Air Plan Approval; Pennsylvania; Redesignation of the Warren County Nonattainment Area to Attainment and Approval of the Area's Maintenance Plan for the 2010 1-Hour Primary Sulfur Dioxide National Ambient Air Quality Standard
Published Date: 7/30/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a state implementation plan (SIP) revision and redesignation request submitted on September 19, 2025 by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). The SIP revision asks the EPA to redesignate the Warren County, Pennsylvania area from nonattainment to attainment for the 2010 1-hour primary sulfur dioxide (SO<INF>2</INF>) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). The revision also asks the EPA to approve into the SIP the Commonwealth's maintenance plan for the 2010 1-hour primary SO<INF>2</INF> NAAQS for the Warren County area. Furthermore, Pennsylvania requests that the EPA correct source- specific requirements for United Refining Company within the Pennsylvania SIP that were previously included in error. This proposed action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Warren County May Be Redesignated Attainment
The EPA is proposing to redesignate the Warren County, Pennsylvania area from nonattainment to attainment for the 2010 1-hour primary SO2 standard (75 parts per billion). Pennsylvania submitted the redesignation request and maintenance plan on September 19, 2025; the EPA published this proposed rule on July 30, 2026 and is accepting comments through August 31, 2026. If redesignated, Pennsylvania's Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program will become applicable for SO2 in the Warren County area (replacing the nonattainment new source review program).
Approved 10-Year SO2 Maintenance Plan
Pennsylvania submitted a maintenance plan to keep the Warren County area in attainment of the 2010 1-hour SO2 NAAQS for at least 10 years after redesignation, with a required revised plan to be submitted 8 years after redesignation to cover an additional 10 years. The plan commits to continued SO2 ambient monitoring, verification through emissions inventories, and contingency measures that trigger actions when monitoring shows exceedances (a third daily 1-hour concentration above 75 ppb triggers an Ambient Action Level Report).
United Refining Company Contingency Obligations
The maintenance plan includes source-specific contingency actions for United Refining Company (URC). If URC's fluid catalytic cracking unit exceeds its permitted SO2 limit (131.5 lbs/hour), URC must perform a system audit and provide a written report within 45 days; if the Warren Overlook monitor records a third daily 1-hour SO2 concentration above 75 ppb, URC must produce an Ambient Action Level Report within 90 days and may need to assess operational changes.
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Key Dates
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