UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONAGENCYREGION4ATLANTA FEDERALCENTER61FORSYTH STREETATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303-8960DEC142010Ms.Trudy FisherExecutive DirectorMississippiDepartmentofEnvironmental QualityP.O.Box2261Jackson,Mississippi 39225-2261DearMs.Fisher:Thankyouforsubmittingtheannual ambientairmonitoringnetwork plan (NetworkPlan)fortheStateofMississippi datedJuly8,2010,and revisedperanemailfromMikeNorcomofyourstaffonNovember15,2010.TheNetworkPlanisrequiredby40CodeofFederal Regulations(CFR)$58.10.TheEnvironmental ProtectionAgency(EPA)understandsthat theMississippi DepartmentofEnvironmental Quality (MDEQ)provided the public a30-daycomment period ontheNetwork Planasrequired.While theNetworkPlan didnotindicatewhether comments were receivedfromthe public,itisourunderstandingfromsubsequentconversationswith your staff thatnocomments were received.TheEPA Region4 airmonitoring staff has reviewed your NetworkPlanandfoundittomeetallrequirements.Asa result, Mississippi'sNetworkPlanisapproved.Enclosedisasummaryofour analysis and comments thatmaybe usefulindevelopmentofnextyear'splan.Pleaseletus knowifyouhaveany questionsrelatedtotheEPA comments.Thankyouforyourcooperationand continuedeffortstomonitor air pollutionandpromotehealthy air quality in Mississippiandthenation.Ifyouhave anyquestions orconcerns,pleasehaveamemberofyour staff contact DougNeeleyat(404) 562-9097orPhyllisWarrilowat(404)562-9198.CGwendolyn KeyesFlemingRegionalAdministratorEnclosureInternet Address(URL)http://www.epa.govRecycled/Recyclable.PrintedwilhVegetableOiiBasedInksonRecydedPaper(Mlnimum30%Postconsumer)CY2010StateofMississippiAmbient AirMonitoringNetworkPlanU.S.EPARegion4CommentsandRecommendationsAmbient air monitoring rules, whichinclude regulatoryrequirements that addressnetwork plans,data certification,and minimum monitoringrequirements, amongotherrequirements, are found in40CodeofFederalRegulations (CFR) Part58. Minimum monitoringrequirementsfor criteria pollutants arelisted in40CFRPart 58,AppendixD.Minimummonitoring requirementsdonot exist for carbonmonoxide(CO)unless requiredbytheestablishmentofa NationalCore (NCore) multi-pollutantmonitoringstationandlorastateimplementationplan.However,newnational ambientair quality standards(NAAQSs)werepromulgated thisyearfor nitrogen dioxide(NO2)andsulfur dioxide(SO2)with minimummonitoringrequirementseffective January1,2013.Minimummonitoring requirementsarelistedfor ozone(03),particulatematter less than2.5microns(Ph&),particulatematterlessthan10microns(PMlo),and lead(Pb).Theminimum monitoring requirementsarebasedonmetropolitan statisticalarea(MSA)boundariesasdefinedby theU.S.OfficeofManagement and Budget(OMB) on July1,2008,populationestimates from theU.S.CensusBureau, andhistoricalambient air monitoringdata.OMBcurrently definesfiveMSAs inthe StateofMississippi. TheseMSAs andthe respectiveJuly1,2009,populationestimates from theU.S.CensusBureauare showninTable1.Table1:Metropolitan StatisticalAreasand PopulationsMSANamePopulationMemphis-TN-MS-AR1,304,926Jackson, MS540,866Gulhort-Biloxi.MS238.772Pascagoula,MS155,603After reviewofMDEQ'sNetworkPlanwithrespect to the applicable requirements, EPAoffers the followingcommentsandrecommendations.Minimum OzoneMonitoringRequirements40CFRPart58,Appendix D,TableD-2MDEQis requiredto have oneO3monitorin the followingMSAs:Gulfport/Biloxi[AirQuality System#(AQS)28-047-00081,Jackson(AQS 28-049-0010), and Pascagoula (AQS28-059-0006).TheMemphisMSA is requiredto havetwoO3monitors. However,because theStatehas a memorandumofagreement(MOA)with Arkansas and Memphis-ShelbyCounty, TN,MDEQ'soneO3monitor(28-033-0002)meets the requirement.TheJacksonO3monitor isto berelocatedto the JacksonNCoresite(AQS 28-049-0019) as requiredby January1,2011.Atthis time, theO3network described in the2010NetworkPlanmeetstheminimumO3monitoring requirementsspecifiedby40CFRPart 58,AppendixD,TableD-2 inallareas.MinimumPMloMonitoringRequirements40CFRPart58, AppendixA,3.3.140CFRPart 58,AppendixD,TableD-4MDEQhasboth aregular andacollocatedFRMPMlosamplerattheJacksonNCoresite.MDEQhasagreedtoenterdata from thecollocated monitorintoAQSstarting January10,2011.TheMemphisMSAisrequiredtohavetwoPMlomonitors. However,MDEQdoes nothavetooperatePMlomonitors atthis timebecause theStatehasanMOAwith Arkansas andMemphis-Shelby County,TNtooperatethe