State Implementation Plans

Federal law designates six air pollutants as criteria contaminants, requiring special measures to limit their presence in the nation's air. The six criteria contaminants are sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, particulate matter less than 2.5 microns (micrometers) in size, and lead.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) designates as nonattainment areas those parts of the country where the air exceeds the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for one of the six criteria contaminants. State Implementation Plans (SIPs) set out control strategies to reduce air pollution in nonattainment areas. EPA requires states to adopt SIPs for all nonattainment areas, and periodically to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies prescribed in each SIP.

At the present time, New York is under mandate to develop SIPs to address ozone and fine particulates less than 2.5 microns in size. New York is also developing state plans for the requirements of the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR), New Source Review (NSR), and regional haze.

Mobile and Stationary Source Planning

Mobile Sources: DEC uses air quality modeling to generate baseline and projection inventories of pollutants. Based on these inventories, the department can devise control strategies for on-road and off-road vehicles and other mobile sources. The control strategies are used in State Implementation planning for carbon and nitrogen oxides and other pollutants that typically come from mobile sources. A key element of the SIP for mobile sources is the Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program.

Stationary sources: To develop control strategies for pollutants from facilities and other stationary sources, DEC constructs statewide emissions inventories. Stationary source emissions inventories are based on actual emission data from major regulated facilities, and calculated emissions from minor stationary sources (US EPA has established area source procedures for these calculations).

More about State Implementation Plans:

New York Metropolitan Area Carbon Monoxide Limited Maintenance Plan for 2012-2022 - DEC is requesting that EPA parallel process the approval of the enclosed limited maintenance plan for CO for the NYMA. This SIP revision is also being noticed for public review and comment.
PM10 SIP Withdrawal and Clean Data Request - DEC is hereby withdrawing its SIP for the NY County nonattainment area for the 1987 PM10 NAAQS and the associated request for redesignation of the nonattainment area.
Redesignation Request & Maintenance Plan for the 1997 Annual and 2006 24-Hour PM2.5 NAAQS - The Department is formally requesting that EPA redesignate the NY portion of the NY-NJ-CT PM2.5 nonattainment area to attainment for the 1997 annual and 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS.
New York Metropolitan Area Carbon Monoxide SIP Revision Proposal - DEC wishes to move forward with the SIP revision and submits the July 17, 2007 public hearing records and DEC's response to comments received during the public comment period. DEC is also submitting monitoring data for 2007 through 2011.
NYS Final Implementation Plan for Regional Haze - developed as required by 40 CFR Sections 51.308 to meet the requirements of the EPA's Regional Haze rules under the requirements set forth in the Clean Air Act.
Revision to Implementation Plan for New Source Review for New and Modified Facilities (6 NYCRR Part 231), October 12, 2011 - amends existing NNSR and NSR (PSD) program requirements. Specifically, this SIP revision request is comprised of the rule changes to Parts 231, 201, and 200.
2008 Lead NAAQS Infrastructure Assessment, October 13, 2011 - content of a letter and associated attachment sent to the Regional Administrator at the USEPA on October 13, 2011.
Updated Recommendations for 2008 Ozone NAAQS Nonattainment Areas, October 26, 2011 - NYS' revised designation recommendation that now considers certified monitoring data through 2010.
NY-N. NJ-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT Nonattainment Area Clean Data Petition for the 1997 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS, June 16, 2011 - The Department petitions EPA to make a determination that NYMA has attained both the 1990 1-hour ozone NAAQS of 0.12 ppm and the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS of 0.08 ppm. The Department also requests removal of NYS from the Section 185 fee program.
Clean Data Petition for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS, May 5, 2011 - The Department petitions EPA to make a binding determination that the NYS portion of the NY-N. NJ-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area has attained the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 standard of 35 µg/m3.
Revision to the SIP for the NY Metropolitan Area Enhanced I/M Program (June 2009), February 15, 2011 - Revisions to NYS' motor vehicle I/M regulations Part 217, Motor Vehicle Emissions, and 15 NYCRR Part 79, Motor Vehicle Inspection, were adopted to end the NYTEST I/M program on December 31, 2010.
Submittal of State Implementation Plan Revisions For Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) Variances, January 31, 2011 - The Department is submitting to EPA a collection of RACT variances for gasoline dispensing sites.
Submittal of Single-Source State Implementation Plan Revisions, August 30, 2010 - The Department is submitting to EPA a collection of single-source RACT determinations. These RACT determinations for emissions of NOx and VOC from 14 facilities within NYS require EPA approval as SIP revisions.
New York State Implementation Plan for Ozone, August 19, 2010 - To request expedited approval by the EPA of a revision to the SIP for the Attainment and Maintenance of the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard.
Submittal of Single-Source State Implementation Plan Revisions, September 16, 2008 - The Department is submitting to EPA a collection of single-source RACT determinations. These RACT determinations for NOx and VOC emissions from 34 facilities within NYS require EPA approval as SIP revisions.
Clean Data Petition, 1997 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS Nonattainment Areas - Poughkeepsie, NY; Buffalo - Niagara Falls, NY; Jamestown, NY - July 31, 2009 Letter to EPA
Final Revision - PM2.5 (Annual NAAQS): NY Metropolitan Area - Letter transmitting proposed revision to EPA.
Proposed Regional Haze - State Implementation Plan for Regional Haze
Interstate Transport of PM2.5 Under Section 110(a)(2)(D)(i) and Infrastructure Assessment under Sections 110(a)(1) and (2) of the Clean Air Act - addresses EPA requirements pertaining to the NAAQS for PM2.5
Proposed Air Pollution Episode Alert Criteria - revised air quality thresholds and emergency contact information
Recommendations for 2008 Lead NAAQS - NYS designation recommendations for the 2008 Lead NAAQS (0.15 ppm) submitted to EPA on October 15, 2009
New York Metropolitan Area Enhanced I/M Program - June 2009 - outlines several proposed changes to NY's enhanced I/M programs operating within the 9-county NY Metropolitan Area (NYMA).
Recommendations for 24-Hour Fine Particle (PM2.5) Nonattainment Area - New York State's recommendations for designations for the 24-Hour PM2.5 NAAQS.
Recommendations for 2008 Ozone NAAQS Nonattainment Areas - NYS designation recommendations for the 2008 Ozone NAAQS (0.075 ppm) submitted to EPA on March 12, 2009
Ozone (8-Hour NAAQS) Attainment Demonstration for Poughkeepsie, NY Area - Final Proposed Revision - Proposed Revision February 2008
Ozone (8-Hour NAAQS) Attainment Demonstration for NY Metro Area - Final Proposed Revision - Proposed Revision February 2008
Vehicle Inspection Program - New York's motor vehicle Inspection and Maintenance program remains crucial in achieving New York's air quality goals.
Assessing and Mitigating Impacts of Fine Particulate Matter Emissions (PM2.5) - Certain projects regulated by the Department of Environmental Conservation have the potential to emit fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, in quantities that could have a potential for significant adverse health and/or environmental impacts.
Oxygenate Waiver Request - The Divison of Air Resources petitioned the USEPA to grant a waiver from the oxygenate requirement in gasoline sold in NYC.
New York State's Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) Rule (Part 249) - The Regional Haze BART Rule
Policy DAR-7: Procedures for Exemptions, Part 235 - This policy describes the procedure to grant or obtain an exemption from the applicable consumer and commercial products percent volatile organic compound(s) (VOC) by weight content limits for innovative products