\D ST. UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY I1 REGION IX 75 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 95105-3901

OFFICE OF THE 

## MAY 2 2 21fl4 REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR
Keeny Escalanti President Quechan Indian Tribe Post Office Box 1899 Yuma. Arizona 85366 Dear PresidentEscalanti: 

### The purpose ofthis letteris to provide you with information concerning the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) designations process forthe 2012 primary annual PM 2

. 5 national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). YourTribe may find it importantto engage with us inthe process of assigning designations for Indian country. Although your involvement is notrequired, we would like to invite you to participate in the designations process andto offeryou consultation. We wantto ensure transparent and effective communication in developing area designations forthe revised PM 2

. 5 NAAQS. Area recommendations brthe PM 5 NAAQS were due to EPA on December 13, 20 3; however, EPA is preparedto accept designation recommendations via letter from tribal leaders until June 13, 2014. On December 13, 2012, EPArevised the PM 25 NAAQS to increase protection ofpublic health from tine particle pollution. The annual PM 2

. 5 standardwas strengthened from 15 ug/m 3 to 12 ug/rn 3

. Establishing initial area designations is akey step in theprocess ofproviding the health andlorwelfareprotection intended by the Clean AirAct (CAA). Within two years ofpromulgation ofanew orrevisedNAAQS. EPA must list and designate all areas in the country as either: Attainment

- areas thatmeet the standard; Nonattainment

- areas that either do not meetthe standard, or are contributing to a nearby area that does not meetthe standard; or Unclassifiable

- areas where there is insufficient information to make a determination as to attainment. These designations are based on current air quality information, recommendations from state governors and tribal leaders, and otherrelevant infhrmation as discussed in the April 2013 designations guidance. initialAreaDesignationc /örthe 2O1 RevisedPrimaryAnnual

### Fine ParticleNationalAmbientAir Oualitv Standard. The guidance is available on the EPA’s PM Designations website at

ti’/ww.epa.

### uov’pmdesinations.2)12standards’docs’aprii2OI 3iwidanee.pdfAdditional information about developing tribal airquality designations is available in the September2013 document, DevelopingDesignation Recommendations forAreas ofIndian Country, which is available here: 1tip://\\ \ .dil :I/tIa1/d1sDeveftpfflgaDes1enationRecommendationibrlndianCuuntry.pdf. We are sending you this letterbecause Imperial County, CA shows violations ofthe 2012 PM 5 NAAQS. EPA will be reviewing data to determine whether anyportion ofyourTribe’s area ofIndian Printed nn Receded Pupe,country should be designated nonattainment for the standard and you may want to engage with us through the consultation process. We will keep you informed as we finalize designations for your Tribe’s area and invite and encourage you to participate. Please notify us by June 13, 2014 if you are interested in consulting with us regarding a recommended designation. When requested, consultation will be conducted in accordance with the EPA Policy on Cons ullation and Coordination with Indian Tribes (www.epa. ov/tribal/consultation/consult—poI ic.Inn. We plan to formally announce our intended designations for all areas by August 14, 2014. At that time we will send another letter to you with our intended designation and offer an additional opportunity to consult with us on the proposed designation status of your Tribe’s area of Indian country. in accordance with section 107(d) (l)(B) of the CAA, we are required to issue final designations for the PM 2 , 5 NAAQS no later than December 12, 2014. Our designations will be based on the most recent three calendar years of certified, quality-assured monitoring data available, and any other relevant infbrmation. As the designation process moves forward, we will keep you informed of any additional guidance or other support activities. We look forward to working with you to develop area designations under the PM 2 . 5 NAAQS in a timely manner. If your Tribe is interested in consultation or has questions about the designations process, please do not hesitate to contact me or Kerry Drake, Associate Director, Air Division, of my staff, at 415-947-4157 or drake.kerry(i;epa.gov. Blumen.feli’ Enclosure cc: Chase Choate, Environmental Director

### 2012 PM 2 • 5 

### NAAQS Tribal Designations Schedule
Action Date Recommendations forthe PM 25 NAAQS due December 13, 2013 to EPA (original deadline). Advance consultation opportunity offeredto LateMay 2014 (uponreceipt ofletter) tribal leaders. Deadlinetorequest advancetribal consultation. June 13, 2014 Optional tribal recommendations forthe PM 2

. 5 June 13, 2014 NAAQS due to EPA (extended deadline). Advance tribal consultation takes place. June

- 

### July, 2014 EPA announces intended designations, August 14, 2014 additional consultation opportunity offeredto tribal leaders. Additional consultationtakes place. September

- 

### October, 2014 EPA issues final PM 75 designations. December 12, 2014