July 12: The public hearing to discuss the State Implementation Plan Submittals for Chicago and Metro-East Ozone and PM2.5 Nonattainment Areas has been cancelled.

July 8:  The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Bureau of Air is accepting public comments on proposed revisions of the Maintenance Plans related to the 1997 8-hour ozone and PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and the associated draft motor vehicle emissions budgets.  The Maintenance Plans contain the State’s plans for maintaining the 8-hour ozone and PM2.5 NAAQS for at least 10 years after the U.S. EPA redesignates the areas to attainment.  Illinois EPA is proposing to revise the Maintenance Plans for the Chicago and Metro-East Ozone Nonattainment Areas and the Chicago PM2.5 Nonattainment Area to extend the maintenance period until 2025, and to establish new motor vehicle emissions budgets for the years 2008 and 2025.  When final, the Illinois EPA will submit the revised Maintenance Plans and the motor vehicle emissions budgets to the U.S. EPA as SIP revisions to meet the requirements of the federal Clean Air Act (CAA). 

The Illinois EPA will accept written comments on the revisions to the Maintenance Plans.  The written comments must be postmarked by August 8, 2011, and sent to Illinois EPA, Dean Studer - Hearing Officer, Mail Code #5, 1021 N. Grand Ave. E., P.O. Box 19276, Springfield, IL 62794-9276, 217/558-8280.  If a timely request for a Public Hearing is received by August 11, 2011, a hearing will be held on August 18, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. in the Sangamo Room at the Illinois EPA’s Headquarters at 1021 N. Grand Ave. East, Springfield, Illinois, and the written public comment period will be extended to September 16, 2011.  The Public Hearing will be cancelled unless a written request for a Public Hearing is received by the Illinois EPA by U.S. Mail, carrier mail, or hand delivered by August 11, 2011.  Verification or cancellation of the Public Hearing will be posted on August 12, 2011 on Illinois EPA’s website at: http://www.epa.state.il.us/public-notices/. 

• Public Notice
• 8-Hour Ozone Chicago Maintenance Plan
• 8-Hour Ozone Metro-East Maintenance Plan
• PM2.5 Chicago Maintenance Plan

June 3, 2011: Illinois' Recommendations for Sulfur Dioxide Nonattainment Areas
The Illinois EPA submitted recommendations to the USEPA regarding the areas of the state to be designated non-attainment for sulfur dioxide, a criteria air pollutant. USEPA significantly tightened the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for sulfur dioxide in 2010. The Clean Air Act directs states to recommend nonattainment designations to USEPA by June 3, 2011. USEPA can accept or modify the states recommendations and must promulgate final designations by June 3, 2012.

The Illinois EPA has recommended that four areas in Illinois are not meeting the air quality standard for sulfur dioxide and should be designated as nonattainment: La Salle County (La Salle Township); Tazewell County (Pekin and Cincinnati Townships); Cook and Will Counties (Lemont Township in Cook County; and Lockport and DuPage Townships in Will County); and Madison County (Chouteau and Wood River Townships). The Illinois EPA also recommended that all other areas of the state be classified as unclassifiable until more information is available about their attainment status.

Illinois EPA’s recommendation letter to USEPA is available here. Illinois EPA’s technical document, which supports the recommendations, is available here. For copy of Illinois EPA’s recent presentations at public meetings on this topic, click here.

June 1: Illinois Ambient Air MOnitoring Network Plan for 2012. Federal Regulation 40 CFR Part 58 Subpart B 58.10 requires Illinois to submit to USEPA an annual air monitoring network plan each calendar year. View the plan for 2012.