Part III. Criteria and Procedures for Making Conformity Determinations
9VAC5-160-110. General.
A. No federal agency shall engage in, support in any way, or provide financial assistance for, license, or permit, or approve any activity which does not conform to an applicable implementation plan.
B. A federal agency must make a determination that a federal action conforms to the applicable implementation plan in accordance with the requirements of this chapter before the action is taken.
C. Reserved.
D. Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, a determination that an action is in conformity with the applicable implementation plan does not exempt the action from any other requirements of the applicable implementation plan, NEPA, or the federal Clean Air Act.
E. If an action would result in emissions originating in more than one nonattainment or maintenance area, the conformity must be evaluated for each area separately.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 26, eff. January 1, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-120. Federal agency conformity responsibility.
Any department, agency, or instrumentality of the federal government taking an action subject to this regulation shall make its own conformity determination consistent with the requirements of this part. In making its conformity determination, a federal agency shall follow the requirements in 9VAC5-160-130 through 9VAC5-160-180 and 9VAC5-160-182 through 9VAC5-160-185 and shall consider comments from any interested parties. Where multiple federal agencies have jurisdiction for various aspects of a project, a federal agency may choose to adopt the analysis of another federal agency or develop its own analysis in order to make its conformity determination.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 26, eff. January 1, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-130. Reporting requirements.
A. A federal agency making a conformity determination under 9VAC5-160-120 through 9VAC5-160-180 and 9VAC5-160-182 through 9VAC5-160-184 shall provide to the appropriate EPA regional office or offices, department and local air quality agencies, any federally recognized Indian tribal government in the nonattainment or maintenance area and, where applicable, affected federal land managers, the lead planning organization, and the metropolitan planning organization, a 30-day notice that describes the proposed action and the federal agency's draft conformity determination on the action. If the action has multi-regional or national impacts (e.g., the action will cause emission increases in excess of the de minimis levels identified in 9VAC5-160-30 E in three or more EPA regions), the federal agency, as an alternative to sending it to EPA regional offices, may provide the notice to EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
B. A federal agency shall notify the appropriate EPA regional office or offices, department and local air quality agencies, any federally recognized Indian tribal government in the nonattainment or maintenance area and, where applicable, affected federal land managers, the lead planning organization, and the metropolitan planning organization within 30 days after making a final conformity determination under 9VAC5-160-160.
C. The draft and final conformity determination shall exclude any restricted information or confidential business information. The disclosure of restricted information and confidential business information shall be controlled by the applicable laws, regulations, security manuals, or executive orders concerning the use, access, and release of such materials. Subject to applicable procedures to protect restricted information from public disclosure, any information or materials excluded from the draft or final conformity determination or supporting materials may be made available in a restricted information annex to the determination for review by federal and department representatives who have received appropriate clearances to review the information.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 26, eff. January 1, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-140. Public participation.
A. Upon request by any person regarding a specific federal action, a federal agency shall make available, subject to the limitation in subsection E of this section, for review its draft conformity determination under 9VAC5-160-160 with supporting materials that describe the analytical methods and conclusions relied upon in making the applicability analysis and draft conformity determination.
B. A federal agency shall make public its draft conformity determination under 9VAC5-160-160 by placing a notice by prominent advertisement in a daily newspaper of general circulation in the area affected by the action and by providing 30 days for written public comment prior to taking any formal action on the draft determination. This comment period may be concurrent with any other public involvement such as occurs in the NEPA process. If the action has multi-regional or national impacts (e.g., the action will cause emission increases in excess of the de minimis levels identified in 9VAC5-160-30 E in three or more EPA regions), the federal agency, as an alternative to publishing separate notices, may publish a notice in the Federal Register.
C. A federal agency shall document its response to all the comments received on its draft conformity determination under 9VAC5-160-160 and make the comments and responses available, subject to the limitation in subsection E of this section, upon request by any person regarding a specific federal action, within 30 days of the final conformity determination.
D. A federal agency shall make public its final conformity determination under 9VAC5-160-160 for a federal action by placing a notice by prominent advertisement in a daily newspaper of general circulation in the area affected by the action within 30 days of the final conformity determination. If the action would have multi-regional or national impacts, the federal agency, as an alternative, may publish the notice in the Federal Register.
