EPA Responds to Recommendations for Lead Nonattainment

CLEVELAND, OH, June 19, 2011

On June 15, 2011 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent letters to state and tribal representatives responding to their recommendations on which areas would not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for lead. The letters indicate either agreement with the recommendations, or EPA's intent to modify those recommendations.

The highest levels of lead in air are usually found near lead smelters. The major sources of lead emissions to the air today are ore and metals processing and piston-engine aircraft operating on leaded aviation gasoline. For industrial facilities, stack testing is often used to quantify lead emissions

EPA notified Puerto Rico, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and Kansas that they each have one area under consideration for a nonattainment designation based on the 2008 lead standards. EPA is also considering expanding the size of one other area in Pennsylvania that was already designated as nonattainment in November 2010. A nonattainment area would include areas with monitors that show violations of the lead standard and nearby areas contributing to that violation.

States and tribes may comment and provide additional information to EPA by August 15, 2011. The public may also review the Agency's proposed responses and provide comment for 30 days following the publication of a Federal Register notice announcing the start of a 30-day public comment period.

Once designated, nonattainment areas also are subject to nonattainment new source review requirements. Nonattainment New Source Review is a permitting program for industrial facilities to ensure that new and modified sources of pollution do not impede progress toward cleaner air.

For more information on the designation process for the lead standards, and to view individual letters from EPA to states and tribes, go to EPA's Web site at http://www.epa.gov/leaddesignations.

At Air Compliance Testing, all of the key professional staff and most of our technical staff have earned Qualified Individual (QI) status in one or more of the four Source Evaluation Society (SES) Group Method Exams. Many have also earned Qualified Stack Testing Individual (QSTI) status.

If you would like information on air emission testing for compliance with EPA requirements,
contact Louise Barton at 800-372-2471 ext. 225 or louise@aircomp.com.