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Protocol for Early Action Compacts
(EAC) (cont.)
EPA
The EPA will recognize the local area's and State's commitment
to voluntarily adopt an early, substantive, enforceable and
scientifically-based attainment plan with early implementation
of control measures by becoming a party to the Early Action
Compact developed in conformance with this protocol.
The EPA will provide technical assistance to the
state and local area in the development of the early action
plan.
The EPA will move quickly to review and approve completed
plans by no later than nine months after submission of the
SIP revision by the state.
When the EPA's 8-hour implementation guidelines call
for designations, the EPA will defer the effective date of
nonattainment designation and related requirements for participating
areas that fail to meet the 8-hour ozone standard as long
as all terms and milestones of the compact are being met,
including submission of the early action SIP revision by 2004.
Provided that the monitors in the area reflect attainment
by December 31, 2007, the EPA will move expeditiously to designate
the area as attainment and impose no additional requirements.
If at any time the area does not meet all the terms
of this Compact, including meeting agreed-upon milestones,
then it will forfeit its participation and be designated (or
re-designated if necessary) according to the EPA's 8-hour
ozone implementation guidelines. The EPA will offer such an
area no delays, exemptions or other favorable treatment because
of its previous participation in this program.
If the area violates the standard as of December
31, 2007, and the area has had a nonattainment designation
deferred, the area will be designated nonattainment. The state
will then submit a revised attainment demonstration SIP revision
according to the CAA and the EPA's 8-hour implementation rule,
unless the 8-hour implementation schedule requires SIP's from
8-hour nonattainment areas before December 31, 2008. In that
event, a revised attainment demonstration SIP revision for
the participating area will be due as soon as possible but
no later than December 31, 2008. In no event will the EPA
extend the attainment date for the area beyond that required
by the CAA and/or the EPA's 8-hour implementation rule.
No area will be allowed to renew their Early Action
Compact after December 31, 2007, or initiate a new compact
if it has previously forfeited its participation
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