The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the December 21 PA Bulletin inviting comments on the proposed designation of areas in Pennsylvania not meeting the health-based national standard for particulate matter (PM2.5).  Three public hearings have been scheduled.

DEP is seeking comment on recommending that the EPA designate as nonattainment areas-- Greater Pittsburgh; Harrisburg-Carlisle-York; Lancaster County and Greater Philadelphia.

EPA established a revised NAAQS for PM2.5 in February 2024. The annual standard for PM2.5 was made more protective and changed from 12 micrograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m3) to 9 µg/m3. An area does not attain the annual standard if the annual concentration, averaged over 3 years, is more than 9 µg/m3.

Following promulgation of new or revised air standards, states are given the opportunity to submit recommendations for attainment/nonattainment areas, supported by the most recent quality-assured and quality-controlled monitoring data.

The proposed designation recommendations are based primarily on air quality ambient monitoring (2021—2023), as well as emissions data, meteorology, geography/topography and jurisdictional boundaries.

Three public hearings will be held from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.--

-- January 21: DEP Southeast Regional Office, Norristown

-- January 21: DEP Southwest Regional Office, Pittsburgh

-- January 23: DEP Southcentral Regional Office, Harrisburg

Persons wishing to present testimony should contact Amanda Rodriguez at P.O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105, (717) 787-7677 or amarodrigu@pa.gov  no less than 24 hours in advance of the public hearing to reserve a time.

If by 12 p.m. on Monday, January 20, 2025, no person has expressed an interest in testifying at the hearings, the hearings will be canceled.

Click Here for a copy of the proposed designation document [posted on DEP’s eComment webpage].

Public comments are due by January 24, 2025

Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for more details.

For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website.  Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.

NewsClips:

-- Post-Gazette: Allegheny County Council Punts On Air Quality Fee Increase [Again]

-- NextPittsburgh: Is Pittsburgh’s Air Quality Really That Bad?

-- Inquirer: How Bad Is Air Quality In Underground SEPTA Transit Stations?

[Posted: December 20, 2024]

12/23/2024