HGB: Latest Ozone Planning Activities

Last updated: 4/23/2013

HGB 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard Nonattainment Area MVEB Update SIP Revision

On April 23, 2013, the commission adopted the HGB 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard Nonattainment Area Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets (MVEB) Update State Implementation Plan (SIP) Revision. This SIP revision updates the March 2010 HGB attainment demonstration and reasonable further progress (RFP) SIP revisions for the 1997 eight-hour ozone standard by replacing the on-road mobile source emissions inventories for nitrogen oxides (NO_X) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) based on the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) MOBILE model with those based on the EPA’s Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) model. The 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2018 NO_X and VOC MVEBs and the contingency analyses are also updated using the MOVES-based emissions inventories. Updated on-road inventories and emissions analysis based on the EPA’s August 30, 2012 vehicle miles traveled offset guidance and a modified version of the MOVES model, MOVES2010bROP, demonstrate compliance with Federal Clean Air Act requirements for transportation control measures in severe nonattainment areas. A review of emissions inventory data, photochemical modeling, and the quantitative and qualitative corroborative analyses used as weight of evidence in this SIP revision supports the March 2010 HGB attainment demonstration. This SIP revision meets the primary obligation of the mid-course review commitment in the March 2010 HGB attainment demonstration by demonstrating that the outstanding 3% contingency requirement is fulfilled.

A public hearing on this SIP revision was offered in Houston on November 19, 2012; however, the hearing was not opened because no one signed in to speak. The public comment period opened on October 19, 2012 and closed on November 26, 2012. The commission received comments from the EPA and Baker Botts L.L.P. on behalf of the 8-Hour Ozone SIP Coalition. (Project No. 2012-002-SIP-NR)

• 2013 HGB MVEB Update SIP Narrative, including Response to Comments
• Appendices
• Appendix A: Evaluation of On-Road Mobile Source Emissions Developed with the MOVES2010a Model Replacing Emissions Developed with the MOBILE6.2 Model for the HGB Attainment Demonstration SIP Revision for the 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard, Adopted March 10, 2010
• Appendix B: Comparison of Modeling Using MOVES2010a with Modeling Using MOBILE6.2 for the HGB Attainment Demonstration SIP Revision for the 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard, Adopted March 10, 2010
• Appendix C: Revisions to Appendix 1, HGB Reasonable Further Progress Demonstration Calculations Spreadsheet, Adopted March 10, 2010
• Appendix D: Revisions to Appendix 9, Houston-Galveston-Brazoria 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area Reasonable Further Progress On-Road Mobile Source Emissions Inventories, Adopted March 10, 2010
• Appendix E: Houston-Galveston-Brazoria 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Nonattainment Area Vehicle Miles Traveled Offset On-Road Mobile Source Emissions Inventories Analysis

HGB RACT Analysis Update SIP Revision Adopted December 7, 2011

On December 7, 2011, the commission adopted the HGB Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) Analysis Update SIP Revision for the 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard to include Control Techniques Guidelines (CTG) documents that were not addressed in the March 2010 HGB Attainment Demonstration SIP revision for the 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard. This SIP revision also incorporated CTG-related rulemaking for the HGB area (Project No. 2012-028-SIP-NR)

HGB Attainment Demonstration and Reasonable Further Progress SIP Revisions Adopted March 10, 2010

On March 10, 2010, the commission adopted two revisions to the Texas SIP for the HGB nonattainment area for the 1997 eight-hour ozone standard: the HGB Attainment Demonstration SIP Revision for the 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard and the HGB Reasonable Further Progress SIP Revision for the 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard. The commission also adopted associated rule projects revising 30 Texas Administrative Code, Chapters 101 and 115, which address cap integrity in the Mass Emissions Cap and Trade (MECT) program, a cap reduction and allowance reallocation for the Highly Reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (HRVOC) Emissions Cap and Trade (HECT) program, and an update to CTGs for VOC used in offset printing. (Project Nos. 2009-017-SIP-NR/2009-018-SIP-NR)

For more information on these SIP revisions, including downloadable Portable Document Format (PDF) documents, please visit the SIP Revisions: Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, March 10, 2010, and December 7, 2011 Web page.