Notice of Public Hearing for the Sulfur Dioxide Milestone Report

Utah's State Implementation Plan for Regional Haze (the Plan) adopted by the Air Quality Board on April 6, 2011, requires that Utah cooperate with New Mexico, Wyoming, and Albuquerque-Bernalillo County in producing an annual report to determine if the average emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) from large industrial sources for the most current three-year period are less than the emissions milestone set in the Plan. The average emissions inventory for 2012-2014 is calculated by totaling all emissions from participating entities for each year, then averaging the three years of data. This number is then compared to the 2014 milestone set in the Plan. The draft report for calendar year 2014 is now available for public comment at http://www.deq.utah.gov/NewsNotices/notices/air/Pubrule.htm.

The report shows that adjusted total emissions of SO2 in 2014 from large sources in the participating entities -- Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Albuquerque-Bernalillo County -- were 91,381 tons; that the average SO2 emissions for 2012-2014 were 96,392 tons; and that the SO2 milestone for 2014 is 170,868 tons. The report demonstrates that emissions from the participating entities are less than the milestone and have met the requirements of the Plan for 2014. Therefore, implementation of the SO2 backstop trading program identified in the Plan is not triggered.

The Utah Division of Air Quality will hold a public hearing at 10:00 a.m. on February 10, 2016, in the DEQ Building, Four Corners Conference Room (Room No. 4100), at 195 North 1950 West, Salt Lake City, Utah. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals with special needs (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) should contact the Office of Human Resources, at 801-536-4412 (TDD 536-4414).

The comment period closes at 5:00 p.m. on February 16, 2016. Comments postmarked on or before that date will be accepted.

Comments may be submitted by electronic mail to [e-mail] or may be mailed to:

ATTN: SO2 Milestone Report

Bryce Bird, Director

Utah Division of Air Quality

PO Box 144820

Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4820