UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION IX

Keeny Escalanti President Quechan Indian Tribe P.O. Box 1899 Yuma, Arizona 85366

Dear President Escalanti: 75 Hawthorne Street San Francisco, CA 94105·3901



## AUG 1 9 2014 OFFICE OF THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR

This letter is to notify you oftheU.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) preliminary decision to designate the Quechan Indian Tribe's area oflndian country as unclassifiable/attainment for the 2012 ammal fine particle National Ambient Air Quality Standard (2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS) and to inform you ofour approach for completing the designations. Although your involvement is not required, we would like to invite youto participate in the designations process and to offer you consultation.

In a letter dated May 22, 2014, the EPA encouraged you to participate in the designations process, request consultation, and submit recommendations ifyou chose to do so. We did not receive a recommendation letter or consultationrequest from you. However, because the EPA is required to designate all areas ofthe country, we intend to promulgate an appropriate designation for your area of Indian country. This is not the final step in the designation process, and you still have time to provide air quality information to the EPA and request consultation. More informationregarding this designation is included below.

After considering relevanttechnical information, including 2011-2013 air quality data, the EPA intends to designate your area ofIndian country as unclassifiable/attainment along with the surrounding area. These data do not indicate any violation ofthe 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS in Quechan's area oflndian country or contributionto any nearby area. Consequently the EPA intends to designate the Quechan's entire area ofIndian country as unclassifiable/attainment. Ifyou have additional information that the EPA should consider, we ask that you submit it to us by October 29, 2014.

Please notify us by September 29, 2014 ifyou are interested in consulting with us regarding the designations process. Whenrequested, consultation will be conducted in accordance with the EPA Policy on Consultation andCoordination with Indian Tribes (www.epa.gov/tribal/consultation/consultpolicy.htm).

As background, on December 14,2012, the EPA promulgated a revised primary ammal PM2.sNAAQS (78 FR 3086, January 15, 2013). Inthat action, the EPA revised the primary annual PM2.s standard, strengthening it from 15.0 micrograms per cubic meter (!lg/m3) to 12.0 !lg/m3; retained the existing 24- hour PM2.s standard at 35 !lglm\retained the existing 24-hour PM1o (coarse particle) standard at 150 !lg/m3; and retained the current suite ofsecondary PM" standards. The EPA revised the primary annual PM2.s standard based on an integrated assessment ofan extensive body ofnew scientific evidence, which substantially strengthens ourbody ofknowledge regarding-PM2.s-related health effects. The revised primary mmual PM2.s standard will provide increasedprotection for children, older adults, persons with

Printed on Recycled Paperpre-existing heart and lung disease, and other at-risk populations against an an·ay ofPM2.s-related adverse health effects, including premature mortality, increased hospital admissions and emergency department visits, and development and exacerbation ofchronicrespiratory disease.

As required bythe Clean AirAct, the EPA promulgates designations for all areas across the country. The EPA designates an area as "nonattainment" ifit is violating the NAAQS or ifit is contributing to a violation ofthe NAAQS in a nearby area. Consistent with designations for previous PM2.s standards, the EPA intends to use a designation category of"unclassifiable/attainment" for areas that are monitoring attainment ordo nothave monitors, and that whichthe EPA has reasonto believe are likely attainment and are not contributing to nearby violations. Additionally, the EPA intends to designate as "unclassifiable" those areas where the EPA either cmmot determine based on available information whether the area is meeting the NAAQS, orhas not determined whether the area contributes to a nearby violation. Atthis time, the EPA is proceeding with intended initial area designations using qualityassured, certified air quality monitoring datafrom 2011 to 2013.

The 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-daypublic commentperiod shortly in the FederalRegister. After considering additional information we receive, the EPAplans to promulgate final annual PM2.s designations in December of2014.

The EPA is committed to working withthe states and tribes to shm·e the responsibility ofreducing PM2

.5 airpollution. Cunent and upcoming federal standards and safeguards- including pollutionreduction rules for powerplants, vehicles, and fuels

- will assure steadyprogress to reduce PM2.s-forming pollution and will protectpublic health incommunities across the country. We look forward to working together with you and your staffto implement the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS. Ifyour Tribe is interested in consultation orparticipating in further discussions ormeetings with the EPA officials about the designations process, please contactme orhave your staffcontact Keny Drake ofmy staffat 415- 947-4157, or drake.kerry@epa.gov. Sincerely,

Jared Blumenfeld

cc: Chase Choate, Environmental Director, Quechan Indian Tribe