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Muncie, Indiana Technical Support Document

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Definition of important terms used in this document: 

1) Designated “unclassifiable” – an area where EPA could not determine if there was a 

violation of the 2008 lead NAAQS or a contribution to a violation in a nearby area, because there 

was insufficient air quality data for both 2006-2008 and 2007-2009 and where additional 

monitoring data for 2010 could not result in a different designation. 

2) Designated “attainment” – an area which EPA has determined, based on the most recent 3 

years of certified air quality data from 2006-2008 or 2007-2009, has no violations of the 2008 

lead NAAQS during 36 consecutive valid 3-month site means; and which EPA has further 

determined does not contribute to a violation of the 2008 lead NAAQS in a nearby area and that 

additional monitoring data from 2010 could not result in a different designation. 

3) Designated “nonattainment” area – an area which EPA has determined, based on a State 

recommendation and/or on the technical analysis included in this document, has a violation of 

the 2008 lead NAAQS during the most recent 3 consecutive years of quality-assured, certified air 

quality data. 

4) Prior nonattainment area – an area that is currently designated as nonattainment or 

maintenance for the 1978 lead NAAQS (including both current nonattainment areas and 

maintenance areas). 

5) Recommended nonattainment area – an area a State or Tribe has recommended to EPA be 

designated as nonattainment.

6) Violating monitor – an ambient air monitor whose design value exceeds 0.15 micrograms per 

cubic meter (ug/m3). As described in Appendix R of part 50, a violation can be based on either 

Pb-TSP or Pb-PM10 data and only 3 months of data are necessary to produce a valid violating 

design value. 

7) 1978 lead NAAQS – 1.5 μg/m3

, National Ambient Air Quality Standard for lead promulgated 

in 1978. Based on Pb-TSP indicator and averaged over a calendar quarter. 

8) 2008 lead NAAQS – 0.15 μg/m3

, National Ambient Air Quality Standard for lead 

promulgated in 2008. Based on Pb-TSP indicator and a 3-month rolling average. Pb-PM10 data 

may be used in limited instances, including to show nonattainment. 
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INDIANA 

Area Designations For the 

2008 Lead National Ambient Air Quality Standards 

EPA has revised the level of the primary (health-based) standard from 1.5 micrograms per cubic 

meter (μg/m3) to 0.15 μg/m3 measured as total suspended particles (TSP). EPA has revised the 

secondary (welfare-based) standard to be identical in all respects to the primary standard.

Pursuant to section 107(d) of the Clean Air Act, EPA must designate as “nonattainment” 

those areas that violate the NAAQS and those nearby areas that contribute to violations. 

The table below identifies the partial county in Indiana that EPA is designating as 

“nonattainment” for the 2008 lead National Ambient Air Quality Standard (2008 lead NAAQS). 

Area (listed 

alphabetically) 

Indiana Recommended 

Nonattainment 

Counties 

EPA’s Designated 

Nonattainment 

Counties 

Nonattainment 

Area for 1978 

Lead NAAQS 

Muncie Delaware (partial) Delaware (partial) NA 

Table 1: Indiana Nonattainment Area for the 2008 Lead NAAQS 

Technical Analysis for Muncie

Introduction 

This technical analysis for Muncie identifies the partial county with a monitor that violates the 

2008 lead NAAQS and evaluates nearby counties for contributions to lead concentrations in the 

area. EPA has evaluated these counties based on the weight of evidence of the following factors 

recommended in previous EPA guidance: 

• Air quality in potentially included versus excluded areas; 

• Emissions and emissions-related data in areas potentially included versus excluded from 

the nonattainment area, including population data, growth rates, patterns, and emissions 

controls; 

• Meteorology (weather/transport patterns); 

• Geography/topography (mountain ranges or other air basin boundaries); 

• Jurisdictional boundaries (e.g., counties, air districts, reservations, etc.); and 

