Area Designations for 2006 24-Hour Fine Particle (PM2.5) Standards
Regulatory Actions
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This page contains a list of regulatory actions and correspondence related to the 2006 PM2.5 standard.
PM2.5 Designations Technical Amendments
July 21, 2015 - corrects several minor, inadvertent and nonsubstantive errors in the tables associated with particle pollution designations for the 2006 and 1997 fine particle standards and for the 1987 annual coarse particle standards.
- Technical Amendments (PDF) (18pp, 133k)
EPA completes designations for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 standards for two Tribal areas in Arizona.
October 19, 2012 - EPA completes designations for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS for areas of Indian Country associated with two tribes in Arizona. EPA previously deferred these designations to allow for completion of the tribal consultation process.
- Federal Register Notice (PDF) (5pp, 265k) - Federal Register - October 26, 2012
- Fact Sheet (PDF) (2pp, 29k)
EPA Designates Areas as Attainment and Nonattainment for the 24-Hour PM2.5 National Air Quality Standards
January 25, 2011 - EPA has issued a final Federal Register notice designating as “nonattainment” or “unclassifiable/attainment” three areas (Pinal County, Arizona; Plumas County, California; and Shasta County, California) and their respective surrounding counties that were deferred in the November 13, 2009 promulgated designations for the 2006 24-Hour national ambient air quality standards for fine particulate matter, also called PM2.5.
- Federal Register Notice (PDF) (11pp, 190k) - Federal Register - February 3, 2011
- Fact Sheet (PDF) (4pp, 96k)
- Map of 24-hour PM2.5 Nonattainment Areas
- Table Showing Final Nonattainment Counties by State
- Timeline for Implementing the 24-hour PM2.5 Standard
October 8, 2009 - EPA has issued a final Federal Register notice designating areas throughout the U.S. as "nonattainment" and "unclassifiable/attainment" for the 24-hour national air quality standards for fine particulate matter, also called PM2.5.
- Federal Register Notice (PDF) (94 pp, 435KB) - Federal Register - November 13, 2009
- Fact Sheet
Area Status - December 2008
December 22, 2008 - EPA signed a notice outlining area status for the 24-hour national air quality standards for fine particulate matter. This notice never became effective.
EPA Seeks Public Comment on its Proposed Modifications to the State and Tribal Recommendations for PM2.5 Designations
August 21, 2008 - EPA has announced it will accept public comment on the Agencys responses to the state and tribal recommendations regarding designations for the 24-hour fine particle standards. In addition to comments, EPA seeks supplemental information that may help establish the final nonattainment area boundaries. The Agency will accept comments for 30 days after the notice of availability is published in Federal Register.
- Federal Register Notice (PDF) (2pp, 177k) - Federal Register - Sept 2, 2008
- How to Comment
Recommendations for Areas to be Designated “Nonattainment” for the 2006 24-hour Fine Particle National Air Quality Standards
August 19, 2008 In response to recommendations from state and local tribal representatives, EPA has sent letters outlining the areas it is considering designating as “attainment” or “nonattainment” for the 24-hour fine particle standards.
- Read Correspondence Between EPA and State and Tribal Representatives
- Fact Sheet
- Factors Considered as the Basis for Nonattainment Area Boundaries
- Map of EPA responses to 24-hour PM2.5 recommendations
- Table showing comparison of State/Tribal recommendations and EPA responses