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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Regulations and Clean Air Plans

    Recommendations and Final Area Designations

    Following the 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

    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

    Pennsylvania's Ozone Non-Attainment Designation Recommendations

    2008 8-hour Ozone Standard: 0.075 ppm

    Pennsylvania's Ozone Non-Attainment Designation Recommendations

    1997 8-hour Ozone Standard: 0.08 ppm

    • Recommendations for 1997 Ozone Designations
    • 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
    • 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

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

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

    • Recommendations for 1997 PM2.5 Designations
    • 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

    Lead

    2008 Lead Standard: 0.15 µg/m3

    Pennsylvania's Lead Non-Attainment Designation Recommendations

    For More Information:

    EPA Region 3 Ozone Designations(opens in a new tab)

    EPA Region 3 PM2.5 Designations(opens in a new tab)

    EPA Region 3 Lead Designations(opens in a new tab)