Current and Proposed Statutes and Regulations
View and download current and proposed environmental laws related to the Department for Environmental Protection (DEP). Some of the links on this page will take you off the Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC) website and are provided solely as a courtesy to our customers. Please refer to the instructions and information on the external websites before relying on or using the linked information as the website may contain unofficial versions.
Current Environmental Protection Laws
Federal
Kentucky
Kentucky Federal Program Delegation Status
The EPA has delegated implementation of certain environmental protection programs to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Under these programs, the EEC will be the primary agency for implementation within the Commonwealth. Further information is linked below:
Division for Air Quality
The EPA approvals of the federal Clean Air Act (CAA) Kentucky State Implementation Plans (SIPs) and CAA Section 111(d) State Plans can be found here:
Kentucky State Implementation Plans (SIPs) - eCFR :: 40 CFR Part 52 Subpart S -- Kentucky
Clean Air Act Section (CAA) 111(d) State Plans - eCFR :: 40 CFR Part 62 Subpart S -- Kentucky
Summaries of proposed and finalized revisions to Kentucky's air quality State Implementation Plans (SIPs) by year:
State plans fall under Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act. Each plan sets performance standards for certain facilities for specific pollutants. Visit the Division for Air Quality CAA Section 111(d) State Plans page to learn more about the specific state plans for different facilities regulated under these provisions.
Visit the Federal Delegation of New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) and National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) to Kentucky page to learn about Kentucky's delegation of the NSPS and NESHAP programs.
Division of Water
In accordance with the federal Clean Water Act (CWA), Congress gave states the responsibility to establish objectives or goals for managing, maintaining, and enhancing water quality, a responsibility commonly referred to as state water quality standards (WQS). Kentucky's administrative regulations regarding WQS are contained in 401 KAR Chapter 10. States are required to perform periodic reviews of WQS and hold a public hearing every three years, known as the Triennial Review, pursuant to Section 303(c)(1) of the CWA.DOW Triennial Review Information
For information about Kentucky's primary enforcement responsibility for the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), visit this page:
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Primacy Enforcement Responsibility for Public Water Systems
Regulations in Development
Summaries and other information related to proposed rules in development are accessible on the DEP Regulations Tracker (Coming Soon).
Proposed rules will not go into effect until the public has an opportunity to submit written comments, and to attend a public hearing unless it is cancelled for lack of participation in accordance to KRS Chapter 13A . Any person may offer comments on a proposed rule.
Please note that the official text of a proposed rule is the version that appears in Administrative Register of Kentucky, not the copy on this site. Pre-vetting of regulations will not result in a written response from the Department. However, the information will be considered in regulation development before filing with the Legislative Research Commission.
General overview of the Kentucky regulations promulgation process cycle - LRC KAR FAQs
KY LRC Committee Meetings on YouTube - LRC YouTube Channel
Find federal rulemakings and notices Federal Register.gov and access federal rulemaking dockets and submit comments at Regulations.gov.