The Honorable Robert Bentley 

AJabama State Capital 

600 Dexter Avenue 

Montgomery, AJabmna 36130 

Dear Bentley: 

Thank you for the letter dated March 3, 2014, from LanceR LeFleur, Director, AJabmna Department 

of Environmental Management, providing your recommendations of air quality designations for the 

2012 revised primary annual fine particle (PM2.s) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) 

throughout AJabama. I appreciate the information AJabmna shared with the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency as we move forward to improve PM2.s air quality. This letter is to notify you of the EPA's preliminary response to Alabmna's recommendation and to inform you of our approach for 

completing the initial area designations for the 2012 revised primary annual PM2.s 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 (J.Lg/m3) to 12.0 J.Lg/m3; retained the existing 24-hour PM2.s 

standard at 35 J.Lg/m3; retained the existing 24-hour PM1o(coarse particle) standard at 150 J.Lg/m3; and 

retained the current suite of secondary PM standards. The EPA revised the primary annual PM2.s 

standard based on an integrated assessment of an extensive body of new scientific evidence, which substantially strengthens our body of knowledge regarding health effects. The revised 

primary annual PM2.s standard will provide increased protection for children, older adults, persons with 

heart and lung disease, and other populations against an array 

adverse health effects, including premature mortality, increased hospital admissions and emergency 

department visits, and development and exacerbation of chronic respiratory disease. 

History shows us that better health and cleaner air go with economic growth. Working 

closely with the states and tribes, the EPA is implementing the standards using a commonsense 

approach that improves air quality and minimizes the burden on state, local, and tribal governments. 

As part of this 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 of promulgating a new or revised air quality standard, the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires the 

of each state to submit to the EPA a list of all areas in the state, with a designation 

Internet Address (URL) • ht1p://www.epa.gov 

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recommendation for each area. As a first step in implementing the 2012 annual PM2.s standard, 

Governors were to submit their designation recommendations, including appropriate area boundaries, 

by December 13,2013. As required by the CAA, the EPA then promulgates designations for all areas across the country. The 

EPA designates an area as "nonattainment" if it is violating the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS or if it is 

contributing to a violation of the NAAQS in a nearby area. Consistent with designations for previous 

PM2.5 standards, the EPA intends to use a designation category of ''unclassifiablelattainment" for areas 

that are monitoring attainment or do not have monitors, but for which the EPA has reason to believe 

are likely attaining the NAAQS and are not contributing to nearby violations. Additionally, the EPA 

intends to designate as ''unclassifiable" those areas where the EPA cannot determine based on 

available information whether the area is meeting the NAAQS or where the 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, certified air quality monitoring data for most areas from 2011 

to 2013. 

The EPA has considered the annual PM2.s designation recommendation submitted by Alabama on 

March 3, 2014, and has reviewed the relevant technical information, including 2011-2013 air quality 

data. These data do not indicate any violation of the 2012 annual PM2.s NAAQS in Alabama. 

However, for the Columbus-Phenix City area (of which Russell County, Alabama, is a part), we 

currently have insufficient data to make a determination because of monitoring data at the Georgia 

monitor in this area. We believe that an additional year of air quality monitoring data from the Georgia 

monitor in this area will likely result in three years of complete and valid data needed for a 

designation. Accordingly, the EPA intends to defer a designation and use the additional time available 

to it as provided under section 107(d)(l)(B) of the CAA to assess these data and promulgate an initial 

area designation for Russell County, Alabama. The EPA intends to designate the remainder of the 

State of Alabama as unclassifiable/attainment. 

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-day public comment period 

shortly in the Federal Register. After considering the additional information we receive, the EPA plans 

to promulgate final annual PM2.s designations in December of2014 for all non-deferred areas. 

The EPA is committed to working with the states and tribes to 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 PM2.s 
cc: Lance R. LeFleur, Director, ADEM 

Ron W. Gore, Chief, Air Division, ADEM 

Heather McTeer Toney 

Regional Administrator 

Janet G. McCabe, Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation 

Stephen D. Page, Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards