Rule2026-09613
Air Plan Approval; Illinois; Moderate Attainment Plan Elements for the Chicago and Metro East Areas for the 2015 Ozone Standard
Primary source
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Published
May 14, 2026
Effective
June 15, 2026
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving portions of Illinois' 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS or standard) Moderate nonattainment area State Implementation Plan (SIP) submittal for the Chicago and the Metro East St. Louis areas. The portions being approved are the reasonable further progress (RFP) demonstration, including the associated motor vehicle emissions budgets for 2023; the motor vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) program; the nonattainment new source review (NNSR) program; and the updated 2017 base year emissions inventories. The EPA is approving these portions of the State's SIP submittal pursuant to section 110 and part D of the Clean Air Act (CAA), and the EPA's regulations. The EPA is also finding adequate and approving the 2023 motor vehicle emissions budgets (budgets) for the Chicago and Metro East St. Louis Moderate ozone nonattainment RFP demonstration included in this SIP submittal. The EPA proposed to approve this action on February 12, 2026, and received no adverse comments.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 93 (Thursday, May 14, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 93 (Thursday, May 14, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 27207-27209]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-09613]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 52
[EPA-R05-OAR-2024-0617; EPA-R05-OAR-2024-0618; FRL-13163-02-R5]
Air Plan Approval; Illinois; Moderate Attainment Plan Elements
for the Chicago and Metro East Areas for the 2015 Ozone Standard
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving
portions of Illinois' 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard
(NAAQS or standard) Moderate nonattainment area State Implementation
Plan (SIP) submittal for the Chicago and the Metro East St. Louis
areas. The portions being approved are the reasonable further progress
(RFP) demonstration, including the associated motor vehicle emissions
budgets for 2023; the motor vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M)
program; the nonattainment new source review (NNSR) program; and the
updated 2017 base year emissions inventories. The EPA is approving
these portions of the State's SIP submittal pursuant to section 110 and
part D of the Clean Air Act (CAA), and the EPA's regulations. The EPA
is also finding adequate and approving the 2023 motor vehicle emissions
budgets (budgets) for the Chicago and Metro East St. Louis Moderate
ozone nonattainment RFP demonstration included in this SIP submittal.
The EPA proposed to approve this action on February 12, 2026, and
received no adverse comments.
DATES: This final rule is effective on June 15, 2026.
ADDRESSES: The EPA has established a docket for this action under
Docket ID No. EPA-R05-OAR-2024-0617 or EPA-R05-OAR-2024-0618. 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 please contact
the person identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section
for additional information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicole Naber, Air and Radiation
Division (AR18J), Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, 77 West
Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, telephone number: (312)
886-6609, email address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6f010e0d0a1d4101060c00030a2f0a1f0e41080019"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5a343b383f287434333935363f1a3f2a3b743d352c">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Throughout this document whenever ``we,''
``us,'' or ``our'' is used, we mean the EPA.
[[Page 27208]]
I. Background Information
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA)
submitted SIP revisions on December 18, 2024, to address Moderate area
requirements for the Chicago and Metro East areas under the 2015 ozone
NAAQS. These submittals contained several nonattainment plan elements,
including an updated 2017 base year emissions inventory for volatile
organic compounds (VOC) and oxides of nitrogen (NO<INF>X</INF>), a 15%
RFP plan with 2023 VOC and NO<INF>X</INF> motor vehicle emissions
budgets, an I/M program certification, and an NNSR certification. The
submittals also included an attainment demonstration, a reasonably
available control measures demonstration, and contingency measures,
which are not being addressed in this action. Illinois' SIP submittals
and associated supporting documents are available in the docket for
this action. On February 12, 2026 (91 FR 6568), the EPA proposed to
approve portions of Illinois' attainment plan SIP revision request,
dated December 18, 2024, pursuant to section 110 and part D of CAA. 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 and will not be restated here. The
public comment period for this proposed rule ended on March 16, 2026.
The EPA received no comments on the proposal; therefore, we are
finalizing our action as proposed.
II. Final Action
The EPA is approving portions of Illinois' attainment plan SIP
revision request, dated December 18, 2024, pursuant to section 110 and
part D of CAA. The EPA is approving Illinois' updated 2017 base year
emissions inventory, RFP demonstration including 2023 budgets, I/M
certification, and NNSR requirements of the CAA for the Chicago and
Metro East nonattainment areas for the 2015 ozone NAAQS. The EPA is
also finding adequate and approving the 2023 motor vehicle emissions
budgets for the Chicago and Metro East St. Louis Moderate ozone
nonattainment areas included in this SIP submittal.
III. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
Under the CAA, the Administrator is required to approve a SIP
submittal 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 submittals, 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 an Executive Order 14192 (90 FR 9065, February 6,
2025) regulatory action because this action is not significant under
Executive Order 12866;
<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 CAA.
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 July 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,
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Volatile organic compounds.
Dated: May 4, 2026.
Anne Vogel,
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.
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2. In Sec. 52.720, amend the table in paragraph (e):
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a. Adding a new entry for ``Ozone (8-hour, 2015) Nonattainment New
Source Review Requirements'' before the entry for ``Regional haze
plan'';
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b. Under ``Emission Inventories'' by revising the entry for ``Emission
Inventory-2017 (2015 8-hour ozone)''; and
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c. Under ``Moderate Area & Above Ozone Requirements'' by adding an
entry for ``2015 8-hour Ozone Moderate Planning Elements'' after the
entry for ``2008 8-hour Ozone Serious Planning Elements''.
The additions and revision read as follows:
Sec. 52.720 Identification of plan.
* * * * *
(e) * * *
[[Page 27209]]
EPA-Approved Illinois Nonregulatory and Quasi-Regulatory Provisions
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Applicable State
Name of SIP provision geographic or submittal EPA approval date Comments
nonattainment area date
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* * * * * * *
Ozone (8-hour, 2015) Chicago and St. 10/09/2024 5/14/2026, 91 FR ....................
Nonattainment New Source Review Louis areas. [INSERT FEDERAL
Requirements. REGISTER PAGE WHERE
THE DOCUMENT
BEGINS].
* * * * * * *
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Emissions Inventories
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* * * * * * *
Emissions inventory--2017 (2015 8- Chicago and St. 10/09/2024 5/14/2026, 91 FR ....................
hour ozone). Louis areas. [INSERT FEDERAL
REGISTER PAGE WHERE
THE DOCUMENT
BEGINS].
* * * * * * *
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Moderate Area & Above Ozone Requirements
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* * * * * * *
2015 8-hour Ozone Moderate Chicago and St. 10/09/2024 5/14/2026, 91 FR 2023 VOC and NOX
Planning Elements. Louis areas. [INSERT FEDERAL Motor Vehicle
REGISTER PAGE WHERE Emissions Budgets,
THE DOCUMENT Motor Vehicle
BEGINS]. Inspection and
Maintenance Program
certification.
* * * * * * *
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[FR Doc. 2026-09613 Filed 5-13-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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