Final rule · 2026-06838

Air Plan Approval; Rhode Island; Regional Haze State Implementation Plan for the Second Implementation Period; Prong 4 (Visibility) for the 2015 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Rhode Island on March 7, 2025, as satisfying the applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for the program's second implementation period. Rhode Island's SIP submission addresses the requirement that states must periodically revise their long-term strategies for making reasonable progress towards the national goal of preventing any future, and remedying any existing, anthropogenic impairment of visibility, including regional haze, in mandatory Class I Federal areas. The SIP submission also addresses other applicable requirements for the second implementation period of the regional haze program. EPA is also approving the remaining element of Rhode Island's September 23, 2020, infrastructure SIP (ISIP) submittal for the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). The approval of Rhode Island's second implementation period regional haze plan addresses ISIP requirements related to visibility protection. The EPA is taking this action pursuant to sections 110 and 169A of the Clean Air Act.