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 ofthe 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 ofthat 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 fi lterbased and PM2 .5 continuous-based parameters. EPA approves New York's recommendation to consolidate the network and shutdown PM 10 filter-based monitoring at PS 19. Our understandi ng is that sampling will continue through the end ofthis calendar year or until EPA finalizes a PM10 clean da ta 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 N0 2 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

2