monitors.AllPMlocollocationrequirementsformanual methods foundin40CFRPart58,AppendixA,3.3.1arebeingmet.MinimumPMzsPrimary Monitoring Requirements40CFRPart 58,AppendixD,TableD-5TheMDEQ'scurrent primaryPM2.5monitoring networkasdescribedintheNetworkPlanmeetstheminimum requirements foundin 40CFRPart 58,AppendixD, TableD-5forallMSAs.MinimumPM2JCollocatedMonitoringRequirements40CFRPart 58,AppendixA,3.2.5ThePM2.5collocationrequirementiscurrentlybeingmet.TomeettheminimumrequirementsforthenumberofPM2.5collocated monitors,the Statehasplaced monitorsattwolocations:Tupelo(AQS28-081-0005) and Laurel (AQS28-067-0002).Data for thesemonitorswill be reportedtoAQSstartingJanuary1,2011,whichwill meetthemonitoring requirements.PMZsContinuousMonitoring Requirements40CFRPart 58,AppendixD,4.7.2Regulatory requirementsforcontinuousPM2.5monitoringrequirethat"...State,orwhereappropriate, local agenciesmustoperate continuousPM2.5analyzers equaltoatleastone-half(roundup)the minimum requiredsiteslistedinTableD-5ofthis Appendix.Atleastonerequired continuous analyzerineachMSAmustbecollocated withoneofthe required [FederalReferenceMethod(FRM)/FederalEquivalent Method(FEM)/ApprovedRegional Method(ARM)] monitors, unless at leastoneoftherequiredFRMFEMIARMmonitorsisitselfacontinuousFEMorARMmonitorinwhichcasenocollocationrequirementapplies."TheMDEQ NetworkPlanstatesthatacontinuousPM2.5analyzer will beaddedatthe Hattiesburgsite(AQS 28-035-0004).Byaddingthemonitorthe Statewill meet the requirementsof40CFRPart58, AppendixD,4.7.2inthis andallotherMSAs.Also,thecontinuousPM2.5collocationrequirementsarecurrentlymetinallMSAs.Therefore,thecontinuousPM25monitoringnetwork describedin the2010NetworkPlan meetsall design criteriaof40CFRPart58.requirementsare currentlymetinallMSAs.Therefore, thecontinuousPM2.5monitoringnetwork describedinthe2010NetworkPlanmeetsalldesigncriteriaof40CFRPart58.PMz.5Backgroundand Transport Sites40CFRPart58,AppendixD,4.7.3According to40CFRPart 58,AppendixD,4.7.3requires that"eachState shallinstallandoperateatleastonePM2.5siteto monitorforregional background andatleast onePM2.5siteto monitorforregional transport."TheNetworkPlanidentifiesthePM2.5siteinHernando(AQS28-033-0002) isdesignateda transportsamplerandthePM2.5site inGrenada(AQS28-043-0001)asa background monitorforPM2.5.ThereforeMDEQhas satisfied therequirementsof40CF'RPart58forbackground and transport sites.Lead(Pb)Monitoring Requirements40CFRPart58,AppendixD,4.5Pbmonitoring is requiredattheNCoresite in Jackson(AQS28-049-0019).Thismonitoring will beginbyJanuary1,2011.There are currently no stationaryPbsources requiringambientairlead monitoringatthistime.ThereforeMDEQhas satisfied the Pbmonitoringrequirements.AirQuality Index (AQI) Reporting40CFR$58.50AQI reporting is requiredinMSAs with populations over350,000.TheJackson,MSandMemphis, TN-MS-ARMSA'sarerequired to reportanAQI.TheNetworkPlanincludes a linkonPageTwoto the MDEQWebsiteunderAQIwhere this information is readily availableforthese areas. MDEQ issatisfyingthe AQI reporting requirements.WealsounderstandthatMDEQreportsanAQIfortheBiloxi/Gulfport,MSMSAeventhough itisnot required.Cross-StateMSA40CFR$58.50,AppendixD,2(e)IntheNetworkPlan,MDEQ referenced andattached themonitoringMOAthatit haswiththeStatesofArkansasandTennesseeforthe MemphisMSA.ThisMOA,whichisreferenced previouslyinthe letter,discusseshowthe minimum monitoring requirementsaremetintheMemphis MSA, includingthenumberandlocationofallmonitors.Additional Monitoring Network Changes ProposedbyMDEQMDEQhasproposedfourPM2.5siteclosuresandtherelocationofonePM2.5speciationsite.The fourproposed closuresare:Meridian (AQS 28-075-0003),Tupelo(AQS28-081-0005),Cleveland(AQS28-011-0001)and Natchez (AQS28-001-0004).EPAagrees withshuttingdown the Cleveland(AQS28-01 1-000 1) andNatchez (AQS28-001-0004)sites.However, EPA does not approve the shutdownofthe Meridian (AQS 28-075-0003)andTupelo(AQS28-081-0005)sitesbecausecriteriafoundin40CFR58.14(~)(1)forshutting downthemonitorshavenot been met.TheGulfport(AQS 28-047-0008)PM2.5speciationsitehasbeen relocated to the JacksonNCoresite(AQS28-049-0019)asapprovedinEPA'sNetworkPlanresponse letterdatedOctober3,2007.NationalCore(NCore)MonitoringNetworkAsdiscussedearlier,MDEQhasestablished itsNCorestationintheJacksonMSA.ThestationisattheUniversityofMississippiMedicalCenter(AQS28-049-0019).EPA'sOfficeofAir Quality Planning andStandardsapproved thissiteonOctober30,2009.