Air Resources Board 

Mary D. Nichols, Chairman 

Linda S. Adams 1001 1 Street P.O. Box 281 5 Arnold Schwarzenegger 

Secretary for Sacramento, Californ~a 95812 ww.arb.ca.gov Governor 

November 28,2007 

Mr. Wayne Nastri 

Regional Administrator, Region 9 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

75 Hawthorne Street 

San Francisco, California 941 05 

Dear Mr. Nastri: 

The Air Resources Board (ARB or Board) hereby submits to the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) for approval revisions to the California State 

Implementation Plan (SIP) for ozone, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide, 

and nitrogen dioxide in the South Coast Air Basin (2007 South Coast SIP), and for 

ozone in the Coachella Valley (2007 Coachella Valley SIP). -The proposed SIP 

revisions incorporate emission reduction commitments from the 2007 State Strategy for 

the California SIP (State Strategy), which the Board adopted concurrently. The 

Statewide Strategy is being submitted under separate cover as it also applies to other 

California nonattair~nient areas. 

Overview The South Coast Air Quality Management District (District) adopted the 2007 

Air Quality Management Plan (2007 AQMP) on June 1, 2007. The District originally 

submitted the adopted final draft plan to ARB for approval and submittal to U.S. EPA on 

June 7, 2007. On October 24, 2007 the District submitted a Final 2007 AQMP to ARB 

that incorporated changes to prior drafts as approved by the District governing board. 

The 2007 AQlVlP demonstrates attainment of the federal annual PM2.5 standard in the 

South Coast Air Basin by 2014, and attainment of the federal 8-hour ozone standard in 

the South Coast Air Basin and in the Coachella Valley by 2023 and 201 8, respectively. 

The plan also updates the region's federal carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide SIPS. 

Ozone Attainment Demonstrations -The proposed SIP revision demonstrates attainment 

of the federal 8-hour ozone standard in the South Coast Air Basin by 2023. It includes 

an emission reduction commitment for long-term measures as allowed by 

Section 182(e)(5) of the Act. ARB concurs with the District's request for reclassification 

from "severe" to "extreme" for the 8-hour ozone standard. 

The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy consumption. 

For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our website: http://www.arb.ca.aov. 

Califorr~ia Environmental Protection Agency 

Printed on Recycled Paper 

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Mr. Wayne Nastri 

November 28,2007 

Page 2 

The Coachella Valley lies downwind of the South Coast Air Basin. The 2007 Coachella 

Valley SIP demonstrates that attainment of the ozone standard in the Coachella Valley 

depends on emission reductions in the South Coast. Under its current serious area 

classification the Coachella Valley must attain the ozone standard in 201 0. Because 

modeling documented in the SIP indicates that more time is needed, this SIP submittal 

requests that the Coachella Valley be reclassified to severe-I 5. The 2007 AQMP 

demonstrates that the Coachella Valley will attain the ozone standard by the resulting 

2019 attainment date. 

Because U.S. EPA's policy concerning demonstrations of progress in ozone 

nonattainment areas impacted by upwind emissions is in flux, we are not formally 

submitting or requesting EPA action on the reasonable further progress (RFP) 

demonstration for the Coachella Valley at this time. ARB staff is developing an Early 

Actior~ Plan SIP revision for the Coachella Valley and other transport-impacted ozone 

nonattainment areas in California in consultation with Region 9 staff. We expect to 

solicit public comment on this proposed SIP revision later this year and to request Board 

approval in early 2008. 

PM2.5 Attainment Demonstration The 2007 AQNlP was adopted locally on 

June 1, 2007, prior to the ARB's approval of the State Strategy. The approved State 

Strategy includes control measures and emission reductions identified after local 

adoption of the AQMP. Air quality modeling completed by District staff prior to ARB's 

adoption of the State Strategy projects that the reductions identified inthe approved 

State Strategy, together with reductions from local measures identified in the 2007 

AQMP, would result in attainment of the annual average PM2.5 NAAQS in the South 

Coast Air Basin by the April 5, 201 5 deadline. The reductions included in the model 

thus provided a modeled carrying capacity which is reflected in the proposed SIP 

revision approved by ARB. 

Appendix B of the ARB Staff Report on the South Coast Plan provides ARB staffs 

detailed analysis of PM2.5 air quality and emission trends in .the South Coast Air Basin, 

and what those trends imply for PM2.5 levels in the future. This analysis shows that the 

historic response of ambient concentrations to emission reductions has been stronger 

than the response predicted by the modeling. There are of course uncertainties 

inherent in predicting future emissions by analyzing past trends, just as there are 

uncertainties inherent in photochemical modeling. Nonetheless, these detailed 

analyses of both monitoring and filter data makes a compelling case for attainment of 

the PIbl2.5 NAAQS in the South Coast Air Basin, even before we fully realize the 

errrissior~ reduction commitments in the approved plan. 
Mr. Wayne Nastri 

November 28,2007 

Page 3 

Federal Responsibilitv The PM2.5 standard presents a challenge because of the short 

attainment window, and because of the large emissions contributions from sources for 

which U.S. EPA has primary regulatory jurisdiction. The strategies already identified in 

the SIP are aggressive; we anticipate that incentive programs will be needed to ensure 

the accelerated vehicle turnover, engines replacement, and retrofit rates assumed in the 

SIP will occur. We cannot meet the carrying capacity identified in the SIP without the 

reduction or mitigation of emissions from sources under federal control. The PM2.5 

attainment strategy for the South Coast Air Basin calls for 962 tons of NOx-equivalent 

emissions by 2014; we are asking U.S. EPA to provide less than three percent of the 

total 2014 NOx-equivalent reductions. 

Enclosures This package consists of seven copies of the documents listed below. 

I) June 6, 2007 letter from Dr. Barry Wallerstein, District Executive Officer, to 

Ms. Catherine Witherspoon, ARB Executive Officer, transmitting the 

following materials': 

A) Approved District Board Letter regarding adoption of the 2007 AQMP 

Revision and certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report 

(EIR), 

B) District Board Resolution 07-9, certifying the Final EIR and adopting 

the Final 2007 AQMP, 

C) Addendum to District Board Agenda Item 37 (June 1, 2007 Meetirlg) 

Revising District Board Resolution 07-9, 

D) Proof of Publication for Notices of Public Hearing, 

E) Response to Comments on .the Draft 2007 AQNlP (February 2007). 

Other portions of the Jme 6, 2007 submittal have been superseded in the Final 

2007 APMQ and therefore are not included in ,this submittal. 

II) October 24, 2007 letter from Dr. Elaine Chang, District Deputy Executive 

Officer, to Mr. Thomas Cackette, ARB Acting Executive Officer, transmitting 

the following materials: 

A) Final 2007 AQNlP (June 2007) 

B) Final 2007 AQMP appendices: 

1 The June 7, 2007, District submittal to ARB consisted of the Draft 2007 AQMP (October 2006), and the 

Proposed Modifications to the Draft 2007 AQMP (February 2007). The District subsequently consolidated 

these documents and other revisions made at the June 1, 2007 District Board hearing into the Final 2007 

AQMP. The District forwarded the Final 2007 AQMP to ARB on October 25,.2007, and requested it be 

submitted to U.S. EPA in place of the original draft documents. 
Mr. Wayne Nastri 

November 28, 2007 

Page 4 

o Appendix I - Health Effects (June 2007), 

o Appendix ll - Current Air Quality (June 2007), 

o Appendix Ill - Base and Future Year Emission Inventories 

(June 2007)' 

o Appendix IV-A - District's Stationary and Mobile Source Control 

Measures (June 2007), 

o Appendix IV-C - Transportations Control Measures (June 2007)' 

o Appendix V - Modeling and Attainment Demonstration 

(June 2007), 

o Appendix VI - Reasonably Available Control Measures (RACM) 

Demonstration (June 2007), 

C) Final Program Environmental Impact Report for the 2007 Air Quality 

Management Plan (June 2007), and 

D) Final Socioeconomic Report for the 2007 Air Quality Management 

Plan (June 2007). 

Ill) Air Resources Board's Staff Report on Proposed 2007 State 

lmplementatior~ Plan Revisions for the South Coast Air Basin - PM2.5 

Annual Average and 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards 

(released September 21, 2007), with appendices. 

