EPA Gives California Ozone Plan a One-Year Homework Pass
Published Date: 6/4/2026
Rule
Summary
The EPA is giving a thumbs-up to California’s plan to keep the San Joaquin Valley’s air cleaner by following ozone pollution rules from 2008. This approval is conditional, meaning California must add more pollution-fighting steps within a year. The plan kicks in July 6, 2026, helping protect residents and businesses while keeping the air safe without extra costs right now.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Conditional SIP Approval for San Joaquin Valley
The EPA conditionally approved California’s “2024 SJV Ozone Contingency Measure Plan” for the 2008 ozone standard and added that Plan to the federally enforceable California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This final conditional approval is effective July 6, 2026.
Offset Sanction Stayed; Highway Sanction Deferred
The EPA’s interim final determination tied to this action stayed the application of the offset sanction and deferred the application of the highway sanction that had been triggered by a prior partial disapproval. Those sanctions will not be applied while the conditional approval and related interim determination are in effect.
Commitment to Adopt Five Source-Category Rules
CARB and the District committed to adopt and submit five additional contingency measures covering: architectural coatings; surface coating of metal parts and products (including plastic parts and pleasure crafts); can and coil coating operations; adhesives and sealants; and organic solvent cleaning. Those measures must be adopted and submitted within one year of the EPA’s final conditional approval (i.e., by July 6, 2027).
Smog Check Exemption Tightened
Under the Smog Check contingency measure for the San Joaquin Valley, vehicles that had been exempt at eight or fewer model years old were reduced to an exemption for seven or fewer model years old after EPA’s determination of failure to attain the 1997 ozone standard. Upon a second triggering event, the exemption would further reduce to vehicles six or fewer model years old.
Approved Measures Deliver Small Emissions Cuts
EPA estimated that the two contingency measures relied upon in the Plan would provide about 19 percent of one year’s worth (OYW) of progress for VOC and about 2 percent of OYW of progress for NOX, i.e., substantially less than the recommended OYW benchmark.
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