# UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION4 

# Mr

. Barry
R. Stephens,

PE Director Division

of Air Pollution Control ATLANTA FEDERAL CENTER 61 FORSYTH STREET ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303-8960 

# · 1£1'
2 6 

# 2015 Tennessee Department

of Environment

and Conservation William

R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower 312 Rosa



# L. Parks

A venue, 15th Floor Nashville, Tennessee 37243 Dear Mr. Stephens: Thank you tbr submitting

the State ofTcnncssee's

2015 annual ambient
air monitoring network plan (Network Plan) dated June 30, 2015

. The Network Plan
is required

by 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §58

. 10. The
U

. S. Environmental Protection Agency Region

4 understands

that the Tennessee Department

of Environment

and Conservation (TDEC) provided
the public

a 30-day review period and three external comments were rece

i ved. With this letter, the EPA

is approving TDEC's Network Plan with the exception

of two aspects. The EPA does not have enough intbnnation

to review and approve
the proposed sites for sulfur dioxide (SOz) near the Eastman Chemical Company facility

in Kingsport

or for ozone (OJ) and fine particulate matter (PMz

. s) at the Loudon Middle School without

all the requisite intbnnation required

by 40 CFR §58.10(b)

. The needed infonnation

is discussed further

in the attachment. Upon completion

of the state's public inspection process,

an addendum

to the Network Plan containing final proposals

for these sites must be submitted

to the EPA for approval. We have enclosed comments

on your Network Plan and will continue

to work with your agency
on the remaining portions

of the plan that have not been approved with this letter

. Thank you for working with us to monitor

air pollution
and promote healthy
air quality

in Tennessee. Please
let us know of any problems

in meeting any of the requirements

we have identified.

If you have any questions

or concerns, please contact Gregg Worley

at (404) 562

- 9141 or Sara Waterson

at (404) 562-9061. 

# ~·J\

**.~ q~~**  Beverly

H. Banister Director Air, Pesticides
and Toxics Management Division Internet Address (URL)

• http://www.epa.gov Recycled/Recyclable

• Printed with Vegetable

OU Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Min mum 30•

;, Postconsumer)

### Enclosure cc

: Ms

. Lynne

A

. Liddington, Director Knox County Air Quality Mr

. Rubert Rogers, Technical Manager Shelby County Health Department Pollution Control Section Mr

. Bub Colby, Director Chattanooga-Hamilton
County Air Pollution Control Bureau Mr. John Finke, Director Nashville



### I Davidson County Metro Public Department Pollution Control DivisionCY 2015 State of Tennessee Ambient
Air Monitoring Network Plan U.S. EPA Comments
and Recommendations This document contains
the U.S

. Environmental Protection Agency comments
and recommendations

on the state ofTennessee's
2015 ambient
air monitoring network plan (Network Plan). Ambient

air monitoring rules, which include regulatory requirements

that address network plans, data certification, and minimum monitoring requirements, among other requirements,

are found

in 40 CFR Part 58. Minimum monitoring requirements

for criteria pollutants

are listed

in 40 CFR Part 58, Appendix

D, including those for ozone (03), particulate matter less than 2.5 microns (PM2

. s), particulate matter less than
10 microns (PM to), nitrogen dioxide (N02), sulfur dioxide (S02), carbon monoxide (CO), and lead (Pb). The minimum monitoring requirements

