No word yet how this might affect the state of Oklahoma, but the EPA this week notified governors that it’s delaying for another year any decision on which areas of the U.S. don’t meet the 2015 ozone standards.
Letters were sent to Gov. Mary Fallin and others from EPA Chief Scott Pruitt who said he needs another year to consider the suggestions of the states. Pruitt told the governors there “is insufficient information” to act at this time.
Erin Hatfield, the Communications Director at the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality told OK Energy Today when asked how it might affect the state, “We don’t know yet. It’s unclear what they’re really proposing. This is pretty new.”
The National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ground-level ozone is an outdoor air regulation under the Clean Air Act.
The government’s in the process of determining which areas of the country are able to meet the current air quality standards. States have been submitting their proposals for area designations under the 70 parts per billion standard, a level that was lowered from 75 ppb in 2015.
Those areas that don’t meet the standards could face increased regulatory burdens, restrictions on infrastructure investment and increases costs to businesses, according to a release from the EPA.
So the Agency is giving states more time to develop air quality plans.