UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

REGION IX 

The Honorable Neil Abercrombie 

Executive Chambers, State Capitol 

Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 

Dear Governor Abercrombie: 

75 Hawthorne Street 

San Francisco, CA 94105·3901 

AUG 1 9 2014 

OFFICE OF THE 

REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR 

Thank you for your recommendation, dated November 18,2013, of air quality designations for the 2012 

annual fine particle National Ambient Air Quality Standard (2012 annual PMz.s NAAQS) throughout 

Hawaii. This letter is to notify you of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) preliminary 

response to Hawaii's recommendation and to inform you of our approach for completing the initial area 

designations for the 2012 annual PMz.s NAAQS. 

The EPA agrees with your recommendation. We have considered the annual PMz.s designation 

recommendation submitted by Hawaii on November 18,2013 and have reviewed the relevant technical 

information, including 20U-2013 air quality data. These data do not indicate any violation of the 2012 

ammal PMz.s NAAQS in Hawaii or contribution to any nearby area. Accordingly, the EPA intends to 

designate the entire state of Hawaii as unclassifiable/attainment. 

This intended unclassifiable/attainment designation includes the EPA's review and concurrence of 

submitted exceptional event claims. On July 10, 2014, the EPA approved as exceptional events due to 

volcanic emissions 268 exceedances ofthe 2012 annual PMz.s NAAQS that occurred at the Kona 

monitoring station from 2011 through 2013. See letter from Jared Blumenfeld, Regional Administrator, 

U.S. EPA Region 9 to Nolan Hirai, Manager, Clean Air Branch, Hawaii Department ofHealth, dated 

July 10, 2014. 

The EPA will make its preliminary designation 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 Federal Register. After considering the additional information we receive, the EPA plans to 

promulgate final annual PMz.s designations in Decemoer of 2014. 

As background, on December 14, 2012, the EPA promulgated a revised primary annual PMz.s NAAQS 

(78 FR 3086, January 15, 2013). In that action, the EPA revised the primary annual PM2.s standard, 

strengthening it from 15.0 micrograms per cubic meter (J.lg/m3

) to 12.0 jlg/m3; retained the existing 24-

hour PM2.s standard at 35 jlg/m3

; retained the existing 24-hom' PM10 (coarse particle) standard at 150 

jlg/m3

; and retained the current suite of secondary PM standards. The EPA revised the primary annual 

PMz.s standard based on an integrated assessment of an extensive body of new scientific evidence, which 

substantially strengthens our body of knowledge regarding PM2.s-related health effects. The revised 

primary mmual PM2.s standard will provide increased protection for children, older adults, persons with 

pre-existing heart and lung disease, and other at-risk populations against an array of PM2.s-related 

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adverse health effects, including premature mortality, increased hospital admissions and emergency 

department visits, and development and exacerbation of chronic respiratory disease. 

The EPA designates an area as "nonattainment" if it is violating the 2012 annual PM2.s NAAQS or if it 

is contributing to a violation of the NAAQS in a nearby area. Consistent with designations for previous 

PM2.s standards, the EPA intends to use a designation category of "unclassifiable/attainment" for areas 

that are monitoring attainment or do not have monitors, and that the EPA has reason to believe are likely 

attainment and are not contributing to nearby violations. Additionally, the EPA intends to designate as 

"unclassifiable" those areas where the EPA cannot determine based on available information whether 

the area is meeting the NAAQS or where the EPA has not determined that the area contributes to a 

nearby violation. At this time, the EPA is proceeding with intended initial area designations using 

quality-assured, certified air quality monitoring data from 2011 to 2013. 

The EPA is committed to working with the states and tribes to share the responsibility of reducing PM2.5 

air pollution. Current and upcoming federal standards and safeguards- including pollution reduction 

rules for power plants, vehicles, and fuels- will ensure steady progress to reduce PM2.s-forming 

pollution and will protect public health in communities across the country. We look forward to a 

continued dialogue with you and your staff as we work together to implement the 2012 annual PM2.5 

NAAQS. Should you have any questions, please contact me, or have your staff contact Deborah Jordan 

of my staff at 415-947-8715, or jordan.deborah@epa.gov. 

Sincerely, 

cc: Dr. Linda M. Rosen, Director of Health, Hawaii Department of Health 

Gary L. Gill, Deputy Director, Hawaii Department of Health 

.. 

Stumi Yamada, P.E., Chief, Environmental Management Division, Hawaii Department of Health 

(via email) Nolan Hirai, Manager, Clean Air Branch, Hawaii Department of Health