Area Designations for the 2012 Annual Fine Particle (PM2.5) Standard
Initial Designations for Tribes
On December 18, 2014, the EPA issued final area designations for the 2012 annual national air quality standard for fine particulate matter (PM2.5). EPA strengthened the annual fine particle standard to 12 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) in 2012. After working closely with the states, and some tribes, EPA is completing the routine Clean Air Act process to identify areas as either “nonattainment”, “unclassifiable/attainment”, or “unclassifiable” based on air quality monitoring data from 2011-2013. Once designations are effective, they guide actions states, tribes and EPA must take to improve or preserve air quality in each area. EPA will work with the states and tribes to share the responsibility of reducing fine particle pollution.
The table below lists the final designations for tribes participating in the designations for the 2012 annual fine particle pollution standard. All of the tribal lands except for areas of Indian country of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians are designated as part of the surrounding state areas.
EPA is designating all other areas of the country “unclassifiable/attainment.” These areas have monitoring data that shows they meet the standard or EPA has reviewed available data and determined they are likely to be meeting the standard and not contributing to a nearby violation.
| Tribe | 2014 EPA Designation |
| Big Sandy Rancheria | Nonattainment |
| Cahuilla Band of Indians | Nonattainment |
| Catawba | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Cherokee | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Choctaw | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Coeur d'Alene | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Cold Springs Rancheria | Nonattainment |
| Eastern Shoshone Tribe | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Fond du Lac Reservation | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Forest County Potawatomi Community | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Gila River Indian Community | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Greenville Rancheria | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Miccosukee | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Morongo Band of Mission Indians | Nonattainment |
| North Fork Rancheria | Nonattainment |
| Northern Arapaho Tribe | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Pala Band of Mission Indians | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Pechanga Band of Luiseno Mission Indians | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Picayune Rancheria | Nonattainment |
| Poarch | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Quechan Indian Tribe | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Ramona Band of Cahuilla Indians | Nonattainment |
| Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians | Nonattainment |
| Santa Rosa Band of Cahuilla Indians | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe | Nonattainment |
| Seminole | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Shoshone-Bannock | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians | Nonattainment |
| Table Mountain Rancheria | Nonattainment |
| Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians | Unclassifiable/Attainment |
| Tule River Indian Tribe | Nonattainment |
| 32 Tribes | 20 unclassifiable/attainment, 12 nonattainment |
State designations are available on the State Designations page.
Recommendations from Tribes and EPA Responses