UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 10 1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900 Seattle, WA 98101-3140 

# DUN 142mn REGIONAL**ADMINISTRATOf~** Larry Hartig, Commissioner Office ofthe Commissioner AlaskaDepartment ofEnvironmental Conservation Post Office Box 111800 Juneau Alaska, 99811-1800

DearCommissionerHartig:

Thank you for your recommendations on airquality designations for the revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for lead throughout Alaska. Reducing levels oflead pollution is an important part ofEPA'scommitment to a clean, healthyenvironment. 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 andbehavior. This letter is to notify you ofthe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) response to Alaska's designationrecommendations, and to informyou ofour approach for completing the designations for the revised lead NAAQS.

On October 15, 2008, EPA substantially strengthened NAAQS for lead. The new standards, set at 0.15 micrograms per cubic meter**(~g/m3),** are 10 times tighter than the previous standards. In conjunction with strengthening the lead NAAQS, EPA also established new criteriafor siting ambient lead monitors. The pre-existing ambient lead monitoring network was inadequate for determining whether many areas are meeting the revised lead NAAQS. Monitors meeting the new network siting requirements were to begin operationJanuary 1,2010.

The Clean AirAct (CAA) requires EPA to complete the initial designation process within two years ofpromulgating a new orrevised NAAQS. Ifthe Administrator has insufficient information to make these designations, EPA has the authority to extend the designation process by up to oneyear. In light ofthe new monitoring network which will generate additional information in the upcoming year, EPA intends to complete the leaddesignations in two rounds. In the first round, to be completed by October, 15,2010, EPA is designating as "nonattainment" any area that is violating the 2008 lead NAAQS based on data from the pre-2010 monitoring network. For all other areas, EPA is extending the deadline for designations by up to one year so that data from the newly deployed monitors can be considered in making appropriate designation decisions. EPA will completethe second round oflead designations no laterthan October 15, 2011.

We have reviewed Alaska's October 14,2009,recommendation letter on air quality designations and all the associated technical information for the 2008 lead NAAQS, including, if available, the most recent airquality data from 2007-2009. However, EPA is not intending to complete the initial area designations for your state at this time. Instead, EPA intends to designate all areas in your state byno laterthan October 15, 2011, in the secondround oflead designations. Ifyou would like to submit updated recommendations for your areas for our consideration in the secondround ofdesignations, we request that you do so by December 15,


# o Prfntsdon RecycledPaper2010. For the second round ofdesignations, we will notify all states and tribes ofour preliminaryresponses to their recommendations by no later than June 17, 2011.

We look forward to a continued dialogue with you and your staffas we work together to implement the 2008 lead NAAQS. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me, orhave your staffcontact Steve Body in the Office ofAir, Waste and Toxics at 206-553-0872.
Sincerely,

# ~9'v~ Dennis J. McLerran Regional Administrator

Enclosure

cc: Alice Edwards, Acting Air Quality Director Gina McCarthy, Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Steven D

. Page, Director, Office ofAir Quality Planning and Standards



# o Printedon RecycledPaper