UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENCYREGION6TheHonorableRickPerryGovernorofTexasPostOfficeBox12428Austin,Texas78711DearGovernorPerry:1445ROSSAVENUE,SUITE1200DALLAS,TEXAS75202-2733OfficeoftheRegionalAdministratorThankyouforyourrecommendationsdatedNovember26,2013,onairqualitydesignationsforthe2012revisedprimaryannualfineparticle(PM2.s)NationalAmbientAirQualityStandard(NAAQS)throughoutTexas.IappreciatetheinformationTexassharedwiththeU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyaswemoveforwardtoimprovePM2.sairquality.ThisletteristonotifyyouoftheEPA'spreliminaryresponsetotherecommendationsfromthestateofTexasandtoinformyouofourapproachforcompletingtheinitialareadesignationsforthe2012revisedprimaryannualPM2.sstandard.OnDecember14,2012,theEPApromulgatedarevisedprimaryannualPM2.sNAAQS(78FR3086,January15,2013).Inthataction,theEPArevisedtheprimaryannualPM2.sstandard,strengtheningitfrom15.0microgramspercubicmeterto12.0f.lg/m3;retainedtheexisting24-hourPM2.sstandardat35retainedtheexisting24-hourPM1o(coarseparticle)standardat150andretainedthecurrentsuiteofsecondaryPMstandards.TheEPArevisedtheprimaryannualPM2.sstandardbasedonanintegratedassessmentofanextensivebodyofnewscientificevidence,whichsubstantiallystrengthensourbodyofknowledgeregardingPM2.s-relatedhealtheffects.TherevisedprimaryannualPM2.sstandardwillprovideincreasedprotectionforchildren,olderadults,personswithpre-existingheartandlungdisease,andotherat-riskpopulationsagainstanarrayofPM2.s-relatedadversehealtheffects,includingprematuremortality,increasedhospitaladmissionsandemergencydepartmentvisits,anddevelopmentandexacerbationofchronicrespiratorydisease.Historyshowsusthatbetterhealthandcleanerairgohand-in-handwitheconomicgrowth.Workingcloselywiththestatesandtribes,theEPAisimplementingthestandardsusingacommonsenseapproachthatimprovesairqualityandminimizestheburdenonstate,local,andtribalgovernments.Aspartofthisroutine process,theEPAisworkingwiththestatesandtribestoidentifyareasinthecou.ntrythatmeetthestandardsandthosethatneedtotakestepstoreducePM2.sairpollution.Withinoneyearofpromulgatinganeworrevisedairqualitystandard,theCleanAirActrequires theGovernorofeachstatetosubmittotheEPAalistofallareasinthestate,withrecommendationsforwheth,erec:tchareameetsthestandard.Asafirststepinimplementingthe2012annualPM2.sstandard,Governorsweretosubmittheirdesignationrecommendations,includingappropriateareaboundaries,byDecember13,2013.AsrequiredbytheCleanAirAct,theEPAthendesignatesanareaas"nonattairunent"ifitisviolatingthe2012annualPM2.sNAAQSorifitiscontributingtoaviolationoftheNAAQSinanearbyarea.ConsistentwithdesignationsforpreviousPM2.sstandards,theEPAintendstouseadesignationcategoryof"unclassifiable/attainment"forareasthataremonitoringattainmentandforareasthatdonotThispaperisprintedwithvegetable-oil-basedinksandis1DO-percentpostconsumerrecycledmaterial,chlorine-free-processedandrecyclable.have monitors

bu t f or whi ch the

E PA has
re as on to

b eli eve are like

l y attainme

n t and are no

t c o ntribu

t ing to nearby

vio

l at io n s. A d di tion ally,

t he
E P A inte

n d s to des

i gna

t e as

" un cl as

s ifi

a ble

" those areas

w he re th
e EPA canno

t determi

n e b as
e d o n ava

i labl

e

i nf orm ati on whether

th
e area

is me eti
n g o r n ot mee ting
th
e NAAQS

o r wh

e re the

E P A
h a s no

t de

t ermined

th at th
e area

c o ntribu

t es

t o a ne ar by

v
i ola

ti on. At thi

s tim

e

, the EPA

is proceeding

w ith int

e nd

e d ini

t ia

l a r e a d esignations
using

q u a lity -assured, certified

a ir qu

a li ty monitoring

d ata fro m 2011

t o 20 13. We ha ve considere

d th
e ann

u al PM2.

s de

s i g nati on

r e c o mmendations

s u bm itt ed by Texas

on Nove

m b e r 26

, 2013, and have

re vie w e d th
e re

l evant techni

c al

i n f o rma

t ion includin

g 20

1 1- 2 013 air qu alit

y d ata. These data do

n ot ind
ic at e a ny

v io

l ation

of the

2 0

1 2 annua

l PM2

. s NAAQS

in T exas

or contrib

u ti o n to any nearby area

. Ac

c ordi

n g ly, the

E P A in te n ds to m o dify the state

o f Tex

a s rec

o mmendation

o f a ttainment

for

s o m
e are

a s of the

s tate and

u nclas

s ifia bl
e / attainment

f or th e r

e ma

i nder
of

t he sta

t e an
d d esignate

all areas

of the

s tat

e as unclassi

fi able/attainment. The EPA will make

its pre lim inary design

a tion

d e c i s i o ns and supportin

g do

c umentation

avai

l able

t o the general public

for rev

i ew an
d comment.

We

w ill be announcing

a 30-day public commen

t per iod sho rtly i n the Federal

Re gis

t e r. Afte

r c onsidering

the

a d ditio
na

l in formation

we

r e cei

v e

, the

E PA plans

to pr omulgate

fma

l ann

u al P M2.s

d esignations

in D ece mber

of

2 0

1 4. The EPA

is committe

d

t o working
with the state

s and tribes

to share

th
e respo

ns ibil

i ty of reducing

PM

2 .s air pollution. Current

and

u pco mi ng federal stand ard

s and safeguards,

i nc

l udin

g pollut

i on reduction rules for power plan

t s,
v e hicles and fuels, will

as

s ure steady progress

to reduce **P~vh.s** forming pollution and will protect

pu bl ic hea lth in co mmunities across
the country

. We

lo ok forward

to

a continued dialogue
with you
an
d yo ur

s ta
f f as we work

t oge the

r to implement

the 2012 annual PM2.s standard. If you have any quest

i ons

, pl
e ase contact

m e a t

( 214) 665

- 2100,

or have your staff contact Mr. Guy Donal

d son

, Chie

f o f the
A ir Planning

S ect

i o n

, at (2

1 4)

- 665-7242. c c

: Please
see

p a ge

3cc: Bryan

W. Shaw, Ph.D. Chai rman

, Texas Commission

on Environmenta

l Quality Richard Hyde

, P.O. Exec utive Director, Texas Commission

on En vironmental

Quali

ty Steve

H ag le

, P.E. Dep

u ty Director

- A ir

, Texas Commission

on
E nvironmental

Q ual

i ty M s. Janet

G. McCabe Acting Assistant Administrator

fo

r Air and Radiation,

U.S. Envi ronmenta

l Pr otec tion Age

n cy Mr. Stephen

D. Page Director,

O ffice
of A ir Qua

li
t y Plann
ing

a nd Standards,

U.S. Environmenta

l P ro tection Age nc
y