www.dep.state.fl.us 

## F LORIDA 

## D EPARTMENT OF 

## E NVIRONMENTAL 

## P ROTECTION

BOB MARTINEZ CENTER

2600 BLAIRSTONE ROAD TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 32399

- 2400 RICK SCOTT

GOVERNOR

CARLOS LOPEZ

- CANTERA

LT. GOVERNOR

JONATHAN P. STEVERSON

SECRETARY

Via U.S. Mail and Electronic

- Mail

March 10, 2015

Mrs. Heather McTeer Toney Regional Administrator U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

– Region 4 61 Forsyth Street, SW Atlanta, Georgia 30303

- 8960

Re: Air Program: Proposed Revision to Florida’s State Implementation Plan

– Regional Haze Periodic Progress Report (Proposed SIP Revision 2015

- 02 )

Dear Mrs. Toney:

In accordance with 40 CFR 51.103, the Department of Environme ntal Protection (DEP) requests approval of a proposed revision to Florida’s State Implementation Plan (SIP). The proposed revision consists of the incorporation of Florida’s “Regional Haze Periodic Progress Report” (Progress Report) into Florida’s SIP

.

On August 29, 2013, EPA published in the Federal Register (78 FR 53250) its final approval of Florida’s Regional Haze Plan as a component of Florida’s SIP. Florida’s Regional Haze Plan documents Florida’s long

- term plan for improving visibility in three o f the state’s federal Class I wilderness areas (Everglades National Park, Chassahowitzka National Wilderness Area, and St. Marks National Wilderness Area), as well as assisting with improvement of visibility in Class I

areas located outside of the state. The Plan includes specific “reasonable progress” goals for visibility impr ovement at milestones that begin in 2018. The ultimate goal is to reach background visibility levels in the Class I areas by the year 2064.

Subparagraph 40 CFR 51.308(g) of the regional haze rule requires that states submit periodic reports describing progress towards the reason able progress goals. The first Progress R eport is due five years from the submittal of the state’s initial Regional H aze SIP. Florida’s Progress Report is due to be submitted to EPA not later than March 19, 2015

. As such, this proposed SIP revision is timely filed.

Based on the evidence presented in the progress report, DEP has determined that Florida’s existing Regio nal Haze Plan is sufficient to achieve the 2018 reasonable progress goals and that further revision of the approved plan is not needed at this time. Communication of this determination to EPA by way of this letter satisfies the requirement of 40 CFR 51.30 8(h) for a negative declaration.March 10 , 2015

Page 2 of 2

www.dep.state.fl.us The complete SIP submittal package (hard copy and electronic copy) has been sent directly to the Air Planning Branch. The electronic copy is in a searchable format and is an exact duplicate of the hard copy. The notice o f opportunity to submit comments, request a public hearing, or participate in a public hearing, if requested, regarding the proposed SIP revision was published

on December 24 , 2014, in the F lorida Administrative Register. A copy of this notice is included in the “Public Participation” section of this SIP submittal. N o hearing was requested; therefore, the hearing scheduled for January 27 , 201 5 , was cancelled. Comments were received from EPA and the federal land managers, and DEP’s responses to those commen ts are contained within the SIP submittal package. I hereby certify that the public participation requirements of all applicable state and federal regulations, including those of 40 CFR 51.102, have been satisfied with respect to this proposed SIP revision

.

If you have any questions about DEP’s proposed SIP revision, please contact Preston McLane at (850) 717

- 9089 or by e

- mail at Preston.McLane@dep.state .fl.us

.

Sincerely,

Justin B. Green, Director Division of Air Resource Management

cc (with SIP package): R. Scott Davis, Chief, Air Planning Branch, EPA Region 4