UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENCYREGION5.AUG19.2014TheHonorablePatQuinn207StatehouseSpringfield,lllinois62706DearGovernorQuinn:77WESTJACKSONBOULEVARDCHICAGO,IL60604-3590REPLYTOTHEATTENTIONOF:ThankyouforyourrecommendationsdatedDecember12,2013,ofairqualitydesignationsforthe2012revisedprimaryannualfinepmiicle(PM2.s)NationalAmbientAirQualityStandard(NAAQS)throughoutIllinois.IappreciatetheinformationIllinoissharedwiththeU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyaswemoveforwardtoimprovePM2sairquality.ThisletteristonotifyyouofEPA'spreliminaryresponsetoIllinois'recommendationsandtoinformyouofourapproachforcompletingtheinitialareadesignationsforthe2012revisedprimaryannualPM2sstandard.OnDecember14,2012,EPApromulgatedarevisedprimaryannualPM2.sNAAQS(78FR3086,January15,2013).Inthataction,EPArevisedtheprimaryannualPM2.sstandard,strengtheningitfrom15.0microgramspercubicmeter(11g/m3)to12.011g/m3;retainedtheexisting24-hourPM2sstandardat3511g/m3;retainedtheexisting24-hourPMw(coarseparticle)standardat15011g/m3;andretainedthecurrentsuiteofsecondaryPMstandards.EPArevisedtheprimaryarmualPM2.sstandardbasedonanintegratedassessmentofanextensivebodyofnewscientificevidence,whichsubstantiallystrengthensourbodyofknowledgeregardingPM2.s-relatedhealtheffects.TherevisedprimaryannualPM2.sstandardwillprovideincreasedprotectionforchildren,olderadults,personswithpre-existingheartandlungdisease,andotherat-riskpopulationsagainstanarrayofPM2.s-relatedadversehealtheffects,includingprematuremortality,increasedhospitaladmissionsandemergencydepartmentvisits,anddevelopmentandexacerbationofchronicrespiratorydisease.Historyshowsusthatbetterhealthandcleanerairgohand-in-handwitheconomicgrowth.Workingcloselywiththestatesandtribes,EPAisimplementingthestandardsusingacommonsenseapproachthatimprovesairqualityandminimizestheburdenonstate,local,andtribalgovernments.Aspartofthisprocess,EPAisworkingwiththestatesandtribestoidentifyareasinthecountrythatmeetthestandardsandthosethatneedtotakestepstoreducePM2.sairpollution.Withinoneyearofpromulgationofaneworrevisedairqualitystandard,theCleanAirActrequirestheGovernorofeachstatetosubmittoEPAalistofallareasinthestate,withadesignationrecommendationforeacharea.Asafirststepinimplementingthe2012annualPM2.sstandard, Governorsweretosubmittheirdesignationrecommendations,includingappropriateareaboundaries,byDecember13,2013.Recycled/Recyclable•PrintedwithVegetableOilBasedInkson100%RecycledPaper(100%Post-Consumer)AsrequiredbytheCleanAirAct,EPAthenpromulgatesdesignationsforallareasacrossthecountry.EPAdesignatesanareaas"nonattainment"ifitisviolatingthe2012annualPM2.sNAAQSorifitiscontributingtoaviolationoftheNAAQSinanearbyarea.ConsistentwithdesignationsforpreviousPM2.sstandards,EPAintendstouscadesignationcategoryof"unclassifiable/attainment"forareasthataremonitoringattainmentordonothavemonitors,butforwhichEPAhasreasontobelievearelikelyattainmentandarenotcontributingtonearbyviolations.Additionally,EPAintendstodesignateas"unclassifiable"thoseareaswhereEPAcannotdeterminebasedonavailableinformationwhethertheareaismeetingtheNAAQSorwhereEPAhasnotdeterminedthattheareacontributestoanearbyviolation.Atthistime,EPAisproceedingwithinitialareadesignationsusingquality-assured,certifiedairqualitymonitoringdatafrom2011to2013.EPAhasreviewedtheannualPM2.sdesignationrecommendationssubmittedbyIllinoisonDecember12,2013,andotherrelevanttechnicalinformation,including2011-20!3airqualitydata.However,arecentEPA-conductedtechnicalsystemsauditofIllinois'monitoringprogram,inparticularourauditoftheproceduresthattheCookCountyDepartmentofEnvironmentalControlhasusedinweighingPM2.ssamplescollectedacrossthestate,revealedthatmanyifnotalloftherecentPM2.smonitoringdatafortheentireStateofIllinoisneededtobeconsideredinvalid.Asaresult,EPAdoesnothavesufficientvaliddatatodeterminewhetheranyportionofIllinoisismeetingornotmeetingtheNAAQSorwhethercountiesnearbytothosecountieswithincompletemonitoringdatacontributetoanearbyviolation.Accordingly,EPAintendstomodifyIllinois'recommendedareadesignationanddesignatetheStateofIllinoisasunclassifiable.ATechnicalSupportDocument,whichprovidesadditionaldetailregardingthestatusofdataforIllinoisandtherationaletosupportEPA'sunclassifiabledesignation,isenclosedandisalsoavailableonEPA'swebsiteathttp://v.ww.cpa.gov/pmdesignations/2012standqrds/statc.htm.IfIllinoishasadditionalinformationforEPAtoconsider,pleasesubmitittousbyOctober29,2014.EPAwillmakeitsproposeddesignationdecisionsandsupportingdocumentationavailabletothegeneralpublicforreviewandcomment.Wewillbeannouncinga30-daypubliccommentperiodshortlyintheFederalRegister.Afterconsideringtheadditionalinformationwereceive,EPAplanstopromulgatefinalmmualPM2.sdesignationsinDecemberof2014.EPAiscommittedtoworkingwiththestatesandtribestosharetheresponsibilityofreducingPM2.sairpollution.Currentandupcomingfederalstandardsandsafeguards-includingpollutionreductionrulesforpowerplants,vehicles,andfuels-willensuresteadyprogresstoreducePM25-formingpollutionandwillprotectpublichealthincommunitiesacrossthecountry.Welookforwardtoacontinueddialoguewithyouandyourstaffasweworktogethertoimplement

th

e 2012 annual

PM

2

. s standard.

If

yo

u any

qu estions

, please

co

nt act

m e o

r your

staff may

con

t act Ronna Beckmann

or

Ei

l een Deamer,

t h

e Reg

i on

5 Int

e

r governme

n ta

l L

i aisons

, at

(3

1 2) 886

- 3000. Sincere

l y, Susan

Hed man Regional

Ad ministrator Enclos

ur

es cc:

Lisa Bonnett Di recto

r

, Illinoi

s Environme

ntal Protection

Age

nc

y Julie Armitage Chief

, Bureau

of Air Illinois

Env

ir

o nm

e nt

al Protection

Agency