UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION IX 75 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 94105·3901 

### SEP 0 9 2009 OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR

The HonorableTogiola T.A. Tulafono, Governor Territory ofAmerican Samoa Executive Office Building Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 Dear GovernorTulafono: I am writing you today to provide you with guidance onthe process for designating areas under the 2008 revised National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for lead. In order to ensure that public health and welfare were protected, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the lead NAAQS on October 15,2008 (73 FR 66964; November 12,2008). The new primary lead standard was lowered from the 1.5 micrograms percubic meter (ug/m3) level set in 1978, to a level of0.15 ug/m3

. This new standard is based onthe most recent scientific studies and provides increased protection against adverse health effects associated with exposure to lead. To provide increased protection against lead-related welfare effects, EPA revised the secondary standard to be identical in all respects to the revised primary standard. Thenext step in implementing the revised lead NAAQS is for states to recommend to EPA an air quality designation for their state. The process for designations, following promulgation ofanew or revised NAAQS, is contained in Section 107(d)(l) ofthe Clean Air Act (Act). This section ofthe Act provides aprocess for each Governorto recommend attainment, nonattainment, orunclassifiable designations, with appropriate boundaries, to the EPA and requires that these recommendations be submitted to EPA within one year ofa promulgation ofa new orrevised NAAQS. Therefore, we ask that your state provide designation recommendations for all areas by October 15,2009. Under section 107(d)( 1) ofthe Act, EPA maymakemodifications to the recommended designations and boundaries as itdeems necessary. EPA will notify the states, byno later than 120 days priorto promulgating the designations, ofourresponse to states' recommendations. This will provide an opportunity for states to comment on anymodification that EPA proposes to theirrecommendations. We are including an enclosure to this letter, whichprovides guidance to state and local air pollution control agencies and tribes on the timeline and process for designating areas underthe revised lead standard. Weplan to announce our intended designations as early as possible, but no later than 120 days prior to promulgating initial designations.**Pn'n,~d** on**Recycl~d** PaperUnder section 107(d)(l)(B) ofthe Act, EPA is required to issue final designations within two years offinalizing a NAAQS; however, EPA has the discretion to extend the deadline up to one yearifthere is insufficient infonnation to make designations. EPA intends to complete initial designations by no laterthan October 15, 2010, where datais sufficient from the existing monitoring network or where no additional datais expected to be available for a state. Remaining areas, using infonnation from the expanded lead monitoring network, will be designated by no later than October 15,2011. States and tribes will have an opportunity to update their recommendations for these remaining areas by October 15,2010. Establishing area designations is a key step in the process ofproviding the health protection that the Act is intended to provide. Areas that are designated as not attaining the lead NAAQS will be required to adopt plans to reduce ambient concentrations oflead. We will keep your state infonned ofany additional guidance and other support activities. Should you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me at 415-947-8702 or Colleen McKaughan ofmy staffat 520-498-0118. Sincerely, 

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Acting Regional Administrator Enclosure

cc: ToafaViaiga'e, Director American SamoaEPA