UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

REGION 6

1445 ROSS AVENUE, SUITE1200

DALLAS. TX 75202-2733

JUN 1 4 2010

The Honorable Bill Richardson

Governor ofNew Mexico

State Capitol, Room 400

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501

Dear Governor Richardson:

Thank you for your recommendations on air quality designations for the revised National

Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for lead throughout Albuquerque/Bernalillo County,

New Mexico. Reducing levels oflead pollution is an important part ofthe U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency's (EPA) commitment to a clean, healthy environment. Lead exposure can

cause a range of adverse health effects, most notably in children. Exposures to low levels oflead

early in life have been linked to effects on IQ, learning, memory and behavior. This letter is to

notify you ofEPA's response to New Mexico's designation recommendations on behalf of

Albuquerque/Bernalillo County, and to inform you of our approach for completing the

designations for the revised lead NAAQS.

On October 15,2008, EPA substantially strengthened NAAQS for lead. The new

standards, set at 0.15 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/rrr'), are 10 times tighter than the previous

standards. In conjunction with strengthening the lead NAAQS, EPA also established new

criteria for siting ambient lead monitors. The pre-existing ambient lead monitoring network was

inadequate for determining whether many areas are meeting the revised lead NAAQS. Monitors

meeting the new network siting requirements were to begin operation January 1,2010.

The Clean Air Act requires EPA to complete the initial designation process within two

years of promulgating a new or revised NAAQS. Ifthe Administrator has insufficient

information to make these designations, EPA has the authority to extend the designation process

by up to one year. In light ofthe new monitoring network which will generate additional

information in the upcoming year, EPA intends to complete the lead designations in two rounds.

In the first round, to be completed by October, 15,2010, EPA is designating as "nonattainment"

any area that is violating the 2008 lead NAAQS based on data from the pre-2010 monitoring

network. For all other areas, EPA is extending the deadline for designations by up to one year so

that data from the newly deployed monitors can be considered in making appropriate designation

decisions. EPA will complete the second round oflead designations no later than October 15,

2011.

We have reviewed New Mexico's April 23, 2009, recommendation letter on air quality

designations for Bernalillo County and all the associated technical information for the 2008 lead

NAAQS, including, if available, the most recent air quality data from 2007-2009. However,

EPA is not intending to complete the initial area designations for your state at this time. Instead,

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Letter to Governor Richardson

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EPA intends to designate all areas in your state no later than October 15,2011, in the second

round of lead designations. If you would like to submit updated recommendations for your areas

for our consideration in the second round of designations, we request that you do so by

December 15,2010. For the second round of designations, we will notify all states and tribes of

our preliminary responses to their recommendations no later than June 17, 2011.

We look forward to a continued dialogue with you and your staff as we work together to

implement the 2008 lead NAAQS. If you have any questions, please call me at (214) 665-2100,

or your staffmay call Mr. Emad Shahin of my staff at (214) 665-6717.

cc: Mr. Ron Curry

Secretary, New Mexico Environmental Department

Ms. Mary Lou Leonard

Acting Director, Air Quality Division

Environmental Health Department, City of Albuquerque