Regional Haze Program

In 1977, Congress added § 169 to the Clean Air Act (CAA), which set forth the following goal for restoring pristine conditions in national parks and wilderness areas:

Congress hereby declares as a national goal the prevention of any future, and the remedying of any existing, impairment of visibility in mandatory Class I Federal areas which impairment results from man-made air pollution.

In 1999, EPA promulgated the "Regional Haze Regulations: Final Rule" (also referred to as the Regional Haze Rule) to address the combined visibility effects of various pollution sources over a wide geographic region with the goal of achieving natural visibility conditions at designated Class I areas by 2064. This program requires all states, including those that do not have Class I areas to participate in planning, analysis, and emission control programs to comply with the Regional Haze Rule. States with Class I areas are required to conduct certain analyses to establish goals for each Class I area in the state to 1) improve visibility on the haziest days and 2) ensure no degradation occurs on the clearest days. These goals and long-term strategies to achieve these goals are to be included in state implementation plans (SIPs) covering each ten-year period leading up to 2064. Amendments to the Regional Haze Rule were finalized in 2005 and 2017.

Planning Period 1

The modeling files for Domtar's revised BART Alternative for Ashdown Mill are available upon request.

For questions or requesting copies of available modeling files for Domtar's revised BART Alternative, contact David Clark or phone 501-682-0070.

EPA approval of Phase III SIP


Planning Period 2

On August 8, 2022, DEQ submitted the state's Regional Haze Plan for Planning Period II to EPA for approval. Arkansas Regional Haze SIP elements as submitted to EPA are linked below. Modeling files for the proposal are available upon request. On August 18, 2022, EPA determined that the Arkansas Regional Haze Planning Period II SIP submission was complete.

Procedural and Public Notice Requirements

Governor's letter, Authority to Adopt and Implement the Plan (Appendix M), Administrative Orders adopting control strategies for Planning Period II, Public Notice and Hearing documentation.

SIP Revision Submitted to EPA

Modeling files for the proposal are available upon request.

EPA Action on Regional Haze Planning Period II SIP

The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment (E&E), Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ), has prepared a five-year Regional Haze Progress Report that is intended to fulfill one of Arkansas' responsibilities under the Clean Air Act and Regional Haze Rule. Arkansas' planning period 2 Regional Haze State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision was submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in August 2022 to address visibility impairment in the state's Class I federal areas - Upper Buffalo and Caney Creek Wilderness areas. This progress report is intended to address the requirements of 40 Code of Federal Register (CFR) Section 51.308(g), requiring periodic reports evaluating progress toward the Reasonable Progress Goals established for mandatory Class I areas where visibility may be impacted by Arkansas sources. In accordance with 40 CFR Section 51.308(h)(1), DEQ intends to submit with this progress report a negative declaration, indicating that revision of the existing SIP is not currently necessary.

DEQ is soliciting comments of any interested party to this progress report by emailing comments to ee.comment@arkansas.gov or by mailing comments to Demetria Kimbrough, Department of Energy and Environment, 5301 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72118, on or before the end of the public comment period, which is 4:30 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST) Thursday, January 15, 2026. Comments received on the progress report during the public comment period from stakeholders and the public will be made a part of the record.

Public Comments and DEQ Responses