Washington State Department of Ecology
Proposed State Implementation Plan Revision
for
Wallula PM10 Nonattainment Area
Background Information: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set an air quality standard for particulate matter ten micrometers or less in size (PM10). When an area in Washington does not meet an air quality standard, it is classified as "nonattainment," and the Department of Ecology (ecology) must develop a plan to meet the standard.
EPA has designated Wallula as a nonattainment area due to exceedances of the PM10 standard, and ecology submitted a plan to meet the standard in 1991. In February 2001, EPA reclassified the Wallula PM10 nonattainment area from a moderate to a serious nonattainment area. The reclassification meant that Washington was required to submit a new plan for meeting the PM10 standard in Wallula.
The purpose of this scheduled hearing is to receive public comment on including this new plan in the SIP.
The New Plan: The new plan meets requirements for a serious nonattainment area mainly by:
• Defining best available control measures and best available control technology for PM10 sources in the nonattainment area; and
• Demonstrating attainment of the PM10 standard.
The plan exempts the nonattainment area from regional transportation conformity requirements for PM10. These are requirements that regional transportation plans be consistent with the state's plan for meeting air quality standards. The plan also requests that the Wallula area be exempted from requirements that major sources of PM10 control their emissions of precursors of PM10.
Hearing Schedule: On Thursday, October 14, 2004, at 7:00 p.m., at the Burbank-Wallula Fire Station 51, 460 West Humorist Road, Burbank, WA.
Comments may be provided at the hearing or mailed, e-mailed, or faxed to Doug Schneider, Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 4700, Olympia, WA 98504-7600, fax (360) 407-7534, e-mail dsch461@ecy.wa.gov. Comments must be postmarked by 5:00 p.m. October 14, 2004.
For More Information: Contact Doug Schneider, Department of Ecology, Air Quality Program, (360) 407-6874, dsch461@ecy.wa.gov.
If you need special accommodations, please contact Tami Dahlgren at (360) 407-6800. If you are a person with a speech or hearing impairment, call 711, or 1-800-833-6388 for TTY.