are based on core based statistical area (CBSA) boundaries

as defined
by the U.S

. Office
of Management

and Budget (OMB), July

1, 2014, population estimates from the U

. S

. Census Bureau, and historical ambient
air monitoring
data

. Minimum monitoring requirements for OJ, PM2

. s, and PM10, only apply

to metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), which are

a subset of CBSAs. OMB currently defines

26 CBSAs

in the state ofTennessee. These CBSAs and the respective July

1, 2014, population estimates from the U

. S

. Census Bureau are shown

in Table

I. Table

1: Core Based Statistical Areas and July

1, 2014 Population Estimates CBSAName

CBSA Type
Population

. Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin,

TN Metropolitan Statistical Area 1,792,649 Memphis, TN-MS-AR

Metropolitan Statistical Area 1,343,230

. Knoxville,
TN

Metropolitan Statistical Area 857,585 Chattanoo

g a, TN-GA

Metro

p olitan Statistical Area

544

, 559

.. Kingsport

- Bristol-Bristol,

TN

- VA Metropolitan Statistical Area 308,079 Clarksville, TN-KY

Metropolitan Statistical Area

278

, 353 Johnson City

, TN

Metropolitan Statistical Area 201,091 Jackson, TN

Metropolitan Statistical Area

130

, 225 Cleveland,
TN

Metropolitan

Stat

i stical Area 119,705 Morristown,

TN

Metropolitan Statistical Area 115,713 Cookeville

, TN

Micropolitan Statistical Area 107,761 Tullahoma-Manchester

, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area 101,344 Sevierville,

Tr-1

Micro

p olitan Statistical Area
95,110

. Greeneville,

TN Micropolitan Statistical

Area
68,335 Crossville,

TN Micropolitan Statistical

Area
57,985 Athens, TN

Micropolitan Statistical Area
52,626 Shelbyville,TN

Micropolitan Statistical Area
46,627 **La~enceburg,TN**

Micropolitan Statistical Area
42,274 McMinnville,

TN

Micropolitan Statistical Area

39

, 969 Dyersburg

, TN

Micropolitan Statistical Area
37,935 Union City

, TN

- KY
Micropolitan Statistical Area
37,206 Newport,
TN

Micropolitan Statistical Area

35

, 374 Martin

, TN

Micropolitan Statistical Area
34,373 Dayton, TN

Micropolitan Statistical Area
32,641 Paris, TN

Micropolitan Statistical Area
32,204 Lewisburg,

TN

Micropolitan Statistical Area
31,269regulatory FEM PM,

g continuous sampler rather than replace the PM 2.$ TEOM that was shut down

in 20 II. The PM1

s monitor

is permanently shut down

. The EPA reviewed these requests
for monitor discontinuation

or relocation
and determined

that the approved requests meet the requirements

of 40 CFR §58.14(c)

for monitor discontinuation

and relocation

. The minimum monitoring requirements

for PMz

. s, PM10, and 03 found

in Appendix

D to 40 CFR Part 58 will continue

to be met for the respective MSAs after the approved monitors

are discontinued

or relocated. Monitors proposed

for relocation, change

in sampling frequency,

or monitor start-up and the EPA's determination

are summarized

in Table

3. Table

3: Proposed Changes

in Monitoring Agency

AQS ID

Site Name TDEC 47-125-1009 Clarksville TDEC

47- 105-0108 TDEC

TBD Montgomery County Loudon Pope Proposed Site(s)

in Sullivan County sol nonattainment area Pollutant

Type SLAMS SLAMS **so** SLAMS Comments Pending: The monitor will be placed
on the ground near the existing location that the elevated platfonn occupies.

If a suitable location

is not available

in the immediate
area of the platfonn, TDEC proposes to relocate
the site as close
as possible

to the existing location. Once

a new location

is chosen, and upon completion

of the state's public inspection process,
the state will need
to submit to EPA an addendum

to the Network Plan containing

the final site ro osal. Additional information needed
for approval: proposed

to be relocated to the fonner Loudon Middle School location and restarted there

. TDEC is required

to submit

a network plan addendum with

a complete proposal for this site

. Additional information needed for approval: TDEC has proposed new SLAMS sites to characterize

the maximum concentrations in the Sullivan Countyactivities

at the site as of October 2014 and transfer ownership

of its monitoring equipment

to one or more interested parties. NPS, TDEC, EPA Region

4 and EPA Office of Air Quality and Standards (OAQPS) have agreed

to fund and maintain operations

of all required criteria pollutant measurements listed
in the definition ofNCore

in 40 CFR §58

. 1 for the near future. The pollutants

to be monitored

and operational guidelines

of the Look Rock site will continue

to be based
on the data needs ofNPS, TDEC, and the EPA. The NCore section

in the 2015 Network Plan reflects these changes. Minimum

OJ Monitoring Requirements 40 CFR Part 58, Appendix

D, Table D-2 The network described

in the 2015 Network Plan meets the minimum

OJ monitoring requirements specified

by 40 CFR Part 58, Appendix

D, Table D-2 in all areas. Additionally,

the proposed

03 monitoring network described

in the Network Plan meets
all of the design criteria
of 40 CFR Part 58. TD EC proposed
the Loudon Pope 03 site (A QS
# 4 7 -I 05-0

