UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENCYREGION4TheHonorableNathanDealOfficeoftheGovernor206WashingtonStreet111StateCapitolAtlanta,Georgia30334DearGovernorDeal:ATLANTAFEDERALCENTER61FORSYTHSTREETATLANTA,GEORGIA30303-8960AUG1 92014ThankyouforthelettersdatedDecember13,2013,May30,2014,andJune2,2014,fromJudsonH.Turner,Director,GeorgiaDepartmentofNaturalResources'EnvironmentalProtectionDivision(EPD),providingyourrecommendationsofairqualitydesignationsforthe2012revisedprimaryannualfineparticle(PMz.s)NationalAmbientAirQualityStandard(NAAQS)throughoutGeorgiaIappreciatetheinformationGeorgiasharedwiththeU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyaswemoveforwardtoimprovePMz.sairquality.ThisletteristonotifyyouoftheEPA'spreliminaryresponsetoGeorgia'srecommendationandtoinformyouofourapproachforcompletingtheinitialareadesignationsforthe2012revisedprimaryannualPMz.sstandard.OnDecember14,2012,theEPApromulgatedarevisedprimaryannualPMz.sNAAQS(78FR3086,January15,2013).Inthataction,theEPArevisedtheprimaryannualPMz.sstandard,strengtheningitfrom15.0microgramspercubicmeter(J..Lg/m3)to12.0J..Lg/m3;retainedtheexisting24-hourPMz.sstandardat35J..Lg/m3;retainedtheexisting24-hourPMto(coarseparticle)standardat150J.lg/m3;andretainedthecurrentsuiteofsecondaryPMstandards.TheEPArevisedtheprimaryannualPMz.sstandardbasedonanintegratedassessmentofanextensivebodyofnewscientificevidence,whichsubstantiallystrengthensourbodyofknowledgeregardingPMz.s-relatedhealtheffects.TherevisedprimaryannualPMz.sstandardwillprovideincreasedprotectionforchildren,olderadults,personswithheartandlungdisease,andotherat-riskpopulationsagainstanarrayofPMz.s-relatedadversehealtheffects,includingprematuremortality,increasedhospitaladmissionsandemergencydepartmentvisits,anddevelopmentandexacerbationofchronicrespiratorydisease.Historyshowsusthatbetterhealthandcleanerairgohand-in-handwitheconomicgrowth.Workingcloselywiththestatesandtribes,theEPAisimplementingthestandardsusingacommonsenseapproachthatimprovesairqualityandminimizestheburdenonstate,local,andtribalgovernments.Aspartofthisroutineprocess,theEPAisworkingwiththestatesandtribestoidentifyareasinthecountrythatmeetthestandardsandthosethatneedtotakestepstoreducePMz.sairpollution.Withinoneyearofpromulgatinganeworrevisedairqualitystandard,theCleanAirAct(CAA)requirestheGovernorofeachstatetosubmittotheEPAalistofallareasinthestate,withadesignationInternetAddress(URL)•http://www.epa.govRecyled/Recyclable•PrintedwithVegetableOilBasedInksonRecycledPaper(Minimum30%Postcansumer)recommendationforeacharea.Asafirststepinimplementingthe2012annualPMz.sstandard,Governorsweretosubmittheirdesignationrecommendations,includingappropriateareaboundaries,byDecember13,2013.AsrequiredbytheCAA,theEPAthenpromulgatesdesignationsforallareasacrossthecountry.TheEPAdesignatesanareaas''nonattainment"ifitisviolatingthe2012annualPMz.sNAAQSorifitiscontributingtoaviolationoftheNAAQSinanearbyarea.ConsistentwithdesignationsforpreviousPMz.sstandards,theEPAintendstouseadesignationcategoryof"unclassifiable/attainment"forareasthataremonitoringattainmentordonothavemonitors,butforwhichtheEPAhasreasontobelievearelikelyattainingtheNAAQSandarenotcontributingtonearbyviolations.Additionally,theEPAintendstodesignateas''unclassifiable"thoseareaswheretheEPAcannotdetenninebasedonavailableinformationwhethertheareaismeetingtheNAAQSorwheretheEPAhasnotdeterminedthattheareacontributestoanearbyviolation.Atthistime,theEPAisproceedingwithintendedinitialareadesignationsusingquality-assured,certifiedairqualitymonitoringdataformostareasfrom2011to2013.TheEPAhasconsideredtheannualPMz.sdesignationrecommendationssubmittedbyGeorgiaonDecember13,2013,May30,2014,andJune2,2014,andhasreviewedtherelevanttechnicalinfonnation,including2011-2013airqualitydata.EPAdoesnothavesufficientairqualitydatatomakedetenninationsfortheAlbany,Atlanta,Augusta,Brunswick,Columbus,Savannah,Valdosta,andWashingtonCountyareasbecausethemonitoringdataattheGeorgiamonitorsintheseareasisincomplete.Becauseofthesedatacompletenessissues,theEPAcannotdeterminewhethertheseareasareorarenotmeetingtheNAAQSbasedon2011-2013data.However,theEPAbelievesthatanadditionalyearofmonitoringdatafromtheGeorgiamonitorsintheAugusta,Columbus,Savannah,Valdosta,andWashingtonCountyareaswilllikelyresultinthethreeyearsofcompleteandvaliddataneededforadesignationforthesefiveareas.Accordingly,theEPAintendstodeferadesignationandusetheadditionaltimeavailabletoitasprovidedundersection107(d)(l)(B)oftheCAAtoassessthesedataandpromulgateaninitialareadesignationforBrooks,Chatham,Columbia,Dougherty,Effmgham,Lowndes,Muscogee,Richmond,andWashingtonCounties.TheEPAdoesnotbelievethatanadditionalyearofmonitoringdatafortheAlbany,Atlanta,andBrunswickareaswillresultinthethreeyearsofcompleteandvaliddatanecessaryfordesignation.Therefore,EPAintendstodesignatethecountiesinthesethreeareasasunclassifiable.ATechnicalSupportDocument,whichprovidesadditionaldetailregardingthestatusofdataforGeorgiaandtherationaletosupporttheEPA'suncJassifiabledesignations,isenclosedandisalsoavailableontheEPA'swebsiteathttp://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/2012standards/state.htm.IfGeorgiahasadditionalinfonnationfortheEPAtoconsider,pleasesubmitittousbyOctober29,2014.TheEPAintendstodesignatetheremainderoftheStateofGeorgiaasunclassifiable/attainment.TheEPAwillmakeitspreliminarydesignationdecisionsandsupportingdocumentationavailabletothegeneralpublicforreviewandcomment.Wewillbeannouncinga30-daypubliccommentperiodshortlyintheFederalRegister.Afterconsideringtheadditionalinformationwereceive,theEPAplanstopromulgatefinalannualPM2.sdesignationsinDecemberof2014forallnon-deferredareas.TheEPAiscommittedtoworkingwiththestatesandtribestosharetheresponsibilityofreducingPM2.sairpollution.Currentandupcomingfederalstandardsandsafeguards-includingpollutionreductionrulesforpowerplants,vehicles,andfuels-willensuresteadyprogresstoreducePM2.sformingpollutionandwillprotectpublichealthincommunitiesacrossthecountry.Welookforwardtoa continued

dialogue

with

you

and your

staff

as we work together

to implement

the 2012 annual

PM2

. s standard.

Should

you have

any questions,

please

do

not hesitate

to contact

me

at (404) 562·8357,

or Beverly

H. Banister,

Director,

Air Pesticides

and Toxics Management

Division,

at (404) 562·9077,

or have

your

staff contact

Scott Davis,

Chief,

Air Planning

Branch,

at (404) 562·9127

. Sincerely, **~~**

**~** Regional Administrator cc:

Judson

H. Turner, Director,

EPD Keith Bentley,

Director,

Air Protection

Branch,

EPD Janet

G. McCabe,

Acting Assistant Administrator

for Air

and Radiation Stephen

D. Page, Director,

Office

of Air Quality Planning

and Standards