Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Maryland; Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) State Implementation Plan (SIP) Under the 2008 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland. The State of Maryland's SIP revision satisfies the volatile organic compound (VOC) reasonably available control technology (RACT) requirements under the 2008 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). The State of Maryland will address RACT for oxides of nitrogen (NOX) in another SIP submission. Maryland's RACT submittal for the 2008 ozone NAAQS includes (1) certification that previously adopted RACT controls in Maryland's SIP that were approved by EPA under the 1-hour ozone and 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS are based on the currently available technically and economically feasible controls, and that they continue to represent RACT; (2) a negative declaration demonstrating that no facilities exist in the state for the applicable control technique guideline (CTG) categories; and (3) adoption of new or more stringent RACT determinations. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).