Kyle Self Chairperson Greenville Rancheria P.O. Box 279 Greenville, CA 95947UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION IX 75 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 94105·3901



## AUG 1 9 2014

Dear Chairperson Self: OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR

This letter is to notify you oftheU.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) preliminary decision to designate Greenville Rancheria's area oflndiancountry as unclassifiable/attainment for the 2012 annual fine pmiicle National AmbientAir Quality Standard (2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS) and to inform you of
our approach for completingthe designations. Although your involvement is not required, we would like to invite you to participate in the designations process and to offer you consultation.

In a letter dated May 22, 2014, the EPA encouraged you to participate in the designations process, request consultation, and submitrecommendations ifyou chose to do so. We did not receive a rec01mnendation letter or consultationrequest from you. However, because the EPA is required to designate all areas ofthe country, we intend to promulgate an appropriate designation for your area of Indian country. This is notthe final step inthe designation process, and you still have time to provide air quality informationto the EPA and request consultation. More informationregarding this designation is includedbelow.

After considering relevant teclmical information, including 2011-2013 air quality data, the EPA intends to designate your area ofIndian country as unclassifiable/attainment along with the surrounding state area. These data do not indicate any violation ofthe 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS in Greenville Rancheria's area oflndian country or contribution to any nearby area. Consequently the EPA intends to designate Greenville Rancheria's entire area oflndian country as unclassifiable/attainment. Ifyouhave additional information that the EPA should consider, we ask that you submit it to us by October 29, 2014.
Please notify us by September 29, 2014 ifyou are interested in consulting with us regarding the designations process
. When requested, consultationwill be conducted in accordance with the EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination with IndianTribes (www.epa.gov/tribal/consultation/consultpolicy.htm).

As background, on December 14, 2012, the EPApromulgated a revised primary annual PM2.sNAAQS (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 (!lg/m3) to 12.0 11g/m3 ; retained the existing 24- hour PM2.s standard at 35 11g/m3; retained the existing 24-hour PM1o (coarse particle) standard at 150 11g/m3; and retained the current suite ofsecondary PM standards. The EPA revised the primary annual PM2.s standard based on an integrated assessment ofan extensive body ofnew scientific evidence, which substantially strengthens ourbody ofknowledge regarding PM2.s-related health effects. The revised

Printed on Recycled Paperprimary annual PM2.s standard will provide increasedprotection for children, older adults, persons with pre-existing heart and lung disease, and other at-risk populations against an array ofPM2.s-related adverse health effects, includingpremature mortality, increased hospital admissions and emergency department visits, and development and exacerbation ofchronic respiratory disease.

As required bythe CleanAirAct, the EPApromulgates designations for all areas across the country. The EPA designates an area as "nonattainment" ifit is violating the 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 use a designation category of"unclassifiable/attainrnent" for areas that are monitoring attainment or do not have monitors, and that the EPA has reason to believe are likely attainment and are not contributingto nearby violations. Additionally, the EPA intends to designate as "unclassifiable" those areas where the EPA either cannot determine based on available information whether the area is meeting the NAAQS, orhas not determined whether the area contributes to a nearby violation. Atthis time, the EPA is proceeding with intended initial area designations using quality-assured, certified air quality monitoring data from 2011 to 2013.

The EPA will make its preliminary designation decisions and supporting documentation available to the general public for review and comment. We will be announcing a 30-daypublic commentperiod shortly inthe FederalRegister. After considering additional information we receive, the EPAplans to promulgate final annual PM2.s designations in Decemberof2014.

The EPA is committedto working withthe states and tribes to share the responsibility ofreducing PM2.s airpollution. Current and upcoming federal standards and safeguards- includingpollution reduction rules for powerplants, vehicles, and fuels- will assure steadyprogress to reduce PM2.s-fmming pollution and will protectpublic health in communities across the country. We look forward to working togetherwith you and your staffto implementthe 2012 annual PM2.s standard. Ifyour Tribe is interested in consultation orparticipating in further discussions or meetings with the EPA officials about the designations process, please contactme orhave your staffcontact Kerry Drake ofmy staffat 415-947- 4157, or drake.kerry@epa.gov. Sincerely,

Jared Blumenfeld

cc: Laci Miles, Environmental Director, Greenville Rancheria