s1..l? UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION IX PRO 75 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 951 05-3901

OFFICEOFTHE 

## MAY 2 2 2fJ14 REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR Joseph Hamilton Chairman Ramona Band ofCahuilla Indians Post Office Box 391372 Anza, California 92539 Dear Chairman Hamilton: The purpose ofthis letteris to provide you with information concerning the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) designations process forthe 2012 primary annual PM 2

. 5 national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). YourTribe may find it importantto engage with us in the process of assigning designations for Indian country. Although yourinvolvementis notrequired, we would like to invite you to participate in the designations process and to offer you consultation. We wantto ensure transparent and effective communication in developing area designations forthe revised PM 2

. 5 NAAQS. Area recommendations forthe PM 25 NAAQS were due to EPA on December 13, 2013: however, EPA is preparedto accept designation recommendations via letter fromtribal leaders until June 13, 2014. On December 13, 2012, EPA revised the PM 25 NAAQS to increase protection ofpublic health from line particle pollution. The annual PM 2

. 5 standardwas strengthened from 15 ug/m 3 to 12 ug/m 3

. Estahlishtng initial area designations is akey step in the process ofproviding the health and/orwelfare protection intendedby the CleanAirAct (CAA). Within two years ofpromulgation ofanew orrevisedNAAQS, EPA must list and designate all areas in the country as either: Attainment

- areas that meetthe standard; Nonattainment

- areas that either do notmeetthe standard, or are contributing to anearby area that does not meet the standard: or Unclassifiable

- areas where there is insufficientinformation to make a determination as to attainment. These designations are based on current airquality information, recommendations from state governors and tribal leaders, and otherrelevant information as discussed in the April 2013 designations guidance, InitialAreaDesignations

### jörthe 2012 RevisedPrimaryAnnualFineParticleNationalAmblentAir 

### Quality Standard. The guidance is available on the EPA’s PM Designations website at zo /nn1dLsnnat1ons” 2 () I

### 2standaid/docYapril2O1 guidanLL 1 d1 Additional information about developing tribal air quality designations is available in the September2013 document, DevelopingDesignation Recommendations 

### !örAreas ofIndian 

### Country, which is available here: hp:ii vw.epa.uo/air/tribal,’pdt/DeopinaDesignationRccornmendationtbrIndianCountrv.pdf. We are sending you this letterbecause we believe thatyourTribe’s area ofIndian countrymay he in nonattainment forthe 2012 PM 2

. 5 NAAQS andyou may want to engage with us through the consultation Printed on Reeve/ed Paperprocess. We will keep you infhrmed as we finalize designations for your Tribe’s area and invite and encourage you to participate. Please notify us by June 13, 2014 if you are interested in consulting with us regarding a recommended designation. When requested, consultation will be conducted in accordance with the EPA Policy on Consultation and Coordination with indian Tribes (www.cpa. ov/triha1/consuHation/cousuh—po1 icy.htm ). We plan to formally announce our intended designations for all areas by August 14, 2014. At that time we will send another letter to you with our intended designation and offer an additional opportunity to consult with us on the proposed designation status of your Tribe’s area of Indian country. In accordance with section 107(d)(1)(B) of the CAA, we are required to issue final designations for the PM 25 NAAQS no later than December 12, 2014. Our designations will be based on the most recent three calendar years of certified, quality-assured monitoring data available, and any other relevant infiDrmation. As the designation process moves forward, we will keep you informed of any additional guidance or other support activities. We look forward to working with you to develop area designations under the PIVI 2 . 5 NAAQS in a timely manner. If your Tribe is interested in consultation or has questions about the designations process, please do not hesitate to contact me or Kerry Drake, Associate Director, Air Division, of my staff, at 415-947-4157 or drake.kerrv(aepa.ov. Sincerely, Enclosure cc: Reginald Agunwah, Environmental Director

### 2012 PM 2 • 5 

### NAAQS Tribal Designations Schedule Action Date Recommendations forthe PM 25 NAAQS due December 13, 2013 to EPA (original deadline). Advance consultation opportunity offeredto Late May 2014 (uponreceipt ofletter) tribal leaders. Deadline to request advancetribal consultation. June 13, 2014 Optional tribal recommendations forthe PM 2

. 5 June 13, 2014 NAAQS due to EPA (extended deadline). Advance tribal consultation takes place. June

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### July, 2014 EPA announces intended designations, August 14, 2014 additional consultation opportunity offeredto tribal leaders. Additional consultationtakes place. September

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### October, 2014 EPA issues final PM 75 designations. December 12, 2014