UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONAGENCYREGION4ATLANTA FEDERAL CENTER61FORSYTH STREETATLANTA, GEORGIA30303-89600OCT212011Mr.JamesA.CappChiefAirProtectionBranchEnvironmentalProtection DivisionGeorgiaDepartmentofNatural Resources4244InternationalParkway,Suite120Atlanta,Georgia30354Thankyouhrsubmitting thestateofGeorgia's201 1annualambientairmonitoringnetworkplan(Network Plan) datedAugust 201 1.TheNetwork Planisrequiredby40Code of Federal Regulations(CFR)558.10.TheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency Region4 understandsthattheGeorgiaEnvironmentalProtectionDivision providedthepublic a30-day review period.Several externalcommentswerereceivedandforwarded,alongwithEPD's response,toEPARegion4onOctober12,2011.WehavereviewedEPD'sresponse to commentsandhavedetermined thatEPAdoesnotneedanadditionalBased uponourreviewof theNetwork Plan,EPARegion4hasdetermined thattheplansatisfiestheapplicablerequirementsof40CFRPart58andbythis letteris approvingtheGeorgia Network Plan.Inpreparationforthe2012NetworkPlan,EPARegion4isenclosingcommentsregardingtheplanand information regarding network upgradesthat willbeneededinordertoaddresssulfurdioxidemonitoring requirements thatbecomeeffective on January1,2013.Thankyoufor working withustomonitorairpollution and promote healthyairquality inGeorgia.Pleaseletusknowofanyproblemsinmeetinganyof the requirements we have identified.If youhaveany questionsorconcerns,please contactDougNeeleyat (404) 562-9097orDarrenPalmer(404)562-9052.GwendolynKeyes FlemingRegionalAdministratorEnclosureInternetAddress(URL)http:llwww.epa.govRecycledlRecyclablePrintedwithVegetable Oil BasedInksonRecycledPaper(Minimum30%Postconsumer)CY2011StateofGeorgiaAmbientAir Monitoring NetworkPlanU.S.EPARegion4CommentsandRecommendationsThisdocumentcontainsU.S.EPARegion 4commentsand recommendationsonthe stateofGeorgia's2011 ambientmonitoringnetworkplan (NetworkPlan).Ambientairmonitoring rules,whichincluderegulatory requirements that addressnetworkplans,datacertification,andminimummonitoringrequirements,among otherrequirements,arefoundin40CFRPart58.Minimummonitoringrequirementsforcriteria pollutantsarelisted in 40CFRPart58,AppendixD.Newnational ambientairqualitystandards(NAAQS)werepromulgatedin2010fornitrogen dioxide(NO2)andsulhdioxide(Sa)withminimummonitoring requirements effective January1,2013.In2011,whiletheNAAQSforcarbon monoxide(CO)was not changed, new minimummonitoring requirements wereannounced and willbecomeeffectiveonJanuary1,2015.Thestate'splansfor implementingtheserequirementswillnothaveto beidentified untilJuly1,2014whenthe 2014Network Planisdue.Minimummonitoring requirementsarelisted forozone(O3),particulate matterlessthan2.5microns(PMZ5),particulate matter lessthan10microns(PMlo),and lead(Pb).Theminimummonitoring requirementsarebasedonmetropolitan statistical area(MSA)boundariesasdefinedbytheU.S.OfficeofManagement and Budget(Om),July1,2010,population estimatesfiomtheU.S.Census Bureauandhistoricalambientairmonitoringdata.OMBcurrently defines14MSAsinthestate ofGeorgia.TheseMSAsandthe respectiveJuly 1,2009,population estimatesfiomtheU.S.Census Bureauareshownin Table1.Table1:Metropolitan StatisticalAreasandPopulationsMSANamePopulationAtlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta,GA5,475,213Augusta-Richmond