The Honorable Robert McDonnell

Governor of Virginia

Patrick Henry Building Third Floor

1111 East Broad Street

Richmond, Virginia 23219

Dear Governor McDonnell:

Thank you for your March 11, 2009 and November 21, 2011 recommendations on air

quality designations for the revised 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) forozone throughout Virginia. I appreciate the information Virginia shared with the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as we move forward to improve ozone air quality. This

letter is to notify you of EPA’s preliminary response to Virginia’s recommendations and toinform you of our approach for completing the designations for the revised ozone standards.

On March 12, 200g. EPA revised its NAAQS for ground-level ozone to provide

increased protection of public health and the environment. EPA lowered the primary 8-hour

ozone standard from 0.08 parts per million (ppm) to 0.075 ppm to protect against health effects

associated with ozone exposure, including a range ofserious respiratory illnesses and increased

premature death from heart or lung disease. EPA revised the secondary 8-hour ozone standard,

making it identical to the primary standard, to protect against welfare effects, including impactson sensitive vegetation and forested ecosystems.

History shows us that better health and cleaner air go hand-in-hand with economic

growth. Working closely with the states and tribes, EPA is implementing the standards using a

common sense approach that improves air quality and minimizes the burden on state and local

governments. As part of this routine process, EPA is working with the states to identify areas inthe country that meet the standards and those that need to take steps to reduce ozone pollution.

Within one year after a new or revised air quality standard is established, the Clean Air Act(CAA) requires the Governor of each state to submit to EPA a list of all areas in the state, with

recommendations for whether each area meets the standard. As a first step in implementing the2008 ozone standards, EPA asked states to submit their designation recommendations, including

appropriate area boundaries by March 12, 2009. In September 2009, EPA announced it wasreconsidering the 2008 ozone standards. EPA later took steps to delay the designation process

for the 2008 ozone standards pending outcome of the reconsideration. However, in September

2011, the Office of Management and Budget returned to EPA the draft final rule addressing the

reconsideration ofthe 2008 ozone standards. On September 22, 2011, EPA restarted the
of preliminary 2009

20 1 1 air quality data.

As required by the CAA, EPA will designate an area as nonattainment ifit is violating

the 2008 ozone standards or contributing to a violation ofthe standards in a nearby area.

Consistent with designations for previous ozone standards, EPA intends to designate an area asunclassifiable/attainment ifthere are certified, quality-assured air quality monitoring data

showing the area is meeting the ozone standards or ifthere are no monitoring data for the area,

and EPA has not made a determination that the area is contributing to a violation in a nearby

area.

After considering Virginia’s March 11, 2009 and November 21, 2011 ozone designation

recommendations and other relevant technical information, including 2008-2010 air quality data,

EPA intends to support Virginia’s recommended area designations and boundaries for theWashington DC-MD-VA area. The enclosed Technical Support Document provides a detailedanalysis to support our preliminary decisions. EPA intends to designate all other areas ofthestate as unclassifiable/attainment.

After considering Virginia’s November 21, 2011 ozone designations recommendation,

which was based on preliminary 2009-2011 air quality data, as well as other relevant technicalinformation, EPA intends to designate the Richmond area as unclassifiable/attainment. In yourDecember 6, 2011, Virginia certified its 2011 quality-assured air quality monitoring data.

Therefore, EPA will consider 2009-20 1 1 air quality data in the final designation decisions for

this area.

EPA will continue to work with state officials regarding the appropriate boundary for the

area in Virginia. If Virginia has additional information that the Commonwealth would like EPA

to consider, please submit it to us by February 29, 2012. EPA will also make its preliminarydesignation 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 the FederalRegister. After considering additional information we receive, EPA plans to promulgate finalozone designations in spring of 2012.

EPA is committed to working with the states and tribes to share the responsibility of

reducing ozone air pollution. Current and upcoming federal standards and safeguards, includingpollution reduction rules for power plants, vehicles and fuels, will assure steady progress to

reduce ozone-forming pollution and will protect public health in communities across the country,
Shawn M. Garvin

Regional Administrator

Enclosure

cc: The Honorable Doug Domenech

Secretary of Natural Resources