# 2026-12898: DC Gets Green Light for Synthetic Minor Air Permits 2026-12898, Air Plan Approval; District of Columbia; Creation of Synthetic Minor Permit Program, is a Federal Register rule from Environmental Protection Agency published 2026-06-26, effective 2026-07-27; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-03). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12898 - As of: 2026-07-03 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-12898 - Title: Air Plan Approval; District of Columbia; Creation of Synthetic Minor Permit Program - Type: Rule - Agencies: Environmental Protection Agency - Citation: 91 FR 38526 - Published: 2026-06-26 - Effective: 2026-07-27 - Comments close: not stated - Significant: no - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: none - Last updated: 2026-07-03 ## In one line DC Gets Green Light for Synthetic Minor Air Permits ## Summary The EPA is giving a thumbs-up to DC’s new plan that creates a special permit program called the synthetic minor permit. This helps local businesses control pollution by setting clear, enforceable limits, making the air cleaner and rules easier to follow. The new rules kick in on July 27, 2026, and affect companies that release certain pollutants, helping DC meet clean air goals without extra costs. ## Abstract The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) on behalf of the District of Columbia (DC). The revision pertains to creating a synthetic minor permit program and resolving the regulatory differences between DC's current regulations and those regulations approved previously in Chapters 1 and 2 of the Air Quality Regulations codified in title 20 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR). The intended effect of this action is to enable DC to create federally enforceable synthetic minor permit conditions for sources of criteria pollutants. The EPA is approving these revisions to the DC SIP in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA). ## Effects PRIA read - DC approves synthetic minor permits: benefit, medium. The EPA approved a SIP revision that creates a synthetic minor permit program in the District of Columbia, effective July 27, 2026. These permits let a source limit its Potential to Emit (PTE) so it can stay below major source thresholds and avoid major New Source Review (NSR) and Title V applicabi… - Permit limits are federally enforceable: cost, medium. The synthetic minor permit conditions approved into the SIP are federally enforceable under Clean Air Act sections 110 and 113 as of July 27, 2026. That means permit limits set by DC can be enforced at the Federal level in addition to DC enforcement. - General permits speed approvals, limit notice: mixed, low. DC may issue General (source category) permits after public participation before the general permit is issued, but when an individual source registers to be covered by a General Permit, DC does not require a separate public participation step. These rules take effect July 27, 2026 in DC. - EPA says no big small-business burden: benefit, low. The EPA certified this SIP approval will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities and finds it is not a significant regulatory action, does not impose new information collection burdens, and does not create an unfunded mandate. These certifications are part o… - Helps DC meet air quality standards: benefit, medium. The EPA found the SIP revision will enable DC to set federally enforceable limits for criteria pollutants and will not interfere with achieving or maintaining the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). This approval is intended to help DC achieve and maintain the NAAQS and is effective Jul… ## Related documents - [2026-22082](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22082): Additional Reconsideration Standards of Performance for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources and Emissions Guidelines for Existing Sour…, 2026-10-29 - [2026-21155](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-21155): Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Program: Reallocation of Additional 2025 Small Refinery Exemptions, 2026-10-16 - [2026-20849](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20849): Clean Water Act Hazardous Substance Facility Response Plans: Compliance Date Delay and Changes To Reflect Administration Policy, 2026-10-13 - [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 ## Sources - [2026-12898 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/26/2026-12898/air-plan-approval-district-of-columbia-creation-of-synthetic-minor-permit-program) - [2026-12898 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-26/pdf/2026-12898.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-12897, Safety Zone; Ohio River MM 602.0-605.0, Louisville, KY](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12897) - [Next: 2026-12899, Medical Devices; General Hospital and Personal Use Devices; Classification of t…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12899) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12898 (as of 2026-07-03).