### UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Region 1

August 19, 2014 The Honorable Lincoln Chafce Governor ofRhode Island State House Providence, Rhode Island 02903 Dear Governor Chafee: 

### 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100 Boston, MA 02109-3912

T hank you for your recommend ation dated November 6, 2013 of air quality designations for the 2012 revised primary annual tine particle (PM2.s) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) throughout Rhode Island. I appreciate the information Rhode Island shared with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as we move forward to improve PM2. s air quality. This letter is to notify you ofthe EPA's preliminary response to Rhode Island's recommendation and to inform you of our approach for completing the initial area designations for the 2012 revi sed primary a nnual PM2.5 standard. On December 14,2012, the EPA promulgated a revised primary annual PM2.s NAAQS (78 FR 3086, January 15, 2013). In that action, the EPA revised the primary annual PM2 .s standard, strengthening it from 15.0 micrograms per cubic meter

**(~g/m )**  

### to 12.0

**g/ ;**  

### retained the existing 24-hour PM 2 .s standard at 3 5

**~g/m ;**  

### retained the existing 24 -hour PM10 (coarse particle) standard at 150

**~g/m ;**  

### and retained the current suite of secondary PM standards. The EPA revised the primary anriual PM2.s standard based on an integrated assessment of an extensive body of new scientific evidence, which substantially strengt hens our body of knowledge regarding PM2 . s-r elated health effects. The revised primary annual PM2.s standard will provide incre ased protecti on for children, older adults, persons with pre-existing heart and lung disease, and other at-risk populations again st an array ofPM2 . s-related adverse health effects, including premature mortality, increased ho spital admissions and emergency department visits, and deve lopment and exacerbation of chronic respiratory disease. History shows us that better health and cleaner air go hand-in-hand with economic growth. Working closely with the states and tribes, the EPA is implementing the standards using a commonsense approach that impro ves air quality and minimizes the burden on state, loca l , and tribal governments. As part ofthis routine process, the EPA is working with the states and tribes to identify areas in the country that meet the standards and those that need to take steps to reduce PM2 . s air pollution. Within one year ofpromulgating a new or revised air quality standard, the C lean Air Act requires the Governor of each state to submit to the EPA a list of all areas in the state, with a designation recommendation fo r each area. As a first step in implementing the 20 12 annual PM2 .s standard, Governors were to submit their designation recommendations , including appropriate area boundaries, by December 13, 2013.2 As required by the Clean Air Act, the E PA then promulgates designations for all areas across the country. The EP/\.des ignates an area as " nonattainment " if it is v iolating the 2012 annual PM 2 .s NAAQS or ifit is contributing to a violation ofthe NAAQS in a nearby area. Consistent with designations for previous PM2.s standards, the EPA intends to usc a designation category of "unclassifiable /attainment" for areas that are monitoring atta inmen t or do not have monitors , but for which the EPA has reason to believe are likely attainment and are not contributing to nearby violations. Add iti onally, the EPA intends to designate as " unclassifiable " those areas where the EPA cannot determine based on available information whet her the area is meeting the NAAQS or where EPA has not determined that the area contributes to a nearby violation. At this time , the EPA is proceeding with intended initial area designations using quality-assured , cert ified air quality monitoring data from 2 011 to 2013. We have cons idered the annual 

### PM2 .s designation recommendations subm itted by Rhode Island on November 6, 2013 and have reviewed the relevant technical information, including 2011 - 2013 air quality data. These data do not indicate any violation of the 20 12 annual PM2 .s NAAQS in Rhode Island or contribution to any n earby area . Accordingly, the EPA intends to designate the entire state of Rhode Is land as unclassiliab le/attaiiU11ent. The EPA will make its pr e liminary designation decisions and supportjng documen tation available . to the general public for review and comment. We will be announcing a 30-day publi c comment period short ly in the 

### Federal Register. After considering the additional information we receive, the EPA plans to promulgate final annual PM2 .s designations in December of 2014. The EPA is committed to working with the states and tribes t o share the responsibility of reducing PM2 .s air pollution . Current and upcoming federal standards and safeguards- including pollution reduction rules for power plants , vehicles, and fuels - will ensure steady progress to reduce PM2.sforming pollution and will protect public health in communities across the country . We look forward to a continued dialogue with you and your staff as we work together to implement the 2012 annual PM 2.s stand ard. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, or have your staff contact Alison Simcox of my staff at 61 7-918 -1684 or s imcox.alison@epa.gov.

cc: Janet Coit, 

### RJ DEM Direc to r 

# J c i!JJ! 7

**rtis** Spa lding, Regional Admini strator, EPA New Engla nd. Douglas McVay , C hief, Ai r Resources Division Jane t G. McCabe , Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Stephen D. Page , Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards