Attainment State Implementation Plans

What is an Attainment State Implementation Plan?

If air quality does not meet a standard, EPA may classify the affected area as nonattainment, meaning the area does not meet national air quality standards. A state implementation plan (SIP) outlines actions to improve air quality.

The federal Clean Air Act requires an Attainment State Implementation Plan be developed for an area that does not meet national air quality standards. The plan describes how an area will be brought back into compliance with federal standards within a specific time frame.

An Attainment State Implementation Plan includes:

• A current, comprehensive inventory of emissions.
• Enforceable measures to reduce emissions; these measures may include a combination of state, local, and federal rules, plans, administrative orders, and permits for specific sources.
• A demonstration that the measures in place will bring the area back into attainment within a specific deadline,
• Contingency measures that will be implemented if the area does not meet the standard by the deadline.