UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENCYREGIONIII1650ArchStreetPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania19103-2029DEC092011TheHonorableTomCorbettGovernorofPennsylvania225MainCapitolBuildingHarrisburg,Pennsylvania17120DearGovernorCorbett:ThankyouforyourMarch17,2009andNovember22,2011recommendationsonairqualitydesignationsfortherevised2008NationalAmbientAirQualityStandards(NAAQS)forozonethroughoutPennsylvania.IappreciatetheinformationPennsylvaniasharedwiththeU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)aswemoveforwardtoimproveozoneairquality.ThisletteristonotifyyouofEPA’spreliminaryresponsetoPennsylvania’srecommendationsandtoinformyouofourapproachforcompletingthedesignationsfortherevisedozonestandards.OnMarch12,2008,EPAreviseditsNAAQSforground-levelozonetoprovideincreasedprotectionofpublichealthandtheenvironment.EPAloweredtheprimary8-hourozonestandardfrom0.08partspermillion(ppm)to0.075ppmtoprotectagainsthealtheffectsassociatedwithozoneexposure,includingarangeofseriousrespiratoryillnessesandincreasedprematuredeathfromheartorlungdisease.EPArevisedthesecondary8-hourozonestandard,makingitidenticaltotheprimarystandard,toprotectagainstwelfareeffects,includingimpactsonsensitivevegetationandforestedecosystems.Historyshowsusthatbetterhealthandcleanerairgohand-in-handwitheconomicgrowth.Workingcloselywiththestatesandtribes,EPAisimplementingthestandardsusingacommonsenseapproachthatimprovesairqualityandminimizestheburdenonstateandlocalgovernments.Aspartofthisroutineprocess,EPAisworkingwiththestatestoidentifyareasinthecountrythatmeetthestandardsandthosethatneedtotakestepstoreduceozonepollution.Withinoneyearafteraneworrevisedairqualitystandardisestablished,theCleanAirAct(CAA)requirestheGovernorofeachstatetosubmittoEPAalistofallareasinthestate,withrecommendationsforwhethereachareameetsthestandard.Asafirststepinimplementingthe2008ozonestandards,EPAaskedstatestosubmittheirdesignationrecommendations,includingappropriateareaboundariesbyMarch12,2009.InSeptember2009,EPAannounceditwasreconsideringthe2008ozonestandards.EPAlatertookstepstodelaythedesignationprocessforthe2008ozonestandardspendingoutcomeofthereconsideration.However,inSeptember2011,theOfficeofManagementandBudgetreturnedtoEPAthedraftfinalruleaddressingthereconsiderationofthe2008ozonestandards.OnSeptember22,2011,EPArestartedtheimplementationeffortbyissuingamemorandumtoclarifyforstateandlocalagenciesthestatusofthe2008ozonestandardsandtooutlineplansformovingforwardtoimplementthem.EPAindicatedthatitwouldproceedwithinitialareadesignationsforthe2008standards,andplannedtousetherecommendationsstatesmadein2009asupdatedbythemostcurrent,certifiedairqualitydatafrom2008-2010.WhileEPAdidnotrequestthatstatessubmitupdateddesignationrecommendations,EPAprovidedtheopportunityforstatestodoso.ThankyoufortheNovember22,2011updateddesignationrecommendationfromPennsylvaniabasedontheassessmentofpreliminary2009-2011airqualitydata.AsrequiredbytheCAA,EPAwilldesignateanareaasnonattaininentifitisviolatingthe2008ozonestandardsorcontributingtoaviolationofthestandardsinanearbyarea.Consistentwithdesignationsforpreviousozonestandards,EPAintendstodesignateanareaasunclassifiable!attainmentiftherearecertified,quality-assuredairqualitymonitoringdatashowingtheareaismeetingtheozonestandardsoriftherearenomonitoringdataforthearea,andEPAhasnotmadeadeterminationthattheareaiscontributingtoaviolationinanearbyarea.AfterconsideringPennsylvania’sMarch17,2009andNovember22,2011ozonedesignationrecommendationsandotherrelevanttechnicalinformation,including2008-2010airqualitydata,EPAintendstosupportPennsylvania’srecommendedareadesignationsandboundariesfortheLancasterandReadingareas.EPAintendstomodifyPennsylvania’srecommendedareaboundariesfortheAllentown-Bethiehem-Easton,Philadelphia-Wilmington-AtlanticCity,andPittsburgh-BeaverValleyareas.InorderforEPAtoconsider2009-2011airqualitydatainthefinaldesignationdecisionsfortheseareas,Pennsylvaniamustsubmitcertified,qualityassured2009-2011airquaLitymonitoringdatafortheareatoEPAbyFebruary29,2012.TheenclosedTechnicalSupportDocumentprovidesadetailedanalysistosupportourpreliminarydecisions.EPAintendstodesignateallotherareasofthestateasunclassifiable/attainment.EPAwillcontinuetoworkwithstateofficialsregardingtheappropriateboundariesfortheareasinPennsylvania.IfPennsylvaniahasadditionalinformationthattheCommonwealthwouldlikeEPAtoconsider,pleasesubmitittousbyFebruary29,2012.EPAwillalsomakeitspreliminarydesignationdecisionsandsupportingdocumentationavailabletothegeneralpublicforreviewandcomment.Wewillbeannouncinga30-daypubliccommentperiodshortlyintheFederalRegister.Afterconsideringtheadditionalinformationwereceive,EPAplanstopromulgatefinalozonedesignationsinspringof2012.EPAiscommittedtoworkingwiththestatesandtribestosharetheresponsibilityofreducingozoneairpollution.Currentandupcomingfederalstandardsandsafeguards,includingpollutionreductionrulesforpowerplants,vehiclesandfuels,willassuresteadyprogresstoreduceozoneformingpollutionandwillprotectpublichealthincommunitiesacrossthecountry.WeLookforwardtoacontinueddialoguewithyouandyourstaffasweworktogethertoimplementthe2008ozonestandards.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleasedonothesitatetocontactmeorhaveyourstaffcontactDr.JennieSaxe,EPA’sPennsylvaniaLiaison,at(215)814-5806.Sincerely,,41V1M___ShawnM.GarvinRegionalAdministratorEnclosurecc:TheHonorableMichaelKrancer,SecretaryPennsylvaniaDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection