On February 2, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) released a proposed decision to disapprove part of South Coast AQMD’s plan to meet the 1997 federal ozone standard. That plan called for U.S. EPA to use its unique authority to reduce emissions from federal sources. If finalized, the proposed decision will instead result in harsh penalties including the imposition of steep hurdles for businesses to obtain permits, and the loss of billions of dollars of federal highway funding.

More than 80% of the smog-forming emissions in the South Coast region are from mobile sources – the trucks, ships, trains, planes, and equipment that make up the goods movement industry. Meeting national air quality standards is impossible unless these mobile source emissions under U.S. EPA authority are substantially reduced. South Coast AQMD has the strictest regulations in the nation on stationary sources such as power plants and factories. California and South Coast AQMD have jointly put in place the most innovative regulations in the nation to address mobile source emissions. However, U.S. EPA has failed to rein in emissions under their control and has no plans in place to address them.

The decision came after South Coast AQMD sued the agency for waiting two years past the deadline to act on the ozone plan. While the hope was that U.S. EPA would follow the roadmap provided in South Coast AQMD’s plan to reduce emissions from federal sources, they instead referenced technicalities in the Clean Air Act and avoided their responsibility. South Coast AQMD is actively working with CARB, Southern California Association of Governments, county transportation commissions, elected officials and others to ensure U.S. EPA’s draft decision does not become final.