News Releases from Region 06

EPA approves Arkansas’ five-year report for regional haze

DALLAS – (Oct.1, 2019) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently approved Arkansas’ Regional Haze five-year report that found that the state is making reasonable progress towards preventing future visibility impairment caused by air pollution in the Upper Buffalo and Caney Creek Wilderness areas.  

“Arkansas’s efforts to reduce emissions that cause regional haze are paying off,” said EPA Regional Administrator Ken McQueen. “This report shows that Arkansas continues to take the lead in improving visibility in these areas of natural beauty.”

Under the Clean Air act, states are required to develop State Implementation Plans (SIPs) that ensure reasonable progress towards the national goal of addressing visibility impairment in designated Class I areas, like national parks and wilderness areas. Five years after submittal of the initial SIP, states are required to submit a report in the form of a SIP revision that evaluates progress towards visibility improvement in the Class I area. Arkansas’ Class I areas are in Newton and Polk Counties.  

On March 28, 2019, EPA proposed to approve the state’s regional haze five-year progress report. EPA did not receive any relevant adverse comments on the proposed action and moved forward with approval.

EPA believes that states are best suited to run their clean air programs. EPA will continue to work with its state partners to ensure that the Clean Air Act standards are met in Arkansas and across the country.

To view the rule, please visit: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EPA_FRDOC_0001-24571

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