UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENCYREGION4TheHonorableBillHaslamGovernorofTennesseeStateCapitol,FirstFloor600CharlotteAvenueNashville,Tennessee37243-0001DearGovernorHaslam:ATLANTAFEDERALCENTER61FORSYTHSTREETATLANTA,GEORGIA30303-8960AUG192014ThankyoufortheletterdatedDecember9,2013,fromRobertJ.Martineau,Jr.,Commissioner,TennesseeDepartmentofEnvironmentandConservation(TDEC),providingyourrecommendationsofairqualitydesignationsforthe2012revisedprimaryannualfineparticle(PM2.s)NationalAmbientAirQualityStandard(NAAQS)throughoutTennessee.IappreciatetheinformationTennesseesharedwiththeU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyaswemoveforwardtoimprovePM2.sairquality.ThisletteristonotifyyouoftheEPA'spreliminaryresponsetoTennessee'srecommendationandtoinformyouofourapproachforcompletingtheinitialareadesignationsforthe2012revisedprimaryannualPM2.sstandard.OnDecember14,2012,theEPApromulgatedarevisedprimaryannualPM2.sNAAQS(78FR3086,January15,2013).Inthataction,theEPArevisedtheprimaryannualPM2.sstandard,strengtheningitfrom15.0microgramspercubicmeter(J.lglm3)to12.0J.lg/m3;retainedtheexisting24-hourPM2.sstandardat35J.lg/m3;retainedtheexisting24-hourPMto(coarseparticle)standardat150J.lg/m3;andretainedthecurrentsuiteofsecondaryPMstandards.TheEPArevisedtheprimaryannualPM2.sstandardbasedonanintegratedassessmentofanextensivebodyofnewscientificevidence,whichsubstantiallystrengthensourbodyofknowledgeregardingPM2.s-relatedhealtheffects.TherevisedprimaryannualPM2.sstandardwillprovideincreasedprotectionforchildren,olderadults,personswithpre-existingheartandlungdisease,andotherat-riskpopulationsagainstanarrayofPM2.s-relatedadversehealtheffects,includingprematuremortality,increasedhospitaladmissionsandemergencydepartmentvisits,anddevelopmentandexacerbationofchronicrespiratorydisease.Historyshowsusthatbetterhealthandcleanerairgohand-in-handwitheconomicgrowth.Workingcloselywiththestatesandtribes,theEPAisimplementingthestandardsusingacommonsenseapproachthatimprovesairqualityandminimizestheburdenonstate,local,andtribalgovernments.Aspartofthisroutineprocess,theEPAisworkingwiththestatesandtribestoidentifyareasinthecountrythatmeetthestandardsandthosethatneedtotakestepstoreducePM2.5airpollution.Withinoneyearofpromulgatinganeworrevisedairqualitystandard,theCleanAirAct(CAA)requirestheGovernorofeachstatetosubmittotheEPAalistofallareasinthestate,withadesignationInternetAddress(URL)•http://www.epa.govRecyled/Recyclable,.PrintedWithVegetableOilBasedInksonRecycledPaper(Minimum30%Postconsumer)recommendationforeacharea.Asafirststepinimplementingthe2012annualPM2.sstandard,Governorsweretosubmittheirdesignationrecommendations,includingappropriateareaboundaries,byDecember13,2013.AsrequiredbytheCAA,theEPAthenpromulgatesdesignationsforallareasacrossthecountry.TheEPAdesignatesanareaas"nonattainment,ifitisviolatingthe2012annualPM2.sNAAQSorifitiscontributingtoaviolationoftheNAAQSinanearbyareaConsistentwithdesignationsforpreviousPM2.sstandards,theEPAintendstouseadesignationcategoryof'\mclassifiablelattainment,forareasthataremonitoringattainmentordonothavemonitors,butforwhichtheEPAhasreasontobelievearelikelyattainingtheNAAQSandarenotcontributingtonearbyviolations.Additionally,theEPAintendstodesignateas''unclassifiable,thoseareaswheretheEPAcannotdeterminebasedonavailableinformationwhethertheareaismeetingtheNAAQSorwheretheEPAhasnotdeterminedthattheareacontributestoanearbyviolation.Atthistime,theEPAisproceedingwithintendedinitialareadesignationsusingquality-assured,certifiedairqualitymonitoringdataformostareasfrom2011to2013.TheEPAhasconsideredtheannualPM:z.sdesignationrecommendationsubmittedbyTennesseeonDecember9,2013,andhave reviewedotherrelevanttechnicalinformation,including2011-2013airqualitydataTheEPAhasdeterminedthatinsufficientairqualitydataexiststomakedesignationdeterminationsforallareasintheStateofTennessee,exceptfortheChattanoogaarea.TheEPAdidfmdcompleteandvaliddataformonitorsinHamiltonCountyintheChattanoogaarea.Becauseofthedatacompletenessissues,theEPAcannotdeterminewhetherthecountieswiththeincompletemonitoringdataaremeetingornotmeetingtheNAAQSorwhethercountiesnearbytothosecountieswithincompletemonitoringdatacontributetoanearbyviolation.Accordingly,EPAintendstoacceptinpartandmodifyinpartTennessee'srecommendedareadesignations.Specifically,EPAwilldesignateHamilton,MarionandSequatchiecountiesintheChattanoogaareaasunclassifiable/attainment,consistentwiththerecommendationfromTennessee.EPAalsointendstoacceptTennessee'srecommendationtodesignateKnoxCountyasunclassifiableandwillmodifyTennessee'srecommendationfortherestofthestate,designatingthoseareasasunclassifiable.ATechnicalSupportwhichprovidesadditionaldetailregardingthestatusofdataforTennesseeandtherationaletosupporttheEPA'sunclassifiabledesignation,isenclosedandisalsoavailableontheEPA'swebsiteathttp://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/2012standards/state.htm.IfTennesseehasadditionalinformationfortheEPAtoconsider,pleasesubmitittousbyOctober29,2014.TheEPAwillmakeitspreliminarydesignationdecisionsandsupportingdocumentationavailabletothegeneralpublicforreviewandcomment.Wewillbeannouncinga30-daypubliccommentperiodshortlyintheFederalRegister.Afterconsideringtheadditionalinformationwereceive,theEPAplanstopromulgatefinalannualPM2.sdesignationsinDecemberof2014.TheEPAiscommittedtoworkingwiththestatesandtribestosharetheresponsibilityofreducingPM2.sairpollution.Currentandupcomingfederalstandardsandsafeguards-includingpollutionreductionrulesforpowerplants,vehicles,andfuels-willensuresteadyprogresstoreducePM2.sformingpollution andwillprotectpublichealthincommunitiesacrossthecountry.Welookforwardtoacontinueddialoguewithyouandyourstaffasweworktogethertoimplementthe2012annualPM2.5standard.

Should

you have

any questions,

please

do not hesitate

to contact

me,

or Beverly

H. Banister, Director,

Air Pesticides

and Toxics Management

Division,

at (404) 562-9077,

or have

your

staff contact

Scott Davis,

Chief,

Air Planning

Branch,

at (404) 562-9127

. Sincerely, JL6

f !f.Yy-

one Regional Administrator cc:

Robert

J. Martineau,

Jr., Commissioner,

IDEC Barry Stephens,

Director,

Division

of Air Pollution

Control,

IDEC Janet

G. McCabe,

Acting Assistant Administrator

for Air

and Radiation Stephen

D. Page, Director,

Office

of Air Quality Planning

and Standards