Implementation of the Revoked 1997 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards; Updating Federal Regulations to Show Areas that Attained by the Attainment Date

On August 31, 2020, EPA confirmed for the public and state air agencies that nine areas attained the1997 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) by their respective attainment dates.  This action recognizes the effort these areas took to address ozone air quality and ensures that they will not be subject to consequences for not attaining the standards as required.  The areas are:

1. Buffalo-Niagara Falls, New York;
2. Jamestown, New York;
3. Jefferson County, New York;
4. Poughkeepsie, New York;
5. Shoreline Sheboygan County, Wisconsin;
6. Inland Sheboygan County, Wisconsin;
7. Denver-Boulder-Greeley-Ft. Collins-Loveland, Colorado;
8. San Francisco Bay Area, California; and,
9. Ventura County, California.

This action confirms for the public and state air agencies that these areas are not subject to reclassification and other anti-backsliding consequences for failure to timely attain the 1997 ozone standards.

Read the direct final rule and parallel proposal and a summary fact sheet below.  

• 2020 Fact Sheet: Implementation of the Revoked 1997 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards; Updating Federal Regulations to Show Areas that Attained by the Attainment Date (pdf) (188.28 KB)
  Fact Sheet: Implementation of the Revoked 1997 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards; Updating Federal Regulations to Show Areas that Attained by the Attainment Date

The direct final rule was withdrawn in December 2020. Read the withdrawal notice.

In July 2021, EPA issues a final rule to confirm that nine areas attained the1997 ozone NAAQS by their respective attainment dates.  Read the final rule.