Rule2026-02822
Air Plan Approval; Ohio; Second Maintenance Plan for 2008 Ozone NAAQS
Primary source
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Published
February 12, 2026
Effective
March 16, 2026
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to the Ohio State Implementation Plan (SIP). On November 6, 2024, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) submitted the State's plans for maintaining the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS or standard) in the Columbus, Ohio; Cleveland- Akron-Lorain, Ohio; and Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana areas. The EPA is approving these maintenance plans because they provide for the maintenance of the 2008 ozone NAAQS for each area for 10 additional years as required by the Clean Air Act (CAA). The EPA is also finding adequate and approving the motor vehicle emission budgets for each area. This approval makes certain commitments related to maintenance of the 2008 ozone NAAQS in these areas federally enforceable as part of the Ohio SIP.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 29 (Thursday, February 12, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 6517-6524]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-02822]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA-R05-OAR-2024-0537; EPA-R05-OAR-2024-0538; EPA-R05-OAR-2024-0539;
FRL-12534-02-R5]
Air Plan Approval; Ohio; Second Maintenance Plan for 2008 Ozone
NAAQS
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving
revisions to the Ohio State Implementation Plan (SIP). On November 6,
2024, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) submitted the
State's plans for maintaining the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air
Quality Standard (NAAQS or standard) in the Columbus, Ohio; Cleveland-
Akron-Lorain, Ohio; and Cincinnati, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana areas. The
EPA is approving these maintenance plans because they provide for the
maintenance of the 2008 ozone NAAQS for each area for 10 additional
years as required by the Clean Air Act (CAA). The EPA is also finding
adequate and approving the motor vehicle emission budgets for each
area. This approval makes certain commitments related to maintenance of
the 2008 ozone NAAQS in these areas federally enforceable as part of
the Ohio SIP.
DATES: This final rule is effective on March 16, 2026.
ADDRESSES: The EPA has established a docket for this action under
Docket ID No. EPA-R05-OAR-2024-0537 (Cincinnati); EPA-R05-OAR-2024-0538
(Cleveland-Akron-Lorain); EPA-R05-OAR-2024-0539 (Columbus). All
documents in the docket are listed on the <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>
website. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly
available, i.e., Confidential Business Information (CBI), Proprietary
Business Information (PBI), or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted
material, is not placed on the internet and will be publicly available
only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are
available either through <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> or at the
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Air and Radiation Division,
77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604. This facility is
open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding
Federal holidays. We recommend that you telephone Delaney Kilgour, at
(312) 886-1493, before visiting the Region 5 office.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Delaney Kilgour, Air and Radiation
Division (AR-18J), Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West
Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, (312) 886-1493,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#12797b7e757d67603c76777e737c776b527762733c757d64"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="096260656e667c7b276d6c6568676c70496c7968276e667f">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document whenever ``we,''
``us,'' or ``our'' is used, we mean the EPA.
I. Background
On May 19, 2025 (90 FR 21254), the EPA proposed to approve Ohio's
plans for maintaining the 2008 ozone NAAQS through 2036 in the Columbus
area and through 2037 in the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain and Cincinnati
areas as revisions to the Ohio SIP. The EPA also proposed to find
adequate and approve the volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen
oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) motor vehicle emission budgets (Budgets) for
2036 for the Columbus area and for 2037 for the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain
and Cincinnati areas (90 FR 21254). An explanation of the CAA
requirements, a detailed analysis of the revisions, and the EPA's
reasons for proposing approval were provided in the notice of proposed
rulemaking. The public comment period for this proposed rule ended on
June 18, 2025. The EPA received two comments on the proposal.
II. Response to Comments
EPA received two anonymous comments during the comment period.
Summaries of the comments and the EPA's response are provided below.
The full comments are in the rulemaking docket; see Addresses for
details on accessing the docket.
Comment 1: The commenter suggests that Ohio needs a plan to be
carbon neutral by 2030 and recommends disapproving the 2008 ozone
second maintenance plans for Ohio until the State ``deconstructs,
degrowth, retreats and rewilds 10% of the proposed areas.''
Comment 2: The commenter recommends disapproving the 2008 ozone
second maintenance plans for Ohio until the State adopts California's
strict air quality laws.
