UNITEDSTATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

REGION1 

OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION 

11 Technology Drive 

North Chelmsford, MA 01863 

September 8, 2015 

Doug Mc Vay, Chief 

Office of Air Resources, DepartJ.ne11t of Environmental Management 

235 Pron1enade Street 

Providence, RI 02908-5767 

Dear Mr. McVay: 

Tl1ank yotr for your submission of the Rhode Island Annual Air Monitoring Network Plan which 

was received by EPA in final form on August 11, 2015. We appreciate that your staff has 

addressed all the comments we provided on July 29, 2015. EPA New England has evaltrated 

your plan and fi11ds that your plan meets the minimum requirements of 40 CFR Part 58. 

We acknowledge the following inodifications ai1d future pla11s \Vhicl1 you articulated as follows: 

• Jft/1e Urban League building beco1nes ttnavailable, RI DEM will request approval to 

move the PM2.5and NATTS 1nonitors at that site to a nearby building. 

• If indicated by resource or logistical limitations, RI DEM may request the reduction of 

frequency or discontinuation of FRM PMi.5 sa1npling Gt the Urban League site or its 

replace1nent location. FEM PMi.5nionitoring1'vill be maintained at that location and the 

co-located FRli1 santpler currently operated at Urba11 League will be moved to another 

FRMsite. 

• fVhen necessitated by the progression of hightt'ay construction activity to the north side 

of 1-95, RI DEJvf 1vill discontinue 1nonitoring at the Near-Road site and will ask EPA 's 

approval of future Near-Road monitoring plans for Rhode Island. Work on the north side 

. of the highv,1ay is currently scheduled to begin in spring of2017. 

• If the operation of the Johnson and fVales PM10 monitor becomes problematic, RI DEM 

111ill request EPA 's approval to discontinue monitoriJ1g at that site. 

• RI DEM is requesting that tl1e FEM PMi.5 monitor at the E. Providence site be 

designated as the primal)' Plvfi.5 san1plerfor tl1at site. 
• If EPA 's n1odified lead monitoring requirements are promulgated as proposed, RI DEM 

plans to request pern1ission to discontinue NAAQS lead monitoring at the E. Providence 

site. 

• RI DEM plans to purchase a continuous GC a11d employ that instrument at tl1e E . 

Providence site for measuring 011e-hour speciated VOCs. 

• RI DEM will evaluate the revised PAiv!S requirements in tl1e final 2015 ozone NAAQS 

when that rule is promulgated and develop a plan for in1plementing tl1ose require1nents, 

including the possible expansion of carbo11yl monitoring. 

With this letter, I am approving your Annt1al Network Plan. We will work with our 

Headquarters offices to address the portions oftl1e plan \Vhich would require their attention, most 

notably monitoring associated with NCore, PAMS, STN, and NATTS. EPA-Ne\v England 

appreciates your partnership in conducting ambient air monitoring. We look for\Vard to working 

\vith you to continuously improve the quality of ambient air in Rhode Islru1d. If you have any 

questions or comments regarding this network review, please contact Bob Judge at (617) 918-

8387, or Peter Kahn at (617) 918-8392. 

Arthur Johns· , Acting Director 

Office ofEnviromnental Measure1nent a11d Evaluatio11 

EPA New England 

cc: Barbara Morin, RI DEM 

Melinda Viera, RI DOH