UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION Ill



### The Honorable Tom Corbett Governor ofPennsylvania 225 Main Capitol Building Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120
Dear Governor Corbett: 1650 Arch Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-2029



## AUG 19.ZOl4

Thank you for your recommendations, dated December 10, 2013 and July 30, 2014, regarding air quality designations for the 2012 revisedprimary annual fine particle (PM2.s) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) throughout Pennsylvania. I appreciate the information Pennsylvania shared withthe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as we move forward to improve PM2.s air quality. This letter is to notify you ofEPA'spreliminary response to Pennsylvania's recommendations and to inform you ofour approach for completing the initial area designations for the 2012 revised primary annual PM2.s standard.
OnDecember 14,2012, EPApromulgated a revised primary annual PM2.s NAAQS (78 FR 3086, January 15, 2013). In that action, EPA revised the primary annual PM2.s standard, strengthening it from 15.0 micrograms per cubic meter (flg/m3) 

### to 12.0 flg/m3; 

### retained the existing 24-hour PM2.s standard at 35 flg/m3; 

### retainedthe existing 24-hour PM10 (coarse particle) standard at 150 flg/m3; 

### and retained the current suite ofsecondary PM standards. EPA revised the primary annual PM2.s standard based on an integrated assessment ofan extensive body of new scientific evidence, which substantially strengthens our body ofknowledge regarding PM2.srelated health effects. The revisedprimary annual PM2.s standard will provide increased protection for children, older adults, persons with pre-existing heart and lung disease, and other at-riskpopulations against an array ofPM2

.s-related adverse health effects, including premature mortality, increased hospital admissions and emergency department visits, and development and exacerbation ofchronic respiratory disease. History shows us that better health and cleaner air go hand-in-hand with economic growth. Working closely withthe states and tribes, 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 ofthis routine process, 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 PM2.s air pollution. Within one year ofpromulgating a new or revised air quality standard, the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires the Governor ofeach state to submit to EPA a list ofall areas in the state, with a designation recommendation for each area. As a first step in implementing the 2012 annual PM2.s standard, Governors were required to submit their designation recommendations, including appropriate area boundaries, by December 13, 2013.



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As required bythe CAA, EPAthenpromulgates designations for all areas across the country. EPA designates an area as "nonattainment" ifit is violating the 2012 annual PM2.s NAAQS or ifit is contributing to a violation ofthe NAAQS in a nearby area. Consistent with designations for previous PM2.s standards, EPA intends to use a designation category of "unclassifiable/attainment" for areas that are monitoring attainment or do nothave monitors, but for which EPAhas reason to believe are likely attainment and are not contributing to nearby violations. Additionally, EPA intends to designate as "unclassifiable" those areas where EPA cannot determine based on available information whether the area is meeting the NAAQS or where EPA has not determined thatthe area contributes to a nearby violation. Atthis time, EPA is proceeding with intended initial area designations using quality-assured, certified air quality monitoring datafrom 2011 to 2013.
After considering Pennsylvania's December 10, 2013 and July 30, 2014 annual PM2.s designation recommendations and otherrelevanttechnical information, including 2011-2013 air quality data, EPA agrees with Pennsylvania's recommended designations and boundaries regarding the Delaware County and Lebanon County areas, and intends to designate those counties as nonattainment. In addition, EPA intends to modify Pennsylvania's recommended areaboundaries for the Cambria County (Johnstown), Liberty-Clairton (Allegheny County), and Northampton County (Allentown) areas. A Technical Support Document, which provides a detailed analysis to support ourpreliminary decisions, is enclosed and is also available on EPA's website at http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations/2012standards/state.htm. EPA intends to designate all other areas ofthe Commonwealth as unclassifiable/attainment. EPA will continue to work with state officials regarding the appropriate boundaries for the areas in Pennsylvania. If Pennsylvaniahas additional information for EPAto consider, please submit it to us by October 29, 2014.
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 commentperiod shortly inthe 

### Federal Register. After considering the additional information we receive, EPAplans to promulgate final annual PM2

_ s designations inDecember of2014.
EPA is committedto working withthe states and tribes to share the responsibility of reducing PM2.s airpollution. Current and upcoming federal standards and safeguards- including pollutionreduction rules for powerplants, vehicles, and fuels- will ensure steady progress to reduce 

### PM2.s

-forming polI ution and will protec t public 

### health in communities aero 

### s the 

### country. We look forward to a continued dialogue with you and your staffas we worktogetherto implement the 2012 annual PM2.s standard. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, orhave your staffcontact Ms. KinshasaBrown-Perry, EPA's Pennsylvania's Liaison, at (215) 814-5404 or Brown-Perry.Kinshasa@epa.gov.

Regional Administrator

### 3

Enclosure (1)

cc: Honorable 

### E. ChristopherAbruzzo, Secretary PennsylvaniaDepartment ofEnvironmental Protection Joyce Epps, Director Bureau ofAir Quality, PennsylvaniaDepartment ofEnvironmental Protection