UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Region 1

August 19, 2014 The Honorable Peter Shumlin Governor ofVennont I09 State Street Pavilion Office Building Montpelier, Vermont 05609-0101
Dear Governor Shumlin: 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100 Boston, MA 02109-3912

Thank you .for your recommendation dated November 5, 2013 of air quality designations for the 2012 revised primary annual fine particle (PM2.s) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) throughout Vermont. I appreciate the information Vermont shared with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as we move forward to improve PM2.s air quality. This letter is to notify you ofthe EPA's preliminary response to Vermont's recommendation and to inform you of our approach for completing the initial area designations for the 2012 revised primary annual PM2
.s standard
. On December 14,2012, the EPA promulgated a revised primary annual PM2
.s NAAQS (78 FR 3086, January 15, 2013). In that action, the EPA revised the primary annual PM2.s standard, strengthening it from 15.0 micrograms per cubic meter (J.tg/m3) to 12.0 J.tg/m3 ; retained the existing 24

-hour PM2.s standard at 35 J.tg/m3 ; retained the existing 24-hour 

### PM1o (coarse particle) standard at 150 J.lg/m3 ; and retained the current suite of secondary PM standards. The EPA revised the primary annual PM2.s standard based on an integrated assessment of an extensive body of new scientific evidence, which substantially strengthens our body ofknowledge regarding PM2.s -related health effects. The revi sed primary annual PM2.s standard will provide increased protection for children, older adults, persons with pre-existing heart and lung disease, and other at-risk populations against an array of PM2.s-related adverse health effects, including premature mortality, increased hospital admissions and emergency department visits, and development and exacerbation of chronic respiratory disease. History shows us that better health and cleaner air go hand-in-hand with economic growth. Working closely with the states and tribes, the EPA is implementing the standards using a commonsense approach that improves air quality and minimizes the burden on state, local, and tribal governments. As part ofthis routine process, the EPA is working with the states and tribes to identify areas in the country that meet the standards and those that need to take steps to reduce PM2
.s air pollution. Within one year ofpromulgating a new or revised air quality standard, the Clean Air Act requires the Governor ofeach state to submit to the EPA a list ofall areas in the state, with a designation recommendation for each area. As a first step in implementing the 2012 annual PM2
.s standard, Governors were to submit their designation recommendations , including appropriate area boundaries, by December 13,2013.2
As required by the Clean Air Act, the EPA then promulgates designations for all areas across the country. The EPA designates an area as "nonattainment" if it is violating the 2012 annual PM2
.s NAAQS or ifit is contributing to a violation of the NAAQS in a nearby area. Consistent with designations for previous PM2.s standards, the EPA intends to use a designation category of "undassifiable/attainment" for areas that are monitoring attainment or do not have monitors, but for which the EPA has reason to believe are likely attainment and are not contributing to nearby violations. Additionally, the EPA intends to designate as "unclassifiable" those areas where the EPA cannot determine based on available information whether the area is meeting the NAAQS or where EPA has not determined that the area contributes to a nearby violation. At this time, the EPA is proceeding with intended initial area designations using quality-assured, certified air quality monitoring data from 2011 to 2013. We have considered the annual PM2
.s designation recommendations submitted by Vermont on November 

### 5, 2013 and have reviewed the relevant technical information, including 2011

- 2013 air quality data. These data do not indicate any violation ofthe 2012 annual PM2
.s N/\AQS in Vermont or contribution to any nearby area. Accordingly, the EPA intends to designate the entire state of Vermont as unclassifiable/attainment. · The EPA will make its preliminary designation decisions and supporting documentation available to the general public for review and comment. We will be announcing a 30-day public comment period shortly in th e 

### Federal Re gist er. After considering the additional information we receive, the EPA plans to promulgate final annual PM2
.s desjgnations in December of2014. The EPA is committed to working with the states and tribes to share the responsibility ofreducing PM2.5 air pollution. Current and upcoming federal standards and safeguards

- including pollution reduction rules for power plants , vehicles , and fuels

- will ensure steady progress to reduce PM2
.sforming**po~lution** and will protect public health in communities across the country. We look forward to a continued dialogue with you and your staff as we work together to implement the 2012 annual PM2
.s standard. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, or have your staff contact Alison Simcox of my staff at 617-918-1684 or simcox. alison @ epa.gov.

cc : David K. Mears, VT DEC Commissioner Regional Administrator, EPA New England.

Elaine O'Grady, Director, Air Quality & Climate Division Janet G. McCabe, Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Stephen D. Page, Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards