Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

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Connecticut's Revision to the
State Implementation Plan (SIP)
Annual and 24 Hour Fine Particulate Matter(PM2.5)
Request for Attainment Redesignation
Background and information on the PM2.5 Redesignation Request:
Connecticut’s Fairfield and New Haven Counties are currently designated by EPA as nonattainment for both the 1997 annual and 2006 24-hour PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and are grouped with several counties in New York and northern New Jersey in a multi-state (NY-NJ-CT) nonattainment area that encompasses metropolitan New York City.  EPA established these nonattainment areas in 2005 for the annual NAAQS and in 2009 for the 24-hour NAAQS based on PM2.5 air quality measured prior to those years.
PM2.5 air quality has improved significantly over the last decade due to emissions reductions resulting from various federal, regional and state control measures.  Monitors throughout the NY-NJ-CT area are currently measuring compliance with both the 1997 and 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS, meeting one of several eligibility requirements for redesignation to attainment status for both the annual and 24-hour standards.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is requesting to redesignate Connecticut’s portion of the New York-New Jersey-Connecticut (NY-NJ-CT) nonattainment area to attainment for the federal 1997 annual and 2006 24-hour NAAQS for PM2.5.  The Technical Support Document (TSD) provides evidence that satisfies Clean Air Act (CAA) sections 107(d)(3)(E) and 175A, which specify the requirements that must be met for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to redesignate a nonattainment area to attainment status.  These requirements include demonstrations that:
  • The area has attained the NAAQS;
  • The applicable implementation plan is fully approved under CAA section 110(k) and the area has met all applicable requirements of CAA section 110 and part D;
  • The air quality improvements are due to permanent and enforceable emission reductions;
  • The area has a fully approved a maintenance plan satisfying CAA section 175A
On February 29, 2012, DEEP published a Notice of Intent to Request Redesignation to the Status of Attainment for the Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standard.  DEEP received several comments from EPA Region 1 and made appropriate revisions to the TSD.  On June 22, 2012, DEEP formally submitted, the final PM2.5 redesignation request and maintenance plan State Implementation Plan (SIP) for Connecticut's portion of the NY-NJ-CT annual and 24-hour PM2.5 nonattainment areas to the EPA for approval.  When EPA formally approves this request, all of the counties in Connecticut will be classified "attainment" with both the 1997 and 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS.
Redesignation Request Documents:
Note: Some of the documents are in ZIP format.  If you have difficulty opening these files, please contact Michael Geigert (860-424-3509) for assistance.
Related Documents
Content last updated on October 17, 2012