S7 1 UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY l1 REGION IX

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4 p nO 75 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 95105-3901

OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR 

## MAY 22 2014
Neil 

### Peyron Chairman Tule River Indian Tribe 

### Post Office Box 589 Porterville. Califbrnia 93258 Dear Chairman Peyron: 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 important to engage withus in the process of assigning designations for Indian country. Although your involvement is notrequired, we would like to 

### invite you to participate inthe designations process andto 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 on December 13, 2013: however, EPA is preparedto accept designation recommendations via letter fromtribal leaders until June 13, 2014. On December 13, 2012, EPA revised the PM 25 NAAQS to increase protection ofpublic health from tine particle pollution. The annual PM 25 standard was strengthened from 15 ug/m 3 to 12 ug/m. Establishing 

### initial area designations is akey step in the process ofproviding the health andlorwelfareprotection intended by the Clean Air Act (CAA). Withintwo years ofpromulgation ofanew orrevisedNAAQS, EPA must list and designate all areas in the country as either: Attainment

- areas thatmeet the standard; Nonattainment

- 

### areas that eitherdo not meetthe standard, or are contributing to anearby area that does notmeetthe 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, InitialAreaDesignationsforthe 2012 Revised PrimaryAnnualFineParticleNationalAmbientAir QualTh’ Standard. The guidance is available on the EPA’s PM Designations website at i u 

### \!pmdLsien itioi s/2’)l2standaids/doc/apiil20I 3uuid LnLL jxll Additional information 

### about developing tribal airquality designations is available in the September2013 document, DevelopingDesignation RecommendationsjOrAreas ojindian Country. which is available here:


### 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 Pitiited on Reeve/ed 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 Inc/ian Tribes nsuit—policv.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)(l)(B) of the CAA, we are required to issue final designations for the PM 2 . 5 NAAQS no later than December 12, 2014. Our designations will he based on the most recent three calendar years of certified, quality-assured monitoring data available, and any other relevant inf&mation. 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.kenv(pa.ov. Enclosure cc: Kern Vera, Environmental Director

### 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 Late May 2014 (uponreceipt ofletter) tribal leaders. Deadline to request advancetribal consultation. June 13, 2014 Optional tribal recommendations forthe PM 2

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