Summary of Oakridge PM2.5 Maintenance Plan
Background
The Oakridge-Westfir area within Lane County Oregon was designated nonattainment for PM2.5 on November 13, 2009 (74 FR 58688 (pdf)) and later classified as moderate on June 2, 2014 (79 FR 31566 (pdf)).
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality submitted the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency’s (LRAPA) Oakridge-Westfir PM2.5 attainment plan on December 12, 2012.
On July 28, 2016 (81 FR 49592 (pdf)) the EPA proposed, and on October 21, 2016 (81 FR 72714 (pdf)) the EPA finalized approval of the emissions inventory and the LRAPA rules describing the Oakridge-Westfir PM2.5 nonattainment area and listing of the area as nonattainment. The remaining elements of the plan were disapproved.
Oakridge did not meet the statutory attainment date of 2015 based on its three year design value, although the area met the criteria for extending its attainment date by one year, and on July 18, 2016, EPA extended the attainment date to December 31, 2016 (81 FR 46612 (pdf)).
On January 20, 2017, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality submitted LRAPA’s Oakridge-Westfir PM2.5 attainment plan update which corrects deficiencies in the 2012 Oakridge attainment plan.
On November 14, 2017 (82 FR 52683 (pdf)) the EPA proposed, and on February 8, 2018, (83 FR 5537 (pdf)) the EPA finalized the finding of attainment, clean data determination and PM2.5 attainment plan approval for the Oakridge-Westfir PM2.5 nonattainment area.
On January 13, 2022, Oregon submitted a redesignation request and PM10 maintenance plan, which EPA proposed approval of on May 9, 2022 (87 FR 27540 (pdf)), and finalized approval on August 22, 2022 (87 FR 51265 (pdf)).
Summary
The plan relies on control strategies needed to assure maintenance of the PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) through 2035. The strategy focuses primarily on control of residential wood combustion through a curtailment program during the winter heating season and changing-out uncertified woodstoves for cleaner burning and more efficient home heating units.
Rules
- LRAPA Title 29-0040 Designation of Maintenance Areas
- OAR 340-262 Oregon Statewide Heat Smart Program
Lane County Code and Oakridge City Ordinance
- City of Oakridge Ordinance No. 920
- Lane County Code Chapter 9
- Letter of Agreement from ODOT, September 20, 2021, Use of Anti-icing Chemicals in the City of Oakridge
Contingency Measures
The following contingency measures, or equivalent, will be implemented if the PM2.5 NAAQS is violated.
- Stricter green-yellow-red advisory program. By reducing the red advisory thresholds by 3 mg/m3 PM10 there will be more red advisory days each winter.
- Prohibition of fireplace use on yellow advisory days (in addition to the existing prohibition or red advisory days).
EPA Effective Date
September 21, 2022