Proposed Fine Particulate Nonattainment Designation Recommendations; Public Meetings [37 Pa.B. 6179]
[Saturday, November 17, 2007]The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) is seeking public comment on its proposed recommendations to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the designation of areas not meeting the revised 24-hour health-based National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for fine particulates (PM2.5). Reducing concentrations of this pollutant is important because levels above the health-based standard are a serious human health threat and also can cause or contribute to other negative environmental impacts.
The EPA established a revised NAAQS for PM2.5 in October 2006. The daily (24-hour) standard for PM2.5 was made more protective and changed from 65 micrograms per square meter of air (µg/m3) to 35 µg/m3. An area does not attain the 24-hour standard if the 98th percentile 24-hour concentration averaged over 3 years is more than 35 µg/m3. Following promulgation of new or revised air standards, states are given the opportunity to submit recommendations for attainment/nonattainment areas, supported by most recent quality-assured monitoring data.
The Department will be submitting recommendations based on air quality monitoring data for 2004-2006, in December 2007. The Commonwealth proposed to recommend to the EPA that boundaries for the designated nonattainment areas generally follow the existing planning areas for the annual fine particulate standard with some exceptions. Where additional areas are recommended for designation because their air quality is above the 24-hour standard, the Department has taken air quality monitoring, emissions sources and demographic data into account in its recommendations for the boundaries of the areas. The EPA is expected to make final designations in December 2009. The Department would then have 3 years to develop a plan for any areas designated as nonattainment to meet the NAAQS. This proposal is available on the Department's website at www.depweb.state.pa.us (DEP Keywords: Air Quality Home) or through the contact persons listed.
The Department will hold informational meetings to discuss its proposed recommendations at the following times and locations:
Monday, November 26, 2007, at 10 a.m.
Department of Environmental Protection
Southcentral Regional Office
909 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110Tuesday, November 27, 2007, at 1 p.m.
Department of Environmental Protection
Southwest Regional Office
400 Waterfront Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15222Wednesday, November 28, 2007, at 1 p.m.
Department of Environmental Protection
Southeast Regional Office
2 East Main Street
Norristown, PA 19401Persons with a disability who wish to attend a meeting and require an auxiliary aid, service or other accommodation to participate in the proceeding should contact Yvette House, P. O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105, (717) 787-9495 or yhouse@state.pa.us. TDD users may contact the AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 to discuss how the Department can best accommodate their needs.
Written comments on the recommendations should be sent to Tim Leon-Guerrero, Air Resource Management Division, Bureau of Air Quality, P. O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8468, tleonguerr@state.pa.us (preferred), by 4 p.m. on December 7, 2007. Written comments and e-mail submittals must include the name, affiliation (if any), mailing address and telephone number of the interested person.
KATHLEEN A. MCGINTY,
Secretary[Pa.B. Doc. No. 07-2092. Filed for public inspection November 16, 2007, 9:00 a.m.]
