UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

REGION 2 

The Honorable Joseph J. Martens 

Commissioner 

290 BROADWAY 

NEWYORK, NY 10007-1866 

SEP - 5 2013 

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 

625 Broadway, 14th Floor . 

Albany, New York 12233-1010 

Dear Commissioner Martens: 

This is in response to the 2013 Annual Monitoring Network Review Plan (Plan) for New York State's 

ambient air monitoring program, which you submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency on 

July 18, 2013. This is to inform you that EPA Region 2 has reviewed New York's Plan for consistency 

with 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 58.10. 

The portion of the monitoring network plan involving the National Core multi-pollutant monitoring 

stations, PM2.s Speciation Trends Network stations, and Photochemical Assessment Monitoring stations 

are subject to approval by the EPA Administrator. Accordingly, we will forward that portion of New 

York's Plan to EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards for review. My staff will work 

closely with our Headquarters counterparts and continue to keep you informed of the progress of the 

review of that portion of the Plan. 

In the 2013 Plan, New York included only one proposed change to the existing network; the 

discontinuation of a PM10 filter-based monitor at PS 19 in New York City, on the basis that the sampling 

at PS 19 is redundant given similar sampling at the Division Street site. PS 19 also has PM2.5 filterbased and PM2.5 continuous-based parameters. EPA approves New York's recommendation to 

consolidate the network and shutdown PM10 filter-based monitoring at PS 19. Our understanding is that 

sampling will continue through the end of this calendar year or until EPA finalizes a PM10 clean data 

determination for Manhattan, whichever comes later. (In January 2013, New York requested EPA to 

make a clean data determination for New York County 'for the 1987 PM10 standard. EPA expects to 

publish a proposed determination in the Federal Register very shortly.) 

The 2013 Plan also discusses New York's efforts to implement the N02 near roadway monitoring 

requirements, and operation of continuous PM2.s monitors using the Federal Equivalent Method. The 

Plan indicates that these FEM instruments have not operated reliably to produce data that compares 

acceptably with other PM2.5 monitors. We look forward to working with you and your staff over the next 

year to continue to resolve any issues in implementing both the N02 and FEM monitors. 

I applaud you and your staff on your continued efforts to address community concerns and Citizen 

Science projects with the ongoing Community Air Screening Project for toxics as well as the Peace 

Bridge Air Quality Study. EPA looks forward to continuing to work with DEC and the public on 

various Citizen Science initiatives across the state. 

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

Recycled/Recyclable • Printed with Vegetable 011 Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 50% Postconsumer content) 
If you have further questions, please contact me at (212) 637-5000 or your staff can contact Mr. Richard 

Ruvo at (21 2) 637-4014 or Ms. Mazeeda Khan at (212) 637-3715 of our Air Programs Branch. 

cc: David Shaw, NYSDEC 

Bob Waterfall, NYSDEC 

Dirk Felton, NYSDEC 

Brian Lay, NYSDEC 

Mo SiuHong, NYSDEC 

David Wheeler, NYSDEC 

Sincerely, 

c{~sl ~~cA_ 

udith A. Enck 

egional Administrator 

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