Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Virginia; Removal of Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) Trading Programs

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Virginia (Virginia). The revision requests EPA remove from the Virginia SIP regulations from the Virginia Administrative Code that established trading programs under the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR). The EPA- administered trading programs under CAIR were discontinued on December 31, 2014, upon the implementation of the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR), which was promulgated by EPA to replace CAIR. CSAPR established federal trading programs for sources in multiple states, including Virginia, that replace the CAIR state and federal trading programs. The submitted SIP revision requests removal of state regulations that implemented the CAIR annual nitrogen oxides (NOX), ozone season NOX, and annual sulfur dioxide (SO2) trading programs from the Virginia SIP (as CSAPR has replaced CAIR). EPA is approving the SIP revision in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).