UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENCYREGION577WESTJACKSONBOULEVARDCHICAGO,IL60604-3590FEB1620'16REPLYTOTHEATTENTIONOF:TheHonorableMichaelR.PenceGovernorofIndiana200W.WashingtonSt.,Rm.206Indianapolis,IN46204DearGovernorPence:ThankyouforyourrecommendationsdatedSeptember16,2015onairqualitydesignationsfortheStateoflndianaforthe2010revisiontotheprimaryNationalAmbientAirQualityStandard(NAAQS)forsulfurdioxide(S02).ReducinglevelsofS02pollutionisanimporiantpartoftheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency'scommitmenttoaclean,healthyenvironment.ExposuretoS02cancausearangeofadversehealtheffects,includingnarrowingoftheairwayswhichcancausedifficultybreathingandincreasedasthmasymptoms.ThisJetteristonotifYyouofEPA'spreliminaryintentionsregardingyourrecommendeddesignations.OnJune3,2010,EPAstrengthenedthehealth-basedor"primary"standardforS02byestablishingastandardfor1-houraverageS02concentrationsatalevelof75partsperbillion.Withinoneyearafteraneworrevisedstandardisestablished,theCleanAirActrequirestheGovernorofeachstatetosubmittoEPAalistofallareasinthestate,withrecommendationsforwhethereachareameetsthestandard.Throughaninteractiveprocess,EPAconsiderstherecommendationsandthenpromulgatesdesignationsforallareasacrossthecountry.OnJuly25,2013,EPAdesignated29areasin16statesasnonattainmentbasedonmonitoredviolations,butdidnotatthattimedesignateotherareas.PursuanttoaMarch2,2015,court-orderedschedule,IEPAmustcompletetheremainingso2designationsbythreespecificdeadlines:July2,2016,December31,2017,andDecember31,2020.Thiscurrentroundofdesignations,tobecompletedbyJuly2,2016,addressestwogroupsofareas:(1)areasthathavenewlymonitoredviolationsofthe2010S02NAAQSbasedonthemostrecentthreecalendaryearsofcertifiedmonitoredambientairqualitydata,and(2)areasthatcontainanystationarysourcethathadnotbeenannouncedasofMarch2,2015,forretirementandthataccordingtoEPA'sAirMarketsDatabaseemittedin2012either(i)morethan16,000tonsofS02or(ii)morethan2,600tonsofS02withanannualaverageemissionrateofatleast0.45poundsofS02/MMBTU.1SierraClubv.McCarthy,No.3-13-cv-3953(Sl)(N.D.Cal.Mar.2,2015).Recycled/Recyclable•PrintedwithVegetableOilBasedInkson100%RecycledPaper(100%Post-Consumer)AftercarefullyconsideringIndiana'srecommendationsandotheravailabletechnicalinformation,EPAintendstodesignateasnonattainmentorunclassifiable/attainmentthefollowingareas,includingthefollowingcountiesorportionsofcounties:IntendedNonattainmentAreaJeffersonCounty*PoseyCounty*IntendedUnclassifiable/AttainmentAreaGibsonCountyLaPorteCountySpencerCountyIntendedNonattainmentCountiesJeffersonCounty(p)*PoseyCounty(p)*IntendedUnclassifiable/AttainmentAreaCountiesGibsonCountyLaPorteCountySpencerCounty(p)*Theasterisk(*)indicatesamodificationtothedesignationthatyouhaverecommended.The(p)indicatesonlyaportionofthecountywillbedesignated.InthecaseofJeffersonandPoseyCounties,wehavebeenworkingwithyourstafftowardestablishingfederallyenforceableemissionlimitsthatwouldsupportdesignationsofunclassifiable/attainmentforrelevantportionsofthesecounties.Thecommissioneroflndiana'sDepartmentofEnvironmentalManagementissuedordersimposingstateenforceablelimitsonthepertinentsources,issuedonJanuaryII,2016andFebruary1,2016.WehavebeenworkingwiththeDepartmenttowardEPAapprovaloftheseorders,sothattheymaybecreditableforourfinaldesignation.TheenclosedTechnicalSupportDocument(TSD)concludesthatiftheseordersbecomefederallyenforceableinatimelyfashion,EPAanticipatesthatitwoulddesignatesuitableportionsofthesecountiesasunclassifiable/attainment.Whileourpresentintentistodesignateonetownshipineachofthesecountiesasnonattainment,webelievefederalenforceabilityoftheorderswouldsupportdesignatingmoresubstantialportionsofthesecountiesasunclassifiable/attainment,asdetailedintheenclosedTSD.TheenclosedTSDprovidesadetailedanalysisthatsupportsourintendeddesignationdecisions.IfyourstatehasadditionalinformationthatEPAshouldconsiderpriortofinalizingthesedesignations,pleasesubmitittousbyApril19,2016.WealsowillbepublishinganoticeintheFederalRegisterannouncinga30-dayperiodforthepublictoprovideinputonEPA'sintendeddesignationdecisions.WewillpromulgatethedesignationsfortheseareasbyJuly2,2016.Wewilldesignateallotherpreviouslyundesignatedareasinthestateonascheduleconsistentwiththeprescribedtimingofthecourtorder,i.e.,byDecember31,2017,orDecember31,2020.Welookforwardtoacontinueddialoguewithyouandyourstaffasweworktogethertocompletetheareadesignationsandimplementthe2010primaryS02standard.Foradditionalinformationregardingdesignations undertheS02standard,pleasevisitourwebsiteatwww.epa.gov/so2designations.Shouldyouhaveanyquestions,pleasedonothesitatetocallme,orhaveyourstaffcontactmeat312-886-3000,orGeorgeCzerniak,Director,AirandRadiationDivision,at312-353-2212orczemiak.george@epa.gov.Sincerely,ActingRegionalAdministratorEnclosurecc:CarolS.Comer,CommissionerIndianaDepartmentofEnvironmentalManagementKeithBaugues,DeputyAssistantCommissionerOfficeofAirQualityIndianaDepartmentofEnvironmentalManagement