Susana Martinez 

Governor 

December 6, 2013 

State of New Mexico 

Mr. Ron Curry, Regional Administrator 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VI (6-RA) 

1445 Ross Avenue, Suite 1200 

Dallas, TX 75202-2733 

RECEIVED ·· 5PDL 

AIR PLANNING SEC. 

13 DEC 16 PH 6: 08 

SUBJECT: 2012 Revised Primary Annual Fine Particle (PM2.5) National Ambient Air 

Quality Standard (NAAQS) Area Attainment Designation Recommendation for 

Bernalillo County, New Mexico 

Dear Mr. Curry, 

On December 14, 2012, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson signed the revised 

primary annual fine particle (PM2.5) NAAQS [78 FR 3086, published on January 15, 

2013]. In that action, the EPA revised the primary annual PM2.s standard, 

strengthening it from 15.0 micrograms per cubic meter (~g/m ) to 12.0 ~g/m ; 

retained the existing 24-hour PM2.5 standard at 35 1Jg/m3

; retained the existing 24-

hour PM10 (coarse particle) standard at 150 ~g/m ; and retained the current suite of 

secondary PM standards. Section 107(d)(1) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) stipulates 

that all state governors must submit initial designation recommendations within one 

year of the promulgation of any new or revised NAAQS. Therefore, this letter fulfills 

the Governor's requirement to provide the recommendation for initial designation to 

EPA by December 14, 2013 as it applies to Bernalillo County. 

In conjunction with this revised standard, the EPA has finalized a phased schedule for 

deployment of the PM2.5 monitors at near-road stations and required collocation of a 

minimum of one PM2.5 monitor in each Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) with a 

population greater than or equal to 2.5 million with a near-road N02 monitoring 

station by January 1, 2015. PM2.s monitors at near-road stations must be collocated 

and operational at the remaining CBSAs (i.e., those CBSAs with populations greater 

than or equal to 1 million, but less than 2.5 million) by January I, 2017. The 

population of the CBSA encompassing Bernalillo County is approximately 845,913 

(2008 Census Bureau estimate). Therefore, the City of Albuquerque's Air Quality 

Division (AQD) is not required to install any new PM2.s monitors. 

State Capitol • Room 400 • Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 • 505·476·22oo • fax: 505-476·2226 
Mr. Ron Curry 

2012 Revised Primary Annual PM,, NAAQS Designation Recommendation 

2 

Air Attainment Designation 

Dacambar6, 2013 

The AQD evaluated ambient monitoring data from 2010 through 2012 with respect to 

this revised NAAQS. The design value for the primary annual PM2.s standard, 

calendar year 2012 (evaluating years 2010-2012) was 6.5 )Jg/m3

, placing 

Albuquerque - Bernalillo County at 54.2% of the standard. Hence, all areas of 

Bernalillo County, New Mexico under the jurisdiction of the AQD, as the agent for the 

Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board, comply with the revised 

NAAQS. Therefore, I recommend attainment status for all areas of Bernalillo County, 

New Mexico. 

Should you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to 

contact me. 

Sincerely, 

Susana Martinez 

Governor 

cc: Ryan, Secretary, New Mexico Environment Department 

Michael Vonderheide, Director, Environmental Protection Division, NMED 

Richard Goodyear, Acting Chief, Air Quality Bureau, NMED 

Mayor Richard J. Berry, City of Albuquerque 

Mary Lou Leonard, Director, Albuquerque Environmental Health Department 

Danny Nevarez, Acting Deputy Director, Albuquerque EHD 

Margaret Nieto, Control Strategies Section Supervisor, Air Quality Division, EHD 

Fabian Macias, Air Quality Official, Air Quality Assurance, Monitoring, and 

Vehicle Pollution Management Divisions 

Dr. Dona Upson, Chair, Albuquerque- Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board