Response: The requirement for a State to submit a maintenance plan
demonstrating attainment of the NAAQS in an area for an additional 10
years beyond the initial 10-year maintenance period is set forth in
section 175A of the CAA. In a 1992 Memorandum entitled ``Procedures for
Processing Requests to Redesignate Areas to Attainment,'' the EPA has
long-standing guidance for States on developing maintenance plans.\1\
It explains that a maintenance plan should address five elements: (1)
an attainment emission inventory; (2) a maintenance demonstration; (3)
a commitment for continued air quality monitoring; (4) a process for
verification of continued attainment; and (5) a contingency plan.
Ohio's maintenance plans for the 2008 ozone NAAQS address each of these
components of a maintenance plan and meet the requirements of section
175A of the CAA. The received comments regarding Ohio adopting a plan
for carbon neutrality and equivalent air quality laws to California are
beyond the scope of this action. These comments have no bearing on the
EPA's proposed approval of Ohio's 2008 ozone second maintenance plans
as the plans fulfill the requirements under section 175A of the CAA.
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\1\ ``Procedures for Processing Requests to Redesignate Areas to
Attainment,'' Memorandum from John Calcagni, Director, Air Quality
Management Division, September 4, 1992.
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III. Emission Inventories
After the comment period for the notice of proposed rulemaking
closed on June 18, 2025, Ohio EPA discovered errors in the emission
inventories affecting area sources in the Columbus and Cleveland-Akron-
Lorain areas and point, area, and nonroad sources in the Cincinnati
area. On August 19, 2025, Ohio EPA submitted a supplement to the
State's plans to correct the emission inventories for each area. The
procedures used to develop the emission inventories were documented in
the notice of proposed rulemaking (90 FR 21254).
The EPA evaluated Ohio's corrected attainment and maintenance year
emission inventories. Just as with Ohio's original emission
inventories, the corrected emission inventories continue to demonstrate
maintenance of the 2008 ozone standard in the Columbus, Cleveland-
Akron-Lorain, and Cincinnati areas by showing that future emissions of
NO<INF>X</INF> and VOC will remain at or below attainment year emission
levels when considering both future source growth and implementation of
future controls.
[[Page 6518]]
Attainment inventories for the Columbus area are in Tables 1 and 2,
attainment inventories for the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area are in
Tables 3 and 4, and attainment inventories for the Cincinnati area are
in Tables 5 and 6.
Table 1--Columbus Area Typical Summer Day VOC Emissions for Attainment Year 2016
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
County Point Area Nonroad On-road Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Delaware........................ 0.27 6.23 4.44 2.67 13.61
Fairfield....................... 0.34 4.92 1.26 1.91 8.43
Franklin........................ 1.25 35.43 8.20 19.23 64.11
Knox............................ 0.10 3.40 0.94 0.61 5.05
Licking......................... 0.44 7.13 1.52 2.85 11.94
Madison......................... 0.13 2.81 0.66 1.27 4.87
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................... 2.53 59.92 17.02 28.54 108.01
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 2--Columbus Area Typical Summer Day NOX Emissions for Attainment Year 2016
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
County Point Area Nonroad On-road Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Delaware........................ 0.09 1.95 2.77 3.45 8.26
Fairfield....................... 1.71 0.46 1.47 2.45 6.09
Franklin........................ 1.46 5.18 7.71 25.47 39.82
Knox............................ 0.05 0.47 1.05 0.79 2.36
Licking......................... 0.82 0.70 1.59 3.86 6.97
Madison......................... 0.02 0.45 1.15 1.70 3.32
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................... 4.15 9.21 15.74 37.72 66.82
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 3--Cleveland-Akron-Lorain Area Typical Summer Day VOC Emissions for Attainment Year 2016
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
