Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; North Carolina; Redesignation of the Charlotte; 1997 8-Hour Ozone Moderate Nonattainment Area to Attainment

EPA is taking final action to redesignate the portion of North Carolina that is within the bi-state Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, North Carolina-South Carolina 8-hour ozone nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as the "Area," "North Carolina portion of the bi-state Charlotte Area," "North Carolina portion of the Area," or "Metrolina nonattainment area") to attainment for the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), and to approve the maintenance plan for the Area. The State of North Carolina, through the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Air Quality (NC DAQ), submitted the redesignation request and maintenance plan on November 2, 2011. The State supplemented the redesignation request and maintenance plan on March 28, 2013, extending the maintenance plan to the year 2025 and updating the sub-area motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) for nitrogen oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) for the years 2013 and 2025 for the North Carolina portion of the Area. EPA's approval of NC DAQ's redesignation request is based on the determination that North Carolina has met the criteria for redesignation to attainment set forth in the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act). EPA finalized action to redesignate the South Carolina portion of the Area, including approval of South Carolina's maintenance plan for the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS, in a separate action.