Streamlining Permits and Emission Rules: Changes to the Clean Air Act
This Act revises air quality assessment rules by excluding emissions from fires, natural disasters, and resilience actions from compliance measurements. This grants states greater flexibility in meeting air quality standards, potentially slowing the implementation of new, stricter standards. Furthermore, it simplifies the permitting process for companies whose projects were already underway before new, stricter regulations were introduced.
Key points
Exclusion of Pollution Sources: Emissions resulting from prescribed fires, wildfires, natural disasters, and actions increasing resilience to disasters will not be considered when determining compliance with national air quality standards.
Limiting New Standards: The EPA cannot issue new, stricter standards for criteria pollutants if more than 15% of areas previously designated as nonattainment still fail to meet the prior standards.
Industry Flexibility: Major stationary sources that reduce their hazardous air pollutant emissions below specified thresholds for 6 consecutive months can be reclassified as 'area sources,' subjecting them to less stringent regulatory requirements.
Protection for Pending Projects: Construction projects that received a draft permit before new, stricter air quality standards were promulgated may proceed with final permitting based on the older, less stringent standards.
Status:
Expired
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