County Point Area Nonroad On-road Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ashtabula....................... 8.12 3.83 4.76 1.13 17.84
Cuyahoga........................ 1.78 41.76 13.05 13.77 70.36
Geauga.......................... 0.03 3.40 2.70 1.30 7.43
Lake............................ 0.50 8.47 4.24 2.81 16.02
Lorain.......................... 0.76 8.90 4.48 3.41 17.55
Medina.......................... 0.13 6.93 2.09 2.97 12.12
Portage......................... 1.04 6.47 5.18 2.06 14.75
Summit.......................... 0.53 18.34 5.50 6.51 30.88
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................... 12.89 98.10 42.00 33.96 186.95
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 4--Cleveland-Akron-Lorain Area Typical Summer Day NOX Emissions for Attainment Year 2016
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
County Point Area Nonroad On-road Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ashtabula....................... 0.97 2.57 3.08 2.04 8.66
Cuyahoga........................ 7.37 8.08 10.23 26.63 52.31
Geauga.......................... 0.00 0.57 1.47 2.55 4.59
Lake............................ 2.30 3.37 3.84 5.44 14.95
Lorain.......................... 14.22 3.47 3.61 6.63 27.93
Medina.......................... 0.05 1.35 1.63 5.92 8.95
Portage......................... 0.30 2.20 2.09 3.70 8.29
Summit.......................... 0.47 3.56 3.44 11.13 18.60
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................... 25.68 25.17 29.39 64.04 144.28
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 5--Cincinnati-OH-KY-IN Area Typical Summer Day VOC Emissions for Attainment Year 2016
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State (county) Point Area Nonroad On-road Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ohio:
Butler...................... 1.72 12.18 2.69 5.23 21.82
[[Page 6519]]
Clermont.................... 0.23 6.64 2.44 3.12 12.43
Clinton..................... 0.01 2.10 0.78 0.30 3.19
Hamilton.................... 1.60 27.52 6.52 11.36 47.00
Warren...................... 0.61 8.45 2.84 3.35 15.25
Indiana:
Dearborn.................... 6.21 1.37 0.37 0.20 8.15
Kentucky:
Boone....................... 2.23 3.86 0.97 1.47 8.53
Campbell.................... 0.30 1.36 0.35 0.75 2.76
Kenton...................... 0.47 2.32 0.43 1.52 4.74
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total................... 13.38 65.80 17.39 27.30 123.87
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 6--Cincinnati-OH-KY-IN Area Typical Summer Day NOX Emissions for Attainment Year 2016
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State (county) Point Area Nonroad On-road Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ohio:
Butler...................... 9.36 2.33 2.31 9.84 23.84
Clermont.................... 18.83 1.16 1.62 6.02 27.63
Clinton..................... 0.00 0.29 0.95 0.26 1.50
Hamilton.................... 17.37 4.65 6.89 25.62 54.53
Warren...................... 0.18 1.06 2.32 9.32 12.88
Indiana:
Dearborn.................... 1.75 0.26 0.38 0.57 2.96
Kentucky:
Boone....................... 10.87 0.56 0.50 6.07 18.00
Campbell.................... 0.30 0.63 0.26 2.05 3.24
Kenton...................... 0.26 0.96 0.37 5.15 6.74
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total................... 58.92 11.90 15.60 64.90 151.32
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ohio EPA demonstrated maintenance through 2036 for the Columbus
area and through 2037 for the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain and Cincinnati
areas by showing that future VOC and NO<INF>X</INF> emissions remain at
or below attainment year emission levels. The 2036 summer day emission
inventories for the Columbus area are in Tables 7 and 8, and changes in
VOC and NO<INF>X</INF> emissions in the Columbus area between 2016 and
2036 are summarized in Table 9. The 2037 summer day emission
inventories for the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area are in Tables 10 and
11, and changes in VOC and NO<INF>X</INF> emissions in the Cleveland-
Akron-Lorain area between 2016 and 2037 are summarized in Table 12. The
2037 summer day emission inventories for the Cincinnati area are in
Tables 13 and 14, and changes in VOC and NO<INF>X</INF> emissions in
the Cincinnati area between 2016 and 2037 are summarized in Table 15.