• Any other relevant information submitted to or collected by EPA (e.g., modeling where 

done appropriately). 
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Figure 1: Muncie, Indiana State Recommended Nonattainment Area 

 (Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards - OAQPS) 

Figure 1 is a map of the area analyzed showing the locations and design values of air quality 

monitors in the area, and the counties surrounding any violating air quality monitors. Source 

data is also labeled in Figure 1 with the following guidelines: if the source emitted 0.5 or more 

tons, the symbol, name of the facility, and emissions are labeled; if the source emitted 0.1 - 0.5 

tons, only the symbol and emissions are labeled; and if the source emitted less than 0.05 tons, 

only the symbol is shown.1

 Emissions in Muncie and the surrounding areas will be discussed in 

the section addressing emissions in Delaware County. The location of the detailed area in 

relation to the remainder of the State is shown in the bottom right corner of the figure.

 

1

 Emissions greater than 0.05 tpy round up to 0.1 tpy, and they are marked with the symbol and the emissions value. 

* Sources that are not labeled emitted less 

than 0.05 tpy. 
Copyrighted page(s) have been removed from 

this document. 

Please contact the EPA Docket Center, Public 

Reading Room to view this document. 

Address: 

1301 Constitution Ave, NW 

Room 3334 

Washington, DC 20004 

Telephone: 

202-566-1744 

Fax: 

202-566- 9744 

Email: 

docket-customerservice@epa.gov
5

Detailed Assessment

Air Quality Data 

This factor considers the lead design values (in μg/m3

) for air quality monitors in Delaware 

County in Muncie and the surrounding area based on data for the 2006-2008 period. A 

monitor’s design value indicates whether that monitor attains a specified air quality standard. 

The 2008 lead NAAQS are met at a monitoring site when the identified design value is valid and 

less than or equal to 0.15 μg/m3. A design value is only valid if minimum data completeness 

criteria are met. A lead design value that meets the NAAQS is generally considered valid if it 

encompasses 36 consecutive valid 3-month site means (specifically for a 3-year calendar period 

and the 2 previous months). For this purpose, a 3-month site mean is valid if valid data were 

obtained for at least 75 percent of the scheduled monitoring days in the 3-month period. A lead 

design value that does not meet the NAAQS is considered valid if at least one 3-month mean that 

meets the same 75 percent requirement is above the NAAQS. That is, a site does not have to 

monitor for 3 full calendar years in order to have a valid violating design value; a site could 

monitor just 3 months and still produce a valid (violating) design value. 

The 2008 lead NAAQS design values for Delaware County in Muncie and the surrounding area 

are shown in Table 2. 

County State 

Recommended 

Nonattainment? 

Monitor Name Monitor Air 

Quality 

System ID 

Monitor Location Lead Design 

Value, 

2006-2008 

(μg/m3) 

Lead Design 

Value, 

2007-2009 

(μg/m3) 

Delaware, 

Indiana 

Yes Muncie East 180350009 2601 W. Mt 

Pleasant Blvd. 

2.14 2.14 

Delaware, 

Indiana 

Yes Muncie West 180350008 2601 W. Mt 

Pleasant Blvd. 

0.52 0.52 

Monitor in bold has the highest 2006-2008 and 2007-2009 design value in the respective county 

Table 2: Muncie, Indiana and Surrounding Areas Air Quality Data

Delaware County shows a violation of the 2008 lead NAAQS. Therefore some area in this 

county and possibly additional areas in surrounding counties must be designated nonattainment. 

The absence of a violating monitor alone is not a sufficient reason to eliminate nearby counties 

as candidates for nonattainment status. Each area has been evaluated based on the weight of 

evidence of these factors and other relevant information. 

According to EPA’s monitor locator,2 the monitor located at 2601 W. Mt Pleasant Blvd. (AQS 

ID 180350009) has an objective of determining the highest concentration for lead. This monitor 

is in very close proximity to Exide Technologies, as is the monitor associated with AQS ID 

180350008; both monitors are operated by Exide Technologies. The location of these monitors 

will be discussed in the section addressing emissions for Delaware County. 