IV) Air Resources Board's Proposed State Strategy for California's 2007 State 

lmplementation Plan (released April 26, 2007) with Attachment A: Technical 

and Clarifying Modifications to April 26, 2007 Revised Draft Air Resources 

Board's Proposed State Strategy for California's 2007 State lmplementation 

Plan and May 7,2007 Revised Draft Appendices A through G; and 

Attachment B: Proposed Modifications to the Air Resources Board's 

Proposed State Strategy for California's 2007 State lmplementation Plan 

that will Achieve 30 Tons Per Day of Additional Emission Reductions in the 

South Coast by 2014 and 26 to 31 Tons Per Day of Additional Emission 

Reductions in the San Joaquin Valley by 2017. 

V) Public notice evidence and transcript for the ARB Public Hearing to 

Consider Approval of the 2007 Air Quality Management Plan for Attaining 

the Federal 8-Hour Ozone and PM2.5 Standards in the South Coast Air 

Basin and Coachella Valley. 

VI) ARB Board Resolution 07-41, adopting the 2007 South Coast Air Basin and 

Coachella Valley revisions to the California SIP. 
Mr. Wayne Nastri 

November 28,2007 

Page 5 

VII) Written comments received by ARB on the proposed 2007 South Coast Air 

Basin and Coachella Valley revisions to the California SIP. 

VIII) Completeness Checklist for the 2007 South Coast Air Basin and Coachella 

Valley SIP. 

The following portions of the Final 2007 AQMP address requirements specific to 

California law or are sections superseded by the adoption of the State Strategy, and are 

excluded from this SIP submittal: 

o Califorr~ia Clean Air Act Requirements (pages 6-1 3 through 6-22), 

o Control Measure Ranking (page 7-3), 

o District Staff's Proposed Policy Options to Supplement CARB's Control 

Strategy (pages 4-43 through 4-54), and 

o Recommended Mobile Source and Clean Fuel Control Measures, Table 7-3, 

(pages 7-8 and 7-9). 

This SIP submittal also includes the supplementary material listed below, which is 

specific to the adoption of the conformity budgets. We request an expedited finding of 

adequacy for the South Coast Air Basin conformity budgets. 

o Proof of Publication for Notices of Public Hearing 

o Conformity budget information provided on ARB's website 

o Board Book description of proposed action 

o Board Item Summary 

o ARB Board Resolution 07-50 adopting the Transportation Conformity 

Budgets for 'the South Coast Air Basin and the Coachella Valley 

The transcript for the November 14 Board meeting is not yet available; once it is 

complete, we will provide the appropriate portions of the transcript to you under 

separate cover. 

Conformity budgets for the South Coast Air Basin and the Coachella Valley were 

adopted in the same Board action and therefore are both included in this transmittal. 

However, we are not formally submitting the Coachella Valley conformity budgets at this 

time. We will formally submit the conformity budgets for the Coachella Valley following 

ARB's approval of the Early Progress Plan for transport-impacted ozone nonattainment 

areas. 
Mr. Wayne Nastri 

November 28, 2007 

Page 6 

We look forward to working with you to secure the approval of this SIP revision, and will 

continue to work with your staff to resolve technical issues related to U.S. EPA 

approval. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me, at (91 6) 445-4383, or 

Ms. Lynn Terry, Deputy Executive Officer, at (916) 322-2739. For questions of a 

technical nature, please have your staff contact Mr. Kurt Karperos, Chief, Air Quality 

and Transportation Planning Branch, at (91 6) 445-561 0. 

\ j~xecutive Officer 

w Enclosures 

cc: (With Board Resolutions 07-41 and 07-50 only) 

Dr. Deborah Jordan, Director 

Air Division, Region 9 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

75 Hawthorne Street 

San Francisco, California 941 05 

Mr. Mark Pisano 

Executive Director 

Southern California Association 

of Governments 

818 W. Seventh Street, 12th lo or 

Los Angeles, California 9001 7 

Dr. Barry Wallerstein 

Executive Officer 

South Coast Air Quality 

Management District 

21 865 Copley Drive 

Diamond Bar, California 91 765 

Ms. Lynn Terry, EO 

Mr. Kurt Karperos, PTSD