THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

The Honorable Rosemary Morillo Chairperson of Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians P.O. Box 487 San Jacinto, California 92581 Dear Chairperson Morillo: WASHINGTON , D
. C

. 20460

I would like to summarize the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recent action to address fine

particle pollution on your reservation. As required by the Clean Air Act, the EPA has determined which areas are meeting the national ambient

- air-quality standards for fine-particle pollution and which areas must take steps to reduce em issions that contribute to violations of the standard. The EPA on Decemb er 14, 2012, strengthened the annual, health-based fine-particle standard from 15.0 micrograms per cubic meter ( f.l g/m3) to 12.0 11g/m 3

. Thousands of scientific studies have linked expos ure to these tiny particle s - approximate ly 1/30th the size of a human hair

- with serious health problems including premature death in people with heart and lung disease, nonfatal heart attacks and increased hospital admission s and doctor and emergency-room visits for respiratory and cardiovascular disease. I appreciate the information you and your staff have shared with the EPA throughout this process to assess fine-particle-pollution levels in communities across your reservation and the impact of emission sources that could be contributing to unhealthy air
. After reviewing the most recent certified fin eparticle air-quality data for the state of California and evaluating factor s to assess contribution to nearby lev el s of fine particle pollution, I have determined that some areas in California do not meet the 2012 annual fine particle standard or they contribute to a nearby violation of the standard. The EPA is designating those areas "nonattainment." Some of these areas also include areas oflndian country, including the reservation of the Soboba Band of Lu iseno Indians. Nonattainment areas will be required to take action to reduce fine-particle pollution and meet the sta ndard no later than 2021. As required by the Clean Air Act, those actions may include stricter controls on industrial facilities and additional planning requirements for transportation-related sources. While tribes are not required to take actions , the EPA will work with tribes to develop plans as necessary or appropriate to ensure tribal areas meet the s tandard no later than 2021. Because air-quali ty monitorin g for 2014 i s near ly complete , the EPA, at a tribe's request, will evaluate the status of an area based on its annual fine-particle-monitoring data for 2012-14. If you would like the EPA to re-evaluate any areas within your reservation , please submit complete , quality-assured and certified air-quality data for 2014 to the EPA by February 27,2015. I recognize that the EPA s hares responsibility with the states and tribes for managing particle-pollution levels. Efforts by states and tribes to attain the 1997 and 2006 fine-particle-pollution standards are already working to reduce unhealthy levels of fine-particle pollution. In addition, current and upcoming

This paper is printed with vegetable-oil - based inks and is 100-percent postconsumer recycled material , chlorine-free-processed and recyclablefederal standards and safeguards , including pollution-reduction rules for power plants , vehicles and fuels will ensure steady reductions of fine-particle pollution and will protect public health in commun iti es across the nation. Together we h ave made considerable progr ess in reducing fine-particle pollution. Nationw id e moni to r ed l eve l s of fine-particle pollution have fallen 34 percent s in ce 2000 when we first began such monitoring for particles of this size. I am confident this progress will continue as we work toward our shared goa l of clean air.

For addi t ional information about these designations , please visit www.epa.gov / pmdesignations. · J cerely, ;a;;v