Michigan Air Quality Haze Reduction Plan Approval

Summary

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the Regional Haze State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) on August 23, 2021, and supplemented on July 24, 2025, as satisfying applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for the program's second implementation period. EGLE's SIP submission addresses the requirement that States must periodically revise their long-term strategies for making reasonable progress towards the national goal of preventing any future, and remedying any existing, anthropogenic impairment of visibility, including regional haze, in mandatory Class I Federal areas. The SIP submission also addresses other applicable requirements for the second implementation period of the regional haze program. EPA is taking this action pursuant to sections 110 and 169A of the CAA.

Compliance Requirements

1. #1

   States must periodically revise their long-term strategies for making reasonable progress towards the national goal of preventing any future, and remedying any existing, anthropogenic impairment of visibility, including regional haze, in mandatory Class I Federal areas; States must calculate the Uniform Rate of Progress (URP) for the end of each planning period for each Class I area; States must compare the reasonable progress goal (RPG) for the 20 percent most impaired days to the URP for the end of the planning period; States must take into consideration the four statutory factors in determining reasonable progress: the costs of compliance, the time necessary for compliance, the energy and non-air quality environmental impacts of compliance, and the remaining useful life of any existing source subject to such requirements; States must consider and address the emissions reduction measures identified by other States for their sources as being necessary to make reasonable progress in the mandatory out-of-state Class I area; Petitions for judicial review of this action must be filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the appropriate circuit by [Insert date 60 days after date of publication in the Federal Register]

Market Impacts

• EPA approval of Michigan's Regional Haze SIP revision establishes that no additional emission control measures are required for the second implementation period, providing regulatory certainty for affected industries. This maintains current market access without imposing new compliance costs or operational restrictions.; Continued participation in IMPROVE monitoring network and ongoing compliance reporting requirements create sustained demand for environmental monitoring and consulting services. The requirement to maintain existing control measures ensures ongoing need for technical support and compliance verification services.; The approved SIP establishes that existing emission control levels are deemed sufficient, potentially creating barriers for new entrants or expansion projects that would need to meet the 'effectively controlled' standard without the benefit of grandfathering provisions that existing facilities enjoy.; The rule affects operations across state lines, as Michigan sources contribute to visibility impairment in 13 out-of-state Class I areas. This creates potential for future interstate regulatory coordination requirements and may affect companies operating in multiple jurisdictions.

Estimated Monetary Impact

Basis: The regulation is an approval of Michigan's Regional Haze SIP revision that concludes no additional control measures are necessary for reasonable progress. The document explicitly states that EGLE determined no additional measures were needed and EPA approved this determination. No specific monetary costs, penalties, or economic impacts are mentioned in the regulation text. The action merely approves existing state law as meeting federal requirements without imposing additional requirements. No dollar amounts, cost estimates, or penalty provisions are specified for any company size category.Confidence: 20%

Validated Company Impacts