SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Obtaining a Copy of the Proposed Consent Decree

The official public docket for this action (identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OGC-2026-2971) contains a copy of the proposed consent decree. The official public docket is available for public viewing at the Office of Environmental Information (OEI) Docket in the EPA Docket Center, EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744 and the telephone number for the OEI Docket is (202) 566-1752.

The electronic version of the public docket for this action contains a copy of the proposed consent decree and is available through https://www.regulations.gov. You may use https://www.regulations.gov to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the official public docket, and access those documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, key in the appropriate docket identification number then select “search.”

II. Additional Information About the Proposed Consent Decree

The proposed consent decree would establish deadlines for the EPA to take action pursuant to CAA section 110(k) on a SIP revision that includes the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District's (“District's”) Rules 3172 (“Federally Mandated Ozone Nonattainment Fee—2008 8-Hour Standard”) and 3173 (“Federally Mandated Ozone Nonattainment Fee—2015 8-Hour Standard”), submitted by the State of California on March 13, 2024. District Rules 3172 and 3173 address the penalty fee program requirements for the San Joaquin Valley area for the 2008 and 2015 ozone NAAQS, respectively.

The proposed consent decree would also establish a deadline for the EPA to take action pursuant to CAA section ( printed page 33722) 110(k) on a SIP revision titled “Ozone Contingency Measure State Implementation Plan Revision for the 2008 and 2015 8-Hour Ozone Standards” (“Ozone Contingency Measure Plan”), submitted by the State of California on April 29, 2024. The Ozone Contingency Measure Plan addresses the contingency measure requirements for the San Joaquin Valley area for the 2008 and 2015 ozone NAAQS.

The proposed consent decree would require the EPA to sign final rules taking action on the submissions of District Rules 3172 and 3173 and the Ozone Contingency Measure Plan by September 30, 2026. In all instances, the proposed consent decree would require the EPA, within 15 business days of signature, to send the required final rules to the Office of the Federal Register for review and publication in the Federal Register .

In accordance with section 113(g) of the CAA, for a period of thirty (30) days following the date of publication of this document, the Agency will accept written comments relating to the proposed consent decree. The EPA or the Department of Justice may withdraw or withhold consent to the proposed consent decree if the comments disclose facts or considerations that indicate that such consent is inappropriate, improper, inadequate, or inconsistent with the requirements of the Act.

III. Additional Information About Commenting on the Proposed Consent Decree

Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OGC-2026-2971, via https://www.regulations.gov. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from this docket. The EPA may publish any comment received to its public docket. Do not submit to the EPA's docket at https://www.regulations.gov any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA will generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of the primary submission ( i.e., on the web, cloud, or other file sharing system). For additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general guidance on making effective comments, please visit https://www.epa.gov/​dockets/​commenting-epa-dockets. For additional information about submitting information identified as CBI, please contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document. Note that written comments containing CBI and submitted by mail may be delayed and deliveries or couriers will be received by scheduled appointment only.

If you submit an electronic comment, the EPA recommends that you include your name, mailing address, and an email address or other contact information in the body of your comment. This ensures that you can be identified as the submitter of the comment and allows the EPA to contact you in case the EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties or needs further information on the substance of your comment. Any identifying or contact information provided in the body of a comment will be included as part of the comment that is placed in the official public docket and made available in EPA's electronic public docket. If the EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, the EPA may not be able to consider your comment.

Use of the https://www.regulations.gov website to submit comments to the EPA electronically is the EPA's preferred method for receiving comments. The electronic public docket system is an “anonymous access” system, which means the EPA will not know your identity, email address, or other contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment.

Please ensure that your comments are submitted within the specified comment period. Comments received after the close of the comment period will be marked “late.” The EPA is not required to consider these late comments.