Sponsors (9)
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Modifies the composition provision for members representing State air pollution control agencies on the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee: increases the number from one to three and requires geographic diversity across specified EPA regions.
Adds a new subparagraph (D) requiring the Administrator to request, and the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (after receiving public comments) to assess and provide advice regarding any adverse public health, welfare, social, economic, or energy effects of strategies for attaining and maintaining a national ambient air quality standard prior to establishing or revising that standard.
Amends subsection (b) of 42 U.S.C. 7619 (section 319(b) of the Clean Air Act) to revise the definition and structure for 'exceptional event', add a defined term 'action to mitigate wildfire risk', modify exclusions, add requirements for regional modeling/analysis and public transparency, and make conforming edits to standards for petitions and causal demonstrations.
Adds a new section 179C to the Clean Air Act establishing that sanctions or fees under sections 179 or 185 shall not apply to certain nonattainment areas for ozone or particulate matter when specified demonstrations are met, clarifies that this inapplicability does not affect obligations to attain standards, and requires periodic renewal of the demonstration.
Revises the timing language in subsection (d) governing review/revision of national ambient air quality standards to require reviews at 10-year intervals.
Inserts additional text after the first sentence of subsection (b)(1) of section 109 (exact inserted text not provided in the excerpt).
Adds a requirement that, before promulgating a Federal implementation plan (FIP) after a finding or disapproval, the Administrator must give the State at least one year to submit a corrective plan; if the State submits such a plan, the Administrator may take up to 3 years after the finding or disapproval to promulgate a FIP (notwithstanding the existing 2-year deadline).
Adds an exception stating that contingency measures required under paragraph (c)(9) shall not be required for any ozone nonattainment area classified as an 'Extreme Area.'
Makes targeted edits to section 182 (42 U.S.C. 7511a) including insertions and strikes in specified subsections and paragraphs related to plan submissions and requirements for ozone nonattainment areas; specific textual changes are not shown in the excerpt.
Inserts additional text into section 189(c)(1) related to plan revisions and milestones for particulate matter nonattainment areas (exact inserted text not provided in the excerpt).
This bill changes parts of the Clean Air Act to make it easier for states to meet national air quality standards while still protecting health. It lengthens how often national air standards are reviewed to every 10 years, instead of more frequent reviews, so rules don’t shift as often. States get at least one year to fix problems in their air plans before a federal plan is put in place, and EPA can take up to three years to issue that federal plan if the state is working to correct issues. For areas with the worst ozone pollution, it removes the extra “contingency” rules that were previously required, easing a layer of red tape for those communities. The bill also asks that how achievable a standard is be considered when setting it.
It updates how unusual pollution events are handled. States can ask EPA to ignore air-quality spikes caused by wildfires or by steps taken to reduce wildfire risk, like prescribed burns, when deciding if an area met the standard. EPA must offer regional analysis on request and create a public website to track these requests within 12 months of the law taking effect. If a state can show its air problems were mainly due to factors outside its control—such as pollution from outside the area, exceptional events like wildfires, or certain mobile-source emissions—then certain penalties and fees won’t apply; the state must renew this showing every five years, and still must keep working to meet the standards . The bill also adds more state voices to EPA’s science advisory committee and requires advice on possible public health, social, economic, and energy impacts of different clean-up strategies before standards are set or revised.
Key points
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced June 27, 2025 by Buddy Carter · Last progress June 27, 2025
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 23.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by the Yeas and Nays: 14 - 10.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held