 

2

 http://www.epa.gov/air/data/geosel.html. 
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Emissions and Emissions-Related Data 

Evidence of lead emissions sources surrounding a violating monitor are an important factor for 

determining whether a nearby area is contributing to a monitored violation. For this factor, EPA 

evaluated county level emission data for lead and population data. 

Emissions 

Emissions data were derived from the 2005 National Emissions Inventory (NEI), version 2, 

which is the most up-to-date version of the national inventory available when these data were 

compiled for the designations process in 2009. See

http://www.epa.gov/ttnchie1/net/2005inventory.html. EPA recognizes that for certain counties, 

emissions may have changed since 2005. For example, certain large sources of emissions in or 

near this area may have installed emission controls or otherwise significantly reduced emissions 

since 2005. Some States provided updated information on emissions and emission controls in 

their comments to EPA. Indiana provided 2007 emissions inventory data for Delaware County 

in their submittal, which will also be considered in this analysis. These emissions data are 

provided in Table 3 and Table 4, respectively, below. 

Table 3 shows total emissions of lead given in tons per year (tpy) for violating and potentially 

contributing counties in and around Muncie and sources emitting (or anticipate to contribute) 0.1 

ton per year of lead or greater according to the 2005 NEI. The county that is part of the Muncie 

nonattainment area for the 2008 lead NAAQS is shown in boldface. 

There are approximately 20,000 airport facilities in the U.S. at which leaded aviation gasoline is 

consumed. To evaluate the potential impact of emissions at and near these facilities, EPA 

recommends that States use the draft 2008 NEI. These data are provided in Table 5, and contain 

the facilities emitting (or anticipate to contribute) 0.1 ton per year or more of lead according to 

the draft 2008 NEI. 

County 

Facility in State 

Recommended 

Nonattainment 

Area? Facility Name 2005 NEI (tpy) Location City 

Delaware 

County, 

Indiana Yes 

Exide 

Technologies 1.5 

2601 W. Mt 

Pleasant Blvd. Muncie 

 

Delaware County 

Total Lead 

Emissions 1.6* 

Table 3: Muncie, Indiana and Surrounding Areas Lead Emissions for Stationary Sources 

* Total lead emissions for Delaware County were calculated by adding the 2005 NEI data for facilities not using 

leaded aviation gas (stationary sources) to the 2008 Draft NEI data for facilities using aviation gas. Sources with 

emissions below 0.1 tpy were included in this final calculation. 
Copyrighted page(s) have been removed from 

this document. 

Please contact the EPA Docket Center, Public 

Reading Room to view this document. 

Address: 

1301 Constitution Ave, NW 

Room 3334 

Washington, DC 20004 

Telephone: 

202-566-1744 

Fax: 

202-566- 9744 

Email: 

docket-customerservice@epa.gov
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According to the 2005 NEI and the 2007 State Emissions Inventory, Exide Technologies is the 

only stationary source in Delaware County that has emissions of at least 0.1 tpy, and is the 

predominant source of lead emissions in the county. The monitor locations were derived from an 

air dispersion modeling map provided by IDEM, and the last four digits of the AQS ID have 

been included in the map. The Exide Technologies main facility is located just east of the 

Muncie West monitor, and is depicted by the star. The distance from the center of the facility to 

the Muncie West monitor is approximately 0.2 miles, and the distance to the Muncie East 

monitor is approximately 0.4 miles. 

