S)1)..,.UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENCYREGIONIII1650ArchStreetPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania19103-2029DECTheHonorableMartinJ.O’MalleyGovernorofMarylandStateHouse,100StateCircleAnnapolis,Maryland21401-1925DearGovernorO’Malley:ThankyouforyourMarch10,2009recommendationsonairqualitydesignationsfortherevised2008NationalAmbientAirQualityStandards(NAAQS)forozonethroughoutMaryland.IappreciatetheinformationMarylandsharedwiththeU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)aswemoveforwardtoimproveozoneairquality.ThisletteristonotifyyouofEPA’spreliminaryresponsetoMaryland’srecommendationsandtoinformyouofourapproachforcompletingthedesignationsfortherevisedozonestandards.OnMarch12,2008,EPAreviseditsNAAQSforground-levelozonetoprovideincreasedprotectionofpublichealthandtheenvironment.EPAloweredtheprimary8-hourozonestandardfrom0.08partspermillion(ppm)to0.075ppmtoprotectagainsthealtheffectsassociatedwithozoneexposure,includingarangeofseriousrespiratoryillnessesandincreasedprematuredeathfromheartorlungdisease.EPArevisedthesecondary8-hourozonestandard,makingitidenticaltotheprimarystandard,toprotectagainstwelfareeffects,includingimpactsonsensitivevegetationandforestedecosystems.Historyshowsusthatbetterhealthandcleanerairgohand-in-handwitheconomicgrowth.Workingcloselywiththestatesandtribes,EPAisimplementingthestandardsusingacommonsenseapproachthatimprovesairqualityandminimizestheburdenonstateandlocalgovernments.Aspartofthisroutineprocess,EPAisworkingwiththestatestoidentifyareasinthecountrythatmeetthestandardsandthosethatneedtotakestepstoreduceozonepollution.Withinoneyearafteraneworrevisedairqualitystandardisestablished,theCleanAirAct(CAA)requirestheGovernorofeachstatetosubmittoEPAalistofallareasinthestate,withrecommendationsforwhethereachareameetsthestandard.Asafirststepinimplementingthe2008ozonestandards,EPAaskedstatestosubmittheirdesignationrecommendations,includingappropriateareaboundariesbyMarch12,2009.InSeptember2009,EPAannounceditwasreconsideringthe2008ozonestandards.EPAlatertookstepstodelaythedesignationprocessforthe2008ozonestandardspendingoutcomeofthereconsideration.However,inSeptember2011,theOfficeofManagementandBudgetreturnedtoEPAthedraftfinalruleaddressingthereconsiderationofthe2008ozonestandards.OnSeptember22,2011,EPArestartedtheimplementationeffortbyissuingamemorandumtoclarifyforstateandlocalagenciesthestatusofthe2008ozonestandardsandtooutlineplansformovingforwardtoimplementthem.EPAindicatedthatitwouldproceedwithinitialareadesignationsforthe2008standards,andplannedtousetherecommendationsstatesmadein2009asupdatedbythemostcurrent,certifiedairqualitydatafrom2008-2010.WhileEPAdidnotrequestthatstatessubmitupdateddesignationrecommendations,EPAprovidedtheopportunityforstatestodoso.AsrequiredbytheCAA,EPAwilldesignateanareaasnonattainmentifitisviolatingthe2008ozonestandardsorcontributingtoaviolationofthestandardsinanearbyarea.Consistentwithdesignationsforpreviousozonestandards,EPAintendstodesignateanareaasunclassifiable/attainmentiftherearecertified,quality-assuredairqualitymonitoringdatashowingtheareaismeetingtheozonestandardsoriftherearenomonitoringdataforthearea,andEPAhasnotmadeadeterminationthattheareaiscontributingtoaviolationinanearbyarea.AfterconsideringMaryland’sMarch10,2009ozonedesignationrecommendationsandotherrelevanttechnicalinformation,including2008-2010airqualitydata,EPAintendstosupportMaryland’srecommendedareadesignationsandboundariesfortheBaltimoreandWashington-DC-MD-VAareas.EPAintendstomodifyMaryland’srecommendedareadesignationsfortheHagerstownandUpperEasternShoreareas.Considering2008-2010airqualitydata,EPAintendstodesignatetheseareasasunclassifiable/attainment.Inaddition,EPAhasreviewedMaryland’srecommendationforalargemulti-statenonattainmentareaandhasconcludedthatthisisnotinkeepingwithaplainreadingoftheCAAsection107(d)relatedtothecontributionina“nearby”area.TheCAAhasotherprovisionstoaddressregionaltransport.TheenclosedTechnicalSupportDocumentprovidesadetailedanalysistosupportourpreliminarydecisions.EPAintendstodesignateallotherareasofthestateasunclassifiable!attainment.EPAwillcontinuetoworkwithstateofficialsregardingtheappropriateboundariesfortheareasinMaryland.IfMarylandhasadditionalinformationthatyouwouldlikeEPAtoconsider,pleasesubmitittousbyFebruary29,2012.EPAwillalsomakeitspreliminarydesignationdecisionsandsupportingdocumentationavailabletothegeneralpublicforreviewandcomment.Wewillbeannouncinga30-daypubliccommentperiodshortlyintheFederalRegister.Afterconsideringadditionalinformationwereceive,EPAplanstopromulgatefinalozonedesignationsinspringof2012.EPAiscommittedtoworkingwiththestatesandtribestosharetheresponsibilityofreducingozoneairpollution.Currentandupcomingfederalstandardsandsafeguards,includingpollutionreductionrulesforpowerplants,vehiclesandfuels,willassuresteadyprogresstoreduceozone-formingpollutionandwillprotectpublichealthincommunitiesacrossthecountry.Welookforwardtoacontinueddialoguewithyouandyourstaffasweworktogethertoimplementthe2008ozonestandards.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleasedonothesitatetocontactmeorhaveyourstaffcontactMrs.LindaMiller,EPA’sMarylandLiaison,at(215)814-2068.Sincerely,awnM.GarvinRegionalAdministratorEnclosurecc:TheHonorableRobertM.Summers,SecretaryMarylandDepartmentoftheEnvironment