### U NITEDSTATES 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 ofAir Resources, DepartJ.ne11t ofEnvironmental Management 235 Pron1enade Street Providence, RI 02908-5767 Dear Mr. McVay: Tl1ank yotr for your submission ofthe Rhode Island Annual Air Monitoring Network Plan which 

### was received by 

### EPA in final form on August 11, 2015. We appreciate that your staffhas 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 of40 CFR Part 58. We acknowledge the following 

### inodifications ai1d future pla11s \Vhicl1 you articulated as follows:
• Jft/1e Urban League building beco1nes ttnavailable, RIDEMwill request approval to move the PM2.5andNATTS 1nonitors at that site to a nearby building. 

## • If indicated by resource or logistical limitations, RIDEMmay request the reduction of frequency or discontinuation of FRMPMi.5 sa1npling 

## Gt the Urban League site or its replace1nent location. FEMPMi.5nionitoring1'vill be maintainedat that location and the co-locatedFRli1santpler currently operatedat 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, RIDEJvf1vill discontinue 1nonitoring at the Near-Road site andwill ask EPA 's approval of future Near-Road monitoringplans 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 andfVales PM10 monitor becomesproblematic, RIDEM 111ill request EPA 's approval to discontinue monitoriJ1g at that site.
• RIDEMis requesting that tl1e FEMPMi.5 monitor at the E. Providence site be designated as theprimal)' Plvfi.5 san1plerfor tl1at site.

## • If EPA 's n1odified lead monitoring requirements arepromulgatedasproposed, RIDEM plans to requestpern1ission to discontinue NAAQS lead monitoring at the E. Providence site. 

## • RIDEM plans topurchase a continuous GC a11d employ that instrument at tl1e E . Providence site for measuring 011e-hour speciated VOCs.
• RIDEMwill evaluate the revisedPAiv!S requirements in tl1e final 2015 ozone NAAQS when that rule ispromulgatedand develop aplan for in1plementing tl1ose require1nents, including thepossible 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 ofambient air in Rhode Islru1d. Ifyou 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