Opinion ID: 621235
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The San Joaquin Valley 2004 SIP

Text: In 1991, the Valley was classified as a serious nonattainment area under the 1-hour ozone standard. Designation of Areas for Air Quality Purposes, 56 Fed.Reg. 56,694, 56,699 (Nov. 6, 1991). The State timely submitted its SIP to EPA in 1994, and in January 1997, EPA approved the plan, which set November 1999 as the attainment deadline. Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; CaliforniaOzone, 62 Fed.Reg. 1150 (Jan. 8, 1997). In 2001, EPA determined that the Valley did not attain the 1-hour ozone standard by the deadline. CAA Reclassification, San Joaquin Valley Nonattainment Area, 66 Fed.Reg. 56,476 (Nov. 8, 2001). Consistent with the CAA, EPA automatically reclassified the Valley as a severe nonattainment area, set May 31, 2002 as the deadline by which the State had to submit appropriate revisions to the SIP, and set November 15, 2002 as the Valley's new attainment deadline. Id. at 56,481; see also 42 U.S.C. § 7511(a)(1), (b)(2). The State did not meet its May 2002 deadline for submission of the SIP revision. Findings of Failure to Submit SIP Revisions for 1-Hour Standard, 67 Fed. Reg. 61,784 (Oct. 2, 2002). Under the CAA, EPA then issued a finding that the State did not meet its obligation, which trigger[ed] the 18-month clock for mandatory application of sanctions and 2-year clock for a Federal implementation plan (FIP) under the [CAA]. Id.; see also 42 U.S.C. § 7509; 40 C.F.R. § 52.31. The State effectively gained an 18-month extension in which it was required to revise the SIP before EPA would impose sanctions. 67 Fed.Reg. 61,784-85. Once more, the State did not meet this deadline. To avoid sanctions, the State requested that EPA reclassify the Valley as an extreme one-hour ozone nonattainment area. CAA Reclassification, 69 Fed. Reg. 20,550 (Apr. 16, 2004); see also 42 U.S.C. § 7511(a)(5). This voluntary reclassification gave the State extra time to submit its revised SIP by resetting the State's submission deadline for a revised SIP consistent with the Valley's reclassification as an extreme ozone nonattainment area. 69 Fed.Reg. at 20,550. The new deadline was November 15, 2004, and the new attainment deadline was November 15, 2010. Id. The State submitted the 2004 SIP for EPA approval in November 2004. 74 Fed.Reg. at 33,933-34. In 2003, the State adopted the State and Federal Strategy for the California State Implementation Plan, (the State Strategy), which set forth California's regulatory agenda to reduce ozone and specific commitments to reduce emissions in the Valley. Id. at 33,934. The State Strategy includes defined statewide control measures that were to be reflected in future SIPs and provisions specific to air quality plans for the San Joaquin Valley. Id. The 2004 SIP relied on the State Strategy's mobile source emissions data, developed by the State, for its attainment demonstration and rate of progress. Id.