2007 v.15 About the air

              STATE OF MICHIGAN
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
LANSING
VOLUME 15, ISSUE 1 JANUARY 2007
Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future
Environmental Assistance Center 800- 662- 9278
AIR QUALITY DIVISION
Constitution Hall 􀂏 3rd Floor North 􀂏 525 W. Allegan St. 􀂏 PO Box 30260 􀂏 Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: 517- 373- 7023 􀂏 Fax: 517- 241- 7499 􀂏 http:// www. michigan. gov/ deqair
Sheila Blais, Editor 􀂏 blaiss@ michigan. gov
JENNIFER M. GRANHOLM
GOVERNOR
STEVEN CHESTER
DIRECTOR
EPA PROPOSES APPROVAL OF MICHIGAN’S
8- HOUR OZONE REDESIGNATION REQUESTS
As stated in the November 2006 About the Air Newsletter, based on three- year periods of complete, quality- assured ambient air quality monitoring data, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality ( DEQ) submitted requests to the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) on May 9, 2006, to redesignate 11 counties ( ) and again on June 13, 2006, to redesignate an additional five counties ( ) to attainment for 8- hour ozone.
Redesignation to attainment status is important for Michigan as it more accurately reflects air quality conditions in these counties and it removes a federal regulation that is a disincentive for economic growth. Federal regulations in nonattainment counties mean stricter permitting requirements for opening a new manufacturing facility, or for expanding an existing one in that area.
In the December 7, 2006 Federal Register ( FR) and January 8, 2007 FR, respectively, EPA announced that they are proposing to approve both these redesignation requests as these areas are meeting the health- based 8- hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard ( NAAQS). EPA is also proposing to approve revisions to Michigan’s State Implementation Plan ( SIP) ( contains all required air program elements and control measures) for these areas in maintaining the 8- hour ozone standard through the next 10 years and the state’s 2018 motor vehicle emissions budgets. ( Details of Michigan’s submittals can be found in the May 2006 Newsletter).
NOTE: Although the comment period for redesignation requests of the Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo- Battle Creek, Lansing- East Lansing, Benzie County, Huron County, and Mason County areas has passed, the comment period for the Flint, Muskegon, Benton Harbor, and Cass County areas remains open until February 7, 2007.
FIGURE 8- HOUR OZONE DESIGNATIONS EFFECTIVE JUNE 15, 2004 ( UTILIZING 2001- 2003 AIR QUALITY MONITORING DATA) MICHIGAN ATTAINMENT AREAS 25 COUNTIES ORIGINALLY DESIGNATED AS NONATTAINMENT ( 2001- 2003 DATA) 11 NONATTAINMENT AREAS ATTAINING NAAQS ( 2002- 2004 DATA) 5 NONATTAINMENT AREAS ATTAINING NAAQS ( 2003- 2005 DATA)
CHANGES TO MI’S AMBIENT AIR MONITORING NETWORK..... 2
MI RECEIVES TWO MORE CLEAN SCHOOL BUS PROJECT GRANTS........................................................................... 3
EARTH DAY 2007.................................................................. 4
CLEAN AIR MERCURY RULE UPDATE.................................... 5
UPDATE ON MI’S PROPOSED AIR POLLUTION CONTROL RULES............................................................................. 6
MODEL ORDINANCE FOR OUTDOOR AND OPEN BURNING NOW AVAILABLE.............................................................. 7
STREAMLINED RENEWABLE OPERATING PERMIT APPLICATION PROCESS................................................... 7
AQD PERMIT DECISIONS....................................................... 8
AQD ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS.............................................. 9
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKSHOPS........................................... 10
-- INTRODUCTION TO MAERS WORKSHOP......................... 10
-- 2007 MI AGRI- ENERGY CONFERENCE............................ 11
-- MEECS TRAINING.......................................................... 11
-- REVITALIZING MI THROUGH SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS INNOVATION................................................................... 11
-- TRI 2007 TRAINING........................................................ 11
ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS................................................. 12
WHAT’S NEW “ IN THE AIR” FROM EPA’S WEBSITE............. 13