E. The draft and final conformity determination shall exclude any restricted information or confidential business information. The disclosure of restricted information and confidential business information shall be controlled by the applicable laws, regulations, or executive orders concerning the release of such materials.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 26, eff. January 1, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-150. Reevaluation of conformity.
A. Once a conformity determination is completed by a federal agency, that determination is not required to be reevaluated if the agency has maintained a continuous program to implement the action, the determination has not lapsed as specified in subsection B of this section, or any modification to the action does not result in an increase in emissions above the levels specified in 9VAC5-160-30 B. If a conformity determination is not required for the action at the time NEPA analysis is completed, the date of the finding of no significant impact for an environmental assessment, a record of decision for an environmental impact statement, or a categorical exclusion determination may be used as a substitute date for the conformity determination date.
B. The conformity status of a federal action automatically lapses five years from the date a final conformity determination is reported under 9VAC5-160-130, unless the federal action has been completed or a continuous program to implement the federal action has commenced.
C. Ongoing federal activities at a given site showing continuous progress are not new actions and do not require periodic redeterminations so long as such activities are within the scope of the final conformity determination reported under 9VAC5-160-130.
D. If the federal agency originally determined through the applicability analysis that a conformity determination was not necessary because the emissions for the action were below the limits in 9VAC5-160-30 B and changes to the action would result in the total emissions from the action being above the limits in 9VAC5-160-30 B, then the federal agency shall make a conformity determination.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 26, eff. January 1, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-160. Criteria for determining conformity of general federal actions.
A. An action required under 9VAC5-160-30 to have a conformity determination for a specific pollutant, shall be determined to conform to the applicable implementation plan if, for each pollutant that exceeds the rates in 9VAC5-160-30 E, or otherwise requires a conformity determination due to the total of direct and indirect emissions from the action, the action meets the requirements of subsection C of this section, and meets any of the following requirements:
1. For any criteria pollutant or precursor, the total of direct and indirect emissions from the action are specifically identified and accounted for in the applicable implementation plan's attainment or maintenance demonstration or reasonable further progress milestone or in a facility-wide emission budget included in an applicable implementation plan in accordance with 9VAC5-160-181;
2. For precursors of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, or particulate matter, the total of direct and indirect emissions from the action are fully offset within the same nonattainment or maintenance area (or nearby area of equal or higher classification provided the emissions from that area contribute to the violations, or have contributed to violations in the past, in the area with the federal action) through a revision to the applicable implementation plan or a similarly enforceable measure that effects emission reductions so that there is no net increase in emissions of that pollutant;
3. For any directly emitted criteria pollutant, the total of direct and indirect emissions from the action meets the requirements:
a. Specified in subsection B of this section, based on areawide air quality modeling analysis and local air quality modeling analysis; or
b. Meet the requirements of subdivision 5 of this subsection, and, for local air quality modeling analysis, the requirement of subsection B of this section;
4. For carbon monoxide or particulate matter:
a. Where the department determines (in accordance with 9VAC5-160-120 and 9VAC5-160-130 and consistent with the applicable implementation plan) that an areawide air quality modeling analysis is not needed, the total of direct and indirect emissions from the action meet the requirements specified in subsection B of this section, based on local air quality modeling analysis; or
b. Where the department determines (in accordance with 9VAC5-160-120 and 9VAC5-160-130 and consistent with the applicable implementation plan) that an areawide air quality modeling analysis is appropriate and that a local air quality modeling analysis is not needed, the total of direct and indirect emissions from the action meet the requirements specified in subsection B of this section, based on areawide modeling, or meet the requirements of subdivision 5 of this subsection; or
5. For ozone or nitrogen dioxide, and for the purposes of subdivisions 3 b and 4 b of this subsection, each portion of the action or the action as a whole meets any of the following requirements:
a. Where EPA has approved a revision to the applicable implementation plan after the area was designated as nonattainment and the department makes a determination that as provided in subdivision 5 a (1) of this subsection or where the Commonwealth of Virginia makes a commitment as provided in subdivision 5 a (2) of this subsection:
(1) The total of direct and indirect emissions from the action or portion thereof is determined and documented by the department to result in a level of emissions which, together with all other emissions in the nonattainment or maintenance area, would not exceed the emissions budgets specified in the applicable implementation plan.