County,GA-SC539,154Chattanooga,TN-GA.524,303Savannah,GA343,092Columbus,GA-AL292,795Macon,GA231,576Athens-ClarkeCounty,GA192,222Gainesville,GA187,743Albany,GA165,440Valdosta,GA135,804WamerRobins,GA135,715Dalton,GA134,319Brunswick,GA103,841Rome,GA96,250Hinesville-FortStewart,GA74,420MinimumOzone MonitoringRequirements40 CFRPart58,AppendixD,TableD-2Thenetworkdescribedinthe2011NetworkPlan meetstheminimumO3monitoring requirementsspecifiedby40CFRPart58,AppendixD,TableD-2in allareas.MinimumPMloMonitoringRequirements40CFR Part58,AppendixA,3.3.140CFRPart58,AppendixD,TableD-4AllPMlocollocation requirementsformanualmethodsfoundin40CFRPart58,AppendixA,3.3.1arecurrentlybeingmet.These include therequirementthatfifteenpercentofeachnetworkofmanualPMlomethods (atleast one site)mustbecollocated.Also,thesiteswithcollocated monitors shouldbeamong those measuring annualmeanconcentrationsin the highest 25 percentofthenetwork.Thesecollocation requirementsareassessedattheprimaryqualityassuranceorganizationlevel.The stateofGeorgia's currentPMli,primarymonitoringnetwork meets theminimumrequirementsforallareas.MinimumPMuMonitoringRequirements40CFRPart58,AppendixA,3.2.540CFRPart58,AppendixD,TableD-5Thestate ofGeorgia's current primaryPM2.5monitoring networkmeetstheminimumrequirementsfoundin40CFRPart58,AppendixD,TableD-5forallMSAs.However,thePM25collocationrequirementiscurrentlynot beingmet.Regulatory requirementsin40 CFRPart58,AppendixA,3.2.5.2formanual method collocatedPM2.5monitoring requirethat".. .monitors selected forPcollocation mustalsomeetthefollowing requirements:(a) Aprimarymonitor designatedasanEPAFederal Reference Method(FRM)shall becollocatedwithanaudit monitor havingthe sameEPAFRMdesignation."WeunderstandtheEPDisdiligentlyworking to replaceall ofitsAndersenPM2.sFRMmonitors.Thisactionwillallowthestatetomeetthiscollocation requirement.PMzsContinuous Monitoring Requirements40CFRPart58,AppendixD,4.7.2Regulatory requirementsforcontinuousPM2,smonitoring requirethat"thestate,orwhere appropriate,localagenciesmustoperatecontinuousPM2.5analyzers equaltoat leastone-half (round up)theminimumrequiredsiteslistedinTableD-5of thisAppendix.Atleast onerequired continuousanalyzer in eachMSAmustbecollocated withoneofthe requiredFRM/FEM/ARM[FederalReferenceMethodLFederalEquivalentMethod/ApprovedRegional Method]monitors, unlessatleastoneofthe requiredFRM/FEM/ARMmonitorsisitself acontinuousFEMorARMmonitorin whichcasenocollocation requirementapplies."TheseminimumcontinuousPM2.5monitoringrequirementsare currentlymetinall oftheMSAsinthestate.Also,thecontinuousPM2.ScollocationrequirementsarecurrentlymetinallMSAs.Therefore,thecontinuousPM2.5monitoring networkdescribedinthe2011NetworkPlan meets allof thedesigncriteria of40CFRPart58.(?DMzsBackground andTransportSites40CFRPart58,AppendixD,4.7.3Regulatory requirementsin40CFRPart58,AppendixD,4.7.3require that"eachstate shall installandoperateatleastonePM2.5siteto monitorforregionalbackground and atleastonePM2.5sitetomonitorforregionaltransport."The2011Network Planidentifiesthephotochemical assessmentmonitoring stationPM2.5monitorinYorkville(AQSID:13-223-0003)asabackgroundsiteandthePM2.5site inRossville(AQSID:13-295-0002)asa transport site. Therefore, thestatehas satisfiedtherequirementsof40CFRPart58 forbackground andtransportsites.Lead(Pb)MonitoringRequirements40CFRPart58,AppendixD,4.5EPArecently revised the monitoring requirementsforleadfoundin 40CFRPart58,Appendix DSection4.5(see75FederalRegister81 126).These