Notice of Proposed Ozone Attainment Demonstration SIP Revision

NJ DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AIR, ENERGY, AND MATERIALS SUSTAINABILITY

DIVISION OF AIR QUALITY AND RADIATION PROTECTION

 

Notice of Proposed State Implementation Plan (SIP) Revision:

2015 70 ppb 8-Hour Ozone Attainment Demonstration, Moderate Classification, Northern New Jersey-New York-Connecticut Nonattainment Area and Southern New Jersey-Pennsylvania-Delaware-Maryland Nonattainment Area

Take notice that the State of New Jersey is proposing a revision to its State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the Attainment and Maintenance of the 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

The primary purpose of this SIP is to address the Clean Air Act (CAA) attainment demonstration requirements for New Jersey’s multi-state Northern New Jersey-New York-Connecticut (NJ-NY-CT) and Southern New Jersey-Pennsylvania-Delaware-Maryland (NJ-PA-DE-MD) Nonattainment Areas for its moderate classifications for the 2015 70 ppb 8-hour ozone NAAQS.

This proposed SIP also includes for inclusion in New Jersey’s SIP the New Jersey rules adopted on December 2, 2022, at 7:27F-2 that set new Electric Generating Unit (EGU) emission limits starting June 1, 2024, and New Jersey rules adopted on December 2, 2022, at 7:27F-3 that ban #4 and #6 fuel oil, with a compliance date in 2025.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection intends to submit the final SIP to the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a revision to New Jersey’s State Implementation Plan in accordance with CAA requirements for ozone nonattainment areas.

A copy of the Department’s proposed SIP revision is available on the Department’s website at NJDEP| Air Planning | State Implementation Plan (SIP) Dashboard.

A public hearing concerning the Department’s proposed SIP revision will be conducted only if requested in writing by June 24, 2024.  If no request for a public hearing is received, the hearing will be cancelled by a notice posted on the Department’s website at NJDEP| Air Planning | State Implementation Plan (SIP) Dashboard.  If a public hearing is requested, it will be held virtually on July 15, 2024, at 10:00am.  If you are interested in joining the virtual public hearing, please email the Department at NJDEP-BAQP@njdepwptest.net with your contact information (name, telephone number, and email address) and whether you intend to provide oral testimony or not. The Department can then send you a link to a Microsoft Teams meeting, with a separate option for a telephone call-in line (for those without access to a computer that can connect to Microsoft Teams) and hearing guidelines.  The link to the public hearing, telephone call-in number and hearing guidelines will also be posted on the Department’s website at:  NJDEP| Air Planning | State Implementation Plan (SIP) Dashboard .  Note that this virtual public hearing will be recorded.

Written comments may be submitted by close of business, July 17, 2024.  Please email comment(s) as a document attachment to: NJDEP-BAQP@njdepwptest.net and include a subject line as follows: “Ozone AD SIP 2024-1” in the subject line of the e-mail.

If you have any questions about this notice, you can email your questions to NJDEP-BAQP@njdepwptest.net or call the Bureau of Evaluation and Planning at (609) 292-6722.