Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Regional Haze: 2018-2028 State Implementation Plan

Adopted rule

Administrative Order: DEQ-2-2022 
Filed and effective: Feb. 3, 2022 
See Oregon Bulletin, March 2022


2018-2028 Regional Haze Plan 

The purpose of the Regional Haze Program is to improve visibility in wilderness areas and national parks with the goal to attain natural visibility conditions by 2064. Oregon's Regional Haze Program implements the federal 1999 Regional Haze Rule as amended in 2017. DEQ also implements the Regional Haze Plan to protect and improve visibility in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

The federal Regional Haze Rule requires states to periodically update Regional Haze Plans. DEQ began work on the 2018 – 2018 Regional Haze Plan in 2019 and has been coordinating plan development with neighboring states, federal land management agencies, the Western Regional Air Partnership and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10. DEQ completed required formal consultation with federal land managers and engaged in government-to-government consultation with Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes.

In July 2021, the Environmental Quality Commission adopted rules in Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 340 Division 223. Those rules provided DEQ the authority to issue orders to certain stationary sources to install pollution controls or otherwise reduce emissions of the regional haze pollutants: nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter of diameter 10 microns and less. The 2018 – 2028 Regional Haze Plan includes those orders.

For more information about regional haze and development of the 2018 – 2028 Regional Haze Plan, please visit the Oregon Regional Haze Program.   

Public involvement

The comment period for this rulemaking closed on Nov. 1, 2021 at 4 p.m.

Public hearing

DEQ held one public hearing on Oct. 25, 2021.

envelopeGreen.gifSign up for email or text updates on this rulemaking via GovDelivery.

EQC action

The Environmental Quality Commission adopted these rules at its meeting on Feb. 3, 2022.