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In December 2002, Northeast Texas entered into an Early Action Compact (EAC) agreement with the EPA to address 8- hour ozone attainment under an accelerated schedule. Currently the area is developing the technical analyses required for the EAC through mid-2004. Future activities will continue to support the EAC and monitoring the progress of the region in improving compliance with ozone air quality standards.
Early Action Compacts
In December 2002, three near-nonattainment areas in Texas entered into Early Action Compacts (EACs) with the TCEQ and the EPA: Austin-San Marcos (AUS), San Antonio (SA), and Northeast Texas (NET). Although the EAC process will eventually result in the development of State Implementation Plans (SIPs) for these three areas, this process differs enough from the typical SIP development process to warrant further explanation.
EACs call for "early" SIPs and associated controls coupled with a deferral of the effective date of future EPA ozone non-attainment designations. The EACs provide a voluntary mechanism to meet the ozone standard by 2007 - cleaner air faster. As an inducement for the state to develop a plan to attain the ozone standard on an accelerated schedule, EPA will defer the non-attainment designations that was made for traditional ozone non-attainment areas on April 15, 2004.
Counties that continue to meet the EAC deadlines and attain the ozone standard by 2007 will not be subjected to the EPA "growth restrictions" that apply in traditional non-attainment areas.
Areas that have worked to address air quality problems through an Early Action Compact (EAC) include the following: San Antonio, Austin, and East Texas (Tyler and Longview). Only San Antonio was found to have violations of the 8-hour ozone standard. The non-attainment status for the San Antonio area is deferred while the area continues to develop effective voluntary programs. State Implementation Plans outlining control strategy and voluntary programs for each of the three EAC areas will be proposed by the TCEQ in July 2004.
Early Action Compact (EAC) SIPs were sent to EPA by December 31, 2004.
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| Page Updated/Reviewed: 02/07/2006 11:41 AM |
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© 2005 - 2008 Texas Environmental Research Consortium
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