The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) held a stakeholder meeting at its Boston headquarters on August 3, 2006, to discuss state implementation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR).

AGENDA

1.  Introductions/Review of Agenda 

2.  Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) 

• EPA’s CAIR background/requirements
• Areas of state flexibility under CAIR
• Request for comments/feedback by August 18
• Questions

3.  Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) 

• Existing MA 310 CMR 7.29 mercury rule
• CAMR background/requirements
• State regulatory response
• Questions

4.  Stakeholder Comments  

BACKGROUND

MassDEP will submit to EPA by March 31, 2007, a State Implementation Plan (SIP) and State CAIR regulation that will establish an ozone season nitrogen oxides (NOx) cap-and-trade program that meets EPA's CAIR requirements and replaces the existing Massachusetts NOx SIP Call Program (310 CMR 7.28).  At the stakeholder meeting, MassDEP staff will discuss its proposed CAIR trading program approach and seek stakeholder input prior to issuing a draft State CAIR regulation for public review and comment.

To meet the requirements of CAMR, MassDEP must submit to EPA by November 17, 2006, a State plan and amendments to 310 CMR 7.29, the Massachusetts power plant regulation. These amendments will also be discussed at the meeting.

If you have questions about any of the above, please contact Eileen Hiney at 617-292-5520 or eileen.hiney@state.ma.us or Nicholas Bianco at 617-292-5705 or nicholas.m.bianco@state.ma.us.