UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 10 1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900 Seattle, WA 98101-3140

REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR 

# WN 142010 The Honorable Ted Kulongoski Governorofthe State ofOregon 160 State Capitol 900 Court Street Salem, Oregon 97301-4047

Dear Governor Kulongoski:

Thank you for your recommendations on air quality designations for the revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for lead throughout Oregon. Reducing levels oflead pollution is an important part ofEPA's commitmentto a clean, healthy environment. Lead exposure can cause a range ofadverse healtheffects, most notably in children. Exposures to low levels oflead early in life have been linked to effects on IQ, learning, memory and behavior. This letter is to notify you ofthe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) response to Oregon's designation recommendations, and to inform you ofourapproach for completingthe designations for the revised lead NAAQS.

On October 15,2008,EPA substantially strengthened NAAQS for lead. The new standards, set at 0.15 micrograms percubic meter (llg/m3), are 10 times tighter than the previous standards. In conjunction with strengthening the lead NAAQS, EPA also established new criteria for siting ambient lead monitors. The pre-existing ambient lead monitoring network was inadequate for determining whethermany areas are meeting the revised lead NAAQS. Monitors meeting the new network siting requirements were to begin operation January 1, 2010.

The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires EPA to completethe initial designation process within two years ofpromulgating a new orrevised NAAQS. Ifthe Administratorhas insufficient information to make these designations, EPA has the authority to extend the designation process by up to one year. In light ofthe new monitoring network which will generate additional information in the upcoming year, EPA intends to complete the lead designations in two rounds. In the first round, to be completedby October, 15,2010,EPA is designating as "nonattainment" any area that is violating the 2008 lead NAAQS based on data from the pre-201O monitoring network. For all other areas, EPA is extending the deadline for designations byup to one year so that data from the newly deployed monitors can be considered in making appropriate designation decisions. EPA will complete the second round oflead designations no later than October 15, 2011.

We have reviewed Oregon's October 13,2009, recommendation letter on airquality designations and all the associated technical information for the 2008 lead NAAQS, including, if available, the most recent airquality data from 2007-2009. However, EPAis not intending to complete the initial area designations for your state at this time. Instead, EPA intends to designate all areas in your state byno laterthan October 15, 2011, in the second round oflead designations. Ifyou would like to submit updated recommendations for your areas for our consideration in the second round ofdesignations, we request that you do so by December 15,


# o PrintedonRecycledPaper2010. Forthe second round ofdesignations, we will notify all states and tribes ofour preliminary responses to their recommendations by no laterthan June l7, 2011.

We lookforward to a continued dialogue with you and your staffas we work together to implement the 2008 lead NAAQS. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me, or have your staffcontact Steve Body in the Office ofAir, Waste and Toxics at 206-553-0782. Sincerely,

# ~~,~:-~ DennisJ. McLerran Regional Administrator

Enclosure

cc: AndyGinsberg, Air QualityAdministrator GinaMcCarthy, Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Steven D. Page, Director, Office ofAir QualityPlanning and Standards



# o Printedon RecycledPaper