UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONAGENCYREGION4ATLANTAFEDERALCENTER61FORSYTH STREETATLANTA, GEORGIA30303-8960OCT-82010RonaldW.GoreChiefAirDivisionAlabamaDepartmentofEnvironmental Management1400 ColiseumBoulevardMontgomery, Alabama36130-1463DearMr. Gore:Thankyoufor submittingtheStateofAlabama'sannualambient air monitoringnetworkplan(Network Plan)datedJuly1,2010.TheNetworkPlanisrequiredby40CodeofFederalRegulations(CFR)58.10.TheU.S.Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)Region4understandsthattheAlabama DepartmentofEnvironmentalManagement(ADEM)providedthepublic a30-day review period and that nocommentswere received.Basedon ourreviewoftheNetworkPlan, EPA Region4 hasdeterminedthatthedocumentsatisfiestheapplicable requirementsof40CFRPart58.TheNetworkPlanis0approved. Commentsandrecommendationsareenclosed.Thankyouforyourworkto monitorairpollutionand promotehealthyairqualityinAlabama and the nation.Pleaseletusknowofproblemsinmeeting anyofthe requirementsidentifiedabove.Ifyouhave any questionsorconcerns, please contactDougNeeleyat(404) 562-9097or LloydGeneretteat(404)562-9138.Sincerely,-dwendolpKeyesFlemingRegional AdministratorEnclosure6cc:T.WayneStudyvin,DirectorJeffersonCounty DepartmentofHealthDanielE.Shea, DirectorHuntsvilleDepartmentofNaturalResourcesArchieLee,SESDInternetAddress(URL)http://www.epa.govRecycledlRecyclabte.PrintedwlhVegetableOilBasedInksonRecycledPaper(Minimum30%Poslconsurner)N2010StateofAlabama AmbientAirMonitoringNetworkPlanU.S.EPARegion4CommentsandRecommendationsThisdocument containsU.S.EPARegion 4 commentsandrecommendationsontheStateofAlabama's 2010ambient monitoring networkplan(Network Plan). Ambientairmonitoringrules, which include regulatory requirements that address network plans,data certification,andminimummonitoring requirements,among others, arefoundin40CFRPart58.Minimummonitoringrequirementsfor criteriapollutantsare listedin40CFRPart 58, AppendixD.Minimummonitoringrequirementsdonotexistforcarbonmonoxide(CO)unless requiredbythe establishmentofaNationalCore(NCore)multi-pollutantmonitoringstationandlorastateimplementation plan. However,newnationalambientairqualitystandards(NAAQS)werepromulgated thisyearfornitrogendioxide(NO2)andsulfurdioxide(SO2)withminimum monitoring requirementseffectiveJanuary1,2013.Minimummonitoring requirementsarelistedfor ozone(03),particulate matterlessthan2.5microns(PM2.5),particulate matterlessthan 10 microns(PMlo),andlead(Pb).Theminimum monitoring requirementsare basedonmetropolitanstatistical area (MSA)boundariesasdefinedbytheU.S.OfficeofManagementandBudget(OMB), July1,2009,populationestimatesfrom theU.S.Census Bureau,andhistoricalambientairmonitoringdata. OMBcurrently0defines12MSAsin the StateofAlabama.TheseMSAs andtheir respectiveJuly1,2009,populationestimates fromtheU.S.Census Bureauare shownbelow inTable1.[Auburn-Opelika,AL135,8831Table1:MSAsand PopulationsMSAIPopulationAnniston-Oxford.AL--,---Florence-MuscleShoals,ALI144,238114.081Birmingham-Hoover,ALColumbus, GA-ALDecatur,ALDothan.AL1,131,070292,795151,399142.693Minimum Ozone Monitoring Requirements40CFRPart58, AppendixD,TableD-2Gadsden,ALHuntsville,ALMobile,ALMontgomery,ALTuscaloosa,ALRegion 4 has determinedthatanadditionalO3monitor is requiredin the Huntsville,?AlabamaMSA.TableD-2ofAppendixDto40CFRPart58lists the requirementfor two0,monitors for MSAswithpopulationsbetween350,000and 4 millionwhenthemostrecent103,645406,316411,721366,4O12 10,839(3design valueconcentrations aregreaterthanorequalto85%ofanyozoneNAAQS.0,monitoringsite(AQS#01-089-0014) locatedon Old AirportRoadcurrentlymeets thisdesignvalue criterion.Documentationsupportingtheestablishmentofthenewsitemustbesubmittedpriortotherequired operationaldateofJuly1,2011.MinimumPMloMonitoring Requirements40CFRPart58,AppendixA,3.3.140CFRPart58,AppendixD,TableD-4Region4has determined that thePMlonetworkoutlined in theNetworkPlan meets theminimum requirementsfoundin40CFRPart 58, AppendixD,TableD-4forallMSAs.Also,allmanualPMlocollocationrequirementsaremet.TheNetworkPlannotesthatthe Bessemer Hi-VolumePMlosamplerwasshutdownonAugust31,2009,and thesitewasrazed. Following shutdownofthissampler,EPAdidnotreceiveaformalletterstatingthe reasonwhyorjustification forshutdownofthis SLAMSsampler.40CFRPart58.14(c)addresses