Opinion ID: 4546108
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Clean Air Act’s Requirements

Text: To interpret the term “applicable requirements,” we must consider the underlying statute (the Clean Air Act). Two of the statutory parts, Titles I and V, bear on the meaning of “applicable requirements” under the regulation. See Romoland Sch. Dist. v. Inland Empire Energy Ctr., LLC, 548 F.3d 738, 752 (9th Cir. 2008).
The Clean Air Act calls for federal and state cooperation. Texas v. EPA, 690 F.3d 670, 677 (5th Cir. 2012). For its part, the EPA sets national air quality standards and provides oversight and enforcement. 42 U.S.C. § 7409. To achieve compliance with these national air quality standards, 3 states must develop implementation plans and submit them to the EPA for approval. Id. These plans require many industrial sources of pollution to obtain preconstruction permits through a process called “New Source Review” (NSR). Id. § 7475(a). The states conduct NSR under their implementation plans. Id. §§ 7410(a)(2)(C), 7471. The required NSR differs for “major” or “minor” sources of pollution. See Envtl. Integrity Project v. EPA, No. 18-60384, ___ F.3d ___, slip op. at 3 (5th Cir. May 29, 2020) (“The substantive requirements for preconstruction permits differ markedly depending on whether the new source is deemed ‘major’ or ‘minor.’”). Major NSR is required if a new or modified source would emit pollutants above certain thresholds. 42 U.S.C. §§ 7475(a), 7479(1), 7502(c)(5); 40 C.F.R. §§ 51.165(a)(1)(iv)(A), (1)(v)(A), 51.166(b)(1)(i), (b)(2)(i). Only minor NSR is required if emissions would fall below the applicable thresholds. 42 U.S.C. § 7410(a)(2)(C); 40 C.F.R. §§ 51.160–51.164. Minor NSR entails “only the barest of requirements.” Luminant Generation Co. v. EPA, 675 F.3d 917, 922 (5th Cir. 2012).
Title V is designed to enhance compliance and improve enforcement. See S. Rep. No. 101-228, at 346 (1993). Under Title V, the operating permit must include the various statutory limitations on emissions that 4 apply to a given source. 42 U.S.C. § 7661c(c). Some limitations may be self-executing; others may be source-specific and defined in other permits. Compare id. § 7411 (establishing New Source Performance Standards that are self-executing limitations on certain sources), with id. § 7475 (requiring certain sources to obtain a permit for Prevention of Significant Deterioration, which entails source-specific limitations). The Title V permit must include all applicable self-executing and source-specific limitations. Id. § 7661c(a); see Envtl. Integrity Project v. EPA, No. 1860384, ___ F.3d ___, slip op. at 4 (5th Cir. May 29, 2020) (stating that Title V permits must consolidate all of the information that the source needs to comply with the Clean Air Act). States are responsible for issuing Title V permits. 42 U.S.C. § 7661a(b), (d). Before issuing a Title V permit, the state must propose the permit to the EPA. Id. § 7661d(a), (b). If the proposed permit does not comply with Title V’s “applicable requirements,” the EPA must object. Id. § 7661d(b)(1). If the EPA does not object, others can petition the EPA to compel it to object. Id. § 7661d(b)(2). If a petition is filed, the EPA must respond. Id. In responding, the EPA must object to the proposed permit upon a demonstration that the source failed to comply with the applicable requirements. Id. Once Title V permits are issued, they are enforceable by the EPA and the public. Id. § 7413(a), (b) (by the EPA); id. § 7604(a)(1), (f)(4) (by the 5 public). The EPA may enforce a Title V permit either administratively or in federal court. Id. § 7413(a), (b).