(2) The total of direct and indirect emissions from the action or portion thereof is determined and documented by the department to result in a level of emissions which, together with all other emissions in the nonattainment or maintenance area, would exceed an emissions budgets specified in the applicable implementation plan and the Governor or the Governor's designee for state implementation plan actions makes a written commitment to EPA which includes the following:
(a) A specific schedule for adoption and submittal of a revision to the applicable implementation plan which would achieve the needed emissions reductions prior to the time emissions from the federal action would occur;
(b) Identification of specific measures for incorporation into the applicable implementation plan which would result in a level of emissions which, together with all other emissions in the nonattainment or maintenance area, would not exceed any emissions budget specified in the applicable implementation plan;
(c) A demonstration that all existing applicable implementation plan requirements are being implemented in the area for the pollutants affected by the federal action, and that local authority to implement additional requirements has been fully pursued;
(d) A determination that the responsible federal agencies have required all reasonable mitigation measures associated with their action; and
(e) Written documentation including all air quality analyses supporting the conformity determination.
(3) Where a federal agency made a conformity determination based on a commitment from the Commonwealth of Virginia under subdivision 5 a (2) of this subsection, and the department has submitted an implementation plan to EPA covering the time period during which the emissions will occur or is scheduled to submit such an implementation plan within 18 months of the conformity determination, the commitment is automatically deemed a call for a revision to the applicable implementation plan by EPA under § 110(k)(5) of the federal Clean Air Act, effective on the date of the federal conformity determination and requiring response within 18 months or any shorter time within which the Commonwealth of Virginia commits to revise the applicable implementation plan.
(4) Where a federal agency made a conformity determination based on a commitment from the Commonwealth of Virginia under subdivision 5 a (2) of this subsection and the department has not submitted an implementation plan covering the time period when the emissions will occur or is not scheduled to submit such an implementation plan within 18 months of the conformity determination, the department will, within 18 months, submit to EPA a revision to the existing implementation plan committing to include the emissions in the future implementation plan revision.
b. The action or portion thereof, as determined by the metropolitan planning organization, is specifically included in a current transportation plan and transportation improvement program which have been found to conform to the applicable implementation plan under 40 CFR Part 51, Subpart T, or 40 CFR Part 93, Subpart A.
c. The action or portion thereof fully offsets its emissions within the same nonattainment or maintenance area (or nearby area of equal or higher classification provided the emissions from that area contribute to the violations, or have contributed to violation in the past, in the area with the federal action) through a revision to the applicable implementation plan or an equally enforceable measure that effects emissions reductions equal to or greater than the total of direct and indirect emissions from the action so that there is no net increase in emissions of that pollutant.
d. Where EPA has not approved a revision to the relevant implementation plan since the area was redesignated or classified, the total of direct and indirect emissions from the action for the future years (described in 9VAC5-160-170) do not increase emissions with respect to the baseline emissions.
(1) The baseline emissions reflect the historical activity levels that occurred in the geographic area affected by the proposed federal action during:
(a) The most current calendar year with a complete emissions inventory available before an area is designated unless EPA sets another year;
(b) The emission budget in the applicable implementation plan; or
(c) The year of the baseline inventory in the PM10-applicable implementation plan.
(2) The baseline emissions are the total of direct and indirect emissions calculated for the future years (described in 9VAC5-160-170 D) using the historic activity levels (described in subdivision 5 d (1) of this subsection) and appropriate emission factors for the future years.
e. Where the action involves regional water or wastewater projects or both, the projects are sized to meet only the needs of population projections that are in the applicable implementation plan, based on assumptions regarding per capita use that are developed or approved in accordance with 9VAC5-160-170 A.
B. The areawide or local air quality modeling analyses or both shall:
1. Meet the requirements of 9VAC5-160-170; and
2. Show that the action does not:
a. Cause or contribute to any new violation of any standard in any area; or
b. Increase the frequency or severity of any existing violation of any standard in any area.
C. Notwithstanding any other requirements of this section, an action subject to this section may not be determined to conform to the applicable implementation plan unless the total of direct and indirect emissions from the action is in compliance or consistent with all relevant requirements and milestones contained in the applicable implementation plan, such as elements identified as part of the reasonable further progress schedules, assumptions specified in the attainment or maintenance demonstration, prohibitions, numerical emission limits, and work practice requirements, and the action is otherwise in accordance with all relevant requirements of the applicable implementation plan.
