Federal Standard Area Designations

This page last reviewed February 19, 2013

WHAT'S NEW

On December 14, 2012, U.S. EPA lowered the federal primary PM2.5 annual standard from 15.0 micrograms per cubic meter to 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter. The new annual standard will be come effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. U.S. EPA made no changes to the primary 24-hour PM2.5 standard or to the seconday PM2.5 standards.

On December 3, 2012, U.S. EPA published a final notice in the Federal Register determining the following 7 areas had attained the 1997 federal 8-hour ozone standard: Amador and Calaveras Counties (Central Mountain Counties), Chico (Butte County), Eastern Kern County (Mojave Desert Air Basin portion of County), Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties (Southern Mountain Counties), Western Nevada County, Sutter County (Sutter Buttes), and Ventura County (excluding the Channel Islands -- Anacapa and San Nicolas islands). The rule is effective January 2, 2013.

On November 15, 2012, the Air Resources Board approved a revision to the infrastructure portion of California's State Implementation Plan (SIP). The proposed Infrastructure SIP was developed in response to U.S. EPA's January 2010 revision to the federal nitrogen dioxide standard and describes the State's resources, programs, and authority to implement and enforce the standard. The SIP revision will be submitted to U.S. EPA by the January 22, 2013, deadline. Additional information is available on ARB's SIP webpage.

On October 19, 2012, U.S. EPA published a proposed rule in the Federal Register revising ambient NO2 monitoring requirements. Currently, near-roadway NO2 montiors are required to be deployed by January 1, 2012; the proposal would establish a phased deployment, with deployment required between January 1, 2014 and January 1, 2017.

On April 30, 2012, U.S. EPA issued final area designations and classifications for the 2008 (0.075 ppm) 8-hour ozone standard. The designations include two new nonattainment areas -- Eastern San Luis Obispo County and the Tuscan Buttes area of Tehama County. The area designations and classifications will be effective July 20, 2012.

Background

The Federal Clean Air Act requires the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) to set national ambient air quality standards (federal standards). The federal standards are further categorized as primary standards and secondary standards. The primary standards are meant to protect public health, whereas the secondary standards are meant to protect the public welfare from any known or anticipated adverse effects.

A complete and current list of federal standards can be found on the U.S. EPA website. A list of nonattainment areas can also be found on the U.S. EPA website.

Pollutant-Specific Activities

OZONE FEDERAL STANDARD

On December 3, 2012, U.S. EPA published a final notice determining the following 7 areas had attained the 1997 federal 8-hour ozone standard: Amador and Calaveras Counties (Central Mountain Counties), Chico (Butte County), Eastern Kern County (Mojave Desert Air Basin portion of County), Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties (Southern Mountain Counties), Western Nevada County, Sutter County (Sutter Buttes), and Ventura County (excluding the Channel Islands -- Anacapa and San Nicolas islands) (Federal Register Notice published December 3, 2012; Final Rule effective January 2, 2013).

On April 30, 2012, U.S. EPA issued final area designations and classifications for the 2008 8-hour ozone standard. The designations include two new nonattainment areas -- Eastern San Luis Obispo County and the Tuscan Buttes area of Tehama County (Federal Register Notice for area designations published May 21, 2012; Federal Register Notice for area classifications published May 21, 2012; Both Final Rules are effective July 20, 2012).

U.S. EPA issued a Final Rule on April 27, 2012, to reclassify Subpart 1 areas under the 1997 8-hour ozone standard (Federal Register Notice published May 14, 2012; Final Rule effective June 13, 2012).

ARB staff submitted initial area designation recommendations in March 2009. EPA delayed implementation of the standard and after reconsideration, invited states to submit revised area designation recommendations, based on more recent data. ARB staff submitted revised recommendations on October 12, 2011. Both the initial and the revised submittal packages and U.S. EPA's response are available on the U.S. EPA website.

In March 2008, U.S. EPA revised the 8-hour ozone standard (Federal Register Notice published March 27, 2008; Final Rule effective May 27, 2008).

More information about activities related to the federal ozone standard can be found on the U.S. EPA website.

SULFUR DIOXIDE PRIMARY FEDERAL STANDARDS

On February 15, 2013, U.S. EPA published notice in the Federal Register of proposed nonattainment designations for the 2010 primary federal sulfur dioxide (SO2) standards. No California areas are included in the proposal; all areas of the State remain undesignated.

