Victoria: Ozone History

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2015 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard (2015 to Present)

On October 1, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the primary and secondary eight-hour ozone standards to 0.070 parts per million (ppm). The 2015 eight-hour ozone NAAQS became effective on December 28, 2015 ( 80 FR 65292 ). On November 16, 2017, EPA designated the majority of Texas, including Victoria County, as attainment/unclassifiable for the 2015 eight-hour ozone NAAQS with an effective date of January 16, 2018 ( 82 FR 54232 ).

2008 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard (2008 to Present)

On March 27, 2008, the EPA revised the primary and secondary eight-hour ozone standard to 0.075 ppm ( 73 FR 16436 ). On March 10, 2009, the governor recommended to the EPA that Victoria County be designated attainment for the 2008 eight-hour ozone standard (see the governor's letter to EPA region 6 ).

In September 2009, the EPA announced it would reconsider the 2008 NAAQS, and on January 19, 2010, EPA proposed to lower the primary ozone standard to a range of 0.060 to 0.070 ppm, and proposed a separate secondary standard based on cumulative seasonal average ozone concentrations. On September 2, 2011, President Obama announced that he had requested EPA withdraw the proposed reconsidered ozone standard.

In a memo dated September 22, 2011 , from EPA Assistant Administrator Gina McCarthy, EPA announced that it would proceed with initial area designations under the 2008 eight-hour ozone standard, starting with the recommendations states made in 2009 and updating them with the most current, certified air quality data (2008 through 2010).

On May 21, 2012, EPA published in the Federal Register final designations for the 2008 eight-hour ozone standard ( 77 FR 30088 ). Victoria County was designated attainment/unclassifiable under the 2008 eight-hour ozone NAAQS, effective July 20, 2012.

1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard (1997 to 2015)

Note: Effective April 6, 2015, the 1997 eight-hour ozone standard has been revoked in all areas, although some former 1997 eight-hour ozone nonattainment areas have continuing obligations to comply with the anti-backsliding requirements described in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §51.1100(o).

On April 30, 2004, EPA designated Victoria County attainment for the 1997 eight-hour ozone NAAQS with an effective date of June 15, 2004 ( 69 FR 23858 ). States with areas designated attainment for both the 1997 eight-hour ozone standard and the one-hour ozone standard with an approved one-hour maintenance plan were required to submit a ten-year maintenance plan for the 1997 eight-hour standard. On March 7, 2007, the commission approved the Victoria County Eight-Hour Ozone Maintenance Plan SIP revision , and it was submitted to EPA on March 22, 2007.

In early 2009, EPA Region 6 office informed TCEQ that to approve the 2007 Victoria County Eight-Hour Ozone Maintenance Plan SIP Revision the contingency plan had to be revised to contain an enforceable commitment to adopt and implement the contingency measures once triggered. On July 28, 2010, the commission adopted a SIP revision containing an amended contingency measures section, as required by EPA guidance. The amended contingency measures section provided a list of rules TCEQ may adopt and implement upon violation of the 1997 eight-hour ozone standard.

One-Hour Ozone Standard

Note: In 1997, the one-hour ozone standard was replaced by the more protective eight-hour ozone standard. The one-hour standard has been revoked in all areas, although some former one-hour ozone nonattainment areas have continuing obligations to comply with the anti-backsliding requirements described in 40 CFR 51.905(a).

Victoria County was originally designated nonattainment for the one-hour standard on March 3, 1978, based on six weeks of data at two sites. In January 1979, EPA revised the one-hour standard to 0.12 parts per million. EPA determined that Victoria County had violated the 0.12 ppm standard on one occasion. The 1990 federal Clean Air Act (FCAA) Amendments authorized EPA to designate areas failing to meet the ozone NAAQS. Victoria County was designated as an incomplete or no data ozone nonattainment area. The FCAA Amendments required unclassifiable nonattainment areas with incomplete or no data to collect three years of monitored data and to reach attainment by November 15, 1990. After the required monitoring was complete, Victoria County had a one-hour design value of 0.10 ppm, below the 0.12 ppm NAAQS. 

On July 27, 1994, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission adopted a Redesignation Petition and Maintenance Plan SIP revision for the Victoria County ozone nonattainment area. On March 7, 1995, EPA redesignated Victoria County as attainment for the one-hour ozone standard, effective May 8, 1995 ( 60 FR 12453 ). The state submitted a second maintenance plan to EPA on February 18, 2003, and EPA published a direct final rule approving the maintenance plan on January 3, 2005 ( 70 FR 53 ).

Comprehensive History of the Texas SIP

This SIP History gives a broad overview of the SIP revisions that have been submitted to EPA by the State of Texas. Some sections may be obsolete or superseded by new revisions but have been retained for the sake of historical completeness.