THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Th e Honorable Luther Salgado S r. Chai rman of Cahuilla Band of Ind ians P.O. Box 391760 Anza, California 92539 Dear Chai rman Salgado: WASHINGTON , D
. C
. 20460



### ~DEC 

## 1 

# 8 2014

I wou ld like to summarize th e U.S. Environm ental Protection Agency's recent action to address fin eparticle pollution on your reservation. As required by the Clean 

### Air Act, the EP A has determined which areas are meeting the nat ional a mbient-air-qu ality standards for fine-particl e pollution and which areas must take s teps to reduce emiss ions that contribute to vio lations of the standard. The EPA on December 14 ,2 012, strengthened th e annual, health-bas ed fin e -particle s tandard from 1 5.0 micrograms per cubic mete r ( f..l g/m 3 ) to 1 2.0

**~L g/m** 

**.** Thousands of sc ientific s tudie s have linked exposure to these tiny particle s - approximately l/30th th e s ize of a human hair- with se rious health problem s inc ludin g prematur e death in people with heart and lun g di seas e, nonfatal heart attacks and i ncreased ho s pital admiss ions and doctor and emergency-room visits for respiratory and cardi ovascular d isease. I appreciate the inf ormation you and y ou r staff have share d w ith the EPA throughout thi s pro c e ss to assess fine -p article-pollution levels in communities across your res ervation and the impact of emission sou r ces that could be co ntr ibuting to unhealthy air. After revi ewing th e most recent cert ified fineparticle air-quality data f o r the s tate of Californi a and evaluating factors to assess cont ribu ti on to nearby levels of fine particl e pollution, I have determin ed that some areas in California do not meet the 2012 annual fine particle standard or they contribute to a ne arby vio lation of the s tandard. The EPA is d es ig nating those areas "no nattainment. " Some of these areas also includ e areas of Ind ian coun try, including the reservation of the Cahuilla Band of Indians. Nonattainment areas w ill be required to take ac tion to reduce fine-particle po llution and meet the standard no later than 202 1. As required b y the Clean Air Act, tho se actions may include st rict er cont ro l s on industrial facilities and additional planning requirements for transportation-related sources. While tribes are not required to take actions, the EPA w ill work w i th tribes to d eve lo p plans a s nece ssary o r appropriate to ensure tribal areas meet the s ta nd a rd no later than 2 0 2 1
. Because air-quality monito rin g f or 2014 is nearl y co mplete , the EPA , at a trib e's reques t, will evaluate th e stat u s of an area based on it s annual fine-particle-monitoring data for 20 12-14. If yo u would like th e EPA to re-evaluate any areas within yo ur r eservat ion , p lease s ubmit complete, qua lity - ass ured and cert ified air-quality data for 2014 to the EP A by F ebruary 27, 20 1 5. I recognize that the EPA s hares responsibility w ith the states and tribes for managing particle-pollu tio n levels. Ef forts b y s tates an d tribes to attain the 1 997 and 200 6 fine-particle-p o llution s tandards are a lready work in g to reduce unh ea lthy levels of fine-part icl e pollution. In addition , current and upcomin g

This paper is printed with vegetable-oil-based inks and is 100-percent postconsumer recycled material
. chlorine-free - processed and recyclable
.federa l standards and safeguards, including pollution-reduction rules for power plants, ve hicles and fuels will ensure stea d y reductions of fine-particle pollution and will protect public health in communities across the nation. Together we have made considerab l e progress in redu c in g fi n e-particle po ll ution. Nat i onw i de monitored levels of fine-particle pollution have fallen 34 percent since 2000 when we first began such monitoring for particles of this size. I am confident this progress w ill con tinu e as we work toward our shared goal of clean air.

For additional information about these designa t i ons, please visit www.epa.gov / pmdesignat i ons. **cere y,**  --------- **~1./**