CLARK COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA ITEM
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Petitioner: |
Marci Henson, Director, Department of Environment and Sustainability |
Recommendation:
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Approve, adopt, and authorize the Director (or designee) to submit the “2015 Ozone NAAQS Attainment Plan for the Las Vegas Valley Serious Nonattainment Area: Clark County, Nevada” to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for review and approval as a revision to the Nevada State Implementation Plan; and set a public hearing on July 7, 2026, at 10:00 AM. (For possible action)
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BACKGROUND:
On October 1, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), lowering the primary and secondary standards from 0.075 to 0.070 parts per million. The Las Vegas Valley (Hydrographic Area 212) was designated as a marginal nonattainment area for the 2015 ozone standard, effective August 3, 2018. On January 5, 2023, EPA determined that the area failed to attain the standard by the applicable marginal nonattainment date and reclassified the Las Vegas Valley as a moderate nonattainment area. On December 19, 2024, EPA determined that the area failed to attain the standard by the applicable moderate nonattainment date and reclassified the Las Vegas Valley as a serious nonattainment area, effective January 21, 2025.
Under Sections 172 and 182(c) of the Clean Air Act, Clark County must submit a revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for nonattainment areas that have been reclassified as serious, addressing the following plan elements: emissions inventory, enhanced monitoring, attainment demonstration, nonattainment new source review, reasonable further progress, reasonably available control measures, reasonably available control technology, contingency measures, enhanced motor vehicle inspection and maintenance program, clean fuels vehicle program, and motor vehicle emissions budget for transportation conformity.
The plan also includes a demonstration under Section 179B(a) of the Clean Air Act showing that the area would attain the ozone NAAQS but for emissions emanating from outside the United States, providing an alternative basis for EPA approval of the attainment demonstration.
The proposed plan was made available for public comment from April 17 through May 29, 2026. A public hearing on July 7, 2026, will provide the public with an additional opportunity to provide comments prior to the Board of County Commissioners' consideration of the plan.
Staff recommends that a public hearing on the SIP be set for July 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.