I 08) be relocated

to the former Loudon Middle School location. This

is proposed

to be completed

at the end of the current 2015 monitoring season (November

1, 2015 or later)
in conjunction
with the installation

of the new S02 monitoring

site in Kingsport,
TN. TDEC stated that the site installation/relocation

is delayed because

of issues involved in selection

of
a new S02 site in Sullivan County. Additional information

is required
for approval

of the relocation

to the Loudon Middle School site

. Once the details
of the site proposal
are finalized,

the state will need
to submit

an addendum

to the Network Plan

. The addendum must include

all of the required information

for proposed sites under40 CFR §58.10(b). The addendum should also include TDEC's rationale

for the location

of the new proposed site, and supporting information about how the site location was selected such
as site photos, maps, wind roses, etc. We note the 2015 Network Plan states the Loudon Pope 03 SLAMS monitoring frequency

is 1 in 3 days. Please correct the sampling frequency to an hourly monitoring frequency

in the 2016 Network Plan. The Network Plan states that Chattanooga continues

to search for an appropriate
new location
for the Eastside Utility District

OJ monitor (AQS

# 47-065-4003).

We recommend

that Chattanooga consult with SESD prior
to moving the monitor from the existing location

in order
to meet siting requirements in Appendix

E. Please note that as soon
as Chattanooga identifies

a candidate site, the proposed revisions

to the network, including

the identification

of monitors

to be discontinued

or relocated, must be submitted

to the EPA for approval. We note that Nashville
has listed the Hillwood High School monitor (AQS

# 47-037-0026)

as
a PM2

. s monitor. Please correct this to an OJ monitor

in the 2016 Network Plan. Minimum
CO Monitoring Requirements 40 CFR Part 58, Appendix

D, 4.2 Ambient

air monitoring network design criteria
for CO are found

in Section 4.2 of Appendix

D to 40 CFR Part 58

. This section requires CBSAs with populations
over one million but less than 2.5 million

