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Public Participation:
Serious Area PM2.5 SIP

EPA recently reclassified two of Utah’s three PM2.5 Nonattainment areas from Moderate to Serious. The State must comply with additional requirements for its PM2.5 State Implementation Plan (SIPs) as a result of this reclassification. Under these new requirements, the State must review its air-quality rules for area, point, and mobile sources and implement Best Available Control Measures (BACM) for sources of direct PM2.5 and its precursor pollutants. The BACM will replace the Reasonably Available Control Measures that were previously implemented for the Moderate PM2.5 SIP. Implementing BACM will help the State achieve the federal standard and protect public health.

The Division of Air Quality (DAQ) will rely heavily on public involvement for the development of the Serious Area SIP. Public participation is important to the SIP development process because it ensures that the requirements in the SIP reflect the diverse needs of the people living in Utah. Input from environmental advocates, business owners, local-government officials, and the general public will help DAQ create a SIP that protects public health and makes sense for Utah businesses.

The Serious area SIP amendments are due December 31, 2017, and the public process for developing them is already underway. Engineers at DAQ are working with large sources individually to come up with strategies for implementing Best Available Control Technology (BACT). The Division holds monthly meetings with environmental advocates to discuss the Serious Area SIP development and has held stakeholder meetings to discuss BACM for area-source rules to control emissions from various types of coatings and solvents. This kind of public involvement plays a crucial role in the development of a Serious Area SIP that will protect human health, meet federal requirements, and be ready for submission to the EPA before the fast-approaching deadline.

An effective public participation process depends on the contributions of Utah residents. The public can participate in the SIP development process by:

  • Submitting written comments on proposed air quality rules. See the list of current proposals out for public comment.
  • Signing up for the Utah Air Quality Rulemaking Actions emails. You will be notified of all rulemaking actions taken by the Utah Air Quality Board. These notifications will provide important dates such as public comment period and hearing dates for individual rules and plans.
  • Participating in public hearings that may be scheduled to address rulemaking actions related to the Serious Area SIP. Find scheduled public hearings for rulemaking actions Current Air Quality Rule and Plan Changes page.
  • Joining the discussion on the Division’s Facebook page “Air 2019” dedicated to the Serious area SIP.

Public Comment Period (November 1 – November 30, 2018)

Public Comment Period (October 1-October 31, 2018)

Public Comment Period (July 1 – August 15, 2018)

Public Comment Period (May 16 – June 16, 2018)

For questions regarding the public participation process, contact Mark Berger (mberger@utah.gov) (801) 536-0076.

Submit comments on the proposed documents via Email to Mark Berger (mberger@utah.gov) or by standard mail to:

Public Comment Division of Air Quality
PO Box 144820
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4820

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