The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) sets air pollution standards pursuant to the Clean Air Act, which are revised periodically. Metropolitan areas that fail to meet these standards may be designated as “nonattainment areas.” When U.S. EPA revises its air pollution standards and designates a region as a nonattainment area, the state is required to submit a State Implementation Plan (SIP) with local input. SIPs outline control strategies to reduce air pollution in nonattainment areas. 

State Implementation Plans are a compilation of new and previously submitted plans, programs (such as monitoring, modeling, permitting, etc.), district rules, state regulations, and federal controls. The scope of the different State Implementation Plan submittals required for each nonattainment area depends on the severity of the nonattainment designation. This web page shows NOACA’s SIP planning process and the recent SIP submissions made by the State of Ohio to the U.S. EPA.

2015 8-Hour Ozone Standard

U.S. EPA has designated the counties of Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit as a marginal nonattainment area for the 2015 8-hour ozone standard of 70 parts per billion (ppb). The region has three years from this designation date to attain the standard. In accordance with the Clean Air Act (42 USC Part D), the Ohio EPA, along with local input from NOACA and others, must submit a SIP to the U.S. EPA that outlines how the region will meet the standard.

• Nonattainment Designation (link coming soon!)

2008 8-hour Ozone Standard:

U.S. EPA has designated the counties of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit as a marginal nonattainment area for the 2008 8-hour ozone standard. U.S. EPA initially required that this area attain the 2008 ozone standard by July 20, 2015. However, because the region was not yet on track to meet this deadline, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) requested a one-year extension of this attainment date through July 20, 2016. U.S. EPA approved this request on August 27, 2015. In accordance with the Clean Air Act (42 USC Part D), the Ohio EPA, along with local input, has submitted a SIP to the U.S. EPA that outlines how the region will meet the standard.

• Nonattainment Designation
• Redesignation of the Cleveland Area to Attainment of 2008 Ozone Standard
• Redesignation request and maintenance plan for the Cleveland ozone nonattainment area 

1997 8-hour Ozone Standard:

U.S. EPA designated the counties of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit as a moderate nonattainment area for the 2008 8-hour ozone standard. On September 15, 2009 this area was re-designated to attainment for ozone.

• Revised redesignation request and maintenance plan for the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain ozone nonattainment area
• Redesignation of the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area to Attainment for Ozone
• Redesignation request and maintenance plan for the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain ozone nonattainment area
• Attainment Demonstration
• SIP Planning The NOACA Governing Board, on August 11, 2006, adopted recommendations by which Northeast Ohio could attain the 8-hour ozone standard, on the basis of 15 months of work performed by the NOACA Air Quality Public Advisory Task Force and the then NOACA EAC Air Quality Subcommittee.
  • Letter to Ohio EPA Director Joseph P. Koncelik
  • Res. 2006-031 and Memo (8 Hour SIP for Northeast Ohio)
  • Res. 2006-032 and Memo (Request for Extension of Time
  • SIP Planning Memorandum of Understanding
  • NOACA Air Quality Subcommittee Report: 8 Hour Ozone SIP Options
  • Ohio University Evaluation 2009 Alternative Emission Reductions for Northeast Ohio
  • Final Report of the NOACA Air Quality Public Advisory Task Force on the 8 Hour Ozone SIP Options
  • 80 Options Evaluated by NOACA Public Advisory Task Force
  • Final Report of the Mobile Source Work Group (Ozone)
  • Final Report of the Area Source Work Group (Ozone)
  • Final Report of the Point Source Work Group (Ozone)
  • List of Acronyms