to operate one CO monitor collocated with

a near-road N02 monitor

, by January

I, 2017. This requirement

is met for the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin

CBSA by the CO monitor operating

at the Near-road
site (AQS

# 47-037-0040)

and for the Memphis CBSA by the CO monitor operating

at the Southwest
TN Community College site (AQS

# 47-157-0100)

. Therefore,

the proposed CO monitoring network described

in the Network Plan meets
all of the design criteria
of 40 CFR Part 58.maximumconcentration,source-oriented,generalbackground,orregionaltransport.AS02monitorataNationalCore(NCore)stationmaysatisfyminimummonitoringrequirementsifthatmonitorislocatedwithinaCBSAwithminimallyrequiredmonitorsconsistentwithAppendixD4.4.TDECoperatesanS02monitorinAndersonCounty(AQS#47-001-0101)tomeetthePWEIrequirementofoneS02monitorfortheKnoxvilleCBSA.ThissitesatisfiestheminimumS02monitoringrequirementfortheKnoxvilleCBSA.S02monitorsarealsorequiredandoperatingintheMemphisCBSA(AQS#47-157-0075)andtheNashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-FranklinCBSA(AQS#47-037-0011)tomeetthePWEIrequirement.TennesseeincorrectlystatesintheNetworkPlanthatitiscurrentlymeetingtherequirementsforPWEIrequiredmonitorsstipulatedin40CFR58SubpartG,AppendixDtoPart58asthereisnoregulatoryS02monitoroperatingintheKingsportBristol,TN-VACBSA.TennesseewillmeettherequirementonceaproposedsiteintheKingsportBristol,TN-VACBSAbecomesoperational.TDEChasproposedtoestablishnewS02monitoringtocharacterizethemaximumS02concentrationsintheSullivanCountyS02nonattainmentarea,buttheexactlocationoftheappropriatemonitoringhasnotbeenfinalized.Establishmentofthenewsite(s)willtakemeteorologicaldataandmodeledemissionsimpactsintoconsideration.Oncethedetailsofthesite(s)arefinalized,thestatewillneedtosubmitanaddendumtotheNetworkPlancontainingthesiteproposal(s).Theaddendummustincludealloftherequiredinformationforproposedsite(s)under40CFR§58.10(b).TheaddendumshouldalsoincludeTDEC'srationaleforselectingtheproposedsite(s),anymonitoringorairmodelingdatathatTDECusedtoselectthesite(s),andsupportinginformation,suchassitephotos,maps,windroses,andinformationaboutthetargetsources.Specifically,supportinginformationshouldinclude,atminimum,thefollowinginformation:•ProposedAQSID•Streetandsitegeographicalcoordinates(longitudeandlatitude)•Mapofthearea,includingthetargetsource•Sitephotosfacing4-8directions-N,S,E,W,NE,NW,SE,SW•Probabledistancebetweentheinletprobeandtheoutsidenearestedgeoftheroad•Probableprobeheightoftheinletprobefromgroundlevel•Sitepropertydescriptionincludingpropertyownerandfeasibilityofsiteaccess•Nearestwindroserepresentativeofthesiteandorientationofthesitewithrespecttothepredominatewinddirection•Samplingandanalysismethod(s)foreachmeasuredparameter•Operatingschedulesforeachmonitoratthesite•Monitoringobjectiveandspatialscaleofrepresentativenessforeachmonitoratthesite•MSA,CBSA,CSAorotherarearepresentedbythemonitor•Discussionofothersitingcriteria,includingdistancestoanynearbytreesorobstructionsOnceTDECdevelopsanS02monitoringproposal,thestatewillneedtomaketheinformationavailableforpublicinspection.Uponcompletionofthepublicinspectionprocess,theNetworkPlanaddendummustbesubmittedtoEPARegion4forapproval.Wewillcontinuetoworkwithyouragencyasneededtofacilitatetheestablishmentofthesesite(s)asexpeditiouslyaspossible.EPAfinalizedtheS02DataRequirementsRule(ORR)onAugust10,2015.ThisrulewillrequirecharacterizationoftheairqualitynearsourceswithS02emissionsgreaterthan2,000tonsperyearbyconductingambientairmonitoringormodeling.WeencourageyouragencytobeginhavingconversationswithaffectedsourcesinyourstatetodetermineanagreeduponapproachformeetingtheMemphis-ShelbynotedthePMwhi-volsamplerattheGasServiceCentersite(AQS#47-157-0016)maybechangedtocontinuousPM10sampling.WerequestthatlocalagencycontactEPAoncethatchangeisexpectedtooccur,aswellasnotethechangethesubsequentNetworkPlansubmittal.Additionally,Memphis-ShelbywillreplaceaPM:uTEOMinstrumentwitharegulatoryFEMPMwcontinuoussamplerattheAlabamaAvesite(AQS#47-157-0024).EPAapprovesthisPMwmonitorreplacement.MinimumPM2.sMonitoringRequirements40CFRPart58,AppendixA,3.2.540CFRPart58,AppendixD,TableD-5ThestateofTennessee'sPM2.5monitoringnetworkmeetstheminimumrequirementsfoundin40CFRPart58,AppendixD,TableD-5forallMSAs.AllmanualPM2.scollocationrequirementsfoundin40CFRPart58,AppendixA,3.2.5arealsobeingmet.FifteenpercentofeachnetworkofmanualPM2.smethods(atleastonesite)mustbecollocated.Additionally,accordingtoAppendixA,3.2.5.3,80percentofcollocatedmonitorsshouldbedeployedatsiteswithannualmeanconcentrationswithin+/-20percentoftheNAAQS.ThePM2.smonitoringnetworkdescribedinthe2015NetworkPlanmeetsallofthedesigncriteriaof40CFRPart58.WenotethatTDEC'sNetworkPlanliststhemonitoringobjectiveforAQS#47-105-0108-88101-1as"max03concentration";however,thisisaPM2.smonitorandAQSliststhemonitoringobjectiveas"populationexposure."Pleaseupdatethemonitoringobjectiveinthe2016NetworkPlan.TDECproposedtoplacetheClarksvillePM2.5monitoringsite(AQS#47-125-1009)onthegroundneartheexistingelevatedplatformthemonitornowoccupieswithinthenextcalendaryearduetosafetyconcerns.Tennesseenotedthatifasuitablelocationisnotavailableintheimmediatearea,siterelocationwillberequested.Groundplacementofthemonitorwouldrequireadherenceto40CFRPart58,AppendixE,2HorizontalandVerticalPlacement:"theprobeoratleast80percentofthemonitoringpathmustbelocatedbetween2and15metersabovegroundlevelfor...neighborhoodorlargerspatialscale...PM2.s."Also,thepictureofthecurrentsiteprovidedinTDEC'sNetworkPlanshowsmultipleobstructions,whichareavoidedwithuseoftheplatform.Whenchoosinganewlocationforthemonitor,TDECshouldreferto40CFRPart58,AppendixE,4.a:"buildingsorotherobstacles...canacttorestrictairflowforanypollutant.Toavoidthisinterference,theprobe,inlet,oratleast90percentofthemonitoringpathmusthaveunrestrictedairflowandbelocatedawayfromobstacles.Thedistancefromtheobstacletotheprobe,inlet,ormonitoringpathmustbeatleasttwicetheheightthattheobstacleprotrudesabovetheprobe,inlet,ormonitoringpath."40CFRPart58,AppendixE,4.bgoesontostate"aprobe,inlet,ormonitoringpathmusthaveunrestrictedairflowinanarcofatleast180degrees.Thisarcmustincludetheprominentwinddirectionfortheseasonofthegreatestpollutantconcentrationpotential."WerequestthatTDECsubmitasiteproposaladdendumtoEPAforapprovalpriortomovingthemonitorfromtheexistingplatform.TDECnotedanumberofsitesareacandidateforaFEMcontinuousmonitor.Pleaseindicateinfuturenetworkplanswhichmonitorsareexpectedtobechangedintheproposedrevisionssection.WeunderstandthattransportationauthoritiesinChattanoogaareconsideringroadworkalongSiskinDrivenexttowherethePM2.ssiteislocated(AQS#47-065-4002).TheprojectwilllikelyrequirewideningSiskinDriveandmayrequireusingsomeofpropertyonwhichthemonitoringsitesits.ThePM2