Table 7--Columbus Area Typical Summer Day VOC Emissions for Maintenance Year 2036
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
County Point Area Nonroad On-road Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Delaware........................ 0.29 8.87 2.20 1.52 12.88
Fairfield....................... 0.34 5.88 0.76 0.84 7.82
Franklin........................ 1.12 38.15 7.10 7.55 53.92
Knox............................ 0.10 3.50 0.47 0.25 4.32
Licking......................... 0.43 8.02 1.00 1.26 10.71
Madison......................... 0.13 2.76 0.43 0.53 3.85
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................... 2.41 67.18 11.96 11.95 93.50
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 8--Columbus Area Typical Summer Day NOX Emissions for Maintenance Year 2036
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
County Point Area Nonroad On-road Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Delaware........................ 0.09 1.49 1.41 0.81 3.80
Fairfield....................... 2.26 0.44 0.54 0.43 3.67
Franklin........................ 1.55 4.31 3.68 4.26 13.80
[[Page 6520]]
Knox............................ 0.05 0.37 0.35 0.13 0.90
Licking......................... 0.83 0.67 0.57 0.69 2.76
Madison......................... 0.02 0.35 0.28 0.28 0.93
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................... 4.80 7.63 6.83 6.60 25.86
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Table 9--Change in Typical Summer Day VOC and NOX Emissions in the Columbus Area Between 2016 and 2036
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOC NOX
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net change Net change
2016 2036 (2016-2036) 2016 2036 (2016-2036)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point.............................. 2.53 2.41 -0.12 4.15 4.80 0.65
Area............................... 59.92 67.18 7.26 9.21 7.63 -1.58
Nonroad............................ 17.02 11.96 -5.06 15.74 6.83 -8.91
On-road............................ 28.54 11.95 -16.59 37.72 6.60 -31.12
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.......................... 108.01 93.50 -14.51 66.82 25.86 -40.96
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 10--Cleveland-Akron-Lorain Area Typical Summer Day VOC Emissions for Maintenance Year 2037
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
County Point Area Nonroad On-road Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ashtabula....................... 8.93 4.09 1.98 1.24 16.24
Cuyahoga........................ 1.77 37.98 10.99 4.77 55.51
Geauga.......................... 0.02 4.04 1.79 0.48 6.33
Lake............................ 0.53 8.60 2.18 0.94 12.25
Lorain.......................... 0.71 9.00 2.79 1.34 13.84
Medina.......................... 0.13 8.53 1.55 1.04 11.25
Portage......................... 1.01 7.14 2.55 0.73 11.43
Summit.......................... 0.52 18.30 3.94 2.27 25.03
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................... 13.62 97.68 27.77 12.81 151.88
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 11--Cleveland-Akron-Lorain Area Typical Summer Day NOX Emissions for Maintenance Year 2037
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
County Point Area Nonroad On-road Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ashtabula....................... 1.90 2.12 1.85 2.29 8.16
Cuyahoga........................ 6.37 6.37 5.94 3.60 22.28
Geauga.......................... 0.00 0.53 0.80 0.35 1.68
Lake............................ 2.80 2.81 2.26 0.69 8.56
Lorain.......................... 2.39 2.59 1.95 0.97 7.90
Medina.......................... 0.05 1.26 0.67 0.74 2.72
Portage......................... 0.33 1.69 1.39 0.50 3.91
Summit.......................... 0.52 2.94 2.06 1.50 7.02
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total....................... 14.36 20.31 16.92 10.64 62.23
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Table 12--Change in Typical Summer Day VOC and NOX Emissions in the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain Area Between 2016 and
2037
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOC NOX
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net change Net change
2016 2037 (2016-2037) 2016 2037 (2016-2037)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point.............................. 12.89 13.62 0.73 25.68 14.36 -11.32
Area............................... 98.10 97.68 -0.42 25.17 20.31 -4.86
Nonroad............................ 42.00 27.77 -14.23 29.39 16.92 -12.47
[[Page 6521]]
On-road............................ 33.96 12.81 -21.15 64.04 10.64 -53.40
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.......................... 186.95 151.88 -35.07 144.28 62.23 -82.05
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Table 13--Cincinnati-OH-KY-IN Area Typical Summer Day VOC Emissions for Maintenance Year 2037
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State (county) Point Area Nonroad On-road Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ohio:
Butler...................... 1.77 12.68 2.15 1.96 18.56
Clermont.................... 0.19 8.07 1.47 1.28 11.01
Clinton..................... 0.01 2.21 0.39 0.22 2.83
Hamilton.................... 1.48 25.07 5.38 4.42 36.35
Warren...................... 0.58 11.61 1.58 1.62 15.39
Indiana:
Dearborn.................... 6.24 1.58 0.27 0.07 8.16
Kentucky:
Boone....................... 0.90 4.88 0.73 0.81 7.32
Campbell.................... 0.23 1.35 0.21 0.35 2.14
Kenton.......................... 0.35 2.45 0.41 0.74 3.95
