--- kind: "section" citation: "42 U.S.C. § 7506a" title: "42" title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare" number: "7506a" heading: "Interstate transport commissions" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/7506a" units: - "Chapter 85 — Air Pollution Prevention and Control" - "Subchapter I — Programs and Activities" - "Part D — Plan Requirements for Nonattainment Areas" - "Subpart 1 — nonattainment areas in general" --- # §7506a. Interstate transport commissions - (a) **Authority to establish interstate transport regions—** Whenever, on the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a)’s own motion or by petition from the Governor of any [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d), the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) has reason to believe that the interstate transport of [air pollutants](/usc/42/7602.md?p=g) from one or more [States](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) contributes significantly to a [violation](/usc/42/2000e–16a.md?p=c) of a national ambient air quality standard in one or more other [States](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d), the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) may establish, by rule, a transport region for such pollutant that includes such [States](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d). The [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a), on the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a)’s own motion or upon petition from the Governor of any [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d), or upon the recommendation of a transport commission established under [subsection (b)](#b), may— - (1) add any [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) or portion of a [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) to any region established under this subsection whenever the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) has reason to believe that the interstate transport of [air pollutants](/usc/42/7602.md?p=g) from such [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) significantly contributes to a [violation](/usc/42/2000e–16a.md?p=c) of the standard in the transport region, or - (2) remove any [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) or portion of a [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) from the region whenever the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) has reason to believe that the control of emissions in that [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) or portion of the [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) pursuant to this section will not significantly contribute to the attainment of the standard in any area in the region. The [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall approve or disapprove any such petition or recommendation within 18 months of its receipt. The [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall establish appropriate proceedings for public participation regarding such petitions and motions, including notice and comment. - (b) **Transport commissions—** - (1) **Establishment—** Whenever the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) establishes a transport region under [subsection (a)](#a), the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall establish a transport commission comprised of (at a minimum) each of the following members: - (A) The Governor of each [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) in the region or the designee of each such Governor. - (B) The [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) or the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a)’s designee. - (C) The Regional [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) (or the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a)’s designee) for each Regional Office for each Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) Region affected by the transport region concerned. - (D) An air pollution control official representing each [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) in the region, appointed by the Governor. Decisions of, and recommendations and requests to, the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) by each transport commission may be made only by a majority vote of all members other than the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) and the Regional [Administrators](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) (or designees thereof). - (2) **Recommendations—** The transport commission shall assess the degree of interstate transport of the pollutant or precursors to the pollutant throughout the transport region, assess strategies for mitigating the interstate pollution, and recommend to the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) such measures as the Commission determines to be necessary to ensure that the plans for the relevant [States](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) meet the requirements of [section 7410(a)(2)(D) of this title](/usc/42/7410.md?p=a-2-D). Such commission shall not be subject to the provisions of chapter 10 of title 5. - (c) **Commission requests—** A transport commission established under [subsection (b)](#b) may request the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) to issue a finding under [section 7410(k)(5) of this title](/usc/42/7410.md?p=k-5) that the implementation plan for one or more of the [States](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) in the transport region is substantially inadequate to meet the requirements of [section 7410(a)(2)(D) of this title](/usc/42/7410.md?p=a-2-D). The [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall approve, disapprove, or partially approve and partially disapprove such a request within 18 months of its receipt and, to the extent the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) approves such request, issue the finding under [section 7410(k)(5) of this title](/usc/42/7410.md?p=k-5) at the time of such approval. In acting on such request, the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall provide an opportunity for public participation and shall address each specific recommendation made by the commission. Approval or disapproval of such a request shall constitute final [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) action within the meaning of [section 7607(b) of this title](/usc/42/7607.md?p=b). ## Source credit (July 14, 1955, ch. 360, title I, § 176A, as added Pub. L. 101–549, title I, § 102(f)(1), Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2419; amended Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(270), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4335.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### Amendments 2022—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “chapter 10 of title 5.” for “the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).”