D. Any analyses required under this section shall be completed, and any mitigation requirements necessary for a finding of conformity shall be identified in accordance with 9VAC5-160-180 before the determination of conformity is made.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 26, eff. January 1, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-170. Procedures for conformity determinations.
A. The analyses required under this section shall be based on the latest planning assumptions.
1. All planning assumptions (including, but not limited to, per capita water and sewer use, vehicle miles traveled per capita or per household, trip generation per household, vehicle occupancy, household size, vehicle fleet mix, vehicle ownership, wood stoves per household, and the geographic distribution of population growth) shall be derived from the estimates of current and future population, employment, travel, and congestion most recently approved by the metropolitan planning organization or other agency authorized to make the estimates, where available. The conformity determination shall also be based on the latest assumptions about current and future background concentrations and other federal actions.
2. Any revisions to these estimates used as part of the conformity determination, including projected shifts in geographic location or level of population, employment, travel, and congestion shall be approved by the metropolitan planning organization or other agency authorized to make the estimates for the urban area.
B. The analyses required under this subsection shall be based on the latest and most accurate emission estimation techniques available as described below, unless such techniques are inappropriate. If such techniques are inappropriate, the federal agency may obtain written approval from the appropriate EPA Regional Administrator for a modification or substitution of another technique on a case-by-case basis or, where appropriate, on a generic basis for a specific federal agency program.
1. For motor vehicle emissions, the most current version of the motor vehicle emissions model specified by EPA for use in the preparation or revision of the applicable implementation plan shall be used for the conformity analysis as specified in subdivisions 1 a and 1 b of this subsection.
a. The EPA shall publish in the Federal Register a notice of availability of any new motor vehicle emissions model.
b. A grace period of three months shall apply during which the motor vehicle emissions model previously specified by EPA as the most current version may be used unless EPA announces a longer grace period in the Federal Register. Conformity analyses for which the analysis was begun during the grace period or no more than three months before the Federal Register notice of availability of the latest emission model may continue to use the previous version of the model specified by EPA.
2. For nonmotor vehicle sources, including stationary and area source emissions, the latest emission factors specified by EPA in the "Compilation of Air Pollutant Emission Factors (AP-42)" shall be used for the conformity analysis unless more accurate emission data are available, such as actual stack test data from stationary sources which are part of the conformity analysis.
C. The air quality modeling analyses required under this section shall be based on the applicable air quality models, databases, and other requirements specified in Appendix W of 40 CFR Part 51.
D. The analyses required under this subsection shall be based on the total of direct and indirect emissions from the action and shall reflect emission scenarios that are expected to occur under each of the following cases:
1. The attainment year specified in the applicable implementation plan or, if the applicable implementation plan does not specify an attainment year, the latest attainment year possible under the federal Clean Air Act; or
2. The last year for which emissions are projected in the maintenance plan;
3. The year during which the total of direct and indirect emissions from the action is expected to be the greatest on an annual basis; and
4. Any year for which the applicable implementation plan specifies an emissions budget.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 26, eff. January 1, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-180. Mitigation of air quality impacts.
A. Any measures that are intended to mitigate air quality impacts shall be identified (including the identification and quantification of all emission reductions claimed) and the process for implementation (including any necessary funding of the measures and tracking of the emission reductions) and enforcement of the measures shall be described, including an implementation schedule containing explicit timelines for implementation.
B. Prior to determining that a federal action is in conformity, the federal agency making the conformity determination shall obtain written commitments from the appropriate persons or agencies to implement any mitigation measures which are identified as conditions for making conformity decisions. The written commitment shall describe the mitigation measures and the nature of the commitment, in a manner consistent with subsection A of this section.
C. Persons or agencies voluntarily committing to mitigation measures to facilitate positive conformity determinations shall comply with the obligations of the commitments.
D. In instances where the federal agency is licensing, permitting, or otherwise approving the action of another governmental or private entity, approval by the federal agency shall be conditioned on the other entity meeting the mitigation measures set forth in the conformity determination as provided in subsection A of this section.