Using 1.6 tons per year as the total lead emissions for Delaware County (refer to Table 3), EPA 

observes that the emissions from Exide Technologies account for 93.8 percent of all lead 

emissions in the county. Using the 2007 inventory data that IDEM provided in conjunction with 

2008 Draft NEI data for all airport facilities using leaded aviation gas, the percentage of 

emissions from Exide Technologies in Delaware County is approximately 80 percent. Both sets 

of lead emissions calculations for Delaware County indicate that the largest emitter of lead in the 

county is Exide Technologies. In conjunction with the monitored elevated concentrations of 

lead, the nonattainment area should encompass at least the Exide Technologies facility in its 

entirety. 

The monitoring network for lead in Delaware County changed slightly in 2010: IDEM 

commenced operation of a monitor at the same location of the Muncie East site, and Exide 

Technologies ceased operation of the Muncie West monitor. Additionally, 3 new source 

oriented sites in Indiana were operational as of January 2010: Mittal Steel – IN Harbor West 

(Lake County), USS Gary Works (Lake County), and ISG Burns Harbor LLC (Porter County).

 

Population Data, Growth Rates, and Patterns

Table 6 shows the 2008 population for each county in the area being evaluated, as well as the 

population density for each county in that area. These data help assess the extent to which the 

concentration of human activities in the area and concentration of population-oriented 

commercial development may indicate emissions-based activity contributing to elevated ambient 

lead levels. This may include ambient lead contributions from activities that would disturb lead 

that has been deposited on the ground or on other surfaces. Re-entrainment of historically 

deposited lead is not reflected in the emissions inventory. 

County State 

Recommended 

Nonattainment? 

2008 

Population 

2008 

Population 

Density 

(pop/sq mi) 

Population 

Change 

2000-2008 

Population % 

Change 

2000-2008 

Delaware, 

Indiana 

Yes 

114,685 290 -4,049 -3 

Table 6: Population Data for Delaware County, Indiana 

[Source of data: U.S. Census Bureau estimates for 2008 

(http://www.census.gov/popest/datasets.html) and estimation of the area of U.S. counties] 

EPA has considered the population growth rate for this area and does not believe that it affects 

the boundary recommendation.
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Emissions Controls

Under this factor, the existing level of control of emission sources is taken into consideration. 

The emissions data used by EPA in this technical analysis and provided in Table 3 represent 

emissions levels taking into account any control strategies implemented in Muncie before 2005 

on stationary sources. EPA has received additional information on emissions reductions 

resulting from controls put into place since 2005. 

In their submittal, IDEM observed that Exide Technologies has implemented several steps to 

reduce lead emissions at the facility to help ensure future compliance with the 2008 lead 

NAAQS. Exide Technologies also took corrective action following a fire in the facility’s rotary 

dryer in June 2008 to prevent future recurrences. The 2007 State emissions inventory data for 

Exide Technologies is slightly more than half of the 2005 NEI data for the same facility. 

 

Meteorology (weather/transport patterns) 

For this factor, EPA considered data from National Weather Service instruments and other 

meteorological monitoring sites in the area. Historical wind direction frequencies collected 

between 1960 and 1992 are included in Figure 4 and Table 7. These data may provide evidence 

of the potential for lead emissions sources located upwind of a violating monitor to contribute to 

ambient lead levels at the violation location. 

Figure 4: Historical Wind Direction Frequencies for Delaware County, Indiana 
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Figure 4 is a 3-dimensional bar chart that shows the wind frequencies in 8 directions for the 4 

seasons. These data are taken from 1960-1992 Solar and Meteorological Surface Observation 

Network information issued jointly by the U.S. Department of Commerce: National Climatic 

Data Center and the U.S. Department of Energy: National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The 

chart frequencies reflect the directions from which the winds come. 

