The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Division of Air Quality (AQ) will conduct a virtual public hearing on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, beginning at 6 p.m. (Docket # 2025-R-A-0015) on a proposed State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision.

On June 4, 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated 51 areas of the country as “non-attainment” under the 2015 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 0.070 parts per million. Ground level ozone, one of the principal components of “smog”, is a serious air pollutant that harms human health and the environment. Among those non-attainment areas was the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City (PA-NJ-MD-DE) Moderate Non-Attainment Area (Philadelphia NAA). This NAA included New Castle County in Delaware. On October 7, 2022, EPA published a final rule to reclassify certain ozone nonattainment areas from Marginal to Moderate for the 2015 ozone NAAQS. Under the Moderate non-attainment classification, the Philadelphia NAA did not meet the standard by the deadline of August 3, 2024.

On July 30, 2024, EPA published a final rule to reclassify the Philadelphia NAA as Serious for the 2015 8-hour ozone NAAQS, with a new attainment date of August 3, 2027, and instructed states in the NAA to develop non-attainment plans. Subsequently, on June 4, 2026, EPA issued a final rule creating a stand-alone NAA for New Castle County, Delaware; removing Delaware from the Philadelphia NAA. This hearing will address Delaware’s Serious Non-attainment Plan for New Castle County for the 2015 8-Hour Ozone NAAQS.

For additional information regarding the hearing matter visit de.gov/dnrechearings or to view the proposed SIP revisions visit regulations.delaware.gov/register/current_issue beginning September 1, 2026. For any questions or to view the proposed SIP revisions in person, by appointment-only, contact Kelsey Schiliro, at Division of Air Quality, 715 Grantham Lane, New Castle, Delaware, 19720, or via phone 302-323-4542 or by email at Kelsey.Schiliro@delaware.gov.

The weblink to the virtual hearing can be accessed through the DNREC Public Hearing site at de.gov/dnrechearings. If prompted for a password, please use: 842725. To access the audio-only portion of the virtual hearing, dial 1-305-224-1968 and enter the Meeting ID 858 7818 6053. Language assistance is available by request within 10 days of the hearing. Closed captioning is available via the Zoom virtual meeting tool.

Those wishing to offer verbal comments during DNREC public hearings must pre-register no later than noon of the date of the virtual hearing at de.gov/dnreccomments or by telephone at 302-739-9001.

The Department will accept public comment through Wednesday, October 7, 2026. Comments will be accepted in written form via email to DNRECHearingComments@delaware.gov, or by using the online form at de.gov/dnreccomments, or by U.S. mail to the following address:

Theresa Smith, Hearing Officer
DNREC – Office of the Secretary
89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901

Related Topics:  air quality, air quality standrads, ozone, public comment, public hearing, public notice