UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION IX 75 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 94105·3901

OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR 

### SEP 0 4 

### 2009

The Honorable Laura Lingle GovernorofHawaii Executive Chambers Honolulu, HI 96813 Dear Governor Lingle: Iam writing you today to provide you with guidanceon the process for designating areas under the 2008 revised National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for lead. In orderto ensure that public health and welfarewere protected, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the lead NAAQS on October 15,2008 (73 FR 66964; November 12,2008). The new primary lead standard was lowered from the 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter (uglm3) level set in 1978, to a level of0.15 uglm3

. Thisnew standard is based on the most recent scientific studies and provides increased protection against adverse health effects associated with exposure to lead. To provide increased protection against lead-related welfareeffects, EPA revised the secondary standard to be identical in all respects to the revised primary standard. The next step in implementingthe revised lead NAAQS is for states to recommend to EPA an air qualitydesignation for their state. Theprocess for designations, following promulgationofa new or revised NAAQS, is contained in Section l07(d)(1) ofthe Clean Air Act (Act). This section ofthe Act provides a process for each Governorto recommend attainment, nonattainment, orunclassifiabledesignations, with appropriate boundaries, to the EPA and requires that these recommendations be submitted to EPA within one year ofa promulgation ofa new or revised NAAQS. Therefore, we ask that your state provide designation recommendations for all areas by October 15,2009. Under section 107(d)(l) ofthe Act, EPA maymakemodifications to the recommended designations and boundaries as it deems necessary. EPA will notifythe states, by no laterthan 120 days priorto promulgatingthe designations, ofourresponse to states' recommendations. This will provide an opportunity for states to comment on any modification that EPA proposes to their recommendations. We are including an enclosure to this letter, which provides guidance to state and local air pollution control agencies and tribes on the timeline and process for designating areas under the revised lead standard. Weplan to announce our intended designations as early as possible, but no laterthan 120 days priorto promulgatinginitial designations.

Pn'nred on Recycled Paper

### Under section 107(d)(l)(B) ofthe Act, EPA is required to issue final designations within two years offinalizing aNAAQS; however, EPA has the discretion to extend the deadline up to one year ifthere is insufficient information to make designations. EPA intends to complete initial designations by no laterthan October 15,20I0, where data is sufficient from the existing monitoring network or where no additional data is expected to be available for a state. Remaining areas, using information from the expanded lead monitoring network, will be designated by no later than October 15, 2011. 

### States and tribes will have an opportunity to update their recommendations for these remaining areas by October 15, 2010. Establishing area designations is akey step in the process ofprovidingthe health protection that the Act is intended to provide. Areas that are designated as not attaining the lead NAAQS will be required to adopt plans to reduce ambient concentrations oflead. We will keep your state informed ofany additional guidance and other supportactivities. Should you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me at 415-947-8702 or Colleen McKaughan ofmy staffat 520-498-0118. Sincerely,

Laura Yos i Acting Regional Administrator Enclosure

cc: Chiyome LeinaaJa Fukino, Director Hawaii Department ofHealth Laurence Lau, Deputy Director Hawaii Department ofHealth Wilfred Nagamine, Manager, Clean Air Branch, Hawaii Department ofHealth