. s Continuous Monitoring Requirements 40 CFR Part 58, Appendix

D, 4.7.2 Regulatory requirements

for continuous

PM

2

. s monitoring require that "The State,
or where appropriate, local agencies must operate continuous

PM

2

. s analyzers equal
to at least one-half(round

up) the minimum required sites listed
in Table D-5 of this appendix.

At least one required continuous analyzer in each MSA must be collocated with one of the required FRM

/ FEM

/ ARM [federal reference method/federal equivalent method

/ approved regional method] monitors, unless

at least one of the required FRM/FEM

/ ARM monitors

is itself

a continuous FEM or ARM monitor

in which case no collocation requirement applies

. " These minimum continuous

PM

2

. s monitoring requirements

are currently met in all of the MSAs

in the state. Also. the continuous PM2.s collocation requirements

are currently met in all MSAs. Therefore,

the continuous

PM :u monitoring network described

in the 2015 Network Plan meets
all of the design criteria

of 40 CFR Part 58. We note two PM

2

. s continuous monitors have incorrect sampling frequencies listed

in the local network plans

. The sampling frequency

for the Lockeland Elementary

site in Nashville (AQS

# 47-037-0023)

is listed
as

1 in 6 days and the sampling frequency

for the Shelby Farms NCore site in Shelby-Memphis {AQS

# 47-157-0075)

is listed
as

1 in 3 days. Please update the sampling frequencies

in the 2016 Network Plan. PM2.s Background

and Transport Sites 40 CFR Part 58, Appendix

D, 4.7.3 40 CFR Part 58, Appendix

D

, 4.7.3 requires that "each State shall install and operate

at least one PM2

. s site to monitor
for regional background

and at least one PM2

. s site to monitor
for regional transport." The following sites were identified

in AQS as background (Table
4) and transport sites (see Table

5)

. The PM2

s background

and transport sites are not clearly discussed

in TDEC's Network Plan, and varies slightly from the AQS monitoring objectives noted below.

In the 2016 Network Plan, please provide

a table that clearly states the PM2.s background

and transport sites. Table

4. PM2.s Background
Sites AQSID
County Name CBSA Short Name Parameter Monitoring Objective Descrietion 47-009-0101

Blount Knoxville

, TN Acceptable
PM2

s GENERAVBACKGROUND AQI

& Speciation Mass 47

- 065-1011 Hamilton Chattanooga,

TN

- GA

PM

l

. s - Local GENERAUBACKGROUND Conditions 47-099-0002 Lawrence Lawrenceburg

, TN

PM

2. s - Local UPWIND BACKGROUND Conditions 47-099-0002 Lawrence Lawrenceburg

, TN Acceptable PM25 UPWIND BACKGROUND AQI

& Speciation Mass 47-163-1007
Sullivan Kingsport-Bristol-

PM

1 s Raw Data UPWIND BACKGROUND Bristol, TN-VA Table

5. PM2

. s Trans2ort Sites AQSID
County Name CBSA Short Name Parameter Monitoring Objective Descri

e tion 4 7-009-0

10
I Blount Knoxville,

TN

PM 2.s Raw Data REGIONAL TRANSPORTEPArequestsTDECincludeintunnationonallparametersmeasuredatNationalParkServicemonitoringsitesinfutureannualnetworkplansinordertoprovidethepublicwithanaccuratedescriptionofmonitoringinthestate.Additionally,EPArequeststhatTDECincludeintheNetworkPlaninformationontheClingman'sDomesite(AQS#47-155-0102),whichoperatesinGreatSmokyMountainNationalPark.Finally,wenotedthatKnoxprovidestheparametercodest'i.)rthemonitors,butnottheassociatedparameternames.Knox'sportionoftheNetworkPlanwouldbeeasiertorthegeneralpublictoreviewiftheparameternameswereprovidedinadditiontothesitedescriptions.Pleaseprovidetheparameternameinthe2016NetworkPlan.