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1110 "It PAO\ UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 1 1 CONGRESS STREET. SUITE 1100 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02114- 2023

SEP 1 7 2009



### Honorable Deval Patrick Governor of Massachusetts State House , Room 360 Boston 

### , MA 02133
Dear Governor Patrick: I am writing you today to provide you with guidance on the process for designating areas 

### under the 2008 revised National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for Lead. In order to ensure that public health and welfare are 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 (ug/m ) level set in 1978 , to a level of 0. 15 ug/m . This new standard is based on the most recent scientific studies and provides protection against adverse health effects associated with exposure to lead. 

### To provide increased protection against lead-related welfare effects , EP A revised the secondary standard to be identical in all respects to the revised primary standard. 

### The next step in implementing the revised lead NAAQS is for States to recommend to EP A an air 

### quality designation for their State. The process for designations , following promulgation of a new or revised NAAQS 

### , is contained in Section 1 07( d) (1 ) of the Clean Air 

### Act (Act). This section of the Act provides a process for each Governor to recommend attainment

### , nonattainment, or unclassifiable designations , with appropriate boundaries , to the
EP A and requires that these recommendations be submitted to EP A within one year of a 

### promulgation of a new or revised NAAQS. Therefore , we ask that your state provide 

### designation recommendations for all areas by October 15, 2009. Under section 107(d)(1) of the Act , EPA may make modifications to the recommended designations and boundaries as it deems necessary. EP A 

### wil notify the states , by no later than 120 days prior to promulgating the designations , of our response to state s recommendations. 

### This wil provide an opportunity for the State to comment on any modification that EP proposes to their recommendation. 

### 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. We plan to anounce our intended designations as early as possible 

### but no later than 120 days prior to promulgating initial designations. Under section 107(d)(1)(B) of the Act

### , EPA is required to issue final designations within 

### two years of finalizing a NAAQS; however , EP A has the discretion to extend the deadline up to 

### one year if there is insuffcient information to make designations. As part of the rule establishing

Toll Free .1- 888- 372- 7341 Intemet Address (URL) . http://www. epa. gov/regi Recycled/Recyclable . Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper (fJinimum 30% postconsumer)the new lead NAAQS , EP A created new monitoring requirements that call for the establishment

of new lead monitors that 

### wil begin collecting data for areas in New England by 2011. EP intends to complete initial designations by no later than October 15 2010 , where data is 

### suffcient 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

### , wil be designated by no later than October 15 

### 2011. States wil have an opportunity to update their recommendations for these remaining areas by October 15 2010.

Establishing area designations is a 

### key step in the process of providing the health protection that the Act is intended to provide. Areas that are 

### designated as not attaining the lead 

### NAAQS wil be required to adopt plans to reduce ambient concentrations of lead. We wil keep 

### your State informed of any additional guidance and other support activities. Should you have any questions regarding this matter

### , please do not hesitate to contact me. 

### Your air quality 

### management offcials may wish to contact Bob McConnell of our Air Quality Planning Unit at 617- 918- 1046. Sincerely, &,"

fA. Ira W. Leighton Acting Regional Administrator
Enclosure

cc: Laurie Burt , MA-DEP Barbara Kwetz , MA-DEP