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ATTAINMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF AIR QUALITY IN MAINE 



Introduction 



The 1977 Clean Air Act relies heavily on each state and specifically the 

 State Implementation Plan for outlining how each state will meet the Clean 

 Air Act standards. The states maintain a flexibility in approach in 

 achieving and maintaining the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. For 

 instance, the Clean Air Act encouraged each state to develop emission 

 limitations in order to attain and maintain the NAAQS within their state. 

 States may set their own standards as long as they are more stringent than the 

 Federal standards. The Maine SIP establishes ambient air quality standards 

 that represent the maximum levels of controlled pollutants that are per- 

 mitted in the ambient air in Maine. Compare the State standards of table 2-2 

 with the Federal standards in table 2-1. By setting stricter standards, 

 Maine is investing in cleaner air for its citizens. 



The Clean Air Act mandated that each State Implementation Plan (SIP) : 



Identify alternative control strategies for attainment and maintenance 

 of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). 



Attain the primary standard for each of the six criteria air pollutants 

 (CO, SO^, NO^, hydrocarbons, 

 as expeditiously as possible. 



(CO, SO , NO , hydrocarbons, photochemical oxidents, and particulates) 



Insure that pollutant emissions will not interfere with attainment 

 and maintenance of a national standard. 



The approval of an SIP is based on the EPA Administrator's determination that 

 the plan adequately meets the requirements of the Act. It is important that 

 the SIP include control strategies which deal directly with the particular 

 problems and needs of the state. An entire plan may be approved, or the 

 EPA Administrator may only approve a portion of the plan. 



The Maine State Implementation Plan 



The State of Maine addressed the attainment and maintenance of air pollution 

 in the State Implementation Plan for Air Quality, adopted by the Board of 

 Environmental Protection in May of 1979. In this document, control strategies 

 for each of the five Ambient Air Quality Control Regions of the State are 

 presented. Areas are designated as either attainment, nonattainment, or 

 unclassif iable (due to lack of data). For those areas which are nonattainment, 

 control strategies are proposed addressing, in order: The problem; 

 proposed solution; justification of the solution; reasonable further progress 

 (toward attainment of the NAAQS by 31 December, 1982); and, potential 

 growth of the pollutant I'n the future. 



Secondly, a mechanism for the review of performance standards for new 

 sources and modifications of old point sources by licensing is proposed. Air 

 emission licenses are required for almost all stationary sources of air 

 pollution. Major emitting sources are subject to different requirements, 

 depending on their locations with the state. 



3-C-5 



10-80 



