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El Paso: Latest Ozone Planning Activities

Latest events and activities related to the El Paso area’s compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone.

The SIP files on this page are hosted by the Texas Records and Information Locator (TRAIL) web archive . If you need assistance with a file, please contact siprules@tceq.texas.gov.

El Paso County International Transport 179B Demonstration

The TCEQ took public comment on a demonstration showing that El Paso County would have attained the 2015 eight-hour ozone NAAQS by the marginal attainment date of August 3, 2021 “but for” international contributions from neighboring Ciudad Juárez in Mexico. The federal Clean Air Act (FCAA), §179B(b) retrospective demonstration describes the technical analyses that support the TCEQ’s conclusion. Comments were accepted from December 17, 2021 through January 21, 2022. For more information on the demonstration and the comment process, please visit the 179B Demonstration for El Paso County webpage.

Withdrawal of the El Paso Redesignation Request and Maintenance Plan State Implementation Plan (SIP) Revision for the One-Hour Ozone NAAQS

On September 25, 2020, the commission approved the El Paso One-Hour Ozone Redesignation Request and Maintenance Plan SIP Withdrawal (Non-Rule Project No. 2020-040-SIP-NR). This action withdraws from the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) review, the El Paso Redesignation Request and Maintenance Plan SIP Revision for the One-Hour Ozone NAAQS, adopted by the commission on April 24, 2019.

El Paso Redesignation Request and Maintenance Plan SIP Revision for the One-Hour Ozone NAAQS

On April 24, 2019, the commission adopted the El Paso Redesignation Request and Maintenance Plan SIP Revision for the One-Hour Ozone NAAQS (Non-Rule Project No. 2018-029-SIP-NR). The SIP revision includes a request that the EPA redesignate the El Paso area (El Paso County) to attainment for the one-hour ozone NAAQS and provides a maintenance plan that will ensure the area remains in attainment of the NAAQS through 2032. The SIP revision includes a request that the EPA also consider this plan as a second 10-year maintenance plan for the one-hour ozone NAAQS.

Proposed El Paso Redesignation Request and Maintenance Plan SIP Revision for the One-Hour Ozone NAAQS

On January 16, 2019, the commission approved proposal of the El Paso Redesignation Request and Maintenance Plan SIP Revision for the One-Hour Ozone NAAQS (Non-Rule Project No. 2018-029-SIP-NR). The proposed SIP revision would include a request that the EPA redesignate the El Paso area (El Paso County) to attainment for the one-hour ozone NAAQS and provide a maintenance plan that will ensure the area remains in attainment of the NAAQS through 2032. The SIP revision would include a request that the EPA also consider this plan as a second 10-year maintenance plan for the one-hour ozone NAAQS.

The public comment period opened on January 18, 2019 and closed on February 20, 2019. A public hearing was held in El Paso on February 19, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at the TCEQ Regional Office, 401 E. Franklin Ave, Ste 560, Room 570, El Paso, TX.

El Paso County 1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Maintenance Plan SIP Revision

On April 15, 2004, the EPA designated El Paso County attainment (effective June 15, 2004) for the 1997 eight-hour ozone NAAQS of 0.08 ppm. The EPA’s Phase I Implementation Rule for the eight-hour ozone standard directed that areas designated nonattainment for the one-hour ozone standard but attainment for the eight-hour ozone standard submit a maintenance plan for the 1997 eight-hour ozone standard by June 15, 2007. The TCEQ submitted this eight-hour ozone maintenance plan to the EPA on January 20, 2006. The maintenance plan demonstrated that the area was attaining both the eight-hour and one-hour standards and would continue to attain the eight-hour standard through 2014. On January 15, 2009, the EPA proposed approval of the El Paso ozone maintenance SIP revision ( 74 FR 2387 ). The EPA did not receive any adverse comments regarding the maintenance plan approval, so the plan became effective on March 16, 2009. On October 20, 2010, the EPA published a final rule in the Federal Register ( 75 FR 64675 ), clarifying the EPA's approval of the 1997 eight-hour ozone maintenance plan.