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total................... 11.75 69.90 12.59 11.47 105.71
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Table 14--Cincinnati-OH-KY-IN Area Typical Summer Day NOX Emissions for Maintenance Year 2037
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State (county) Point Area Nonroad On-road Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ohio:
Butler...................... 9.06 1.79 1.17 1.47 13.49
Clermont.................... 5.85 0.77 0.84 0.89 8.35
Clinton..................... 0.00 0.26 0.25 0.12 0.63
Hamilton.................... 5.28 3.83 3.31 3.85 16.27
Warren...................... 0.18 0.93 1.09 1.68 3.88
Indiana:
Dearborn.................... 1.51 0.19 0.17 0.09 1.96
Kentucky:
Boone....................... 0.34 0.32 0.31 0.97 1.94
Campbell.................... 0.16 0.32 0.15 0.26 0.89
Kenton...................... 0.16 0.56 0.20 0.76 1.68
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total................... 22.54 8.97 7.49 10.09 49.09
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 15--Change in Typical Summer Day VOC and NOX Emissions in the Cincinnati Area Between 2016 and 2037
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOC NOX
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net change Net change
2016 2037 (2016-2037) 2016 2037 (2016-2037)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ohio Portion of the Area
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point.............................. 4.17 4.03 -0.14 45.74 20.37 -25.37
Area............................... 56.89 59.64 2.75 9.49 7.58 -1.91
Nonroad............................ 15.27 10.97 -4.30 14.09 6.66 -7.43
On-road............................ 23.36 9.50 -13.86 51.06 8.01 -43.05
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.......................... 99.69 84.14 -15.55 120.38 42.62 -77.76
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 6522]]
Entire Area
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point.............................. 13.38 11.75 -1.63 58.92 22.54 -36.38
Area............................... 65.80 69.90 4.10 11.90 8.97 -2.93
Nonroad............................ 17.39 12.59 -4.80 15.60 7.49 -8.11
On-road............................ 27.30 11.47 -15.83 64.90 10.09 -54.81
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total.......................... 123.87 105.71 -18.16 151.32 49.09 -102.23
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IV. Motor Vehicle Emission Budgets
EPA is finding adequate and approving motor vehicle emission
budgets for use to determine transportation conformity in the Columbus,
Cleveland-Akron-Lorain, and Cincinnati areas. Detailed information on
the transportation conformity program and the EPA's reasons for
proposing approval can be found in our May 19, 2025 (90 FR 21254),
proposed approval of Ohio's second maintenance plans for the 2008 ozone
NAAQS. NO<INF>X</INF> and VOC Budgets for the last year of the
maintenance periods for the Columbus area (2036), the Cleveland-Akron-
Lorain area (2037), and the Cincinnati area (2037) are included in
Table 16.
Updates to emission inventories in the point, area, and nonroad
sectors result in updates to each area's safety margins. The Columbus
area is projected to have a safety margin of 40.96 tpd for
NO<INF>X</INF> and 14.51 tpd for VOC in 2036 (Table 9). The Cleveland-
Akron-Lorain area is projected to have a safety margin of 82.05 tpd for
NO<INF>X</INF> and 35.07 tpd for VOC in 2037 (Table 12). The Cincinnati
area is projected to have a safety margin of 102.23 tpd for
NO<INF>X</INF> and 18.16 tpd for VOC in 2037 (Table 15). As shown in
Table 16, the portions of each area's safety margins allocated to the
mobile source sector are still less than each area's entire available
safety margins.
Table 16--Maintenance Year Budgets for the Columbus Area (2036), Cleveland-Akron-Lorain Area (2037), and
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Area (2037)
[Tons/day (tpd)]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maintenance year Maintenance year
estimated on-road mobile safety Maintenance year
emissions margin allocation budgets
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Columbus Area:
VOC................................................ 11.95 1.79 13.74
NOX................................................ 6.60 0.99 7.59
Cleveland-Akron-Lorain Area:
VOC................................................ 12.81 1.92 14.73
NOX................................................ 10.64 1.60 12.24
Ohio and Indiana Portions of Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Area:
VOC................................................ 9.57 1.44 11.01
NOX................................................ 8.10 1.22 9.32
Kentucky Portion of Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Area:
VOC................................................ 1.90 0.29 2.19
NOX................................................ 1.99 0.30 2.29
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
V. What action is the EPA taking?
The EPA is approving the second maintenance plans for the 2008
ozone NAAQS submitted by Ohio EPA on November 6, 2024, as revisions to
the Ohio SIP. These second maintenance plans are designed to keep the
Columbus area in attainment of the 2008 ozone NAAQS through 2036, the
Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area in attainment of the 2008 ozone NAAQS
through 2037, and the Cincinnati area in attainment of the 2008 ozone
NAAQS through 2037. The EPA is finding adequate and approving the newly
established Budgets for the Columbus, Cleveland-Akron-Lorain, and Ohio
portion of the Cincinnati maintenance areas.
