D ST. UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION IX PPO 75 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 95105-3901

OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR 

## MAY 22 O1
Elaine Fink Chairperson North Fork Rancheria Post Office Box 929 North Fork, California 93643 Dear Chairperson Fink: The purpose ofthis letter is to provide you with infonnation concerning the 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 the process of assigning designations for Indian country. Although yourinvolvement is notrequired, we would like to invite you to participate in the designations process and to offeryou consultation. We wantto ensure transparent and effective communication in developing area designations forthe revised PM 25 NAAQS. Arearecommendations forthe PM 5 NAAQS were due to EPA on December 13. 2013; however. EPA is prepared to accept designationrecommendations via letterfrom tribal leaders tintil June 13. 2014 On December 13, 2012. EPA revised the PM 25 NAAQS to increase protection ofpublic health from fine particle pollution. The annual PM 2

. 5 standard was strengthened from 15 ug/m to 12 ug/rn. Establishing initial area designations is akey step in the process ofproviding the health and/orwelfare protection in[endedbythe Clean AirAct (CAA). Within two years ofpromulgation ofa new orrevisedNAAQS, EPA must list and designate all areas in the country as either: Attainment

- areas thatmeetthe standard; Nonattainment

- areas that either do notmeetthe standard, or are contributing to anearby area that does not meet the standard; or Unclassifiable

- areas where there is insufficientinformation to 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, 

### initialArea Designations/orthe 2O] RevisedPrimaryAnnualFineParticleNationalAmbientAir

ualTh’ Sramlard. The guidance is available on the EPA’s PM Designations website at

“ jHox imk.in nm ‘Ul2’tand ud doLs 

### apii1201 auid iii pUl Additional information about developing tribal air quality designations is available in the September2013 document

### Developing [)csignation Recommendations/orAreas of

### Indian Country, which 

### is available here: i uo/an ii ib ilidls Ik.

. kpinril)ien ltlonRLLommLnd itionloi

## mill mn uunhi\ pdl We are sending you this letterbecause we believe thatyourTribe’s area ofIndian countrymaybe in nonattainment forthe 2012 PM 2

. 5 NAAQS and you maywantto engage with us through the consultation Friiited on Rei yiea Paperprocess. 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 he conducted in accordance with the EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribes

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 infornied 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.kenaepa.ov. Sincerely, Enclosure cc: Christina McDonald, Environmental Assistant

### 2012 PM 2 • 5 

### NAAQS Tribal Designations 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