Air Plan Approval; Alabama; Cross-State Air Pollution Rule

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve portions of the October 26, 2015, and May 19, 2017, State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions from Alabama replacing the Cross- State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) federal implementation plan (FIP). Under CSAPR, large electricity generating units (EGUs) in Alabama are subject to FIP provisions requiring the units to participate in a federal allowance trading program for ozone season emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX). This action would approve into Alabama's SIP the State's regulations requiring Alabama's affected units to participate in a new state allowance trading program for ozone season NOX emissions integrated with the CSAPR federal trading programs, replacing the corresponding CSAPR FIP requirements for Alabama. This state trading program is substantively identical to the federal trading program except with regard to the provisions allocating emission allowances among Alabama units. Under the CSAPR regulations, final approval of these portions of the SIP revisions would automatically eliminate Alabama units' FIP requirements to participate in CSAPR's federal allowance trading program for ozone season NOX emissions. Approval would also fully satisfy Alabama's good neighbor obligation under the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) to prohibit emissions which will significantly contribute to nonattainment or interfere with maintenance of the 1997 8-hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in any other state; and would partially satisfy Alabama's good neighbor obligation under the CAA to prohibit emissions which will significantly contribute to nonattainment or interfere with maintenance of the 2008 8-hour Ozone NAAQS in any other state.