Recommendations and Final Area Designations

Following promulgation of new or revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), EPA designates the boundaries for areas not attaining the standard. These boundaries also define the areas within which the public needs to know that pollutant concentrations could affect their health. Creation or revision of NAAQS triggers an air quality planning process to ensure that the areas attain and maintain air quality standards. Before EPA makes final designations, governors are given the opportunity to submit recommendations for the designation of attainment and nonattainment areas, supported by the most recent quality-assured monitoring data. EPA provides criteria for states' recommendations for designating areas. This site is intended to provide information about area designations in respect to common air pollutants, after a revision of the NAAQS. Another site is provided to show the attainment status after such designations are made.

NO2

The following links are related to the designation of areas for the nitrogen dioxide health-based standard:

2010 1-hour standard: 100 ppb

• Pennsylvania's recommended designations (12/21/2010)
• Designation Recommendations (PDF)

Ozone

The following links are related to the designation of areas for the ozone health-based standards.

2015 8-hour Ozone Standard: 0.070 ppm

Pennsylvania's Ozone Non-Attainment Designation Revised Recommendations

• Revised Recommendations (submitted 4/11/2017)
• Submittal Letter (PDF)
• Figure A-1: Revised Recommended Area Designation for the Ozone Standards (PDF)
• Table 1: Recommended Area Designations for the 2015 Ozone Standards (revised) (PDF)

Pennsylvania's Ozone Non-Attainment Designation Recommendations

• Recommendations (submitted 10/03/2016)
• Submittal Letter (PDF)
• Designation Recommendations (PDF)
• Data Appendices for Final Recommendations, including public Comment/Response (PDF)

2008 8-hour Ozone Standard: 0.075 ppm

Pennsylvania's Ozone Non-Attainment Designation Recommendations

• Recommendations (submitted 3/26/2009)
• Submittal Letter (PDF)
• Designation Recommendations (PDF)
• Table 1 (PDF)
• Appendix A-1 (PDF)
• Appendix A-2 (PDF)
• Appendix B-1 (PDF)
• Appendix B-2 (PDF)
• Appendix B-3 (PDF)
• Appendix B-4 (PDF)
• Appendix B-5 (PDF)
• Appendix B-6 (PDF)
• Table 2 (PDF)
• Appendix C-1 (PDF)
• Comment/Response Document (PDF)
• Pennsylvania Bulletin Notice Inviting Comment (PDF)
• Final Designations
• Marginal: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton (Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties), Lancaster (Lancaster County), Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties), Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties), Reading (Berks County)

1997 8-hour Ozone Standard: 0.08 ppm

• Recommendations for 1997 Ozone Designations
• Submission to EPA 2003 (PDF)
• Final Designations
• Nonattainment:Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton (Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties), Altoona (Blair County), Clearfield-Indiana (Clearfield and Indiana Counties), Erie (Erie County), Franklin (Franklin County), Greene (Greene County), Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle (Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, and Perry Counties), Johnstown (Cambria County), Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties), Reading (Berks County), Scranton-Wilkes Barre (Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, and Wyoming Counties), State College (Centre County), Tioga (Tioga County), York (Adams and York Counties), Youngstown-Sharon-Warren (Mercer County)
• Marginal: Lancaster (Lancaster County)
• Moderate: Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties)

1979 1-hour Ozone Standard: 0.12 ppm*

• Recommendations for 1997 Ozone Designations
• Submission to EPA 2003 (PDF)
• Final Designations
• Marginal: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton (Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties), Altoona (Blair County), Erie (Erie County), Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle (Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, and Perry Counties), Johnstown (Cambria and Somerset Counties), Lancaster (Lancaster County), Scranton-Wilkes Barre (Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, and Wyoming Counties), York (Adams and York Counties), Youngstown-Warren-Sharon (Mercer County)
• Severe: Philadelphia-Wilmington-Trenton (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties) 
• Incomplete Data: Crawford, Franklin, Greene, Juniata, Lawrence, Northumberland, Pike, Schuylkill, Snyder, Susquehanna, Warren, and Wayne Counties

*Originally the 1-hour Ozone Standard was set at 0.08 ppm in 1971. It was revised in 1979 to 0.12 ppm. The 1-hour Ozone Standard has since been revoked.

Particulate Matter

The following links are related to the designation of areas for the PM2.5 health-based standards. There are currently no non-attainment areas in Pennsylvania for PM10.

