Governor of West Virginia

1900 Kanawha Boulevard East

Charleston, West Virginia 25305Dear Governor Tomblin:

Thank you for your December 14, 2009 recommendations on air quality designations for the

revised 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone throughout West Virginia.I appreciate the information West Virginia shared with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) as we move forward to improve ozone air quality. This letter is to notif’ you of EPA’s

preliminary response to West Virginia’s recommendations and to inform you of our approach for

completing the designations for the revised ozone standards.

On March 12, 2008, EPA revised its NAAQS for ground-level ozone to provide increased

protection of public health and the environment. EPA lowered the primary 8-hour ozone standard

from 0.08 parts per million (ppm) to 0.075 ppm to protect against health effects associated with ozone

exposure, including a range ofserious respiratory illnesses and increased premature death from heart

or lung disease, EPA revised the secondary 8-hour ozone standard, making it identical to the primary

standard, to protect against welfare effects, including impacts on sensitive vegetation and forested

ecosystems.

History shows us that better health and cleaner air go hand-in-hand with economic growth.

Working closely with the states and tribes, EPA is implementing the standards using a common sense

approach that improves air quality and minimizes the burden on state and local governments. As partofthis routine process, EPA is working with the states to identif’ areas in the country that meet the

standards and those that need to take steps to reduce ozone pollution. Within one year after a new or

revised air quality standard is established, the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires the Governor of each state

to submit to EPA a list of all areas in the state, with recommendations for whether each area meets the

standard. As a first step in implementing the 2008 ozone standards, EPA asked states to submit theirdesignation recommendations, including appropriate area boundaries by March 12, 2009. In

September 2009, EPA announced it was reconsidering the 2008 ozone standards. EPA later took steps

to delay the designation process for the 2008 ozone standards pending outcome ofthe reconsideration.However, in September 2011 • the Office of Management and Budget returned to EPA the draft final

rule addressing the reconsideration ofthe 2008 ozone standards. On September 22, 2011, EPArestarted the implementation effort by issuing a memorandum to clarify for state and local agencies thestatus ofthe 2008 ozone standards and to outline plans for moving forward to implement them. EPAindicated that it would proceed with initial area designations for the 2008 standards, and planned to use

the recommendations states made in 2009 as updated by the most current, certified air quality data

from 2008-20 10. While EPA did not request that states submit updated designation recommendations,EPA provided the opportunity for states to do so.
other relevant technical information, including 2008-20 10 air quality data, EPA intends to designatethe entire state of West Virginia as unclassifiable/attainment.

If West Virginia has additional information that you would like EPA to consider, please submit

it to us by February 29, 2012. EPA will also make its preliminary designation decisions andsupporting documentation available to the general public for review and comment. We will be

announcing a 30-day public comment period shortly in the Federal Register. After considering

additional information we receive, EPA plans to promulgate final ozone designations in spring of2012.

EPA is committed to working with the states and tribes to share the responsibility ofreducing

ozone air pollution. Current and upcoming federal standards and safeguards, including pollution

reduction rules for power plants, vehicles and ftiels, will assure steady progress to reduce ozoneforming pollution and will protect public health in communities across the country.

We look forward to a continued dialogue with you and your staff as we work together to

implement the 2008 ozone standards. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact meor have your staff contact Mrs. Jessica Greathouse, EPA’s West Virginia Liaison, at (304) 224-3181.

Sincerely,

wL

“Shawn M. Garvin

Regional Administrator

cc: The Honorable Randy Huffman, Secretary

West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection