The state Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Air Quality and Energy held a hearing Thursday to discuss how federal air quality policy could impact Maricopa County, as the Environmental Protection Agency is considering raising compliance standards.
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Air Quality Division Director Daniel Czecholinski went over the state implementation plan backed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
"They may not approve the [State Implementation Plan] fully, they may partially approve the SIP," Czecholinski said when asked by Sen. Sine Kerr, R-Buckeye, about the approval process and potential consequences for not meeting the EPA's standards.
Lawmakers also asked questions about climate events in other states, like wildfire smoke from California, and how that could impact federal standards.
"ADEQ could not remove those emissions from our design value […] even though they are outside of our control to do anything on them," Czecholinski said.
"I don't have an answer for you," he said when asked what the Legislature can do to help throughout this process.
"Why would we roll over and comply with unattainable that maybe were poorly conceived?" Rep. Barbara Parker, R-Mesa, asked, suggesting that the Legislature work to flout the EPA, to which Czecholinski said that previous lawsuit attempts have been unsuccessful.
