1 ATTACHMENT Connecticut’s Recommended Designations for the 2012 PM 2.5 NAAQS (December 2013)

Introduction Particulate matter (PM) pollution includes both solid pa rticles and liquid droplets found in air. Many manmade and natural sources emit PM directly or emit other pollutants that react in the atmosphere to form PM. These solid and liquid particles come in a wide range of sizes. Particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter (PM 10 ) pose a health concern because they can be inhaled into and accumulate in the respiratory sy stem. Particles less th an 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM 2.5 ) are referred to as "fine" particles and are believed to pose the largest health risks. Because of their small size (less than 5% of the averag e width of a human hair), fine particles can lodge d eeply into the lungs. Health studies have shown a significant associ ation between exposure to fine particles and premature mortality. Other important effect s include aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular disease (as indicated by increa sed hospital admissions, emergency room visits, absences from school or work, and restricted activity days), lung di sease, decreased lung function, asthma attacks, and cer tain cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and cardiac arrhythmia. Individuals particul arly sensitive to fine particle exposure include older adults, people with heart and lung disease, and children. Sources of fine particles include all types of combustion activitie s (motor vehicles, power plants, wood burning, etc.) and certain indu strial processes. Particles with diameters between 2.5 and 10 micrometers are referred to as "coarse." Sources of coarse particles incl ude crushing or grinding operations, and dust from paved or unpaved roads. Sections 108 and 109 of the Clean Air Act (C AA) govern the establis hment, review, and revision, as appropriate, of th e National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to provide protection for the nation’s public health (“prim ary” NAAQS) and the environment (“secondary” NAAQS). The CAA requires the U.S. Envir onmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct periodic reviews (at five-year in tervals) of the science upon which the standards, as well as the standards themselves, and to promulgate appropria te revisions. EPA ha s established NAAQS for both PM 10 and PM 2.5 . The remainder of this document focuses on the PM 2.5 NAAQS. The EPA first promulgated NAAQ S for fine particles (PM 2.5 ) in July 1997 1 , establishing identical primary and secondary standards fo r both 24-hour and annual average times at 65 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m 3 ) and 15.0 μg/m 3 , respectively. Based on EPA’s review of new health information gathered during the ne xt required review cycle, EPA subsequently tightened the primary and secondary 24-hour PM 2.5 NAAQS in 2006 2 to 35 μg/m 3 . All of

1 62 FR 38652 (July 18, 1997). 2 71 FR 61144 (October 17, 2006).2 Connecticut is currently de signated by EPA as attainment for both the 1997 and 2006 PM 2.5 NAAQS 3

. On December 14, 2012, the EPA finaliz ed the most recent revisions 4 to the PM 2.5 NAAQS, concluding that recent health studi es warranted adoption of a more stringent annual standard of 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m 3 ), while retaining both the 24-hour PM 2.5 standard of 35 μg/m 3 and the secondary standards.

Designation Process for the 2012 Annual PM 2.5 NAAQS
After the EPA establishes or revises a NAAQS, the CAA requires the EPA and states to take steps to ensure that the new or re vised standard is met. The firs t step, known as the initial area designations, involves identifying area s of the country that either meet or do not meet the new or revised NAAQS along with the nearby areas contribu ting to violations. S ection 107(d)(1) of the CAA provides up to one year after adoption of a new or revised NAAQS for each state to submit recommendations to EPA identifying areas within the state’s borders th at comply with the standard or that violate or cont ribute to nearby violations of the standard. If, after evaluating a state’s recommendations, EPA belie ves the available evidence s upports a designation different from the state’s recommendation, then EPA must provide the state at l east a 120-day period to comment on the potential modification prior to promulgating final desi gnations. The CAA requires EPA to complete the designation proces s within two years afte r adoption of a new or revised NAAQS, unless the Administrator determines that there is insufficient information. In such cases, EPA may take up to one additional year to promulgate in itial area designations. EPA’s final rulemaking promulgating the 2012 PM 2.5 NAAQS specifies the schedule 5 to establish designations in accordance with CAA S ection 107(d)(1). State recommendations for attainment and nonattainment areas and boundari es are due by December 13, 2013. The initial state recommendations should be based on air quality data from the years 2010 through 2012. EPA intends to respond to states’ initial reco mmendations by August 14, 2014. States will then have the opportunity to comment on EPA’s resp onse, and to provide any new information and analyses to EPA. In most cases, 2013 ambient PM 2.5 monitoring data will be available in time for states to update their recommendations and for EPA to include the data when determining final designations.

