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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 09-1840

NOTICES

Proposed Designation Recommendations for the Revised 2008 Lead National Ambient Air Quality Standards

[39 Pa.B. 5785]
[Saturday, October 3, 2009]

Announcement of Public Meetings

 Lead, a metal found naturally in the environment, is present in some manufactured products. Larger industrial sources of lead emissions currently include metals processing, particularly primary and secondary lead smelters. Lead that is emitted into the air can be inhaled or, after it settles out of the air, ingested. The main route of human exposure to lead originally released into the air is through ingestion of lead that has settled on surfaces. Once in the body, lead is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, resulting in a broad range of health effects. Children are most vulnerable to the damaging effects of lead because their bodies are developing rapidly and they are more likely to ingest lead through hand-to-mouth activity.

 On October 15, 2008, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) substantially strengthened the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for lead; notice of the more protective revised lead NAAQS was published in the Federal Register on November 12, 2008 (73 FR 66,964). The EPA has revised the level of the primary (health-based) standard from 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter to 0.15 micrograms per cubic meter, measured as total suspended particles. The EPA has revised the secondary (welfare-based) standard to be identical, in all respects, to the primary standard, making them 10 times tighter than the 1978 lead standards of 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter.

 The Governor of each state must now submit designation recommendations to the EPA in accordance with section 107(d) of the Federal Clean Air Act. Pennsylvania's designation recommendations are based on air quality monitoring data for 2006-2008, emissions data, and other criteria, as recommended by the EPA. The EPA expects to make final designations by January 2012.

 The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) is seeking public input on the following proposed designation recommendations for the 2008 lead NAAQS:

 • North Reading nonattainment area comprised of Laureldale Borough, Muhlenberg and Alsace Townships.

 • Lyons nonattainment area comprised of Lyons Borough, and Maxatawny and Richmond Townships.

 • Lower Beaver Valley nonattainment area comprised of Industry and Shippingport Boroughs, and Potter Raccoon and Vanport Townships.

 The Department is proposing to recommend that the remainder of the Commonwealth be designated as attainment or unclassifiable. The proposed designation recommendations for the revised lead NAAQS are based on EPA criteria for designating areas including: lead emissions, air quality, population density, expected growth, geography, topography, meteorology, jurisdictional boundaries and the level of emissions control.

 This proposal is available on the Department's web site at http://www.depweb.state.pa.us or through the contact persons listed. The Department will hold public information meetings on October 21, 2009, at 1 p.m. at the following locations:

The Department of Environmental Protection's Southwest Regional Office
Waterfront A
500 Waterfront Drive
Pittsburgh, PA

Berks County Courthouse and Services Center
633 Court Street
13th Floor
Reading, PA

 For more information on the public meetings, contact Yvette House by calling (717) 787-9495 or e-mailing yhouse@state.pa.us. Persons with disabilities who wish to attend a meeting and require an auxiliary aid, service or other accommodation to participate in the proceeding should also contact Yvette House. TDD users may contact the Pennsylvania 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 Arleen Shulman, Chief, Air Resource Management Division, Bureau of Air Quality, Department of Environmental Protection, P. O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8468 or by e-mail (preferred) to ashulman@state.pa.us no later than 4 p.m. on October 23, 2009. Written comments, including e-mail submittals, must include the name, affiliation (if any), mailing address and telephone number of the interested person.

JOHN HANGER, 
Secretary

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 09-1840. Filed for public inspection October 2, 2009, 9:00 a.m.]


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