Beaumont–Port Arthur: Current Attainment Status

Note: This table is intended to provide a listing of designations and classifications for current, active National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). While NAAQS which have been revoked by the EPA do not appear in this table, some anti-backsliding obligations may continue to apply for revoked standards. This table is to be used for informational purposes only and should not be used to determine regulatory requirements in any of the counties listed.

BPA-Area Attainment Status by Pollutant

*The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revoked the one-hour ozone standard and the 1997 eight-hour ozone standard in all areas, although some areas have continuing obligations under these standards. See ozone history for more information.

**Standard will be revoked one year after the effective date of final designations for the 75 ppb standard.

 For more information on attainment status, visit the EPA's Green Book webpage regarding nonattainment areas for criteria pollutants.

BPA Attainment Areas

2015 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard Designations: Attainment/Unclassifiable, effective January 16, 2018 ( 82 FR 54232 ) 
On October 1, 2015, the EPA lowered the primary and secondary eight-hour ozone NAAQS to 0.070 parts per million ( 80 FR 65292 ). Hardin, Jefferson, and Orange Counties were designated attainment/unclassifiable under the 2015 eight-hour ozone NAAQS, effective January 16, 2018. 

2008 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard Designation: Unclassifiable/Attainment, effective July 20, 2012 ( 77 FR 30088 )
On March 27, 2008, the EPA lowered the primary and secondary eight-hour ozone NAAQS to 0.075 parts per million ( 73 FR 16436 ). Hardin, Jefferson, and Orange Counties were designated unclassifiable/attainment under the 2008 eight-hour ozone NAAQS, effective July 20, 2012.   

1997 Eight-Hour Ozone Standard Designation: Attainment (Maintenance), effective November 19, 2010 ( 75 FR 64675 )
The BPA area, including Hardin, Jefferson, and Orange counties, was originally designated as a marginal nonattainment area under the 1997 eight-hour ozone standard and was later reclassified to moderate nonattainment. In December 2008, the TCEQ submitted a redesignation request and maintenance-plan SIP revision for the BPA area using certified monitoring data from 2005, 2006, and 2007. On October 20, 2010, the EPA published notice in the Federal Register finalizing approval of the redesignation request and maintenance-plan SIP revision, including a determination that the BPA area has attained the 1997 eight-hour ozone standard and has met all of the applicable 1997 eight-hour ozone requirements and one-hour ozone anti-backsliding requirements for the purposes of redesignation. The EPA redesignated the BPA area to attainment for the 1997 eight-hour ozone standard effective November 19, 2010 ( 75 FR 64675 ). On February 6, 2019, the TCEQ submitted a maintenance plan SIP revision for the second 10-year maintenance period. On September 2, 2020, the EPA published final approval of the second 10-year maintenance plan for the 1997 eight-hour ozone standard ( 85 FR 54504 ).

National Ambient Air Quality Standards

The EPA has set National Ambient Air Quality Standards for six principal criteria pollutants: ground-level ozone, lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter. 

Within one year after promulgation of a new or revised NAAQS for any pollutant, the governor must submit designation recommendations to the EPA for all areas of the state. The EPA must then promulgate the designations within two years of promulgation of the revised NAAQS. Areas that do not meet (or contribute to ambient air quality in a nearby area that does not meet) the NAAQS are designated “nonattainment.” Areas that meet the NAAQS are designated “attainment,” and areas that cannot be classified based on the available information, “unclassifiable.”

For ozone, the federal Clean Air Act establishes nonattainment-area classifications ranked according to the severity of the area’s air-pollution problem. These classifications—marginal, moderate, serious, severe, and extreme—translate to varying requirements with which Texas and nonattainment areas must comply.