§7476 Other Pollutants

Summary

The Administrator must study four pollutants (hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, photochemical oxidants, and nitrogen oxides) and issue rules to stop big drops in air quality from them no later than two years after August 7, 1977. For any pollutant that gets a national air quality standard after August 7, 1977, the Administrator must issue similar rules within two years of that standard. The rules take effect one year after they are issued. A State must send any required plan changes within 21 months after the rules are issued, and the Administrator must approve or reject the plan within 25 months, using the usual review process. The rules must include clear numeric tests for permits, ways to push better pollution controls, and protections for air quality. They must be at least as protective as existing increment limits and may use increments, limits on emissions per area, or other measures. For most pollutants (not sulfur oxides or particulate matter), a special area classification plan is not required if the State plan as a whole protects air quality just as well. The Administrator may replace older particulate matter limits with limits for particles 10 micrometers or smaller (PM–10) that are equally strict; until then, the old limits stay in effect.