--- kind: "section" citation: "42 U.S.C. § 7511c" title: "42" title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare" number: "7511c" heading: "Control of interstate ozone air pollution" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/7511c" units: - "Chapter 85 — Air Pollution Prevention and Control" - "Subchapter I — Programs and Activities" - "Part D — Plan Requirements for Nonattainment Areas" - "Subpart 2 — additional provisions for ozone nonattainment areas" --- # §7511c. Control of interstate ozone air pollution - (a) **Ozone transport regions—** A single transport region for ozone (within the meaning of [section 7506a(a) of this title](/usc/42/7506a.md?p=a)), comprised of the [States](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area that includes the District of Columbia, is hereby established by operation of law. The provisions of [section 7506a(a)(1)](/usc/42/7506a.md?p=a-1) and (2) of this title shall apply with respect to the transport region established under this section and any other transport region established for ozone, except to the extent inconsistent with the provisions of this section. The [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall convene the commission required (under [section 7506a(b) of this title](/usc/42/7506a.md?p=b)) as a result of the establishment of such region within 6 months of November 15, 1990. - (b) **Plan provisions for States in ozone transport regions—** - (1) In accordance with [section 7410 of this title](/usc/42/7410.md), not later than 2 years after November 15, 1990 (or 9 months after the subsequent inclusion of a [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) in a transport region established for ozone), each [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) included within a transport region established for ozone shall submit a [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) implementation plan or revision thereof to the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) which requires the following— - (A) that each area in such [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) that is in an ozone transport region, and that is a metropolitan statistical area or part thereof with a population of 100,000 or more comply with the provisions of [section 7511a(c)(2)(A) of this title](/usc/42/7511a.md?p=c-2-A) (pertaining to enhanced vehicle inspection and maintenance programs); and - (B) implementation of reasonably available control technology with respect to all sources of volatile organic compounds in the [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) covered by a control techniques guideline issued before or after November 15, 1990. - (2) Within 3 years after November 15, 1990, the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall complete a study identifying control measures capable of achieving emission reductions comparable to those achievable through vehicle refueling controls contained in [section 7511a(b)(3) of this title](/usc/42/7511a.md?p=b-3), and such measures or such vehicle refueling controls shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of this section. Notwithstanding other deadlines in this section, the [applicable implementation plan](/usc/42/7602.md?p=q) shall be revised to reflect such measures within 1 year of completion of the study. For purposes of this section any [stationary source](/usc/42/7602.md?p=z) that emits or has the potential to emit at least 50 tons per year of volatile organic compounds shall be considered a [major stationary source](/usc/42/7602.md?p=j) and subject to the requirements which would be applicable to [major stationary sources](/usc/42/7602.md?p=j) if the area were classified as a Moderate [nonattainment area](/usc/42/7501.md?p=2). - (c) **Additional control measures—** - (1) **Recommendations—** Upon petition of any [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) within a transport region established for ozone, and based on a majority vote of the Governors on the Commission[^1] (or their designees), the Commission[^1] may, after notice and opportunity for public comment, develop recommendations for additional control measures to be applied within all or a part of such transport region if the commission determines such measures are necessary to bring any area in such region into attainment by the dates provided by this subpart. The commission shall transmit such recommendations to the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a). - (2) **Notice and review—** Whenever the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) receives recommendations prepared by a commission pursuant to [paragraph (1)](#c-1) (the date of receipt of which shall hereinafter in this section be referred to as the “receipt date”), the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall— - (A) immediately publish in the Federal Register a notice stating that the recommendations are available and provide an opportunity for public hearing within 90 days beginning on the receipt date; and - (B) commence a review of the recommendations to determine whether the control measures in the recommendations are necessary to bring any area in such region into attainment by the dates provided by this subpart and are otherwise consistent with this chapter. - (3) **Consultation—** In undertaking the review required under [paragraph (2)(B)](#c-2-B), the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall consult with members of the commission of the affected [States](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) and shall take into account the data, views, and comments received pursuant to [paragraph (2)(A)](#c-2-A). - (4) **Approval and disapproval—** Within 9 months after the receipt date, the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall (A) determine whether to approve, disapprove, or partially disapprove and partially approve the recommendations; (B) notify the commission in writing of such approval, disapproval, or partial disapproval; and (C) publish such determination in the Federal Register. If the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) disapproves or partially disapproves the recommendations, the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall specify— - (i) why any disapproved additional control measures are not necessary to bring any area in such region into attainment by the dates provided by this subpart or are otherwise not consistent with the[^2] chapter; and - (ii) recommendations concerning equal or more effective actions that could be taken by the commission to conform the disapproved portion of the recommendations to the requirements of this section. - (5) **Finding—** Upon approval or partial approval of recommendations submitted by a commission, the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall issue to each [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) which is included in the transport region and to which a requirement of the approved plan applies, a finding under [section 7410(k)(5) of this title](/usc/42/7410.md?p=k-5) that the implementation plan for such [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) is inadequate to meet the requirements of [section 7410(a)(2)(D) of this title](/usc/42/7410.md?p=a-2-D). Such finding shall require each such [State](/usc/42/7602.md?p=d) to revise its implementation plan to include the approved additional control measures within one year after the finding is issued. - (d) **Best available air quality monitoring and modeling—** For purposes of this section, not later than 6 months after November 15, 1990, the [Administrator](/usc/42/7602.md?p=a) shall promulgate criteria for purposes of determining the contribution of sources in one area to concentrations of ozone in another area which is a [nonattainment area](/usc/42/7501.md?p=2) for ozone. Such criteria shall require that the best available air quality monitoring and modeling techniques be used for purposes of making such determinations. ## Footnotes [^1]: So in original. Probably should not be capitalized. [^2]: So in original. Probably should be “this”. ## Source credit (July 14, 1955, ch. 360, title I, § 184, as added Pub. L. 101–549, title I, § 103, Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2448.)