### UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Region 1

August 19,2014 The Honorable Deval Patrick Governor ofMassachusetts State House, Room 360 Boston, Massachusetts 0213 3 Dear Governor Patrick: 

### 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100 Boston, MA 02109

- 3912

Thank you for your recommendation dated December 2, 2013 of air quality designatio ns for the 2012 revised primary annual fine particle (PM2 .s) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) throughout Massachusetts. I appreciate the information Massachusetts shared with the U . S. Environmenta l Protection Agency as we move forward to improve PM 2.s air quality. This letter is to notify you ofthe EPA's preliminary response to Massachusetts' recommendation and to inform you of our approach for completing the initial area designations for the 2012 revised primary annual PM 2.s standard. On December 14, 2012, the EPA promulgated a revised primary annual PM2 . s NAAQS (78 FR 3086 , January 15, 20 13). In that action, the EPA revised the p rimary annual PM 2 .s standard , strengthening 

### it from 15.0 micrograms per cubic meter (f.lg/m 3 ) to 12.0 f.lg/m3 ; retained the existing 24-hour PM2.s standard at 35 f.lg/m 3 ; retained the existing 24-hour PM1 o (coarse particle) standard at 150 f.1.g/m 3 ; and retained the current suite of secondary PM standards. The EPA revised the primary annual PM2 .s standard based on an integrated assessment of an extensive body of new sc ientific evidence, which substantially strengthens our body of know ledge regarding PM2 .s-r elated health effects. The revi sed primary annual PM2.s standard will provide increased protection for children, older adults, persons w ith pre-exi sting heart and lung disease, and other at-risk populations against an array of PM2.s -r elated adverse health effects , including premature mortality , increased hospital admissions and emergency department visits, and deve lo pment and exacerbation of chronic respiratory disease. History shows us that better health and cleaner air go hand-in-hand with economic growt h. Working closely with the states and tribes, the EPA is implementing the standards using a commonsense approach that improves air quality and minimizes the burden on state, local , and triba l governments. As part ofthis routine process, the EPA is working with the states and tribes to identify areas in the country that meet the standards and those that need to take steps to reduce PM2.s air pollution. Within one year ofpromulgating a new or revised air quality standard, the Clean Air Act requires the Governor ofeach state to s ubmit to the EPA a li st of all areas in the s tate, with a designation recommendation for each area. As a frrs t step in implementing th e 2012 annual PM2.s standard, Governors were to s ubmit their designa tion recommendations, including appropriate area boundaries, by December 13, 2013.2 As required by the C lean Air Act , the EPA then promulgates designations for all areas across the country. T he EPA designates an area as "nonattainment" if it is violating the 20 1 2 an nual PM2 .s NAAQS or if it is contributing to a violation of the NAAQS in a nearby area. Consistent with designations for previou s PM2 .s standards, the EPA intends to use a des ignation category of "unclassifiable /attainrnent" for areas that are monitoring attainment or do not have monitors, but for which the EPA has reason to believe are likely attainment and are not contributing to nearby violations. Additionally , th e EPA intends to designate as "unclassifiable " those areas where the EPA cannot determine based on available inf o rmation wheth er the area is meeting the NAAQS or where EPA has not determined th at th e area contributes to a nearby violation. At this time, th e EPA is proceeding with intended initial area designations using quality-assured, certified air quality monitoring data from 20 11 to 2013 . We have considered the annual PM2 .s designation recommendations submitted by Massachusetts on December 2, 2013 and have reviewed the relevant technical information, including 2011-2013 air quality data. These data do not indicate any violation ofthe 2012 annual PM2 .s NAAQS in Massachusetts or contribution to any nearby area. Accordingly, the EPA intends to designate the entire state of Massachusetts as unclassifiable / attainmc nt. The EPA will make its preliminary designation decisions and supporting documentation available t o the general public for review and comment. We will be announcing a 30-day public comment period s hortly in the 

### Federal Register. After considering the additional information we receive, the EPA plans to promulgate final annual PM2 .s designations in December of201 4 . The EPA is committed to working with the states and tribes to share the responsibility ofreducing PM2 .s air pollution. Current and upcoming federal standards and safeguards

- including pollution r eduction rules for power plants , vehicles, and fuels- will ensure steady progress to reduce PM2 .sforming pollution and wi ll protect public health in communities across the country. We look forward to a continued dialogue with you and your staff as we work together to implement the 20 1 2 annual PM2 .s s tandard. Should you have any questions, please do not he si tate to contact me, or have your staff contact Alison Simcox of my s taff at 617

- 9 1 8-1684 or simcox.a li son@epa.gov.

cc: David Cash, MA DEP Commiss ioner 

# 11! **~'** I I. Curtis Sp I ding , Regional Administrator, EPA New Eng l and.

Christine Kirby , Director, Bureau ofWaste Prevention, 

### Air 

### & Climate Division Janet G. McCabe , Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Stephen D . Page, Director, Office ofAir Quality Planning and Standards