VI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP
submission that complies with the provisions of the CAA and applicable
Federal regulations. 42 U.S.C. 7410(k); 40 CFR 52.02(a). Thus, in
reviewing SIP submissions, the EPA's role is to approve State choices,
provided that they meet the criteria of the CAA. Accordingly, this
action merely approves State law as meeting Federal requirements and
does not impose additional requirements beyond those imposed by State
law. For that reason, this action:
<bullet> Is not a significant regulatory action subject to review
by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Order 12866 (58
FR 51735, October 4, 1993);
<bullet> Is not subject to Executive Order 14192 (90 FR 9065,
February 6, 2025) because SIP actions are exempt from review under
Executive Order 12866;
[[Page 6523]]
<bullet> Does not impose an information collection burden under the
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.);
<bullet> Is certified as not having a significant economic impact
on a substantial number of small entities under the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
<bullet> Does not contain any unfunded mandate or significantly or
uniquely affect small governments, as described in the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-4);
<bullet> Does not have federalism implications as specified in
Executive Order 13132 (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999);
<bullet> Is not subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 19885,
April 23, 1997) because it approves a State program;
<bullet> Is not a significant regulatory action subject to
Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, May 22, 2001); and
<bullet> Is not subject to requirements of section 12(d) of the
National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272
note) because application of those requirements would be inconsistent
with the Clean Air Act.
In addition, the SIP is not approved to apply on any Indian
reservation land or in any other area where the EPA or an Indian Tribe
has demonstrated that a Tribe has jurisdiction. In those areas of
Indian country, the rule does not have Tribal implications and will not
impose substantial direct costs on Tribal governments or preempt Tribal
law as specified by Executive Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9,
2000).
This action is subject to the Congressional Review Act, and the EPA
will submit a rule report to each House of the Congress and to the
Comptroller General of the United States. This action is not a ``major
rule'' as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
Under section 307(b)(1) of the CAA, petitions for judicial review
of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for
the appropriate circuit by April 13, 2026. Filing a petition for
reconsideration by the Administrator of this final rule does not affect
the finality of this action for the purposes of judicial review nor
does it extend the time within which a petition for judicial review may
be filed, and shall not postpone the effectiveness of such rule or
action. This action may not be challenged later in proceedings to
enforce its requirements. (See section 307(b)(2).)
List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52
Environmental protection, Air pollution control, Incorporation by
reference, Intergovernmental relations, Nitrogen oxides, Ozone,
Volatile organic compounds.
Dated: February 3, 2026.
Cheryl L. Newton,
Acting Regional Administrator, Region 5.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, title 40 CFR part 52 is
amended as follows:
PART 52--APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
0
1. The authority citation for part 52 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.
0
2. In Sec. 52.1870, the table in paragraph e is amended under the
heading ``Summary of Criteria Pollutant Maintenance Plan'' by adding
three entries for ``Ozone (8-Hour, 2008)'' before the entry for ``Ozone
(8-Hour, 2015)'' to read as follows:
Sec. 52.1870 dentification of plan.
* * * * *
(e) * * *
EPA-Approved Ohio Nonregulatory and Quasi-Regulatory Provisions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applicable
Title geographical or non- State date EPA approval Comments
attainment area
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary of Criteria Pollutant Maintenance Plan
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * *
Ozone (8-Hour, 2008)............. Cincinnati (Butler, 11/6/2024 2/12/2026, 91 FR 2nd maintenance
Clermont, Clinton, [INSERT FEDERAL plan. Conformity
Hamilton, and REGISTER PAGE WHERE Budgets 2037 [tons/
Warren Counties). THE DOCUMENT day] Ohio and
BEGINS]. Indiana: VOC 11.01;
NOX 9.32
Ozone (8-Hour, 2008)............. Cleveland-Akron- 11/6/2024 2/12/2026, 91 FR 2nd maintenance
Lorain (Ashtabula, [INSERT FEDERAL plan. Conformity
Cuyahoga, Geauga, REGISTER PAGE WHERE Budgets 2037 [tons/
Lake, Lorain, THE DOCUMENT day] VOC 14.73; NOX
Medina, Portage, BEGINS]. 12.24
and Summit
Counties).
Ozone (8-Hour, 2008)............. Columbus (Delaware, 11/6/2024 2/12/2026, 91 FR 2nd maintenance
Fairfield, [INSERT FEDERAL plan. Conformity
Franklin, Knox, REGISTER PAGE WHERE Budgets 2036 [tons/
Licking, and THE DOCUMENT day] VOC 13.74; NOX
Madison Counties). BEGINS]. 7.59
* * * * * * *
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 6524]]
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2026-02822 Filed 2-11-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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