UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENCYREGIONIII1650ArchStreetPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania19103-2029TheHonorableJackMarkellDEC092011GovernorofDelawareWilliamPennStreet,2”FloorDover,Delaware19901DearGovernorMarkell:ThankyouforyourMarch18,2009andOctober28,2011recommendationsonairqualitydesignationsfortherevised2008NationalAmbientAirQualityStandards(NAAQS)forozonethroughoutDelaware.IappreciatetheinformationDeLawaresharedwiththeU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)aswemoveforwardtoimproveozoneairquality.ThisletteristonotifyyouofEPA’spreliminaryresponsetoDelaware’srecommendationsandtoinformyouofourapproachforcompletingthedesignationsfortherevisedozonestandards.OnMarch12,2008,EPAreviseditsNAAQSforground-levelozonetoprovideincreasedprotectionofpublichealthandtheenvironment.EPAloweredtheprimary8-hourozonestandardfrom0.08partspermillion(ppm)to0.075ppmtoprotectagainsthealtheffectsassociatedwithozoneexposure,includingarangeofseriousrespiratoryillnessesandincreasedprematuredeathfromheartorlungdisease.EPArevisedthesecondary8-hourozonestandard,makingitidenticaltotheprimarystandard,toprotectagainstwelfareeffects,includingimpactsonsensitivevegetationandforestedecosystems.Historyshowsusthatbetterhealthandcleanerairgohand-in-handwitheconomicgrowth.Workingcloselywiththestatesandtribes,EPAisimplementingthestandardsusingacommonsenseapproachthatimprovesairqualityandminimizestheburdenonstateandlocalgovernments.Aspartofthisroutineprocess,EPAisworkingwiththestatestoidentifyareasinthecountrythatmeetthestandardsandthosethatneedtotakestepstoreduceozonepollution.Withinoneyearafteraneworrevisedairqualitystandardisestablished,theCleanAirAct(CAA)requirestheGovernorofeachstatetosubmittoEPAalistofallareasinthestate,withrecommendationsforwhethereachareameetsthestandard.Asafirststepinimplementingthe2008ozonestandards,EPAaskedstatestosubmittheirdesignationrecommendations,includingappropriateareaboundariesbyMarch12,2009.InSeptember2009,EPAannounceditwasreconsideringthe2008ozonestandards.EPAlatertookstepstodelaythedesignationprocessforthe2008ozonestandardspendingoutcomeofthereconsideration.However,inSeptember2011,theOfficeofManagementandBudgetreturnedtoEPAthedraftfinalruleaddressingthereconsiderationofthe2008ozonestandards.OnSeptember22,2011,EPArestartedtheimplementationeffortbyissuingamemorandumtoclarifyforstateandlocalagenciesthestatusofthe2008ozonestandardsandtooutlineplansformovingforwardtoimplementthem.EPAindicatedthatitwouldproceedwithinitialareadesignationsforthe2008standards,andplannedtousetherecommendationsstatesmadein2009asupdatedbythemostcurrent,certifiedairqualitydatafrom2008-2010.WhileEPAdidnotrequestthatstatessubmitupdateddesignationrecommendations,theEPAprovidedtheopportunityforstatestodoso.AsrequiredbytheCAA,EPAwilldesignateanareaasnonattainmentifitisviolatingthe2008ozonestandardsorcontributingtoaviolationofthestandardsinanearbyarea.Consistentwithdesignationsforpreviousozonestandards,EPAintendstodesignateanareaasunclassifiable!attainmentiftherearecertified,quality-assuredairqualitymonitoringdatashowingtheareaismeetingtheozonestandardsoriftherearenomonitoringdataforthearea,andEPAhasnotmadeadeterminationthattheareaiscontributingtoaviolationinanearbyarea.AfterconsideringDelaware’sMarch18,2009andOctober28,2011ozonedesignationrecommendationsandotherrelevanttechnicalinformation,including2008-2010airqualitydata,EPAintendstomodifyDelaware’srecommendedareadesignationsandboundariesforthePhiladelphiaWilmington-AtlanticCityandSeafordareas.Inaddition,EPAhasreviewedDelaware’srecommendationforalargemulti-statenonattainmentareaandhasconcludedthatthisisnotinkeepingwithaplainreadingoftheCAAsection107(d)relatedtothecontributionina“nearby”area.TheCAAhasotherprovisionstoaddressregionaltransport.TheenclosedTechnicalSupportDocumentprovidesadetailedanalysistosupportourpreliminarydecisions.EPAintendstodesignateallotherareasofthestateasunclassifiable/attainment.EPAwillcontinuetoworkwithstateofficialsregardingtheappropriateboundariesfortheareasinDelaware.IfDelawarehasadditionalinformationthatyouwouldlikeEPAtoconsider,pleasesubmitittousbyFebruary29,2012.EPAwillalsomakeitspreliminarydesignationdecisionsandsupportingdocumentationavailabletothegeneralpublicforreviewandcomment.Wewillbeannouncinga30-daypubliccommentperiodshortlyintheFederalRegister.Afterconsideringadditionalinformationwereceive,EPAplanstopromulgatefinalozonedesignationsinspringof2012.EPAiscommittedtoworkingwiththestatesandtribestosharetheresponsibilityofreducingozoneairpollution.Currentandupcomingfederalstandardsandsafeguards,includingpollutionreductionrulesforpowerplants,vehiclesandfuels,willassuresteadyprogresstoreduceozoneformingpollutionandwillprotectpublichealthincommunitiesacrossthecountry.Welookforwardtoacontinueddialoguewithyouandyourstaffasweworktogethertoimplementthe2008ozonestandards.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleasedonothesitatetocontactmeorhaveyourstaffcontactMs.ArnieHowell,EPA’sDelawareLiaison,at(215)814-5722.Sincerely,hawnM.GarvinRegionalAdministratorEnclosurecc:TheHonorableCollinP.O’Mara,SecretaryDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandEnvironmentalControl