1. EPA’s Proposed Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standard (PM2.5 NAAQS)
Air Quality Committee Meeting
July 11, 2012
Donnie Redmond
Ambient Monitoring Section Chief
(pinch-hitting for Planning)

2. PM2.5 Standard Proposal signed June 14 Published June 29
Part of a consent decree to issue the final standard before the end of the year

3. PM2.5 Primary Standards Existing Standards
1997 Annual standard 15 μg/m3
hour standard 35 μg/m3
Final Risk Assessment, March 2010
Consider annual standard 10–13 μg/m3
Consider daily standard 25–35 μg/m3
2012 Proposed
Revise annual standard to 12–13 μg/m3
Leave daily standard at 35 μg/m3

4. How will it affect NC? Based on 2009-2011 data
Daily standard (35 μg/m3)
All below 25 μg/m3
Annual standard (12-13 μg/m3 )
Highest value is 11.2 μg/m3
Designations will be based on either or data

5. 2009-2011 Annual PM2.5 Design Values

6. PM2.5 Secondary Standard – Visibility (New!)
Proposes a separate visibility standard
30 deciviews or 28 deciviews
Deciview
Is a visibility index
Similar to the Regional Haze Program
Uses speciated PM2.5 data and relative humidity to calculate light extinction
24-hour averaging time; a 90th percentile form averaged over 3 years

7. Visibility standard Not limited to urban areas
Any speciated monitor is eligible, including Federally-operated ones
Our preliminary estimates show we will attain
EPA has not released their calculations

8. Impacts on permits
EPA is proposing to grandfather preconstruction permitting applications that have made substantial progress through the review process at the time the final standards are issued

9. How will new standards impact DAQ?
Establish near-road monitors
Charlotte and Raleigh by January 2014
Possibly Durham and Greensboro in out years
Need to review data from Federally- operated monitors (apply to visibility)

10. What’s next? Comment period Ends August 31 Public hearings
Philadelphia, July 17
Sacramento, July 19
Final rule
Issued by December 14, 2012
Designation recommendations
December 2013

11. Questions? Ask Sushma or Laura Sushma Masemore (919) 707-8700
Laura Boothe
(919)
Donnie Redmond