revisionsreducedtheemissions thresholdforfacilitiesnearwhichsourceorientedPbmonitoringisrequiredfiom1.0tonsper year(tpy)to0.5tpy.Therulealsoremovedpopulationbasedmonitoring requirementsforPbandreplaced themwith arequirementtomonitorforPb at urban NCoresites.PbmonitoringatNCoresitesisrequiredtobeginonDecember27,2011.40CFRPart58,AppendixD,4.5requiresthat"Ataminimum,theremustbe one source-orientedSLAMS[stateandLocalAirMonitoring Station]sitelocatedto measurethemaximum Pbconcentrationinambientairresulting fiomeachnon-airportPbsource whichemits0.50ormore tons@peryear andfromeachairportwhichemits1.Oormoretonspayear..."Monitoringsitesarealreadyoperatingasrequired neartheExide Corporationfacility inColumbusandtheGerdauAmeristeelfacilityinCartersville.RegardingtheExide facility, wearerecommendingashort-termstudyto determineiftheexistingmonitorisin thebestlocation.Theestimatedemissionsfiom theExide Technologies FacilityinColumbus,Georgiaareexpected tobe0.64tpy,with apredicted modeledambientairconcentrationof0.176ugfm3.Asnoted,thisfacilitydoesnotqualifjrfor a source-oriented monitoringwaiver.Inourreviewof themodeling results,weareconcernedthatthe existing monitorisnotsitedintheareaofpredictedmaximum Pb concentration. Insteadofestablishing anewPbmonitoringsitearoundthefacility,werecommendthat thestaterestarttwo dormantsitesaroundthefacilityby January1,2012,andoperatethemfor onecalendaryear.If,after a year ofmonitoring,thePblevelsatthese twositesarebelowthePblevelsattheexistingsite,thestatewillbeallowedtoshut thetwositesdown again.However,ifthePblevelsateitheroneorbothof thetwosites arehigher thanthe data fiomtheexistingsite,thenthe highest readingsitemustbecontinuedandtheremainingsiteswillbeallowedtoshutdown.Ourunderstandingisthatthisapproachwill bemorecosteffectiveforthestatethanestablishinga completelynewlocationaroundthefacility.Sincethefacilityisapplyingfora permittoexpandoperations,wewouldalsorecommendthe stateadda permit requirementforthefacilitytoconduct ambientairmonitoring.Onpages154-186intheNetworkPlan,the stateidentified eightadditionalfacilitiesas havingcalendaryears2008and2009lead emissionsofgreater than0.5tpy. However,basedonupdatednemissionsandmodeling data, Georgia requestedthatsevenofthose facilities beremovedfiom the listof facilities thatemitahdfton per yearormore.These facilities arediscussed below.ThestateofGeorgiahasrequestedEPAgrantone oftheseven facilities awaiverofsource-orientedPbmonitoringrequirements.ThisfacilityisGeorgiaPower Company'sPlantBoweninCartersville,GA.Section4.5(a)(ii)ofAppendixDto 40CFRPart 58 providesthefollowingprovisionsfor awaiverof thePbmonitoringrequirements:"(ii)TheRegional Administratormaywaivetherequirementinparagraph4.5(a)formonitoring nearPbsources ifthe stateor,where appropriate, local agencycandemonstratethePbsource will notcontributetoamaximumPbconcentrationinambientairinexcessof50%of theNAAQS(basedonhistoricalmonitoringdata, modeling,orothermeans).Thewaivermustberenewedonceevery5yearsaspartofthenetworkassessment requiredunder58.10(d).Thestatehas submittedairmodelingindicating thatPlantBowenwillnotcontribute to amaximumPbconcentrationin theambientairinexcessof50%theNAAQS.EPAhasreviewedthisinformationandconcursthatthePbemissions fiomthissource will not contributetoamaximumPb concentrationintheambientairinexcess of50%oftheNAAQS.Therefore,EPAisgrantingawaiverofthesourceorientedambientairmonitoring requirements atthissource.Thiswaiver mustberenewedonceevery5yearsaspartofthenetwork assessment requiredunder40CFR$58.lO(d).r\Fortheother six oftheseven previously mentionedfacilities,thestatehas requestedthatEPAconsider revisedemissions data relatedtosource-orientedPbmonitoring requirements.Thestatesubmitted informationindicatingthattheactual Pb emissionsfiom these sixsources,listedbelow,arebelow0.50tpy:GeorgiaPowerCompanyPlantSchererJuliette,GATemple-InlandRomeLinerboard MillRome,GAGilmanBuilding ProductsCo.Fitzgerald,GAR.M.Clayton Water Reclamation CenterAtlanta,GAGeorgiaPower CompanyPlant BranchMilledgeville,GAGilmanBuilding ProductsBlackshear,GAEPAhasreviewedthisinformation,andconcursthat theactualPbemissionsfiom this sourcearebelow0.50tpy.Therefore,ambientairmonitoringisnotrequiredat thesesources.ThePbmonitoringnetworkdescribedinthe2011NetworkPlan meets allofthedesigncriteriaof40CFRPart580SulfurDioxide(SO2)MonitoringRequirementsn40CFRPart58,AppendixD,4.4LAmbientairmonitoringnetworkdesign criteriaforSO2arefoundinSection4.4ofAppendixDto40CFRPart58.This sectionrequires that"Thepopulationweightedemissions index(PWEI)shallbecalculatedbystatesforeachcorebased statisticalarea(CBSA)."Asa result,theSO2monitoringsite(s)requiredineachCBSAwillsatisflminimummonitoring requirementsifthemonitor(s)issited withintheboundariesoftheparentCBSAandisoneofthefollowingsitetypes:populationexposure,maximum concentration, source-oriented,general background,or regional transport.AnSO2monitoratan NCorestationmaysatisflminimum monitoringrequirementsifthat monitor is located within aCBSA with minimally required monitors consistent withAppendixD,4.4.TheSO2networkistobeoperational beginningJanuary1,2013.TheSO2monitoringnetworkdesignoutlinedinyourNetworkPlanwillmeettheminimumrequirementsunder 40CFRPart58 once theadditional samplersareadded inthe AtlantaandAugustaMSAs.TheclosuresoftheS@samplersattheBmswick-Risley Middle Schooland Columbus Airportareapproved.AirQualityIndex(AQI)Reporting40CFRg58.50AQI reportingisrequiredinMSAswithpopulations over350,000.ThreeMSAswhollyorpartlyinthestatearerequiredtoreport anAQI:Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Augusta-Richmond County,andChattanooga, Tennessee.TheNetwork Planincludes a linkonPage 5totheGeorgiaEPDWebsitewherethis informationisavailablefortheseareas.Thestate ismeetingtheAQI&portingrequirements.t-l'MonitoringNetworkChangesProposedbyGAEPDInits2011Network Plan,thestateproposedseveral other changes toitsmonitoringnetworknotalreadyaddressedabove.ThesechangestotheSO2,NO2,CO andPM2.5networksarenecessarytomeetapplicable regulationsin40CFRPart58listedonPages6and7oftheNetwork Plan.Therequestedchangesareapproved.TheMetOneBetaAttenuationMass(BAM)1020 monitor was certifiedasaFEMperFederalRegister:Vol. 73,page13224,onMarch12,2008.This monitorshouldnowbeincorporated into thestate'sambientairmonitoringnetworkasanapproved monitoring methodforPM2.5.NationalCore (NCore)Monitoring NetworkThestate isrequired to haveoneNCoresite.TheSouthDeKalbsite,AQS#13-089-0002,was approvedasthe state'sNCoresitebyEPA'sOfficeofAirQualityPlanningandStandards on October30,2009.Itcurrently meets allrequirements.AftertheNCoresiteswere approved,EPAestablished a populationorientedPbmonitoring requirementforNCoresitesthattakes effect onDecember27,2011. EPAhasdeterminedthatthisrequirementwillbemetbythecollocatedPbmonitorat thenearby site,AQS#13-089-0003.