3 EPA recently granted final approval for Connecticut’s Redesignation and Maintenance Plan for the southwestern portion of the state (i.e., Fairfield and New Haven Counties). EPA previously included those counties as part of the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut (NY/NJ/CT) nonattain ment area for the 1997 annual and 2006 24-hour PM 2.5 NAAQS ( 78 FR 58467 , September 24, 2013). 4 78 FR 3086 (January 15, 2013, with a NAAQS effective date of March 18, 2013. 5 78 FR 3250

.3 Summary of Connecticut’s PM 2.5 Air Quality Data As of the end of 2012, the Connecticut Depart ment of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) operated a network 6 of eleven PM 2.5 monitors throughout the state, recognized by EPA as meeting Federal Reference Method (FRM) criteri a. Two of the sites, Criscuolo Park in New Haven and McAuliffe Park in Ea st Hartford, operate on a daily sample schedule while all the other sites operate on a 1-in-3 da y sample schedule. Two sites, Waterbury and Criscuolo Park in New Haven, operate collocated PM 2.5 FRM samplers on a 1-in-6 day sample schedule. Figure 1 shows the locations and lists the 2012 annual PM 2.5 design values 7 for each of DEEP’s PM 2.5 monitoring sites, as well as those located in the New York and New Jersey portions of the NY/NJ/CT maintenance area. Table 1 provides year ly details for the Connecticut monitors for each of the three years used to determine th e 2012 design value, for comparison to the annual (12.0 μg/m 3 ) NAAQS. (For informational purposes , design values are also included for comparison the 24-hour NAAQS of 35 μg/m 3 ). All monitors recorded 2012 design values that comply with the PM 2.5 NAAQS. The highest measured 2012 annual design value was 9.4 μg/m 3

, recorded at both the Bridgeport and the Ne w Haven State Street monitoring stations.

Table 1. 2012 PM 2.5 Design Values for Connecticut

2010 (μg/m 3 ) 2011 (μg/m 3 ) 2012 (μg/m 3 ) 2012 Design Values (μg/m 3 )

Site Name Site ID 98th %tile Daily Annual Average 98th %tile Daily Annual Average 98th %tile Daily Annual Average 24-Hr DV Annual DV Bridgeport 09-001-0010 23.3 8.8 23.7 10.0 21.5 9.3 23.0 9.4

Danbury 09-001-1123 25.7 9.1 24.8 9.6 21.6 8.4 24.0 9.0
Norwalk 09-001-3005 23.0 8.7 25.2 10.0 22.5 8.6 24.0 9.1 Westport 09-001-9003 24.2 8.6 28.7 9.5 19.5 8.0 24.0 8.7 East Hartford

McAuliffe 09-003-1003 24.2 7.6 24.3 8.9 18.0 7.3 22.0 8.0 East Hartford High St 09-003-2006 23.5 8.6 23.2 9.3 20.3 8.5 22.0 8.8 Cornwall 09-005-0005 19.1 6.0 17.0 5.7 15.0 5.5 17.0 5.7 New Haven

Criscuolo 09-009-0027 25.5 8.9 27.5 10.1 20.6 8.3 25.0 9.1 New Haven

State St 09-009-1123 23.9 9.0 26.6 10.0 22.0 9.2 24.0 9.4 Waterbury 09-009-2123 25.7 9.2 24.3 9.9 20.6 8.4 24.0 9.2

Norwich 09-011-3002 21.3 7.8 22.6 9.0 19.7 7.6 21.0 8.1

6 For details, see DEEP’s 2013 Annual Air Monitoring Network Plan , approved by EPA on September 17, 2013. 7 PM 2.5 design values are determ ined in accordance with Appendix N to 40CFR50

.4Figure 1. 2012 PM2.5Annual Design Values5 Figures 2 and 3 show annual and 24-hr design va lues trends for the period from 2001 through 2012 at Connecticut longest operating monitor loca tions. Both depict steady downward trends, especially over the most recent five-year peri od. All Connecticut monitors have measured compliance with the 2012 annual PM 2.5 NAAQS since at least 2009.