the process thatmustbefollowedwhenaSLAMSmonitorisshutdown.Thisprocess involvesEPAapprovalofthe shutdownofaSLAMSsampler.Thesamplermusthave shown attainmentofthePMloNAAQSduring the previousfiveyears andhave aprobabilityoflessthan10percentofexceeding80percentoftheapplicableNAAQSduring the nextthreeyears,as stated inPart58.14(~)(1).TheBessemerPMlosamplermetthesecriteriapriortoshutdown. EPA Region4isaware that:theJeffersonCounty DepartmentofHealth(JCDH)operated the Bessemersiteundera leaseagreementwiththepreviousproperty owner.the propertywhere thesamplerwaslocated'wassoldinAugust 2009 andthenewownergaveJCDH onlytwo weeksto remove the sampler.3. JCDH attempted tocontactthenewownerofthe property regardingretentionofthesamplinglocation but the owner refused totalkwiththem.JCDH performeda technicalevaluationofthe requirementtoestablishanewlocationfora sampler in thevicinityofthe Bessemer samplerinaccordancewith40CFRPart58andconcludedthatanewsamplingsitewasnot needed. EPA concurs with thedecisionnottoestablish anewPMlosamplinglocation.TheNetworkPlan notes that JCDHisinthe processofdetermininganewlocation fortheTarrant,ABCPMlosite(AQSID01-073-6003),because thesitehasanewownerandisnolonger locatedinambientair.Additionally, the Network Plan notes that thenewsitewillbeoperationalprior to January1,2011.Accordingto 40CFR858.14(~)(6),"aSLAMS monitornoteligibleforremoval under anyofthecriteriainparagraphs(c)(l)through(c)(5)ofthissectionmaybemovedtoanearbylocationwiththesamescaleofrepresentationiflogisticalproblemsbeyondthe State'scontrolmakeitimpossible tocontinue operationat itscurrentsite."Therefore, oncetheState formallysubmitsaproposedlocationfor thesite,EPA mayapprovethenewsiteundertherequirementsof40CFR358.14(~)(6),on theconditionthat allrequirementsof40CFRPart58,AppendixEaremet.0MinimumPM2~Monitoring Requirements40CFRPart58,AppendixA,3.2.540CFRPart58,AppendixD,TableD-5Region4hasdetermined thatthePM2.5monitoring networkoutlined in theNetworkPlanmeetstheminimum requirements foundin40CFR Part58, Appendix D,Table D-5 forallMSAs.Also,allPM2.5collocationrequirementsaremet.PM23Continuous Monitoring Requirements40CFRPart58,AppendixD,4.7.2Regulatoryrequirementsfor continuousPM2.5monitoringrequire that"...State,orwhereappropriate,local agencies mustoperate continuousPM2.5analyzersequaltoat leastone-half(round up)theminimum required siteslisted in TableD-5ofthis appendix.Atleastonerequiredcontinuousanalyzerin eachMSAmustbecollocated withoneoftherequiredFRMIFederalEquivalentMethod(EM)/Approved RegionalMethod(ARM)] monitors,unless atleastoneoftherequiredFRMF'EMJARMmonitors isitselfa continuousFEMorARM monitorinwhichcase no collocationrequirement applies." Region 4hasdetermined thatthePM2.5continuousmonitoring networkoutlinedintheNetwork Plan meetstheminimum requirementsfoundin 40CFR Part58,Appendix D,4.7.2.Also,thecontinuousPM2.5collocationrequirementsaremetinallMSAs.PMzSBackground and Transport Sites040CFRPart58,AppendixD,4.7.340CFR Part58, AppendixD,4.7.3requires that"EachStateshall install andoperateatleastonePM2.5site tomonitorforregional backgroundand atleastonePM2s.sitetomonitor forregionaltransport."The2010NetworkPlanidentifies the Sumtersite(AQS#01-119-0002)inSumter County asa rural regional backgroundsiteandtheAshlandsite(AQS#01-027-0001) inClay County asaregionaltransport site.Therefore,ADEMhassatisfiedthe requirementsof40CFRPart58forregional background and transport sites.PbMonitoringRequirements40CFRPart58,AppendixD,4.5ADEM's2010NetworkPlan identifiestheTroy-Borlandsite(AQS#01-109-0003)asthe only source-orientedmonitor.Thismonitor is locatednearSandersLeadCompanyinTroy,Based uponourreview, the Pb monitoring requirementsin40CFRPart 58, Appendix D,4.5aremet.AirQualityIndex (AQI) ReportingAQIreporting is requiredinMSAs withpopulations over 350,000.There are4 MSAsintheStateofAlabama required to reportanAQI:Birmingham, Huntsville, MobileandeMontgomery.The State'sNetworkPlanonpage 8 contains linkstotheADEM,JCDHand0HuntsvilleDepartmentofNaturalResources(HDM)Websiteswherethisinformation canbeobtained.National Core (NCore) MonitoringNetworkADEMproposedNorth Birmingham(AQS#01-073-0023)as theNCoresitein the StateofAlabama.EPA'sOffice ofAirQuality PlanningandStandards approved thesiteinaletterdatedOctober30,2009.