2012 PM2.5 Standard: 24-hour Standard 35 µg/m3, Annual Standard 12 µg/m3

• Final Designations (PDF)
• Nonattainment: Allegheny, Delaware, and Lebanon Counties.
• EPA Changes to the Final PM2.5 Designations Notice – April 2015 (PDF)
• EPA Final PM2.5 Designation Notice – Jan. 2015 (PDF)
• EPA Final PM2.5 Designation Letter – Jan. 2015 (PDF)
• EPA Final Technical Support Document (PDF)
• Oct. 2014 Response to EPA (PDF)
• Enclosure 1 (PDF) - Allegheny County Nonattainment Area Response
• Enclosure 2 (PDF) - Letter of Support for Liberty-Clairton Nonattainment Area
• Enclosure 3 (PDF) - Allentown Nonattainment Area Response
• Enclosure 4 (PDF) - Request for Consideration of 2014 Design Values
• EPA Response (PDF)
• EPA Technical Support Document (PDF)
• Updated Recommendations for 2012 PM2.5 Designations (PDF)
• Recommendations for 2012 PM2.5 Designations
• Pa. Bulletin
• Transmittal Letter (PDF)
• Final Designation Recommendations (PDF)
• Appendices
• Appendix A (PDF):
• Appendix B (PDF 7.7MB): Supporting Documentation
• Appendix C: Meteorological, Geographical and Topographical Analysis for Recommended Nonattainment Areas
• Appendix C-1 (PDF): Greater Philadelphia Area
• Appendix C-2 (PDF): Northampton County Area
• Appendix C-3 (PDF): Lancaster County Area
• Appendix C-4 (PDF): Cambria County Area
• Appendix C-5 (PDF): Greater Pittsburgh Area
• Appendix C-6 (PDF): Liberty-Clairton Area
• Comment/Response Document (PDF)

2006 PM2.5 Standard: 24-hour Standard 35 µg/m3, Annual Standard 15 µg/m3

• Revised Recommendations for Johnstown and Reading
• Letter Requesting Reading Designation as Attainment (PDF)
• Letter Requesting Johnstown Designation as Attainment (PDF)
• Recommendations for 2006 PM2.5 Designations (PDF)
• Appendix A (PDF)
• Appendix B (PDF)
• Submittal Letter (PDF)
• Comments (PDF)
• Comment/Responses (PDF)

1997 PM2.5 Standard: 24-hour Standard 65 µg/m3, Annual Standard 15 µg/m3

• Recommendations for 1997 PM2.5 Designations
• Submission to EPA 2004 (PDF)
• Follow up Letter (PDF)
• Final Designations (P-Partial County)
• Nonattainment: Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle (Cumberland, Dauphin, and Lebanon Counties), Johnstown (Cambria and Indiana(P) Counties), Lancaster (Lancaster County), Philadelphia-Wilmington (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties), Pittsburgh (Allegheny(P), Armstrong(P), Beaver, Butler, Greene(P), Lawrence(P), Washington, and Westmoreland Counties), Pittsburgh-Liberty-Clairton (Allegheny(P) County), Reading (Berks County), York (York County)

Sulfur Dioxide

The following links are related to the designation of areas for the SO2 health-based standards.

2010 1-Hour SO2 Standard: 75ppb

Recommendations for 2010 Designations

• EPA Final 2013 SO2 Designation Notice (PDF)
• EPA Final 2013 SO2 Designation Letter (PDF)
• April 2013 Recommendations to EPA
• Transmittal Letter (PDF)
• Enclosure 1 (PDF) - Indiana County
• Enclosure 2 (PDF) - Beaver County
• Enclosure 3 (PDF) - Allegheny County
• Enclosure 4 (PDF) - Warren County
• EPA Response (PDF) - Feb. 6, 2013
• June 2011 Recommendations to EPA
• Transmittal Letter (PDF)
• Recommendations (PDF 5.4MB)
• Pa Bulletin Announcement

Lead

2008 Lead Standard: 0.15 µg/m3

Pennsylvania's Lead Non-Attainment Designation Recommendations

• DEP Response to EPA's Intended Designations (PDF)
• Final Designation Recommendations (PDF 2.8MB)
• Transmittal Letter to EPA (PDF)
• Comments and Responses (PDF)
• Table 1 (PDF)
• Table 2 (PDF)
• Figure A-1 (PDF)
• Figure A-2 (PDF)
• Figure A-3 (PDF)
• Figure B-1 (PDF)
• Figure B-2 (PDF)
• Figure B-3 (PDF)
• Figure B-4 (PDF)
• Figure B-5 (PDF)
• Figure B-6 (PDF)
• Pa. Bulletin Notice inviting comment

For More Information:

EPA Region 3 Ozone Designations

EPA Region 3 PM2.5 Designations

EPA Region 3 Lead Designations