December 14, 2015

Mr. R. Scott Davis III

Chief, Air Planning Branch

EPA Region 4

Atlanta Federal Center

61 Forsyth Street S.W.

Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8909

Re: South Carolina Air Quality Implementation Plan, 2012 Particulate Matter (PM) 

NAAQS Infrastructure Certification – Final SIP Submittal

Dear Mr. Davis:

On December 14, 2012, the EPA finalized a revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards 

(NAAQS) for Particulate Matter (78 FR 3086, published January 15, 2013). With this rule, the 

EPA strengthened the annual primary fine particulate matter (PM2.5) standard by lowering the 

level from 15.0 to 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3

). Sections 110(a)(1) and (2) of the 

Clean Air Act (CAA) require all states to submit plans to provide for the implementation, 

maintenance, and enforcement of the NAAQS. Sections 110(a)(1) and (2) further require states 

to address basic State Implementation Plan (SIP) requirements, including but not limited to the 

following elements: emissions limits and other control measures, ambient air quality monitoring, 

a program for the enforcement of control measures, adequate resources to implement the SIP, 

and public notification and government consultation. Section 110(a)(1) requires states to submit 

SIPs within three (3) years after promulgation of a new or revised NAAQS, or December 14, 

2015, in this case.

On October 23, 2015, the Department of Health and Environmental Control (Department) 

published a public notice in the South Carolina State Register notifying the public of the 

proposed 2012 PM NAAQS infrastructure SIP certification, and providing the public the 

opportunity to request a public hearing on the proposed 2012 PM NAAQS infrastructure SIP 

certification (Attachment C). The Department received no comments regarding this notice.

Pursuant to 40 CFR 51.102, no request for a public hearing was received by the close of the 30-

day public comment period (November 23, 2015), and as a result, the hearing was cancelled.

As outlined in Attachment A to this letter, the Department is certifying to the EPA that it has 

addressed the infrastructure elements required by Section 110(a)(1) and (2) of the CAA 

pertaining to the attainment of the 2012 PM NAAQS in South Carolina. We are providing the 

SIP Submittal Completeness Criteria Checklist as Attachment B; the October 23, 2015, South 

Carolina State Register Notice of Intent to Revise the SIP/Notice of Public Hearing as 
Mr. Davis

December 14, 2015

Page 2

Attachment C, and the South Carolina Pollution Control Act (SC Code Section 48-1-10 et seq.) 

as Attachment D. 

The Department appreciates the assistance provided by your staff regarding the formulation of 

this plan. Should you or your staff have any questions or comments concerning South Carolina’s 

2012 PM NAAQS infrastructure SIP certification, please contact Rhonda Banks Thompson, 

Interim Chief of the Bureau of Air Quality (BAQ), at (803) 898-4391 or thompsrb@dhec.sc.gov.

Sincerely,

Myra C. Reece, Interim Director

Environmental Affairs

Environmental Quality Control

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

ec: Lynorae Benjamin, Chief, Regulatory Development Section, EPA Region 4

Brad Akers, Regulatory Development Section, EPA Region 4

Rhonda B. Thompson, Interim Chief, Bureau of Air Quality, SCDHEC

Robert J. Brown, Jr., Director, Division of Air Assessment and Regulation, BAQ, 

SCDHEC

Maeve Mason, Manager, Regulation and SIP Management Section, BAQ, SCDHEC

Enclosures:

Attachment A - South Carolina Certification Clean Air Act Section 110(a)(1) and (2), PM

Requirements

Attachment B - SIP Submittal Completeness Criteria Checklist

Attachment C - South Carolina State Register Notice of Intent to Revise the SIP/Notice of Public 

Hearing

Attachment D – South Carolina Pollution Control Act (SC Code Section 48-1-10 et seq.)