EPA to Reconsider Texas Ozone Nonattainment Designations and 179B Disapproval

On September 29, 2026, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the agency will review several Obama and Biden‑era air‑quality rules that Texas argues impose undue economic burdens. The reconsiderations include Texas’ 2015 Ozone NAAQS nonattainment classification, San Antonio’s specific status, and the 2008 Ozone NAAQS for Houston‑Galveston‑Brazoria and Dallas‑Fort Worth. EPA also plans to revisit the 2022 disapproval of Texas’ Clean Air Act Section 179B demonstration, which would relieve the state from penalties tied to emissions transported from outside the U. S. The agency said it would propose the reconsiderations by year‑end and finalize them next year, working with Texas to balance economic growth and clean‑air goals.