Harold Frank 

Chairman 

Forest County Potawatomi Community 

P.O. Box 340 

Crandon, Wisconsin 54520 

Dear Chairman Frank: 

Thank you for your recommendations dated December 9, 2013 , of air quality designations for the 

2012 revised primary annual fine patticle (PM2s) National Ambient Air Quality Standard 

(NAAQS) on behalf of the Forest County Potawatomi Community. I appreciate the inf01mation 

the Forest County Potawatomi Community shared with the U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency as we move forward to improve PM2.s air quality. This letter is to notify you of EPA's 

preliminary decision to designate the Forest County Potawatomi Community area ofindian 

country as unclassifiable/attainment for the 2012 revised primary annual PM2.s standard and to 

inform you of our approach for completing the designations. Although your involvement is not 

required, we would like to invite you to participate in the designations process and to offer you 

consultation. 

On December 14, 2012, EPA promulgated a revised primary annual PM2.s NAAQS (78 FR 3086, 

January 15, 2013). In that action, EPA revised the primary ammal PM2.s standard, strengthening 

it from 15.0 micrograms per cubic meter (11g/m3) to 12.0 11g/m3; retained the existing 24-hour 

PM2.s standard at 35 11g/m3; retained the existing 24-hour PM1o (coarse particle) standard at 150 

11g/m3 ; and retained the cunent suite of secondary PM standards. EPA revised the primary 

annual PM2.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 ammal 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 anay of PM2.s-related adverse health effects, including premature 

mortality, increased hospital admissions and emergency department visits, and development and 

exacerbation of chronic respiratory disease. 

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 

commonsense approach that improves air quality and minimizes the burden on state, local, and 

tribal govermnents. As part of this routine process, EPA is working with the states and tribes to 

identifY areas in the country that meet the standards and those that need to take steps to reduce 

PM2.s air pollution. Within one year of promulgating a new or revised air quality standard, the 

Clean Air Act requires the Governor of each state to submit to EPA a list of all areas in the state, 

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EPA received a recommendation from the Forest County Potawatomi Community in December, 

2013, and we intend to promulgate an appropriate designation for your area ofindian country. 

This is not the tina! step in the designation process, and you still have time to provide air quality 

information to EPA and request consultation. More information regarding this designation is 

included below. 

As required by the Clean Air Act, EPA promulgates designations tor all areas across the country. 

EPA designates an area as "nonattainment" if it is violating the NAAQS or if it is contributing to 

a violation of the NAAQS in a nearby area. Consistent with designations for previous PM2.s 

standards, EPA intends to use a designation category of"unclassifiable/attainment" for areas that 

are monitoring attainment or do not have monitors, but for which EPA has reason to believe are 

likely attainment and are not contributing to nearby violations. Additionally, EPA intends to 

designate as "unclassifiable" those areas where EPA either cam1ot determine based on available 

infonnation whether the area is meeting the NAAQS, or has not determined whether the area 

contributes to a nearby violation. At this time, EPA is proceeding with intended initial area 

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

EPA has reviewed the designations recommendations made by the Forest County Potawatomi 

Community on December 9, 2013, and other relevant technical information, including 2011-

2013 air quality data, EPA agrees with the Forest Connty Potawatomi Commnnity recommended 

area designation and intends to designate your area ofindian country as nnclassifiable/attainment 

along with the surrounding state area. Please notify us by September 29, 2014 if you are 

interested in consulting with ns regarding the designations process. When requested, 

consultation will be conducted in accordance with EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination 

with Indian Tribes (www.epa.gov/tribal/consultation/consult-policy.htm). EPA will make its 

preliminary designation decisions and supporting documentation available to the general public 

for review and comment. We will be annonncing a 30-day public comment period shortly in the 

Federal Register. After considering additional information we receive, EPA plans to promulgate 

final annual PM2.s designations in December of 20 14. 

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

PM2.s air pollution. Current and upcoming federal standards and safeguards - including pollution 

reduction rnles for power plants, vehicles, and fuels - will assure steady progress to reduce 

PM2s-forming pollution and will protect public health in connnnnities across the country. We 

look forward to working together with yon and your staff to implement the 2012 annual PM2.s 
Sus an Hedman 

Regional Administrator 

cc: Frank Shepard 

Deputy Natural Resources Administrator Forest County Potawatomi Community 

Natalene Cummings 

Air Quality Program Manager 

Forest County Potawatomi Community 

Cathy Stepp 

Secretary 

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 

Pat Stevens 

AdministTator, Division of Air and Waste 

Wisconsin Department ofNatural Resources