UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENCYREGION4TheHonorableRobertBentleyAJabamaStateCapital600DexterAvenueMontgomery,AJabmna36130DearBentley:ATLANTAFEDERALCENTER61FORSYTHSTREETATLANTA,GEORGIA30303-8960AU£191014ThankyoufortheletterdatedMarch3,2014,fromLanceRLeFleur,Director,AJabmnaDepartmentofEnvironmentalManagement,providingyourrecommendationsofairqualitydesignationsforthe2012revisedprimaryannualfineparticle(PM2.s)NationalAmbientAirQualityStandard(NAAQS)throughoutAJabama.IappreciatetheinformationAJabmnasharedwiththeU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyaswemoveforwardtoimprovePM2.sairquality.ThisletteristonotifyyouoftheEPA'spreliminaryresponsetoAlabmna'srecommendationandtoinformyouofourapproachforcompletingtheinitialareadesignationsforthe2012revisedprimaryannualPM2.sstandard.OnDecember14,2012,theEPApromulgatedarevisedprimaryannualPM2.SNAAQS(78FR3086,January15,2013).Inthataction,theEPArevisedtheprimaryannualPM2.Sstandard,strengtheningitfrom15.0microgramspercubicmeter(J.Lg/m3)to12.0J.Lg/m3;retainedtheexisting24-hourPM2.sstandardat35J.Lg/m3;retainedtheexisting24-hourPM1o(coarseparticle)standardat150J.Lg/m3;andretainedthecurrentsuiteofsecondaryPMstandards.TheEPArevisedtheprimaryannualPM2.sstandardbasedonanintegratedassessmentofanextensivebodyofnewscientificevidence,whichsubstantiallystrengthensourbodyofknowledgeregardinghealtheffects.TherevisedprimaryannualPM2.sstandardwillprovideincreasedprotectionforchildren,olderadults,personswithheartandlungdisease,andotherpopulationsagainstanarrayadversehealtheffects,includingprematuremortality,increasedhospitaladmissionsandemergencydepartmentvisits,anddevelopmentandexacerbationofchronicrespiratorydisease.Historyshowsusthatbetterhealthandcleanerairgowitheconomicgrowth.Workingcloselywiththestatesandtribes,theEPAisimplementingthestandardsusingacommonsenseapproachthat improvesairqualityandminimizestheburdenonstate,local,andtribalgovernments.Aspartofthisroutineprocess,theEPAisworkingwiththestatesandtribestoidentifyareasinthecountrythatmeetthestandardsandthosethatneedtotakestepstoreducePM2.sairpollution.Withinoneyearofpromulgatinganeworrevisedairqualitystandard,theCleanAirAct(CAA)requirestheofeachstatetosubmittotheEPAalistofallareasinthestate,withadesignationInternetAddress(URL)•ht1p://www.epa.govRecyled/Recyclable•PrintedwithVegetableOilBasedInksonRecycledPaper(Minimum30%Postconsumer)recommendationforeacharea.Asafirststepinimplementingthe2012annualPM2.sstandard,Governorsweretosubmittheirdesignationrecommendations,includingappropriateareaboundaries,byDecember13,2013.AsrequiredbytheCAA,theEPAthenpromulgatesdesignationsforallareasacrossthecountry.TheEPAdesignatesanareaas"nonattainment"ifitisviolatingthe2012annualPM2.5NAAQSorifitiscontributingtoaviolationoftheNAAQSinanearbyarea.ConsistentwithdesignationsforpreviousPM2.5standards,theEPAintendstouseadesignationcategoryof''unclassifiablelattainment"forareasthataremonitoringattainmentordonothavemonitors,butforwhichtheEPAhasreasontobelievearelikelyattainingtheNAAQSandarenotcontributingtonearbyviolations.Additionally,theEPAintendstodesignateas''unclassifiable"thoseareaswheretheEPAcannotdeterminebasedonavailableinformationwhethertheareaismeetingtheNAAQSorwheretheEPAhasnotdeterminedthattheareacontributestoanearbyviolation.Atthistime,theEPAisproceedingwithintendedinitialareadesignationsusingquality-assured,certifiedairqualitymonitoringdataformostareasfrom2011to2013.TheEPAhasconsideredtheannualPM2.sdesignationrecommendationsubmittedbyAlabamaonMarch3,2014,andhasreviewedtherelevanttechnicalinformation,including2011-2013airqualitydata.Thesedatadonotindicateanyviolationofthe2012annualPM2.sNAAQSinAlabama.However,fortheColumbus-PhenixCityarea(ofwhichRussellCounty,Alabama,isapart),wecurrentlyhaveinsufficientdatatomakeadeterminationbecauseofmonitoringdataattheGeorgiamonitorinthisarea.WebelievethatanadditionalyearofairqualitymonitoringdatafromtheGeorgiamonitorinthisareawilllikelyresultinthreeyearsofcompleteandvaliddataneededforadesignation.Accordingly,theEPAintendstodeferadesignationandusetheadditionaltimeavailabletoitasprovidedundersection107(d)(l)(B)oftheCAAtoassessthesedataandpromulgateaninitialareadesignationforRussellCounty,Alabama.TheEPAintendstodesignatetheremainderoftheStateofAlabamaasunclassifiable/attainment.TheEPAwillmakeitspreliminarydesignationdecisionsandsupportingdocumentationavailabletothegeneralpublicforreviewandcomment.Wewillbeannouncinga30-daypubliccommentperiodshortlyintheFederalRegister.Afterconsideringtheadditionalinformationwereceive,theEPAplanstopromulgatefinalannualPM2.sdesignationsinDecemberof2014forallnon-deferredareas.TheEPAiscommittedtoworkingwiththestatesandtribestosharetheresponsibilityofreducingPM2.sairpollution.Currentandupcomingfederalstandardsandsafeguards-includingpollutionreductionrulesforpowerplants,vehicles,andfuels-willensuresteadyprogresstoreducePM2.sformingpollutionandwillprotectpublichealthincommunitiesacrossthecountry.Welookforwardtoacontinueddialoguewithyouandyourstaffasweworktogethertoimplementthe2012annualPM2.sstandard.Shouldyouhaveanyquestions,pleasedonothesitatetocontactmeat(404)562-8357,orBeverlyH.Banister,Director,AirPesticidesandToxicsManagementDivision,at(404)562-9077,orhaveyourstaffcontactScottDavis,Chief,AirPlanningBranch,at(404)562-9127.cc:LanceR.LeFleur,Director,ADEMRonW.Gore,Chief,AirDivision,ADEMHeatherMcTeerToneyRegionalAdministratorJanetG.McCabe,ActingAssistantAdministratorforAirandRadiationStephenD.Page,Director,OfficeofAirQualityPlanningandStandards