E. When necessary because of changed circumstances, mitigation measures may be modified so long as the new mitigation measures continue to support the conformity determination. Any proposed change in the mitigation measures is subject to the reporting requirements of 9VAC5-160-130 and the public participation requirements of 9VAC5-160-140.
F. Written comments to mitigation measures shall be obtained prior to a positive conformity determination, and such commitments shall be fulfilled.
G. After EPA approves this regulation, any agreements, including mitigation measures, necessary for a conformity determination shall be both state and federally enforceable. Enforceability through the applicable implementation plan shall apply to all persons who agree to mitigate direct and indirect emissions associated with a federal action for a conformity determination.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 26, eff. January 1, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-181. Conformity evaluation for federal installations with facility-wide emission budgets.
A. The department may, in cooperation with federal agencies or third parties authorized by the agency that operate installations subject to federal oversight, develop and adopt a facility-wide emission budget to be used for demonstrating conformity under 9VAC5-160-160 A 1. The facility-wide budget shall meet the following criteria:
1. Be for a set time period;
2. Cover the pollutants or precursors of the pollutants for which the area is designated nonattainment or maintenance;
3. Include specific quantities allowed to be emitted on an annual or seasonal basis;
4. The emissions from the facility along with all other emissions in the area will not exceed the emission budget for the area;
5. Include specific measures to ensure compliance with the budget, such as periodic reporting requirements or compliance demonstration, when the federal agency is taking an action that would otherwise require a conformity determination;
6. Be submitted to EPA as a revision to the applicable implementation plan; and
7. The revision to the applicable implementation plan shall be approved by EPA.
B. The facility-wide budget developed and adopted in accordance with subsection A of this section may be revised by following the requirements in subsection A of this section.
C. Total direct and indirect emissions from federal actions in conjunction with all other emissions subject to general conformity from the facility that do not exceed the facility budget adopted pursuant to subsection A of this section are presumed to conform to the applicable implementation plan and do not require a conformity analysis.
D. If the total direct and indirect emissions from the federal actions in conjunction with the other emissions subject to general conformity from the facility exceed the budget adopted pursuant to subsection A of this section, the action shall be evaluated for conformity. A federal agency may use the compliance with the facility-wide emissions budget as part of the demonstration of conformity, i.e., the agency would have to mitigate or offset the emissions that exceed the emission budget.
E. If the applicable implementation plan for the area includes a category for construction emissions, the negotiated budget may exempt construction emissions from further conformity analysis.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-182. Emissions beyond the time period covered by the applicable implementation plan.
If a federal action would result in total direct and indirect emissions above the applicable thresholds that would be emitted beyond the time period covered by the applicable implementation plan, the federal agency may (i) demonstrate conformity with the last emission budget in the applicable implementation plan or (ii) request the Commonwealth of Virginia to adopt an emissions budget for the action for inclusion in the applicable implementation plan. The Commonwealth of Virginia will submit a revision of the applicable implementation plan to EPA within 18 months either including the emissions in the existing implementation plan or establishing an enforceable commitment to include the emissions in future revisions to the applicable implementation plan based on the latest planning assumptions at the time of the revision to the applicable implementation plan. No such commitment by the Commonwealth of Virginia shall restrict the Commonwealth of Virginia's ability to require RACT, RACM, or any other control measures within the Commonwealth of Virginia's authority to ensure timely attainment of the national ambient air quality standards.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-183. Timing of offsets and mitigation measures.
A. The emissions reductions from an offset or mitigation measure used to demonstrate conformity shall occur during the same calendar year as the emission increases from the action except as provided in subsection B of this section.
B. The department may approve emissions reductions in other years provided:
1. The reductions are greater than the emission increases by the following ratios:
|
| Extreme nonattainment areas: | 1.5:1 |
|
| Severe nonattainment areas: | 1.3:1 |
|
| Serious nonattainment areas: | 1.2:1 |
|
| Moderate nonattainment areas: | 1.15:1 |
|
| All other areas: | 1.1:1 |
2. The time period for completing the emissions reductions shall not exceed twice the period of the emissions.
3. The offset or mitigation measure with emissions reductions in another year shall not:
a. Cause or contribute to a new violation of any air quality standard;
b. Increase the frequency or severity of any existing violation of any air quality standard; or
c. Delay the timely attainment of any standard or any interim emissions reductions or other milestones in any area.
C. The approval by the department of an offset or mitigation measure with emissions reductions in another year does not relieve the Commonwealth of Virginia of any obligation to meet any implementation plan or federal Clean Air Act milestone or deadline. The approval of an alternate schedule for mitigation measures is at the discretion of the department, and it is not required to approve an alternate schedule.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-184. Inter-precursor mitigation measures and offsets.
Federal agencies shall reduce the same type of pollutant as being increased by the federal action except the department may approve offsets or mitigation measures of different precursors of the same criteria pollutant, if such trades are allowed by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 9VAC5-80 (Permits for Stationary Sources) as approved in the applicable implementation plan, are technically justified, and have a demonstrated environmental benefit.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-185. Early emission reduction credit programs at federal facilities and installation subject to federal oversight.
A. Federal facilities and installations subject to federal oversight may, with the approval of the department, create an early emissions reductions credit program. The federal agency may create the emission reduction credits in accordance with the requirements in subsection B of this section and use them in accordance with subsection C of this section.
B. Creation of emission reduction credits shall be accomplished as follows:
1. Emissions reductions shall be quantifiable through the use of standard emission factors or measurement techniques. If nonstandard factors or techniques to quantify the emissions reductions are used, the federal agency shall receive approval from the department and from the EPA regional office. The emission reduction credits do not have to be quantified before the reduction strategy is implemented, but shall be quantified before the credits are used in the general conformity evaluation.
2. The emission reduction methods shall be consistent with the applicable implementation plan attainment and reasonable further progress demonstrations.
3. The emissions reductions shall not be required by or credited to other applicable implementation plan provisions.
4. Both the department and federal air quality agencies shall be able to take legal action to ensure continued implementation of the emission reduction strategy. In addition, private citizens shall also be able to initiate action to ensure compliance with the control requirement.
5. The emissions reductions shall be permanent or the timeframe for the reductions shall be specified.
6. The federal agency shall document the emissions reductions and provide a copy of the document to the department and the EPA regional office for review. The documentation shall include a detailed description of the emission reduction strategy and a discussion of how it meets the requirements of subdivisions 1 through 5 of this subsection.
C. The emission reduction credits created in accordance with subsection B of this section may be used, subject to the following limitations, to reduce the emissions increase from a federal action at the facility for the conformity evaluation.
1. If the technique used to create the emission reduction is implemented at the same facility as the federal action and could have occurred in conjunction with the federal action, then the credits may be used to reduce the total direct and indirect emissions used to determine the applicability of the regulation as required in 9VAC5-160-30 and as offsets or mitigation measures required by 9VAC5-160-160.
2. If the technique used to create the emission reduction is not implemented at the same facility as the federal action or could not have occurred in conjunction with the federal action, then the credits shall not be used to reduce the total direct and indirect emissions used to determine the applicability of the regulation as required in 9VAC5-160-30, but may be used to offset or mitigate the emissions as required by 9VAC5-160-160.
3. Emissions reductions credits shall be used in the same year in which they are generated.
4. Once the emission reduction credits are used, they shall not be used as credits for another conformity evaluation. However, unused credits from a strategy used for one conformity evaluation may be used for another conformity evaluation as long as the reduction credits are not double counted.
5. Federal agencies shall notify the department and the EPA regional office when the emission reduction credits are being used.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-190. Savings provision.
The requirements of 40 CFR Part 93 to demonstrate conformity required under § 176(c) of the federal Clean Air Act apply to all federal actions in designated nonattainment and maintenance areas where EPA has not approved this regulation. When EPA approves this regulation in a revision to the Commonwealth of Virginia applicable implementation plan, a conformity evaluation is governed by the approved or approved portion of this regulation. The regulations contained in 40 CFR Part 93 apply only for the portions, if any, of the 40 CFR Part 93 requirements not contained in the provisions of this regulation approved by EPA. In addition, any previously applicable implementation plan requirements shall remain enforceable until EPA approves the revision to the Commonwealth of Virginia's applicable implementation plan to specifically include the revised requirements or remove requirements.
Statutory Authority
§ 10.1-1308 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 26, eff. January 1, 1997; amended, Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.
9VAC5-160-200. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 26, eff. January 1, 1997; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 27, Issue 11, eff. March 2, 2011.