Proposed Consent Decree, Clean Air Act Citizen Suit
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Issuing agencies
Abstract
In accordance with the Clean Air Act, as amended (CAA or the Act), notice is given of a proposed consent decree in Little Manila Rising, et al. v. U.S. EPA, et al., No. 4:24-cv-07768-HSG. On November 7, 2024, Plaintiffs Little Manila Rising, Medical Advocates for Healthy Air and Sierra Club filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging that the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA" or the "Agency") failed to perform certain non-discretionary duties in accordance with the Act to take final action on a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of California. EPA is providing notice of this proposed consent decree, which would resolve all claims in the case by establishing a deadline for EPA to take final action as specified in the decree.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 127 (Monday, July 7, 2025)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 127 (Monday, July 7, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29866-29868]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-12528]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OGC-2025-0269; FRL-12814-01-OGC]
Proposed Consent Decree, Clean Air Act Citizen Suit
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of proposed consent decree; request for public comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Clean Air Act, as amended (CAA or the
Act), notice is given of a proposed consent decree in Little Manila
Rising, et al. v.
[[Page 29867]]
U.S. EPA, et al., No. 4:24-cv-07768-HSG. On November 7, 2024,
Plaintiffs Little Manila Rising, Medical Advocates for Healthy Air and
Sierra Club filed a complaint in the United States District Court for
the Northern District of California, alleging that the Environmental
Protection Agency (``EPA'' or the ``Agency'') failed to perform certain
non-discretionary duties in accordance with the Act to take final
action on a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the
State of California. EPA is providing notice of this proposed consent
decree, which would resolve all claims in the case by establishing a
deadline for EPA to take final action as specified in the decree.
DATES: Written comments on the proposed consent decree must be received
by August 6, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OGC-2025-0269, online at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> (EPA's preferred
method). Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket ID
number for this action. Comments received may be posted without change
to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>, including any personal information
provided. For detailed instructions on sending comments and additional
information on the rulemaking process, see the ``Additional Information
about Commenting on the Proposed Consent Decree'' heading under the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Abi Vijayan, Air and Radiation Law
Office, Office of General Counsel, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency; telephone (202) 564-3178; email address <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#44122d2e253d252a6a05262d042134256a232b32"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="36605f5c574f57581877545f7653465718515940">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Obtaining a Copy of the Proposed Consent Decree
The official public docket for this action (identified by Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OGC-2025-0269) contains a copy of the proposed consent
decree. The official public docket is available for public viewing at
the Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket in the EPA Docket
Center, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC.
The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The
telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744 and the
telephone number for the OEI Docket is (202) 566-1752.
The electronic version of the public docket for this action
contains a copy of the proposed consent decree and is available through
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. You may use <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> to
submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the
contents of the official public docket, and access those documents in
the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the
system, key in the appropriate docket identification number then select
``search.''
II. Additional Information About the Proposed Consent Decree
The proposed consent decree would establish a deadline for EPA to
take action pursuant to CAA section 110(k) on the San Joaquin Valley
Unified Air Pollution Control District's ``2022 Plan for the 2015 8-
hour Ozone Standard'' and the California Air Resources Board's (CARB's)
aggregate emissions reduction commitments in a Staff Report titled
``CARB Review of the San Joaquin Valley 2022 Plan for the 70 ppb 8-Hour
Ozone Standard'' (considered together, the ``2022 Ozone Plan''),
submitted by the State of California on February 23, 2023. The 2022
Ozone Plan addresses the nonattainment area SIP requirements for San
Joaquin Valley for the 2015 ozone national ambient air quality
standards.
The proposed consent decree would require EPA to file a status
report on the Agency's progress towards action on the 2022 Ozone Plan
by October 15, 2025 and would require EPA to sign a notice of final
rulemaking by July 17, 2026, and, within 15 business days of signature,
to send the required signed notice of final rule to the Office of
Federal Register for review and publication.
In accordance with section 113(g) of the CAA, for a period of
thirty (30) days following the date of publication of this document,
the Agency will accept written comments relating to the proposed
consent decree. EPA or the Department of Justice may withdraw or
withhold consent to the proposed consent decree if the comments
disclose facts or considerations that indicate that such consent is
inappropriate, improper, inadequate, or inconsistent with the
requirements of the Act.
III. Additional Information About Commenting on the Proposed Consent
Decree
Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OGC-2025-
0269, via <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Once submitted, comments cannot
be edited or removed from this docket. EPA may publish any comment
received to its public docket. Do not submit to EPA's docket at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> any information you consider to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must
be accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is considered
the official comment and should include discussion of all points you
wish to make. EPA will generally not consider comments or comment
contents located outside of the primary submission (i.e. on the web,
cloud, or other file sharing system). For additional submission
methods, the full EPA public comment policy, information about CBI or
multimedia submissions, and general guidance on making effective
comments, please visit <a href="https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets">https://www.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets</a>. For additional information about submitting information
identified as CBI, please contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. Note that written
comments containing CBI and submitted by mail may be delayed and
deliveries or couriers will be received by scheduled appointment only.
If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you
include your name, mailing address, and an email address or other
contact information in the body of your comment. This ensures that you
can be identified as the submitter of the comment and allows EPA to
contact you in case EPA cannot read your comment due to technical
difficulties or needs further information on the substance of your
comment. Any identifying or contact information provided in the body of
a comment will be included as part of the comment that is placed in the
official public docket and made available in EPA's electronic public
docket. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties
and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to
consider your comment.
Use of the <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> website to submit comments
to EPA electronically is EPA's preferred method for receiving comments.
The electronic public docket system is an ``anonymous access'' system,
which means EPA will not know your identity, email address, or other
contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment.
Please ensure that your comments are submitted within the specified
comment period. Comments received after the close of the comment period
will be
[[Page 29868]]
marked ``late.'' EPA is not required to consider these late comments.
Gautam Srinivasan,
Associate General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2025-12528 Filed 7-3-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.