UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENCYREGIONIII1650ArchStreetPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania19103-2029TheHonorableEarlRayTomblinDEC092011GovernorofWestVirginia1900KanawhaBoulevardEastCharleston,WestVirginia25305DearGovernorTomblin:ThankyouforyourDecember14,2009recommendationsonairqualitydesignationsfortherevised2008NationalAmbientAirQualityStandards(NAAQS)forozonethroughoutWestVirginia.IappreciatetheinformationWestVirginiasharedwiththeU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)aswemoveforwardtoimproveozoneairquality.Thisletteristonotif’youofEPA’spreliminaryresponsetoWestVirginia’srecommendationsandtoinformyouofourapproachforcompletingthedesignationsfortherevisedozonestandards.OnMarch12,2008,EPAreviseditsNAAQSforground-levelozonetoprovideincreasedprotectionofpublichealthandtheenvironment.EPAloweredtheprimary8-hourozonestandardfrom0.08partspermillion(ppm)to0.075ppmtoprotectagainsthealtheffectsassociatedwithozoneexposure,includingarangeofseriousrespiratoryillnessesandincreasedprematuredeathfromheartorlungdisease,EPArevisedthesecondary8-hourozonestandard,makingitidenticaltotheprimarystandard,toprotectagainstwelfareeffects,includingimpactsonsensitivevegetationandforestedecosystems.Historyshowsusthatbetterhealthandcleanerairgohand-in-handwitheconomicgrowth.Workingcloselywiththestatesandtribes,EPAisimplementingthestandardsusingacommonsenseapproachthatimprovesairqualityandminimizestheburdenonstateandlocalgovernments.Aspartofthisroutineprocess,EPAisworkingwiththestatestoidentif’areasinthecountrythatmeetthestandardsandthosethatneedtotakestepstoreduceozonepollution.Withinoneyearafteraneworrevisedairqualitystandardisestablished,theCleanAirAct(CAA)requirestheGovernorofeachstatetosubmittoEPAalistofallareasinthestate,withrecommendationsforwhethereachareameetsthestandard.Asafirststepinimplementingthe2008ozonestandards,EPAaskedstatestosubmittheirdesignationrecommendations,includingappropriateareaboundariesbyMarch12,2009.InSeptember2009,EPAannounceditwasreconsideringthe2008ozonestandards.EPAlatertookstepstodelaythedesignationprocessforthe2008ozonestandardspendingoutcomeofthereconsideration.However,inSeptember2011•theOfficeofManagementandBudgetreturnedtoEPAthedraftfinalruleaddressingthereconsiderationofthe2008ozonestandards.OnSeptember22,2011,EPArestartedtheimplementationeffortbyissuingamemorandumtoclarifyforstateandlocalagenciesthestatusofthe2008ozonestandardsandtooutlineplansformovingforwardtoimplementthem.EPAindicatedthatitwouldproceedwithinitialareadesignationsforthe2008standards,andplannedtousetherecommendationsstatesmadein2009asupdatedbythemostcurrent,certifiedairqualitydatafrom2008-2010.WhileEPAdidnotrequestthatstatessubmitupdateddesignationrecommendations,EPAprovidedtheopportunityforstatestodoso.AsrequiredbytheCAA,EPAwilldesignateanareaasnonattainmentifitisviolatingthe2008ozonestandardsorcontributingtoaviolationofthestandardsinanearbyarea.Consistentwithdesignationsforpreviousozonestandards,EPAintendstodesignateanareaasunclassifiablelattainmentiftherearecertified,quality-assuredairqualitymonitoringdatashowingtheareaismeetingtheozonestandardsoriftherearenomonitoringdataforthearea,andtheEPAhasnotmadeadeterminationthattheareaiscontributingtoaviolationinanearbyarea.AfterconsideringWestVirginia’sDecember14,2009ozonedesignationrecommendationsandotherrelevanttechnicalinformation,including2008-2010airqualitydata,EPAintendstodesignatetheentirestateofWestVirginiaasunclassifiable/attainment.IfWestVirginiahasadditionalinformationthatyouwouldlikeEPAtoconsider,pleasesubmitittousbyFebruary29,2012.EPAwillalsomakeitspreliminarydesignationdecisionsandsupportingdocumentationavailabletothegeneralpublicforreviewandcomment.Wewillbeannouncinga30-daypubliccommentperiodshortlyintheFederalRegister.Afterconsideringadditionalinformationwereceive,EPAplanstopromulgatefinalozonedesignationsinspringof2012.EPAiscommittedtoworkingwiththestatesandtribestosharetheresponsibilityofreducingozoneairpollution.Currentandupcomingfederalstandardsandsafeguards,includingpollutionreductionrulesforpowerplants,vehiclesandftiels,willassuresteadyprogresstoreduceozoneformingpollutionandwillprotectpublichealthincommunitiesacrossthecountry.Welookforwardtoacontinueddialoguewithyouandyourstaffasweworktogethertoimplementthe2008ozonestandards.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleasedonothesitatetocontactmeorhaveyourstaffcontactMrs.JessicaGreathouse,EPA’sWestVirginiaLiaison,at(304)224-3181.Sincerely,wL“ShawnM.GarvinRegionalAdministratorcc:TheHonorableRandyHuffman,SecretaryWestVirginiaDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection