Federal Register #2026-07889

EPA Reclassifies Tribal Areas in Greater Connecticut as Serious Nonattainment for 2015 Ozone Standards

This notice from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces a regulatory reclassification for certain tribal areas in Connecticut: - The EPA has reclassified the tribal portions of the Greater Connecticut area, specifically the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Indian Tribe, to 'Serious' nonattainment status for the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) - The determination is based on the area's failure to meet the 2015 ozone NAAQS by the required attainment date - The rule addresses an exceptional events request from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), with EPA concurring in part and not concurring in part - No procurement of goods or services is involved; no OEMs, vendors, or products are mentioned - The action is regulatory and does not impose new compliance costs beyond existing Clean Air Act requirements - The rule includes statutory and executive order reviews, clarifying no additional burden on small entities or tribal governments

Description

This final rule by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determines that the tribal portions of the Greater Connecticut area, specifically the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Indian Tribe, failed to attain the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) by the attainment date. As a result, these areas are reclassified to Serious nonattainment status for the 2015 ozone NAAQS. The rule also addresses an exceptional events request submitted by CT DEEP and finalizes EPA's concurrence and nonconcurrence with that request. The rule is effective May 26, 2026, and includes regulatory and statutory reviews related to this action.

View original listing