Figure 2. Annual PM 2.5 Design Value Trends for Connecticut (2001-2012)

Figure 3. 24-hour PM 2.5 Design Value Trends for Connecticut (2001-2012) 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 12.0 14.0 16.0

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012PM2.5Concentration(μg/m3) 

### PM 2.5 

### Annual Design Values Of Connecticut's Longest Running Monitoring Sites

Bridgeport

‐ 09

‐ 001

‐ 0010 Danbury

‐ 09

‐ 001

‐ 1123 Norwalk 09

‐ 001

‐ 3005 Westport 09

‐ 001

‐ 9003 East Hartford McAuliffe

‐ 09

‐ 003

‐ 1003 New Haven State St

‐ 09

‐ 009

‐ 1123 Waterbury

‐ 09

‐ 009

‐ 2123 Norwich Court House 09

‐ 011

‐ 3002 New Haven Criscuolo

‐ 09

‐ 009

‐ 0027 Annual NAAQS = 12 μg/m3 Cornwall 09

‐ 005

‐ 0005

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012PM2.5Concentration(μg/m3) 

### PM 2.5 

### 24

‐ Hr Design Values of Connecticut's Longest Running Monitoring Sites

Bridgeport

‐ 09

‐ 001

‐ 0010 Danbury

‐ 09

‐ 001

‐ 1123 Norwalk 09

‐ 001

‐ 3005 Westport 09

‐ 001

‐ 9003 East Hartford McAuliffe

‐ 09

‐ 003

‐ 1003 New Haven State St

‐ 09

‐ 009

‐ 1123 Waterbury

‐ 09

‐ 009

‐ 2123 Norwich Court House 09

‐ 011

‐ 3002 New Haven Criscuolo

‐ 09

‐ 009

‐ 0027 24

‐ hour NAAQS= 35.0 μg/m3 Cornwall 09

‐ 005

‐ 00056 Improvement in Connecticut’s PM 2.5 air quality is attributed to fe deral and state emission control programs that have resulted in significant emission reductions of directly emitted PM 2.5 and important precursor species (e.g., sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) th at contribute to the formation of secondary fine particles in the atmosphere. Connecticut’s recently approved Redesignation Request and Maintenance Plan for the 1997 and 2006 PM 2.5 NAAQS includes emission estimates a nd projections. Figure 4 summarizes estimated annual PM 2.5 emissions in 2007, 2017 and 2025 by major source sector for the Connecticut portion of the NY-NJ-CT PM 2.5 maintenance area, as well for the entire maintenance area. Overall, directly emitted PM 2.5 is projected to decr ease by more than 20% between 2007 and 2025.
Figure 4. PM 2.5 Emission Projections 2007-2025

Figures 5 and 6 provide th e same information for NO x and SO 2 emissions, respectively, which are known precursors to secondary PM 2.5 formation. Emissions of NOx and SO 2 are projected to decrease by more than 50% and 40%, respectiv ely, between 2007 and 2025. These significant reductions in PM 2.5 -related emissions will further improve air quality and ensure that Connecticut remains in compliance with the PM 2.5 NAAQS.7 Figure 5. NOx Emission Projections 2007-2025

Figure 6. SO 2 Emission Projections 2007-20258 Recommendation The analyses presented above demonstrate that all monitors in Connecticut have measured compliance with the 2012 annual PM 2.5 NAAQS since at least 2009. Adopted federal and state emission control programs are expected to continue the ongoing decline in PM 2.5 -related emissions into the foreseeable future, ensuring continued compliance with the PM 2.5 NAAQS. Therefore, in accordance with CAA Section 107(d)(1), Connecticut recommends that EPA designate the entire state of Connectic ut as attainment for the 2012 annual PM 2.5 NAAQS.