NOTE: The public hearing noticed below has been canceled because the Division did not receive a request to hold a public hearing before the Dec. 13 deadline to submit a request. Comments on the Exceptional Events demonstration will continue to be accepted through Dec. 20.
Purpose
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Air Quality (DAQ), hereby gives notice regarding its pre-hearing draft of the Exceptional Events Demonstration to Support Attainment Designation Recommendations for the 2024 Annual PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for Mecklenburg and Davidson Counties, North Carolina (June – July 2023 Canadian Wildfire Smoke Impacts).
Based on certified monitoring data for 2021-2023, the Remount Road monitor (371190045) in Mecklenburg County and Lexington Water Tower monitor (370570002) in Davidson County have a rounded design value of 9.2 micrograms per cubic meter. DAQ reviewed the monitoring data and determined that Canadian wildfire smoke-laden air masses significantly increased PM2.5 concentrations measured by these two monitors during four multi-day events in June and July of 2023. These events were significant enough to increase the three-year average design value for each of the two PM2.5 monitors to slightly above the revised standard.
In accordance with EPA’s Exceptional Events Rule (40 CFR 50.14(c)(3)), the DAQ prepared this Exceptional Events demonstration to show that Canadian wildfire smoke significantly increased PM2.5 concentrations during four events. If it were not for these exceptional events, the design value for each monitor would be below the revised standard. Based on the technical analyses presented in the Exceptional Events demonstration, the DAQ is requesting that EPA exclude days highly impacted by Canadian wildfire smoke from the design value for each monitor to show attainment of the revised primary annual PM2.5 standard. This document has been prepared to support the State of North Carolina’s designation recommendations for the 2024 revised primary annual PM2.5 NAAQS. The DAQ intends to submit a final version of this pre-hearing draft for incorporation into North Carolina’s State Implementation Plan through EPA’s State Planning Electronic Collaboration System (SPeCS) web application after considering relevant public comments.
Comment Proceedures
Any person wishing to comment may submit a written statement for inclusion in the record of proceedings regarding the pre-hearing draft of the Exceptional Events Demonstration to Support Attainment Designation Recommendations for the 2024 Annual PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for Mecklenburg and Davidson Counties, North Carolina (June – July 2023 Canadian Wildfire Smoke Impacts). A public hearing will be held on Friday, December 20, 2024, if requested by Friday, December 13, 2024. Written comments should be submitted electronically to daq.publiccomments@deq.nc.gov or postmarked no later than Friday, December 20, 2024. (Please type “EE Demonstration” in the subject line)
Public Hearing Information
NOTE: The public hearing noticed below has been canceled because the Division did not receive a request to hold a public hearing before the Dec. 13 deadline to submit a request.
December 20, 2024, at 3:00 p.m.
DEQ Green Square Office Building
1st Floor Coastal Plains Conference Room (#1107)
217 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27603; or
Cisco WebEx, Digital Hearing Link: https://tinyurl.com/6uzawjhw
Event password: AirQuality
Audio conference: To receive a call back, provide your phone number when you join the event, or call the number below and enter the access code.
US TOLL +1-415-655-0003, Access code: 2432 678 0383
If you wish to speak at the digital public hearing, you must register, provide the required information, and follow instructions on ways to join the public hearing. Registration must be completed by 1:00 p.m. on December 20, 2024. To register, please click the following link: https://forms.office.com/g/j0qLaVTQ6t. For instructions on ways to join the public hearing, please refer to the following link: https://www.deq.nc.gov/about/boards-and-commissions/how-attend-webex-meeting
If you have technical difficulties, the following automated voicemail has been set up to receive your verbal comments: 919-707-8495
All persons interested in these matters are invited to attend the public hearing. Any person desiring to comment is requested to submit a written statement for inclusion in the record of proceedings at the public hearing. Please note that the hearing officer may limit the length of oral presentations if many people wish to speak. The public comment period is open beginning November 20, 2024, through December 20, 2024. To be included in the hearing record, all comments must be postmarked, emailed, or received by the Division (if delivering in person) no later than December 20, 2024.
Information
Copies of the Pre-hearing Draft of the Exceptional Events Demonstration to Support Attainment Designation Recommendations for the 2024 Annual PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for Mecklenburg and Davidson Counties, North Carolina (June – July 2023 Canadian Wildfire Smoke Impacts) may be downloaded from the DAQ website at https://www.deq.nc.gov/PM2.5ExceptionalEventsDemonstration.
Alternatively, comments or requests for a public hearing can be mailed to:
Tammy Manning
NC Division of Air Quality
1641 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1641
919-707-8717 Phone
daq.publiccomments@deq.nc.gov
(Please type “EE Demonstration” in the subject line)
Copies of the proposals may also be reviewed at the following regional offices of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Air Quality offices:
Mooresville Regional Office (704) 235-2100
Winston-Salem Regional Office (336) 776-9800
Si necesita esta información en español, comuníquese con Shawn Taylor llamando al 919-707-8446 o enviando un correo electrónico Shawn.Taylor@deq.nc.gov.