Air Plan Approval; Virginia; Regional Haze Plan and Visibility for the 2010 SO2

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Virginia (the Commonwealth or Virginia) that changes reliance on the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) to reliance on the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) to address certain regional haze requirements. EPA's approval of this SIP revision would convert the Agency's limited approval/limited disapproval of Virginia's regional haze SIP to a full approval. EPA is also proposing to approve the visibility element of Virginia's infrastructure SIP submittals for the 2010 sulfur dioxide (SO2) and 2012 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). These proposed actions are supported by EPA's recent final determination that a state's participation in CSAPR continues to meet the Regional Haze Rule's (RHR) criteria to qualify as an alternative to the application of best available retrofit technology (BART). This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).