Data Proposed For Exclusion From NAAQS Compliance Determinations

"Exceptional Events Documentation Packages"
Data impacted by an exceptional event may be excluded from use in determining compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) when they meet certain criteria defined in 40 CFR § 50.14 - "Treatment of air quality monitoring data influenced by exceptional events". Exceptional events are defined as events that occur and impact air quality that cannot be controlled by human intervention and that are not expected to reoccur, such as wildfires. To exclude data impacted by an exceptional event the agency must demonstrate to the Environmental Protection Agency that the event occurred, the event impacted the monitor, the value measured was not what would have been expected for that location and season (i.e., it was atypical), and that the NAAQS would not have been exceeded if that event had not occurred. The following fine particle exceptional events documentation packages have been prepared and submitted to EPA:

• Local Fires, February 2008, creating higher readings in McDowell County
   
• Edna Buck Road Fire, Wildfire, March 2008, affecting one exceedance in New Hanover County
   
• Evans Road Fire, Wildfire, June 2008, affecting about seven scattered exceedances