Notice of action: The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is seeking comments and announcing a public hearing on a proposed plan to maintain compliance with the 2008 ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) in the Northern Virginia Ozone Nonattainment Area.  The Commonwealth intends to submit the plan as a revision to the Commonwealth of Virginia State Implementation Plan (SIP) in accordance with the requirements of § 110(a) of the federal Clean Air Act.  The SIP is the plan developed by the Commonwealth in order to fulfill its responsibilities under the Act to attain and maintain the ambient air quality standards promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Act.

Purpose of notice: DEQ is seeking comments on the overall plan, and on the issue of whether the plan enables the Northern Virginia Ozone Nonattainment Area to maintain compliance with the 2008 ozone NAAQS until at least 2030.

Public comment period: October 16, 2017 to November 15, 2017.

Public hearing: A public hearing will be conducted at the DEQ Northern Regional Office in conference room 1, at 11:00 a.m. on November 6, 2017. The Northern Regional Office is located at 13901 Crown Court, Woodbridge, VA 22193.  A map and directions maybe found at http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Locations/NorthernRegionalOffice.aspx.

Description of proposal: The proposal consists of the following.

1. Air quality maintenance plan in support of a concurrent request to redesignate the Northern Virginia ozone nonattainment area (Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William; Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park) to attainment: The purpose of the plan is to ensure that emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX), volatile organic compounds (VOC), and carbon monoxide (CO) do not exceed the 2014 attainment year levels through 2030, enabling the area to continue meeting the 2008 ozone NAAQS. The plan contains control measures that are currently in place and will be continued in order to maintain emissions at or below the 2014 levels. These measures include federal control programs for on-road and non-road engines as well as limitations on local power plants. The plan also contains a program of contingency measures to be implemented if the air quality monitoring stations in the area record a violation of the 2008 ozone NAAQS or if emissions in the area increase above the 2014 levels, as well as information concerning emissions estimates, growth assumptions, emission factors, and reduction assumptions.

2. Motor vehicle emissions budgets for the years 2014, 2025, and 2030: The purpose of the motor vehicle emissions budgets is to ensure that transportation emissions conform to the requirements of the proposed plan for maintaining compliance with the 2008 ozone NAAQS (transportation conformity).

The proposed ozone redesignation request and maintenance plan were prepared by the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee (MWAQC), which consists of elected officials from the affected localities and representatives of state transportation and air quality planning agencies.

The maintenance plan, which contains the motor vehicle emissions budgets, will be submitted as a SIP revision in conjunction with a request to EPA from the Commonwealth to redesignate the Northern Virginia Ozone Nonattainment Area as attainment/maintenance.  DEQ is accepting comments on both the redesignation request and maintenance plan, but the redesignation request will not be submitted as part of the SIP revision.

Federal information: This notice is being given to satisfy the public participation requirements of federal regulations (40 CFR 51.102).  The proposed maintenance plan and supporting technical documents will be submitted as a revision to the Commonwealth of Virginia SIP under § 110(a) of the federal Clean Air Act in accordance with 40 CFR 51.104.

How to comment: DEQ accepts written comments by email, fax, and postal mail.  In order to be considered, comments must include the full name, address, and telephone number of the person commenting and be received by DEQ no later than the last day of the comment period.  Both oral and written comments are accepted at the public hearing. DEQ prefers that comments be in writing, along with any supporting documents or exhibits.  Comments on the redesignation request and maintenance plan must be submitted to the contact person below.

To review the proposal: The proposal and any supporting documents are available on the DEQ Air Public Notices for Plans web site (http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Air/PublicNotices/airplansandprograms.aspx).  The documents may also be obtained by contacting the DEQ representative named above.  The public may review the documents between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. of each business day until the close of the public comment period at the following DEQ locations: 1) Main Street Office, 8th Floor, 629 E. Main St, Richmond, VA, 804-698-4070 and 2) Northern Regional Office, 13901 Crown Court, Woodbridge, VA, 703-583-3800.