UNITEDSTATESENVIRONMENTALPROTECTIONAGENCYREGION4TheHonorableNildciHaleyGovernorofSouthCarolinaOfficeoftheGovernor1205PendletonStreetSouthCarolina29201DearGovernorHaley:ATLANTAFEDERALCENTER61FORSYTHSTREETATLANTA,GEORGIA30303-8960AUG1 92014ThankyoufortheletterdatedDecember12,2013,fromCatherineB.Templeton,Director,SouthCarolinaDepartmentofHealthandEnvironmentalControl,providingyourrecommendationsofairqualitydesignationsforthe2012revisedprimaryannualfineparticle(PM2.s)NationalAmbientAirQualityStandard (NAAQS)throughoutSouthCarolina.IappreciatetheinformationSouthCarolinasharedwiththeU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyaswemoveforwardtoimprovePM2.sairquality.ThisletteristonotifyyouoftheEPA'spreliminaryresponsetoSouthCarolina'srecommendationandtoinformyouofourapproachforcompletingtheinitialareadesignationsforthe2012revisedprimaryannualPM2.sstandard.OnDecember14,2012,theEPApromulgatedarevisedprimaryannualPM2.sNAAQS(78FR3086,January15,2013).Inthataction,theEPArevisedtheprimaryannualPM2.sstandard,strengtheningitfrom15.0microgramspercubicmeter(J.tg/m3)to12.0J!g/m3;retainedtheexisting24-hourPM2.sstandardat35pg/m3;retainedtheexisting24-hourPMto(coarseparticle)standardat150Jlg/m3;andretainedthecurrentsuiteofsecondaryPMstandards.TheEPArevisedtheprimaryannualPM2.sstandardbasedonanintegratedassessmentofanextensivebodyofnewscientificevidence,whichsubstantiallystrengthensourbodyofknowledgeregardingPM2.s-relatedhealtheffects.TherevisedprimaryannualPM2.sstandardwillprovideincreased protectionforchildren,olderadults,personswithpre-existingheartandlungdisease,andotherat-riskpopulationsagainstanarrayofPM2.s-relatedadversehealtheffects,includingprematuremortality,increasedhospitaladmissionsandemergencydepartmentvisits,anddevelopmentandexacerbationofchronicrespiratorydisease.Historyshowsusthatbetterhealthandcleanerairgohand-in-handwitheconomicgrowth.Workingcloselywiththestatesandtribes,theEPAisimplementingthestandardsusingacommonsenseapproachthatimprovesairqualityandminimizestheburdenonstate,local,andtribalgovernments.Aspartofthisroutineprocess,theEPAisworkingwiththestatesandtribestoidentifyareasinthecountrythatmeetthestandardsandthosethatneedtotakestepstoreducePM2.sairpollution.Withinoneyearofpromulgatinganeworrevisedairqualitystandard,theCleanAirAct(CAA)requirestheInternetAddress(URL)•http://www.epa.govRecyled/Recyclable•PrintedwithVegetableOilBasedInksonRecycledPaper(Minimum30%PostconsumerlGovernorofeachstatetosubmittotheEPAalistofallareasinthestate,withadesignationrecommendationforeachareaAsafirststepinimplementingthe2012annualPM2.sstandard,Governorsweretosubmittheirdesignationrecommendations,includingappropriateareaboundaries,byDecember13,2013.AsrequiredbytheCAA,theEPAthenpromulgatesdesignationsforallareasacrossthecountry.TheEPAdesignatesanareaas"nonattainment"ifitisviolatingthe2012annualPM2.sNAAQSorifitiscontributingtoaviolationoftheNAAQSinanearbyarea.ConsistentwithdesignationsforpreviousPM2.sstandards,theEPAintendstouseadesignationcategoryof''unclassifiable/attainmenf'forareasthataremonitoringattainmentordonothavemonitors,butforwhichtheEPAhasreasontobelievearelikelyattainmentandarenotcontributingtonearbyviolations.Additionally,theEPAintendstodesignateas''unclassifiable''thoseareaswheretheEPAcannotdeterminebasedonavailableinformationwhethertheareaismeetingtheNAAQSorwheretheEPAhasnotdeterminedthattheareacontributestoanearbyviolation.Atthistime,theEPAisproceedingwithintendedinitialareadesignationsusingquality-assured,certifiedairqualitymonitoringdataformostareasfrom2011to2013.TheEPAhasconsideredtheannualPM2.sdesignationrecommendationsubmittedbySouthCarolinaonDecember12,2013,andhasreviewedtherelevanttechnicalinformation,including2011-2013airqualitydata.Thesedatadonotindicateanyviolationofthe2012annualPM2.sNAAQSinSouthCarolina.However,fortheAugustaarea(ofwhichAikenCounty,SouthCarolina,isapart),wecurrentlyhaveinsufficientdatatomakeadeterminationbecauseofmonitoringdataattheGeorgiamonitorinthisarea.WebelievethatanadditionalyearofairqualitymonitoringdatafromtheGeorgiamonitorinthisareawilllikelyresultinthreeyearsofcompleteandvaliddataneededforadesignation.Accordingly,theEPAintendstodeferadesignationandusetheadditionaltimeavailabletoitasprovidedundersection107(d)(1)(B)oftheCAAtoassessthesedataandpromulgateaninitialareadesignationforAikenCounty,SouthCarolina.TheEPAintendstodesignatetheremainderoftheStateofSouthCarolinaasunclassifiable/attainment.TheEPAwillmakeitspreliminarydesignationdecisionsandsupportingdocumentationavailabletothegeneralpublicforreviewandcomment.Wewillbeannouncinga30-daypubliccommentperiodshortlyintheFederalRegister.Afterconsideringtheadditionalinformationwereceive,theEPAplanstopromulgatefmalannualPM2.sdesignationsinDecemberof2014forallnon-deferredareas.TheEPAiscommittedtoworkingwiththestatesandtribestosharetheresponsibilityofreducingPM2.sairpollution.Currentandupcomingfederalstandardsandsafeguards-includingpollutionreductionrulesforpowerplants,vehicles,andfuels-willensuresteadyprogresstoreducePM2.sformingpollutionandwillprotectpublichealthincommunitiesacrossthecountry.Welookforwardtoacontinueddialoguewithyouandyourstaffasweworktogethertoimplementthe2012annualPM2.sstandard.Shouldyouhaveanyquestions,pleasedonothesitatetocontactmeat(404)562-8357,orBeverlyH.Banister,Director,AirPesticidesandToxicsManagementDivision,at(404)562-9077,orhaveyourstaffcontactScottDavis,Chief,AirPlanningBranch,at(404)562-9127.cc:CatherineB.Templeton,Director,SCDHECHeatherMcTeerToneyRegionalAdministratorElizabethDieck,Director,EnvironmentalAffairs,SCDHECMyraReece,Chief,BureauofAirQuality,SCDHECJanetG.McCabe,ActingAssistantAdministratorforAirandRadiationStephenD.Page,Director,OfficeofAirQualityPlanningandStandards