EPA Approves Removal of Burdensome Permitting Requirements Following Georgia’s Air Quality Attainment Status
EPA Approves Removal of Burdensome Permitting Requirements Following Georgia’s Air Quality Attainment Status
Contact: EPA Region 4 Press Office - (404) 562-8400, region4press@epa.gov
ATLANTA (October 8, 2026) — Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved revisions to Georgia’s State Implementation Plan (SIP), removing unnecessary permitting requirements. Following the entire State of Georgia coming into attainment for National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) in 2022, EPA has determined that permitting requirements previously in place to help reach air quality standards are no longer required or needed under the Clean Air Act (CAA). This milestone will help promote economic growth across Georgia by removing burdensome requirements that slow energy construction and discourage reshoring of manufacturing, all while maintaining clean air within the state.
“EPA is proud to put cooperative federalism into action and work with the State of Georgia to remove these obsolete permitting requirements. By clarifying the regulatory landscape, businesses in Georgia will have certainty as they look to invest in the Peach State,” said EPA Regional Administrator Kevin McOmber. “Years of work have gone into reaching this point, and we are confident that the state continues to have the tools to maintain clean air for all Georgians.”
Today’s action will remove all nonattainment New Source Review (NNSR) requirements, certain provisions related to the use of emission reduction credits, and other mandated programs in Georgia’s SIP that were put in place when areas were still in nonattainment for the NAAQS. Under the best reading of the CAA, EPA determined that removing these permitting programs from Georgia’s SIP will not interfere with attainment or maintenance of the NAAQS or any other applicable statutorily obligations. Georgia’s SIP will continue to include permitting programs designed to protect the state’s attainment with the NAAQS.
On background:
EPA proposed to approve the removal of the NNSR program from the Georgia SIP on September 2, 2025, and held a 30-day comment period.
Georgia has not had any designated nonattainment areas since EPA’s approval of the redesignation of the Atlanta area for the 2015 ozone NAAQS on October 17, 2022.