UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONAGENCYREGION4ATLANTAFEDERALCENTER61FORSYTHSTREETATLANTA, GEORGIA30303-8960MAY272010TheHonorableMarkSanfordGovernorofSouthCarolinaP.O.Box12267Columbia,South Carolina2921 1DearGovernor Sanford:On November13,2008,and April29,2009,the South CarolinaDepartmentofHealthandEnvironmentalControl (SCDHEC) providedtheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency's(EPA's)Region 4Officewithrevisedstateimplementationplan submissionsregardingtheattainment demonstration requirementfor the19978-hourozone national ambientair qualitystandards (NAAQS)for the South Carolinaportionofthebi-state Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill,North Carolina-SouthCarolinanonattainmentarea(hereafterreferred to as thebi-state CharlotteArea).Wehavereviewed these submissionsandare makingthe determination that thesesubmittalshave metthe requirements forcompleteness foundin Section11O(k)(l)ofthe CleanAirAct(CAA).EffectiveJune15,2004,EPA designatedthebi-stateCharlotte Area asnonattainment forthe19978-hour ozone NAAQS,witha moderate classification.Asaresult of thisnonattainmentdesignation,byJune15,2007,SouthCarolina was requiredtoprovide EPAwithaplan forhowitsportionofthebi-stateCharlotte Areawouldmeettherequirementforthearea to comeintocompliance withtheNAAQSbyJune15,2010(i.e.,the attainment demonstration). OnAugust31,2007,SCDHEC provided EPA withtherequiredattainment demonstrationbutsubsequentlywithdrewthissubmissiononDecember22,2008.OnMay8,2009,EPA issued a findingof failure to submit the 19978-hour ozoneNAAQSattainmentdemonstration toSouth Carolina becauseofthe withdrawaloftheoriginalattainment demonstrationfor South Carolina'sportionof thebi-stateCharlotteArea.74Fed.Reg.21550.This finding started an18-month sanctionsclockfortwo foronenew sourceoffsets;andsixmonthslater,highway sanctions,ifthedeficiencywas not corrected.To correctthisdeficiency,South Carolinawas required to provide asubmission thatEPA coulddeemcomplete pursuantto Section1 1O(k)(l)oftheCAAandthe"CriteriaforDetermining theCompletenessof PlanSubmissions,"asdescribedin 40CFRPart5 1, AppendixV.EPAhas reviewedtheNovember13,2008,and April29,2009,submissions thatcompriseSouthCarolina'sattainmentdemonstrationfor the South Carolinaportionofthebistate CharlotteArea and hasdetermined thatthesesubmissions meetthe completenessdetermination requirements. Today's completenessdetermination for the attainmentdemonstrationterminates bothsanctions clocks; thus,sanctions will nottakeeffectinthisareaasInternetAddress(URL)http://www.epa.govRecycledlRecyclablePrintedwlhVegetableOfiBasedInksonRecycledPaper(Minimum30%Postconsumer)a resultofthe finding of failure tosubmit previouslymadeonMay8,2009.EPA will publish anoticeintheFederal Registerannouncing our completenessdetermination for theattainmentdemonstration andthe termination of thesanctions clocksfor the South Carolinaportionofbistate CharlotteAreaintheverynearfuture. Alettersimilarto thishasalsobeensent to theStateofNorth Carolina.EPAiscurrentlyreviewingtheapprovabilityofthese submissionsandwillmakeitsfinaldeterminationontheapprovability through rulemakingin theFederal Register.Shouldyouhaveanyquestionsregardingthismatter,please donothesitate tocontactmeat(404) 562-8357or havea memberofyourstaff contact KennethR.Lapierre, Acting Director,Air,Pesticides andToxicsManagement Divisionat(404) 562-9077.Sincerely,/VA.Stanley MeiburgActing RegionalAdministratorcc:Mr.RobertW.KingSCDHECDeputy Commissioner for Environmental QualityControlMr. DeeFreemanSecretaryNorthCarolina DepartmentofEnvironmentandNatural Resources(NC DENR)Mrs. Myra ReeceChiefofSCDHEC'sBureauofAir QualityMr.B.KeithOvercash,P.E.Directorof NCDENR'sDivisionofAir QualityMr.Don WillardDirectorof MecklenburgCounty Air Quality