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Mr. Terry Hertel 

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

REGION 6 

1445 ROSS AVENUE, SUITE 1200 

DALLAS, TX 75202-2733 

Monitoring Program Manager 

New Mexico Environment Department 

Air Quality Bureau 

1301 Siler Road, Bldg B 

Santa Fe, NM 87507 

Dear Mr. Hertel: 

Thank you for your submittal of New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) 

5 Year Ambient Air Monitoring Network Assessment as required by 40 CFR 58.1 0. 

Region 6, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has evaluated your Assignment. 

Based on our review, EPA is approving NMED' s Assessment. We wish to note that 

NMED's Assessment was one of the best assessments submitted to the EPA. NMED 

provided a five year projection of their monitoring network expectations, as well as used 

the best available analysis tools and adapted them to NMED's unique monitoring 

network needs, providing a comprehensive assessment. 

For future planning, please note that source-based sulfur dioxide (S02) 

monitoring is no longer required per the revised monitoring rule promulgated June 22, 

2010. However, state and applicable local agencies are strongly encouraged to monitor 

above the minimum requirements for population exposure or near sources in areas that 

are not conducive to modeling. Also, the updates to the 2010 Census and 2008 National 

Emissions Inventory (NEI) may adjust S02 monitoring requirements. 

EPA appreciates NMED's partnership on the continued work and planning for 

their carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NOx), and particulate matter (PM to and 

PM2.5) monitoring networks, and looks forward to continuing to work with NMED on the 

implementation of their ozone (03) network and the new 0 3 National Ambient Air 

Quality Standards (NAAQS) and 0 3 monitoring rules, which should both be released in 

2011. After the rules are released, EPA will work with the NMED on implementing the 

new 0 3 monitoring requirements, especially in the Paso del Norte area and anticipated 

rural site with the U.S. Forest Service in Rio Arriba County. We also look forward to 

working with NMED on the implementation of the upcoming air monitoring 

requirements for lead. 

Future network assessments can successfully build upon this 201 0 network 

assessment by providing a 5 year plan that includes all desired components for NMED's 

ambient monitoring network while also allowing the flexibility to be scaled to 

accommodate any potential changes to monitoring requirements. 

Internet Address (UAL) - http://www.epa.gov/earth1 r6/ 

Recycled/Recyclable - Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 30% Postconsumer} 
Letter to Mr. Terry Hertel 

Page2 

EPA appreciates NMED's partnership in conducting ambient air monitoring. We 

look forward to working with you to continuously improve the quality of ambient air in 

New Mexico. 

If you have any questions or comments regarding this network assessment, please 

contact me at 214-665-2230 or have your staff contact Regina Krystyn, of my staff, at 

(214) 665-7128. 

cc: Anna Richards 

Operations Section Chief 

New Mexico Environment Department 

Sincerely, 

1tJ >14: _for 

Maria L. Martinez 

Chief, Air Quality Analysis Section