UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

REGION 6

1445 ROSS AVENUE, SUITE 1200

DALLAS TX 75202-2733

DEC 9 - 2011

The Honorable Bobby Jindal

Governor of Louisiana

900 North 3rd Street

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802

Dear Governor Jindal:

Thank you for your recommendations dated January 25, 20 II, on air quality designations for the

revised 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone throughout Louisiana. I appreciate the

information Louisiana shared with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as we move

forward to improve ozone air quality. This letter is to notify you ofthe EPA's preliminary response to

Louisiana's recommendations and to inform you of our approach for completing the designations for

the revised ozone standards.

On March 12,2008, the EPA revised its national ambient air quality standards for ground-level ozone

to provide increased protection of public health and the environment. The EPA lowered the primary 8-

hour ozone standard from 0.08 parts per million (ppm) to 0.075 ppm to protect against health effects

associated with ozone exposure, including a range ofserious respiratory illnesses and increased

premature death from heart or lung disease. The EPA revised the secondary 8-hour ozone standard,

making it identical to the primary standard, to protect against welfare effects, including impacts on

sensitive vegetation and forested ecosystems.

History shows us that better health and cleaner air go hand-in-hand with economic growth. Working

closely with the states and tribes, the EPA is implementing the standards using a common sense

approach that improves air quality and minimizes the burden on state and local governments. As part

ofthis routine process, the EPA is working with the states to identify areas in the country that meet the

standards and those that need to take steps to reduce ozone pollution. Within one year after a new or

revised air quality standard is established, the Clean Air Act requires the governor of each state to

submit to the EPA a list of all areas in the state, with recommendations for whether each area meets the

standard. As a first step in implementing the 2008 ozone standards, the EPA asked states to submit

their designation recommendations, including appropriate area boundaries, by March 12, 2009. In

September 2009, the EPA announced it was reconsidering the 2008 ozone standards. The EPA later took

steps to delay the designation process for the 2008 ozone standards pending outcome ofthe

reconsideration. However, in September 20 II, the Office of Management and Budget returned to the EPA

the draft final rule addressing the reconsideration ofthe 2008 ozone standards. On September 22, 2011, the

EPA restarted the implementation effort by issuing a memorandum to claritY for state and local agencies

the status ofthe 2008 ozone standards and to outline plans for moving forward to implement them. The

EPA indicated that it would proceed with initial area designations for the 2008 standards, and planned to

use the recommendations states made in 2009 as updated by the most current, certified air quality data from

2008-2010. While the EPA did not request that states submit updated designation recommendations, the

EPA provided the opportunity for states to do so. Thank you for the January 25, 2011, updated

designation recommendation from Louisiana based on the assessment 01'2008-2010 air quality data.

Internet Address (URL) • http://www.epa.gov/region6

Recycled/Recyclable. Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on 100% Recycled Paper, Process Chlorine Free
As required by the Clean Air Act, the EPA will designate an area as nonattainment if it is violating the

2008 ozone standards or contributing to a violation ofthe standards in a nearby area. Consistent with

designations for previous ozone standards, the EPA intends to designate an area as

unclassifiable/attainment ifthere are certified, quality-assured air quality monitoring data showing the

area is meeting the ozone standards or there are no monitoring data for the area, and the EPA has not

made a determination that the area is contributing to a violation in a nearby area.

After considering the January 2011 ozone designation recommendations from Louisiana and other

relevant technical information, including 2008-2010 air quality data, the EPA intends to modify state's

recommended area designation and boundary for the Baton Rouge area. Louisiana recommended that

East Baton Rouge Parish be designated nonattainment. At this phase ofthe process, in addition to East

Baton Rouge Parish, we intend to designate as nonattainment the parishes of Ascension, lberville,

Livingston and West Baton Rouge because these Parishes have significant emissions and were

included in the prior non-attainment boundaries. The enclosed Technical Support Document provides a

detailed analysis in support thereof. The EPA intends to designate all other areas ofthe state as

unclassifiableiattainment.

The EPA wiJl continue to work with state officials regarding the appropriate boundary for the Baton

Rouge area. If Louisiana has additional information that you would like the EPA to consider, please

submit it to us by February 29, 2012. The EPA will also make its preliminary designation decisions

and supporting documentation available to the general public for review and comment. We will be

announcing a 30-day public comment period shortly in the Federal Register. After considering

additional information we receive, the EPA plans to promulgate final ozone designations in spring

of20l2.

The EPA is committed to working with the states and tribes to share the responsibility of reducing

ozone air pollution. Current and upcoming federal standards and safeguards, including pollution

reduction rules for power plants, vehicles and fuels, will assure steady progress to reduce ozoneforming pollution and will protect public health in communities across the country. We look forward to

a continued dialogue with you and your staff as we work together to implement the

2008 ozone standards. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at

(214) 665-2100, or have your staff contact Mr. Guy Donaldson ofmy staff at (214) 665-7242.

1\rme riz

Regional Administrato

Enclosure

cc: Ms. Peggy Hatch, Secretary

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality

Ms. Tegan Blades Treadaway, Air Permits Division Administrator

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality