UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 2 290 BROADWAY NEWYORK, NY 10007-1866



## JUN 1 4 20lJ
Honorable Chris Christie Governor ofthe State ofNewJersey Office ofthe Governor PO Box 001 Trenton, NJ 08625

Dear Governor Christie:

Thankyou for your October 15, 2009 recommendations on air quality designations for the revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards for lead throughout NewJersey State. This letter is to notify you ofthe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) preliminary decision to designate all of NewJersey as unclassifiable/attainment, and to inform you ofour approach for completingthe designations for the revised lead standards. Reducing levels oflead pollution is an importantpart ofthe EPA'scommitmentto a clean, healthy environment. Lead exposure can cause a range ofadverse health effects, most notably in children. Exposures to low levels oflead early in life have been linked to effects
on IQ, learning, memory, and behavior.

On October 15,2008,the EPA substantially strengthened the health-based or "primary"National Ambient Air Quality Standard by lowering it from 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter (f.lglm3) - a level set in 1978

- to a level of0.15 f.lg/m3. This stronger standardprovides increased protection against adverse health effects associated with exposure to lead in at-risk groups, including children. To provide increased protection against lead-related environmental and other welfare effects, the EPA revised the secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standard to be identical in all respects to the revised primary standard. The EPA also determined that the pre-existing ambient lead monitoring network was inadequate for determining whether many areas are meeting therevised lead standards and established
new criteria for siting ambient lead monitors and new data collection requirements. Monitors meeting the new network sitingrequirements were to begin operationJanuary 1,2010.

Within two years ofpromulgating new or revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the Clean Air Actrequires the EPA to completethe initial process ofidentifying or designating areas that meet or do not meet an air quality standard. Ifthe Administratorhas insufficient information to make these designations, the EPAhas the authority to extend the designation process by up to one year. In light of the new monitoring network, the EPA is completing the lead designations in two rounds. In the first round, published onNovember 16, 2010, the EPA designated as "nonattainment" 16 areas as violating the 2008 Lead National Ambient Air Quality Standards based on data from the pre-20lO monitoring network. For all other areas, the EPA extendedthe deadline for designationsby up to one year so that data from the newly deployed monitors can be considered in making appropriate designation decisions. States were given an opportunity to update their recommendation letters for those remaining areas for
our consideration in the second round ofdesignations by December 15, 2010. The EPA intends to

InternetAddress (URL). http://www.epa.gov Reeycled/Recyclable • Pr1n1ed with Vegetable 011 Ba-.d Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 50% POltconsumerconlent)complete the second round oflead designations by no laterthan October 14, 2011. Therefore, this letter is the next step in the process for completing lead designations by October 14, 2011.

Consistent with the Clean AirAct, and after carefully considering NewJersey's October 15,2009 recommendation letter and all the associated technical information for the 2008 Lead National Ambient Air Quality Standards, includingthe most recent air quality data from 2008-2010, the EPA is proposing to designate all ofNew Jersey as unc1assifiable/attainment. The EPA uses this designation for initial designations to identify areas that have data indicating attainment, or where there is no evidence ofa violation.

Ifyour state has additional information that the EPA should consider with respectto ourproposed modification to your designation recommendation, please submit itto us by August 15, 2011. The EPA'spreliminary designation decisions and supporting documentation will be made available to the general public for review. We will be accepting comments through August 15,2011. We will review any information we receive from the State ofNew Jersey and the general public by this date, and we plan to promulgate the second round offinal designations by October 14, 2011.

We look forward to a continued dialogue with you and your staffas we work together to implementthe 2008 Lead National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me, orhave your staffcontactRaymond Werner ofmy staffat 212-637-3706.

Sincerely,

# QJoIr~y(**~~** 

# (7-**~udith** A. Enck Regional Administrator

cc: Bob Martin, Commissioner New Jersey Department ofEnvironmental Protection

William O'Sullivan, New Jersey Department ofEnvironmental Protection

Gina McCarthy, Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Steven D. Page, Director, Office ofAir Quality Planning and Standards