EPA found that the 2020 motor vehicle emissions budgets for volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides for the 2008 eight-hour ozone NAAQS, submitted by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection on November 18, 2021, are adequate for transportation conformity purposes for the New Jersey portion of the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT nonattainment area.

EPA redesignated a portion of Canton, Ohio, in northeastern Stark County from ‘‘unclassifiable/attainment’’ to ‘‘nonattainment’’ for the 2008 NAAQS for lead.

EPA extended the deadline for state plans required to be submitted under the CAA in accordance with the Affordable Clean Energy Rule until April 15, 2024.

SIP Approval: New Jersey (revisions to the motor vehicle inspection and maintenance program).

FWS announced its 12-month finding on a petition to list Joshua trees as endangered or threatened species under the ESA, finding that listing was unwarranted. 

FWS determined threatened species status for the longsolid and round hickorynut freshwater mussels under the ESA; designated approximately 1,115 river miles in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, and Alabama as critical habitat for the longsolid and approximately 921 river miles in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi as critical habitat for the round hickorynut; and finalized a rule under §4(d) of the Act to provide for conservation of both species.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service requested public input for the Service to use in refining the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watershed Initiative (MRBI) and the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) to better protect and improve water quality, streamline and improve MRBI and NWQI to increase efficiencies and expand access for underserved communities and producers, and engage with partners to provide technical assistance for MRBI and NWQI implementation.

EPA granted requests by the California Air Resources Board to reclassify the Coachella Valley ozone nonattainment area in California from “severe-15” to “extreme” for the 2008 ozone NAAQS.

SIP Approval: Missouri (revisions to regulation restricting emissions of visible air contaminants).

SIP Approval: Georgia (limited maintenance plan for the Macon 1997 eight-hour ozone NAAQS maintenance area).