The Honorable Nathan Deal 

Office of the Governor 

206 Washington Street 

111 State Capitol 

Atlanta, Georgia 30334 

Dear Governor Deal: 

Thank you for the letters dated December 13,2013, May 30,2014, and June 2, 2014, from Judson H. 

Turner, Director, Georgia Department ofNatural Resources' Environmental Protection Division 

(EPD), providing your recommendations of air quality designations for the 2012 revised primary 

annual fine particle (PMz.s) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) throughout Georgia I 

appreciate the information Georgia shared with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as we move 

forward to improve PMz.s air quality. This letter is to notify you of the EPA's preliminary response to 

Georgia's recommendation and to inform you of our approach for completing the initial area 

designations for the 2012 revised primary annual PMz.s standard. 

On December 14,2012, the EPA promulgated a revised primary annual PMz.sNAAQS (78 FR 3086, 

January 15, 2013). In that action, the EPA revised the primary annual PMz.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 PMz.s 

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

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

standard based on an integrated assessment of an extensive body of new scientific evidence, which 

substantially strengthens our body of knowledge regarding PMz.s-related health effects. The revised 

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

heart and lung disease, and other at-risk populations against an array ofPMz.s-related 

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 hand-in-hand 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 PMz.s air pollution. Within 

one year of promulgating a new or revised air quality standard, the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires the 

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

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

Recyled/Recyclable • Printed with Vegetable Oil Based Inks on Recycled Paper (Minimum 30% Postcansumer) 
recommendation for each area. As a first step in implementing the 2012 annual PMz.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 PMz.s NAAQS or if it is 

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

PMz.s standards, the EPA intends to use a designation category of "unclassifiable/attainment" 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 detennine 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 PMz.s designation recommendations submitted by Georgia on 

December 13, 2013, May 30, 2014, and June 2, 2014, and has reviewed the relevant technical 

infonnation, including 2011-2013 air quality data. EPA does not have sufficient air quality data to 

make detenninations for the Albany, Atlanta, Augusta, Brunswick, Columbus, Savannah, Valdosta, 

and Washington County areas because the monitoring data at the Georgia monitors in these areas is 

incomplete. Because of these data completeness issues, the EPA cannot determine whether these areas 

are or are not meeting the NAAQS based on 2011-2013 data. However, the EPA believes that an additional year of monitoring data from the Georgia monitors in the Augusta, Columbus, Savannah, 

Valdosta, and Washington County areas will likely result in the three years of complete and valid data 

needed for a designation for these five areas. 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 Brooks, Chatham, Columbia, Dougherty, 

Effmgham, Lowndes, Muscogee, Richmond, and Washington Counties. The EPA does not believe that 

an additional year of monitoring data for the Albany, Atlanta, and Brunswick areas will result in the 

three years of complete and valid data necessary for designation. Therefore, EPA intends to designate 

the counties in these three areas as unclassifiable. A Technical Support Document, which provides 

additional detail regarding the status of data for Georgia and the rationale to support the EPA's 

uncJassifiable designations, is enclosed and is also available on the EPA's website at 

http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/2012standards/state.htm. If Georgia has additional infonnation for 

the EPA to consider, please submit it to us by October 29, 2014. The EPA intends to designate the 

remainder of the State of Georgia 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 

d

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Regional Administrator 

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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