On August 3, 2012, U.S. EPA published notice extending the deadline for designating areas with respect to the 2010 primary federal SO2 standard for up to 1 year. U.S. EPA now has until June 3, 2013, to complete the initial designations (Federal Register Notice published August 3, 2012).

ARB staff submitted area designation recommendations on June 20, 2011. The full submittal package is available via the following links:

In June 2010, U.S.EPA revised the primary SO2 standards (Federal Register Notice published June 22, 2010; Final Rule effective August 23, 2010).

Additional information about activities related to SO2 can be found on U.S. EPA's SO2 home page.

NITROGEN DIOXIDE PRIMARY FEDERAL STANDARDS

On November 15, 2012, the Air Resources Board approved a revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) to address the infrastructure requirements for implementing the 2010 federal nitrogen dioxide (NO2) standards. The NO2 Infrastructure SIP was submitted to U.S. EPA in December 2012, and is available on the web. All areas in California are designated as attainment/unclassified for the federal NO2 standards.

U.S. EPA issued final area designations in January 2012 (Federal Register Notice published February 17, 2012; Final Rule effective February 29, 2012).

ARB staff submitted recommended area designations on January 24, 2011. The full submittal package and U.S. EPA's response are available on the U.S. EPA website.

In January 2010, U.S. EPA revised the primary nitrogen dioxide (NO2) standards (Federal Register Notice published February 9, 2010; Final Rule effective April 12, 2010).

Additional information about activities related to NO2 can be found on U.S. EPA's NO2 home page.

SULFUR DIOXIDE & NITROGEN DIOXIDE SECONDARY FEDERAL STANDARDS

In March 2012, U.S. EPA took final action to retain the existing SO2 and NO2 secondary standards (Federal Register Notice published April 3, 2012; Final Rule effective June 4, 2012).

Additional information about activities related to the secondary standards can be found on U.S. EPA's NO2/SO2 secondary standards webpage.

LEAD FEDERAL STANDARD

On May 24, 2012, the Air Resources Board approved a revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) to address attainment of the federal lead standard in the South Coast Air Basin portion of Los Angeles County. This is the only area in California designated as nonattainment for lead. The SIP revision for lead was submitted to U.S. EPA for approval by the June 30, 2012, deadline. Additional information about this item is found on ARB's South Coast Plans webpage. ARB previously submitted a SIP revision addressing the infrastructure requirements for lead. The Lead Infrastructure SIP is also available on the web.
U.S. EPA issued a second set of final area designations on November 8, 2011 (Federal Register Notice published November 22, 2011; Final Rule effective December 31, 2011).
U.S. EPA issued its initial set of final area designations on November 16, 2010 (Federal Register Notice published November 22, 2010; Final Rule effective December 31, 2010).
ARB staff submitted recommended area designations on October 14, 2009. The full submittal package and U.S. EPA's response are available on the U.S. EPA website.
In October 2008, U.S. EPA revised the primary lead standard (Federal Register Notice published November 12, 2008; Final Rule effective January 12, 2009)
Additional information about activities related to lead can be found on U.S. EPA's lead home page.

PM2.5 FEDERAL STANDARDS

On December 14, 2012, U.S. EPA lowered the federal primary PM2.5 annual standard from 15.0 micrograms per cubic meter to 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter. The new annual standard will be come effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. U.S. EPA made no changes to the primary 24-hour PM2.5 standard or to the seconday PM2.5 standards.
Final area designations were based on 2005 through 2007 monitoring data (Federal Register Notice published November 13, 2009; Final Rule effective December 14, 2009).
ARB staff submitted recommended area designations for the revised standard in December 2007; additional information was submitted in 2008. These nonattainment area recommendations were based on 2004 through 2006 monitoring data, and the submittals are available on the U.S. EPA website.
In December 2006, U.S. EPA strengthened the 24-hour PM2.5 standard from 65 ug/m³ to 35 ug/m³ (Federal Register Notice published October 17, 2006; Final Rule effective December 18, 2006).
Additional information about activities related to PM2.5 can be found on both the ARB website and the U.S. EPA website.

Contact Information

Comments and questions related to PM may be sent to:

Ms. Theresa Najita
(916) 322-7297

Comments and questions related to all other air pollutants may be sent to:

Ms. Marcella Nystrom
(916) 323-8543