Delaware

Wind Frequencies 

Frequency as a % 

Seasonal Wind 

Directions 

6.03 WINWINDFNNE 

8.04 WINWINDFENE 

10.12 WINWINDFESE 

7.54 WINWINDFSSE 

17.00 WINWINDFSSW 

22.75 WINWINDFWSW 

20.08 WINWINDFWNW 

8.44 WINWINDFNNW 

8.17 SPRWINDFNNE 

11.40 SPRWINDFENE 

13.15 SPRWINDFESE 

8.61 SPRWINDFSSE 

16.12 SPRWINDFSSW 

15.51 SPRWINDFWSW 

15.93 SPRWINDFWNW 

11.11 SPRWINDFNNW 

8.72 SUMWINDFNNE 

8.58 SUMWINDFENE 

9.59 SUMWINDFESE 

8.33 SUMWINDFSSE 

21.54 SUMWINDFSSW 

19.65 SUMWINDFWSW 

12.66 SUMWINDFWNW 

10.93 SUMWINDFNNW 

7.88 AUTWINDFNNE 

7.88 AUTWINDFENE 

10.62 AUTWINDFESE 

10.45 AUTWINDFSSE 

20.72 AUTWINDFSSW 

17.88 AUTWINDFWSW 

14.78 AUTWINDFWNW 

9.80 AUTWINDFNNW 

Table 7: Historical Wind Frequency Data as Percents for Delaware County, Indiana 

As shown in Figure 4 and Table 7, the period with the highest wind frequency occurs in the 

winter months, with winds blowing from the west southwest. With the consistently strong 

representation of winds from a variation of the west in all seasons, special care must be made 

when determining the nonattainment boundary to the east of the violating monitor. 
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Geography/topography (mountain ranges or other air basin boundaries) 

The geography/topography analysis evaluates the physical features of the land that might have an 

effect on the air shed and, therefore, on the distribution of lead over Muncie and the surrounding 

area. 

The Muncie area does not have any geographical or topographical barriers significantly limiting 

air pollution transport within its air shed. Therefore, this factor did not play a significant role in 

determining the nonattainment boundary. 

Jurisdictional boundaries 

Existing jurisdictional boundaries may be helpful in articulating a boundary for purposes of 

nonattainment designations, and for purposes of carrying out the governmental responsibilities of 

planning for attainment of the lead NAAQS and implementing control measures. These existing 

boundaries may include an existing nonattainment or maintenance area boundary, a county or 

township boundary, a metropolitan area boundary, an air management district, or an urban 

planning boundary established for coordinating business development or transportation activities. 

In EPA’s August 21, 2009 guidance memorandum, “Area Designations for the 2008 revised 

Lead National Ambient Air Quality Standard,” EPA reiterated that the presumptive boundary for 

each nonattainment area should be the county containing the violating monitor. This concept 

was first introduced in the guidance for the 1978 lead NAAQS designations, and is described in 

the 1992 General Preamble (57 FR 13549). This same presumptive boundary guidance was 

addressed most recently in the final rulemaking for the 2008 lead NAAQS (73 FR 66964). EPA 

observed, however, that States have the flexibility in their recommendations to deviate from the 

presumptive county boundary to portions of the county containing the violating monitor, stating 

that any “nonattainment area boundaries that deviate from presumptive county boundaries should 

be supported by an assessment of several factors...,” all of which have been discussed already in 

this document, except for jurisdictional boundaries. 

For the Muncie area, there are several jurisdictional boundaries that can be considered. 

Delaware County is part of the Muncie metropolitan statistical area, and the Delaware-Muncie 

Metropolitan Plan Commission is responsible for air quality planning within the area that has 

been recommended as nonattainment for the 2008 lead NAAQS. As a result, air quality planning 

efforts to address the impending lead nonattainment area in Muncie should not be problematic; it 

should be noted that the final rulemaking for the 2008 lead NAAQS (73 FR 66964) specifically 

addressed transportation conformity by stating, “In light of the elimination of lead additives from 

gasoline, transportation conformity does not apply to the Lead NAAQS.” Lastly, IDEM has 

recommended that the nonattainment area be defined by well-known and major roads which are: 

W. 26th St./Hines Rd. to the north, Cowan Rd. to the east, W. Fuson Rd. to the south, and S. 

Hoyt Ave. to the west. 
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Other Relevant Information

EPA received additional relevant information from Indiana for establishing the nonattainment 

area boundary for Muncie. This information will be discussed below. 

