cOS?.UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENCY03.1650ArchStreetPhiiadejphia,Pennsylvania19103-2029

DEC 092011TheHonorableRobertMcDonnellGovernorofVirginiaPatrickHenryBuildingThirdFloor1111EastBroadStreetRichmond,Virginia23219DearGovernorMcDonnell:ThankyouforyourMarch11,2009andNovember21,2011recommendationsonairqualitydesignationsfortherevised2008NationalAmbientAirQualityStandards(NAAQS)forozonethroughoutVirginia.IappreciatetheinformationVirginiasharedwiththeU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)aswemoveforwardtoimproveozoneairquality.ThisletteristonotifyyouofEPA’spreliminaryresponsetoVirginia’srecommendationsandtoinformyouofourapproachforcompletingthedesignationsfortherevisedozonestandards.OnMarch12,200g.EPAreviseditsNAAQSforground-levelozonetoprovideincreasedprotectionofpublichealthandtheenvironment.EPAloweredtheprimary8-hourozonestandardfrom0.08partspermillion(ppm)to0.075ppmtoprotectagainsthealtheffectsassociatedwithozoneexposure,includingarangeofseriousrespiratoryillnessesandincreasedprematuredeathfromheartorlungdisease.EPArevisedthesecondary8-hourozonestandard,makingitidenticaltotheprimarystandard,toprotectagainstwelfareeffects,includingimpactsonsensitivevegetationandforestedecosystems.Historyshowsusthatbetterhealthandcleanerairgohand-in-handwitheconomicgrowth.Workingcloselywiththestatesandtribes,EPAisimplementingthestandardsusingacommonsenseapproachthatimprovesairqualityandminimizestheburdenonstateandlocalgovernments.Aspartofthisroutineprocess,EPAisworkingwiththestatestoidentifyareasinthecountrythatmeetthestandardsandthosethatneedtotakestepstoreduceozonepollution.Withinoneyearafteraneworrevisedairqualitystandardisestablished,theCleanAirAct(CAA)requirestheGovernorofeachstatetosubmittoEPAalistofallareasinthestate,withrecommendationsforwhethereachareameetsthestandard.Asafirststepinimplementingthe2008ozonestandards,EPAaskedstatestosubmittheirdesignationrecommendations,includingappropriateareaboundariesbyMarch12,2009.InSeptember2009,EPAannounceditwasreconsideringthe2008ozonestandards.EPAlatertookstepstodelaythedesignationprocessforthe2008ozonestandardspendingoutcomeofthereconsideration.However,inSeptember2011,theOfficeofManagementandBudgetreturnedtoEPAthedraftfinalruleaddressingthereconsiderationofthe2008ozonestandards.OnSeptember22,2011,EPArestartedtheimplementationeffortbyissuingamemorandumtoclarifyforstateandlocalagenciesthestatusofthe2008ozonestandardsandtooutlineplansformovingforwardtoimplementthem.EPAindicatedthatitwouldproceedwithinitialareadesignationsforthe2008standards,andplannedtousetherecommendationsstatesmadein2009asupdatedbythemostcurrent,certifiedairqualitydatafrom2008-2010.WhileEPAdidnotrequestthatstatessubmitupdateddesignationrecommendations,EPAprovidedtheopportunityforstatestodoso.ThankyoufortheNovember21,2011updateddesignationrecommendationfromVirginiabasedontheassessmentofpreliminary2009-2011airqualitydata.AsrequiredbytheCAA,EPAwilldesignateanareaasnonattainmentifitisviolatingthe2008ozonestandardsorcontributingtoaviolationofthestandardsinanearbyarea.Consistentwithdesignationsforpreviousozonestandards,EPAintendstodesignateanareaasunclassifiable/attainmentiftherearecertified,quality-assuredairqualitymonitoringdatashowingtheareaismeetingtheozonestandardsoriftherearenomonitoringdataforthearea,andEPAhasnotmadeadeterminationthattheareaiscontributingtoaviolationinanearbyarea.AfterconsideringVirginia’sMarch11,2009andNovember21,2011ozonedesignationrecommendationsandotherrelevanttechnicalinformation,including2008-2010airqualitydata,EPAintendstosupportVirginia’srecommendedareadesignationsandboundariesfortheWashingtonDC-MD-VAarea.TheenclosedTechnicalSupportDocumentprovidesadetailedanalysistosupportourpreliminarydecisions.EPAintendstodesignateallotherareasofthestateasunclassifiable/attainment.AfterconsideringVirginia’sNovember21,2011ozonedesignationsrecommendation,whichwasbasedonpreliminary2009-2011airqualitydata,aswellasotherrelevanttechnicalinformation,EPAintendstodesignatetheRichmondareaasunclassifiable/attainment.InyourDecember6,2011,Virginiacertifiedits2011quality-assuredairqualitymonitoringdata.Therefore,EPAwillconsider2009-2011airqualitydatainthefinaldesignationdecisionsforthisarea.EPAwillcontinuetoworkwithstateofficialsregardingtheappropriateboundaryfortheareainVirginia.IfVirginiahasadditionalinformationthattheCommonwealthwouldlikeEPAtoconsider,pleasesubmitittousbyFebruary29,2012.EPAwillalsomakeitspreliminarydesignationdecisionsandsupportingdocumentationavailabletothegeneralpublicforreviewandcomment.Wewillbeannouncinga30-daypubliccommentperiodshortlyintheFederalRegister.Afterconsideringadditionalinformationwereceive,EPAplanstopromulgatefinalozonedesignationsinspringof2012.EPAiscommittedtoworkingwiththestatesandtribestosharetheresponsibilityofreducingozoneairpollution.Currentandupcomingfederalstandardsandsafeguards,includingpollutionreductionrulesforpowerplants,vehiclesandfuels,willassuresteadyprogresstoreduceozone-formingpollutionandwillprotectpublichealthincommunitiesacrossthecountry,Welookforwardtoacontinueddialoguewithyouandyourstaffasweworktogethertoimplementthe2008ozonestandards.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleasedonothesitatetocontactmeorhaveyourstaffcontactMs.LauraMohollen,EPA’sVirginiaLiaison,at(215)814-3295.Sincerely,ShawnM.GarvinRegionalAdministratorEnclosurecc:TheHonorableDougDomenechSecretaryofNaturalResources