# Plain Language Summary: Congressional Disapproval of EPA's Ohio Air Plan Rule

Congress is voting to reject a technical change that the Environmental Protection Agency made to Ohio's air quality plan. Here's what that means in practical terms: The EPA had submitted a small amendment to how Ohio manages air pollution, but Congress is saying "no, we don't want that change to go through." If this bill passes, it will undo that EPA action and keep Ohio's air pollution rules the way they were before.

This is part of a special congressional power called the "Congressional Review Act," which lets Congress block certain government agency rules within a limited time window. It's like Congress hitting the undo button on a regulatory decision. The bill specifically targets a technical withdrawal that the EPA made related to Ohio's air quality standards, which are the rules that determine how clean the air needs to be in different parts of the state.

For most people in Ohio, this probably won't have an immediate noticeable effect on their daily lives. However, it could matter for businesses that deal with air pollution regulations, environmental groups that monitor air quality, and state officials who manage Ohio's compliance with federal clean air standards. The practical impact depends on what exactly the EPA's amendment would have changed—whether it would have made rules stricter, looser, or just clarified existing standards. Without knowing the specific details of the technical amendment being rejected, it's hard to say whether this helps or hurts air quality in Ohio, but it does represent Congress asserting its authority over how environmental regulations get implemented in the state.

Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Air Plan Approval; Ohio; Withdrawal of Technical Amendment".

Balderson, Troy

<p>This joint resolution nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule titled <em>Air Plan Approval; Ohio; Withdrawal of Technical Amendment</em> (90 Fed. Reg. 6811) and published on January 21, 2025. Among other elements, the rule reversed a final rule from November 2020 that removed the Air Nuisance Rule (ANR) from the Ohio State Implementation Plan (SIP). The EPA determined its original action to remove the ANR was in error, and this rule reinstates the ANR. (Under the Clean Air Act, states must submit SIPs to comply with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. This ANR was included in Ohio’s SIP.)</p>