Opinion ID: 185760
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Contingency Measures

Text: 28 Finally, the Sierra Club argues that the absence of contingency measures also precludes approval of the revised SIPs for the Washington Area. Again, we agree. 29 Section 172(c)(9) of the Act requires that a revised SIP include specific measures to be undertaken if the area fails to make reasonable further progress, or to attain the national primary ambient air quality standard by the attainment date. 42 U.S.C. § 7502(c)(9); see also id. § 7511a(c)(9) (revised SIP for area of serious nonattainment shall provide for the implementation of specific measures to be undertaken if the area fails to meet any applicable milestone). The EPA maintains that contingency measures are required as part of the overall nonattainment plan, not as a feature of each component of that plan. Compare 42 U.S.C. § 7502(c)(9) (plan shall provide for the implementation of contingency measures), with, e.g., id. § 7502(c)(1) (plan provisions shall provide for implementation of RACM). Therefore, says the EPA, it lawfully could approve the revised provisions of the SIPs for the Washington Area despite the absence of contingency measures therein. 30 The answer to the EPA's argument is, as the Sierra Club points out, to be found in § 172(c), which lists the elements that must be included in a revised SIP for an area in nonattainment. That section specifically declares: 31 The plan provisions (including plan items) required to be submitted under this part shall comply with the following: 32 ... 33 (9) Contingency measures 34 Such plan shall provide for the implementation of specific measures to be undertaken if the area fails to make reasonable further progress, or to attain the national primary ambient air quality standard by the attainment date applicable under this part. Such measures shall be included in the plan revision as contingency measures to take effect in any such case without further action by the State or the Administrator. 35 Id. § 7502(c); see also id. § 7511a(c)(9) (requiring that contingency measures be included in the plan revision for area of serious nonattainment). 36 As can be seen from the statute itself, the EPA simply errs in suggesting that a state need not include contingency measures in the revisions to the SIP it submits for an area of nonattainment. For this reason, too, the EPA lacked authority to approve the revised SIPs submitted by the States in this case.