Figure 5: Air Dispersion Modeling for Exide Technologies (IDEM) 

Exide Technologies’ largest sources of lead emissions are a reverb and blast furnace stack (over 

100’ tall) and a battery crusher and breaker stack (approximately 70’ tall). These 2 stacks 

account for nearly 98 percent of the facility’s total lead emissions. The modeling results shown 

in Figure 5 as provided by IDEM identify that the maximum impact and contour of lead 

emissions from Exide Technologies is 0.10614 μg/m3. Actual 2007 TRI emission numbers from 

the State and 1992 meteorology were used to construct the model. Re-entrainment of dust was 

not factored into IDEM’s modeling. No other information about the modeling analysis was 

provided in IDEM’s submittal. 
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Conclusion

After considering the factors described above, EPA has determined that it is appropriate to 

include a portion of Delaware County as nonattainment for the 2008 lead NAAQS. 

The air quality monitor in Delaware County shows a violation of the 2008 lead NAAQS, based 

on 2006-2008 and 2007-2009 air quality data. Exide Technologies is located in the city of 

Muncie, and with no other major lead emitters in the Muncie area, EPA finds it appropriate to 

designate portions of Delaware County surrounding Exide Technologies as nonattainment for the 

2008 lead NAAQS. 

However, EPA is expanding the recommended boundaries provided by IDEM. Based on the air 

dispersion modeling in Figure 5, the Muncie West monitor (AQS ID 180350008) is within a 

contour that envelops a highest monthly average concentration of 0.02 to 0.04 μg/m3. Historical 

monitoring data at the site contradicts these values; the mean of all 3-month rolling averages 

between January 2006 and December 2008 (34 values total) is 0.21 μg/m3

, the lowest 3-month 

rolling average during this time period was 0.07 μg/m3

, and the highest 3-month rolling average 

was 0.52 μg/m3. EPA concludes that the modeling provided by IDEM is under-predicting the 

impacts on air quality from lead emissions. 

Based on the discrepancy between the historical monitored values at the Muncie West site and 

the modeled values, expanding the nonattainment boundary to capture all likely impacts above 

the NAAQS is necessary. The best technical judgment at this point relies on a combination of 

IDEM’s modeling and historical wind data. As seen in Table 7, the wind frequencies from the 

north northeast and east northeast are similar to the frequencies from the east southeast and south 

southeast. The distance between the point of maximum impact and the southwest corner of the 

State recommended nonattainment area is approximately 0.80 miles. 

As the wind frequencies from the north northeast and east northeast are similar to the frequencies 

from the east southeast and south southeast, the same principle can be applied to the northwest 

corner of the northwest corner. The resulting nonattainment area is shown below in Figure 6. It 

comprises of IDEM’s recommended nonattainment area boundary plus the area encompassed by 

W. 26th St. to the north and the vertical “extension” of S. Hoyt Ave. to the west. The eastern 

edge of Victory Temple’s driveway was used to construct the vertical line until it “merges” with 

S. Hoyt Ave. just south of W. White Rd. Based on the consideration of all the relevant and 

available information, as described above, EPA believes that the boundaries described herein 

encompass the entire area that does not meet (or that contributes to ambient air quality in a 

nearby area that does not meet) the 2008 lead NAAQS. 
Copyrighted page(s) have been removed from 

this document. 

Please contact the EPA Docket Center, Public 

Reading Room to view this document. 

Address: 

1301 Constitution Ave, NW 

Room 3334 

Washington, DC 20004 

Telephone: 

202-566-1744 

Fax: 

202-566- 9744 

Email: 

docket-customerservice@epa.gov
15

Figure 7: Muncie, Indiana Final Nonattainment Area (OAQPS)