This page provides general information about
State Implementation Plans (SIPs). The Texas SIP, like that of all
states, is required by federal law:
Download
SIP 101 which provides a good overview of Texas' State
Implementation Plan. (Help with PDF.)
What is a SIP?
A State Implementation Plan (SIP) is an enforceable plan developed
at the state level that explains how the state will comply with air
quality standards according to the federal Clean Air Act. A SIP
must be submitted by the state government of any state that has
areas that are designated in nonattainment of federal air quality
standards. In order to understand SIPs, you should understand the
role of the following:
- Federal Clean Air Act
The federal Clean Air Act (CAA) is the legal foundation for the
national air pollution control program. The CAA requires each state
to produce and regularly update a State Implementation Plan. The
CAA also requires that SIPs include a description of control
strategies, or measures to deal with pollution, for areas that fail
to achieve national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). Finally,
this Act grants powers of enforcement to the EPA.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The Clean Air Act grants the EPA power to establish national air
quality standards, to approve or reject SIPs, to replace SIPs with
Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) when deemed necessary, and to
monitor achievement of goals laid out in SIPs and FIPs.
- National Ambient Air Quality
Standards (NAAQS)
NAAQS are established by the EPA as directed by the federal Clean
Air Act. These standards measure six outdoor air pollutants:
These "criteria pollutants" are commonly occurring air
pollutants that can injure health, harm the environment and cause
property damage. The NAAQS set nationally acceptable levels of
concentrations of these pollutants. Since SIP revisions are
mandatory in nonattainment areas, or areas that fail to meet (or
attain) the NAAQS, the need for SIP revisions is based on
NAAQS.
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What does a SIP contain?
Texas' State Implementation Plan consists of fourteen sections:
- Section I: Introduction
- Section II: Regional Classification
- Section III: Public Participation/Intergovernmental
Coordination
- Section IV: Preliminary Review
- Section V: Legal Authority
- Section VI: Control Strategy*
- Section VII: Compliance Schedule
- Section VIII: Texas Air Pollution Emergency Episode Contingency
Plan
- Section IX: Air Quality Surveillance Plan
- Section X: Review of New Sources and Modifications
- Section XI: Source Surveillance
- Section XII: Resources
- Section XIII: Intergovernmental Cooperation
- Section XIV: TCEQ Adopted Rules and Regulations
*The most important section of the SIP is Section VI:
Control Strategy. This section details the state's effort to meet
NAAQS by describing the targets, plans, and control strategies for
each area designated nonattainment. The implementation plans of
specific control strategies required by the EPA are also addressed
in this section. Section VI is the only section that is constantly
revised and updated. These revisions are known as "SIP
revisions."
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What are SIP revisions?
Only one State Implementation Plan (SIP) exists for each
state. For Texas, this document was initially approved in May 1972.
Rather than re-writing the entire SIP regularly, parts of the SIP
are simply revised as needed.
Revisions are necessary when new federal or state requirements
are enacted, when new data improves modeling techniques, when a
specific area's attainment status changes, or when an area fails to
reach attainment.
Revisions are typically prepared for a specific area (e.g.
"Houston-Galveston SIP" or "Northeast Texas SIP"); however,
sometimes SIP revisions are prepared for a particular control
strategy. For example, in October 2001, an "Inspection/Maintenance
SIP" was adopted. This revision affected the vehicle
inspection/maintenance (I/M) programs of Houston-Galveston,
Dallas-Fort Worth, and El Paso.
SIP revisions typically include an assessment of the problem and
measures to fix the problem. Assessments of the situation include
monitoring data, emissions inventory, and photochemical modeling;
measures to "fix" problems are known as control strategies.
SIP revisions typically consist of the following elements: a
narrative, rules, and agreements:
- Narrative: The SIP narrative describes the state's plan,
the need for control strategies, and the current proposed
strategies.
- Rules: Rules are the formal declaration of the TCEQ to
commit to implementing the adopted control strategy. Once the TCEQ
adopts a SIP revision and the associated set of rules, they become
state law immediately.
- Agreements: In some cases, the control strategy applies
to a specific plant or business. When this occurs, "agreements" are
made with the particular emitter instead of establishing a more
general rule.
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How are SIPs developed?
SIP revisions must first go through an intense period of research
in which data is collected and modeled, control strategies are
proposed and tested, and the revision is drafted. This initial
phase typically requires 3-4 years. The SIP revision is then sent
through the TCEQ's formal rulemaking process, which involves
publication of the proposal, public meetings, hearings, review of
public comments, and finally adoption by TCEQ's commissioners. This
process takes about six months. Once a SIP revision is adopted by
the commission, it is legally binding and enforceable under state
law. After adoption, the revision is submitted to the EPA for
review and approval. The SIP revision is federally enforceable
after it has been approved by the EPA.
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What is the history of the Texas SIP?
The history posted here provides a broad overview of the SIP
revisions that have been submitted to the EPA by the State of
Texas. Some sections may be obsolete or superseded by new
revisions, but have been retained for the sake of historical
completeness.
Last updated May 1, 2007.
-
History (PDF) (Help
with PDF)
-
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Why do we need SIPs?
There are numerous reasons why State Implementation Plans (SIPs)
are necessary and important.
- SIPs protect our air: SIPs play a key role in attaining
good air quality and protecting citizen's health.
- SIPs are required by law: The federal Clean Air Act
requires states with counties failing to meet national ambient air
quality standards to produce a SIP.
- Failure to produce a SIP has consequences: If a state
fails to submit or implement a SIP, or if it submits a SIP that is
unacceptable to the EPA, the EPA has the power to impose sanctions
or other penalties on that state. Typical sanctions include cutting
off federal highway funds and setting more stringent pollution
offsets for certain emitters. Offsets are the reduction of current
emissions at a rate equal to or greater than the amount of
emissions expected to be produced in a new project.
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How do SIPs affect me?
Texas' State Implementation Plan affects you in numerous ways.
- As an individual
- Protect your health: SIPs aim to implement air quality
standards, which are created to protect human health, including
your health. Therefore, SIPs aim to improve air quality to a degree
that is beneficial for the health and well-being of you and your
family.
- Regulations: Rules set requirements that may affect your
everyday life. In some cases, rules may place restrictions on you
by creating requirements that may affect the operation, design and
emissions level of your property (i.e. your motor vehicle). In
other cases rules may offer you incentives to choose technologies
that further the SIP's goal.
- As a business
- Regulations: Rules set requirements that may apply to
your industry. Regulations may place restrictions on activities and
equipment used in your business that affect quality levels. Other
regulations may provide incentives that your firm may be able to
take advantage of.
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