Arizona County Gets New Rules for Dust Blowing Around
Published Date: 10/19/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The EPA wants to approve new rules for Pinal County, Arizona, to cut down dust pollution from places like vacant lots, unpaved roads, and construction sites. These changes help clean the air and protect health by controlling tiny dust particles called PM10. People and businesses in West Pinal County should get ready to follow these rules, with public comments open until November 18, 2026.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
New fugitive-dust standards for lots and roads
If you own or operate vacant lots, unpaved lots, unpaved roads, or paved public roadways in the West Pinal County PM10 nonattainment area, you must meet visible emission limits (either a 20% opacity limit or no visible emissions beyond the property line) and choose and implement surface stabilization standards (options include soil crusts, meeting a threshold friction velocity limit, specified vegetative cover, or meeting silt-loading limits). You must keep records (receipts/purchase records describing treatment type, extent, and date) available to the District and retain them for at least two years. Disturbed surface areas of 0.10 acres (4,356 square feet) or greater must sign up for the Pinal County Dust Control Forecast and ensure control measures are implemented the day prior and day of a high dust risk forecast.
Construction-site dust permits and requirements
Construction sites in West Pinal that disturb 0.10 acres (4,356 square feet) or more must obtain a dust control permit and submit a dust control plan detailing measures before, during, and after operations. Projects of 5 or more acres must post a project information sign describing how the public can file dust complaints. Sites with permits must meet training requirements (once every three years), perform daily self-inspections on days operations occur, follow required control measures (including limiting visible dust to 20% opacity and preventing visible emissions beyond the property line), and keep records for two years (five years for sites at facilities with Title V operating permits). On a high dust risk day, sites must either implement controls to remain compliant or cease dust-generating activities and stabilize disturbed areas for the day.
Annual paving target for public agencies (20% rule)
Beginning January 1, 2024, each city, county, or state agency with primary responsibility for existing unpaved roads in the West Pinal County PM10 nonattainment area is required to annually pave an average of 20 percent of unpaved roads within the agency's jurisdiction, up to a maximum of 5 cumulative miles per agency. Agencies must submit annual progress reports by January 30 of each year reporting progress on the paving requirement and the number of paved roads with unpaved shoulders.
Contingency speed limit on busy unpaved roads
If EPA determines West Pinal County failed to make reasonable further progress or to attain the PM10 standard, any public unpaved road with average daily trips of 26 or more would have a contingency speed limit of 15 miles per hour.
Certified street sweeping and enforceable test methods
The rules require paved public road street sweeping to be done by certified street sweepers and adopt a test-method rule (Section 4-9-310, adopted January 25, 2023) establishing opacity, silt loading, and gravel depth/silt content tests to determine whether unpaved shoulders and medians meet stabilization standards. These test methods are used to enforce the visible emission and stabilization requirements in Articles 1 and 3.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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