EPA Publishes Air Quality Designations for the 2015 Ozone NAAQS

In the November 16, 2017 Federal Register the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final rule establishing initial air quality designations for most areas of the United States, including most areas of Indian country, for the 2015 primary and secondary national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone. EPA designated 2,646 countries, including Indian Country located in those counties, two separate areas of Indian Country, and five territories as Attainment/Unclassifiable and three counties as Unclassifiable. The final rule is effective on January 16, 2018. In October of 2015, EPA lowered the primary and secondary NAAQS for ozone to 0.070 ppm from the previous level of 0.075 ppm.