Driggs, ID](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01771) - [Next: 2026-01797, Improving SBA Disaster Loan Ability To Provide Meaningful and Timely Assistance](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01797) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-01772 (as of 2026-06-11).