ED ST.. UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION IX cs L RO 75 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 951 05-3901

OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR 

## MAY 22 2014 Kyle Self Chairperson Greenville Rancheria Post Office Box 279 Greenville. California 95947 DearChairperson Selfi The purpose ofthis letter is to provide you with information concerningthe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) designations process forthe 2012 primary annual PM 2

. 5 national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). YourTribe may find it importantto engage with us in theprocess of assigning designations for Indian country. Although yourinvolvement is notrequired, we would like to invite you to participate in the designationsprocess and to offeryou consultation. We wantto ensure transparent and effective communication in developing area designations forthe revised PM 2

. 5 NAAQS. Area recommendations forthe PM 5 NAAQS were due to EPA onDecember 13, 2013; however, EPA is prepared to accept designation recommendations via letter from tribal leaders until June 13. 2014. 

### On December 13, 2012, EPA revised the 

### PM2• 5 NAAQS to increaseprotection ofpublic health from fine particle pollution. The annual PM 2 •c standard was strengthened from 15 ug/m to 12 ug/rn. Establishing initial area designations is a key step in theprocess ofproviding the health andlorwelfareprotection 

### intendedby the Clean AirAct (CAA). Within two years ofpromulgation ofa new orrevisedNAAQS. EPA must list and designate all areas in the country as either: Attainment

- areas thatmeet the standard: Nonattainment

- areas thateither do notmeetthe standard, or are contributing to anearby area that does not meetthe standard; or Unclassifiable

- areas where there is insufficientinformationto make a determination as to attainment. These designations are based on current air quality information, recommendations 

### from state governors and tribal leaders, and otherrelevant information as discussed in the April 2013 designations guidance. InitialAreaJ)esignations/orthe 2OJ 1?evisedPrimary

### AnnualFineParticleNationalAmbientAir Qua/i/i’ Standard. The guidance is available on the EPA’s PM Designations website at i .io j2p1dt.’Jenat1on2’)iZ t md 

### iids docsi ipiil2Olewct in.. pdl Additional information about developing tribal airquality designations is available in the September2013 document. Developing DesignationRecommendations forAreas ofIndian Country, which is available here:

ii\\\V Lfl eo ni timiijiu 1 sD mi liUlIlt)iifldLUl(_Iainhl\pdl We are sending you this letterbecause Plumas County shows violations ofthe 2012 PM 2

. 5 NAAQS. EPA will he reviewing data to detemine whether anyportion ofyourTribe’s area ofIndian country p,j, 1 red on Reveled Popershould be designated nonattainment for the standard and you may want to engage with us through the consultation process. We will keep you informed as we finalize designations for your Tribe’s area and invite and encourage you to participate. Please notify us by June 13, 2014 if you are interested in consulting with us regarding a recommended designation. When requested, consultation will be conducted in accordance with the EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination wi/li indian Tribes: (wwv.epa.cov/triba1iconsuitution/consult—poIicv.htm). We plan to formally announce our intended designations for all areas by August 14, 2014. At that time we will send another letter to you with our intended designation and offer an additional opportunity to consult with us on the proposed designation status of your Tribe’s area of Indian country. In accordance with section 107(d) (1 )(B) of the CAA, we are required to issue final designations for the PM 25 NAAQS no later than December 12, 2014. Our designations will be based on the most recent three calendar years of certified, quality-assured monitoring data available, and any other relevant information. As the designation process moves forward, we will keep you informed of any additional guidance or other support activities. We look forward to working with you to develop area designations under the PM 2 . 5 NAAQS in a timely manner. If your Tribe is interested in consultation or has questions about the designations process, please do not hesitate to contact me or Kerry Drake, Associate Director, Air Division, of my staff at 415-947-4157 or drake.kerry(tepi.o\. Sincerely, Jared Blument d Enclosure cc: Lacie Miles, Environmental Director

### 2012 PM 2 • 5 

### NAAQS TribalDesignations Schedule
Action Date Recommendations forthe PM 25 NAAQS due December 13, 2013 to EPA (original deadline). Advance consultation opportunity offeredto LateMay 2014 (uponreceipt ofletter) tribal leaders. Deadlinetorequest advancetribal consultation. June 13, 2014 Optional tribal recommendations forthe PM 2

. 5 June 13, 2014 NAAQS due to EPA (extended deadline). Advance tribal consultation takesplace. June

- 

### July, 2014 EPA announces intended designations, August 14, 2014 additional consultation opportunity offeredto tribal leaders. Additional consultationtakes place. September

- 

### October, 2014 EPA issues final PM 75 designations. December 12, 2014