i.+!,':ig¡l;:;Re:SecretaryosOrderNo.2012-A-0042REVISIONSTODELAWARESTATEIMPLEMENTATIONPLANFORREDESIGNATIONREQUESTSANDMAINTENANCEPLANSUNDERTHE1997ANNUALAND2006DAILYF'INEPARTICULATEMATTERNATIONALAMBIENTAIRQUALITYSTANDARDSDateofIssuance:November27,2012EffectiveDate:November27,2012ThisOrderoftheSecretaryoftheDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandEnvironmentalControl(Department)approvestwoproposedrevisionstotheDelawareStateImplementationPlan(SIP).TherevisionsreflectsignificantimprovementsinNewCastleCounty'sairqualitythatallowDelawaretoseektheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency's(EPA)redesignationofNewCastleCounty'sairqualitystatusfrom'ononattainment"to"attainment"forthe1997annualand2006dailyfineparticulatematter(PMz.s)NationalAmbientAirQualityStandards(NAAQS),asadoptedbyEPA.BackgroundTheDepartmentadministersDelaware'sSIP,whichreviewsandreportstoEPAontheprogresstakentohaveDelaware'sairqualitymeetthefederalstandards.TheSIPprovidesEPAwithairqualitydata,regulations,sourcespecificrequirements,plansandemissioninventoriesonDelaware'scurrentandfi.rturecompliancewithfederalrequirementssuchasNAAQS.Delaware'sSIP,asapprovedbyEPA,iscodifiedwithinEPA'sregulationsat40C.F.R.Part52,SubpartI.TheproposedPMzsSIPrevisionsforthe2006dailyand1997annualNAAQSwerepreparedbyexpertswithintheDepartment'sDivisiono1'AirQuality,AirQualityManagementSection(AQMS).'I'heDepartmentprovidedpublicnoticeandanopportunitytobeheardatanOctober23,2012publichealing,andtheDepartmentreceivedcommentslronEPA.NomemberofthepublicattendedthepublichearingandtheDeparhent'sSIPrcvisionsdatedOctober23,2012,asattachedtothehearingoflicer'sreportandasincorporatedherein,reflectEPA'scomments.-lheDepartrnent'spresidinghearingol1ìcerrecommendsthattheproposedPM25SIPrevisionsforannualanddailyPMzsdatedOclober23,2012beapprovcdbyanOrderoftheDepartmentandthattheapprovedPM25SIPrevisionsbesubmiltedtoEl,Aforitsapproval.FindingsandIlcasonsTheDepartmcntfindsthattherecordsupportsapprovaloftheOctober'23,2012PMu.sSIPrevisionsfordailyandannualNAAQS.'l'heSIPrevisionssetforththeregulatorystepsthatl)elawarchastakentoimproveairquality1omeetPM25dailyandannualNAAQS.ThePMz.sSIPrevisionsdescribetheairmonitoringdataandtheinventoryofsourcesofemissions.'lhePMzsSIPrevisionsexplainthattheairqualitymonitoringdcmonstratethatNewCaslleCounty'sairqualityshouldbechangedfrom"nonall.ainment"to"attainment"forfinePMemissions,whichincludes"anyairborneparlicleofsolidorliquidmatterthatislessthanolequalto2.5micrometersindiameter."T'hePM25SIPrevisionsexplainthalthePMzspollutantstandardismeasuredasthesumofallpollutantsthathavcdiameterslessthan2.5micromelers,whichisasizeequaltoaboutl/3011'thediameteroi'ahumanhair.EPAdesignatedNewCastleCounty(andtheotherareaswithinIIPA'sPhiladelphia-Wilmington,PA-NJ-DEairqualityattainmentarea)asbeingin"nonattainmcnt"ofthelìnePMstandard,andthisOrderapprovestherepofltohavcËPAchangethedesignationsto"attainment."Therequestedredesignationsarebasedupontheairmonitoringresultsandregulatorystepslakentoreduoeairpollutants.particularlynitrogenoxidesandsullurdioxideairernissions,thataresignifìcantcontributorstoPMpollutionthatcausedthenonattajnmenldesignation.Significanrreductionsinsullirdioxideandnitrogenoxidesemissionswererealizedthroughfederalandstateregulaloryefforts.Thescefloltsinclude:l)l)epaúmentRegulation1146,7DI:aAdminCode1146,whichirnposedloweremissionlimitsforpollutantsemittedbylargecoalburningelectricgeneratingunits,2)numerousonandoffroadregulationsthereducedemissionsfrommobilesources,and3)thercgulatoryaclionincourtviaaConsentDecreetocurbairpollutionfromtheDelawareCityRel'ìnery.'fhePMzs.SIPrevisionsalsosetforlhmaintenanceplansthatdemonstrateDelaware'scontinuedcompliancewiththefinePMlimitsinthefuturethrough2025.-fhesemaintenanceplanssetsfortheresponsetoanyviolationorexceedenceinthePMIimitsthalincludestheneoessaryregulatoryactionsthatmaybetakentor.emainincornpliancewiththeattainmentdesignation.TherecordestablishesthatthePM25SIPrevisionsshouldbeapprovedbascduponDelaware'ssucoessfuleffortstoimproveairqualityandreducefineparticulalcemissionstomeettheBPAlimits.'l'heredesignationswillrefleclNewCastleCounly'simprovcdairqualityandbeconsislentwiththcimplovementsalsoaohievedwithinEPA'sentircPhiladelphiaregionthatinoludesthePennsylvaliacounliesofBucks,Chester,Delaware,MonlgomeryandPhiladelphia,andthcNewJerseycounliesofBurlington,Camdenand(ìloucester.'fheSIPrevisionsaresignificanttoDelawarel'orseveralreasons.Filst,theredesignalionswillvalidateNewCastleCounty'simprovedairquality,andwilleliminatetheadvelseconsequencesofbeinganonattainmentareatothosewholiveandwolkthet'enowandtothosewhomaywanttolivcandworkinNewCastleCounty.Seoond,theredesignationswillreflectthesucoessol'theDepartment'smanyregulatoryefl'ortstakentoimproveairqualityandtheachievementofthegoalofattainingthePMNAAQS.'l'hitd,theredesignationswillenhanceNewCastlcCounty'sabilitytoretainindustryandtoattractinduslrythatmaylequireairpermilsfornewandmodifiedmajotstationarysources.'l'heredesignationswillchangeintheairpermitprooessbecausenewormodifiedstalionarysourceswillnolongerberequiredtomeetthcfederalandstateNewSourceReview(NSR)permitrequirernentsthatappliestononaltainmentareas.Instead,newolmodifiedsourceswillfollowpermitrcquircmentsforPreventionofSignificantl)eterioration(PSD),whichwillprotecttheairqualityandallowNewCastleCountytôcontinuetomeetthePM2sNAAQS.'l'hel)epartmentfìndsthatthePMzsSIPrevisionsshouldbeadoptedandsubmittedtoDPAforapproval.ApprovalofthePM2.sSIPrevisionsinfinalissupportedbytherecordandconsistentwiththeDepaltment'sdelcgateddutiesunderthefederalCleanAirAct.Inconclusion,thefollowingfìndingsandoonclusionsareentered:1.'l'heDepartmentfindstheproposedOclober23,2012PM2sSIPrevisionsarewellsupportedbytherecordandshouldbeadoptedasafinalPM2sSIPrcvisions;