Thomas
V.
Skinner
Regional
Administrator
U.
S.
EPA,
Region
V
77
West
Jackson
Blvd.
Chicago,
Illinois
60604
Re:
Ohio
Recommended
PM
2.5
Designations
Dear
Mr.
Skinner:

I
am
writing
to
submit
Ohio's
recommendations
for
PM
2.5
nonattainment
boundaries
for
the
metropolitan
areas
within
Ohio.
Ambient
data
for
the
periods
2000­
2002
has
been
evaluated
to
determine
which
urban
areas
within
the
state
are
not
attaining
the
revised
standard.
This
evaluation
also
addressed
the
interstate
metropolitan
areas
with
only
a
rural
portion
of
the
metropolitan
statistical
area
(
MSA)
within
Ohio.

These
recommendations
were
initially
based
on
the
metropolitan
statistical
areas
as
they
existed
prior
to
June
9,
2003.
These
areas
have
been
redefined
in
some
cases.
Our
recommendations
identify
where
changes
have
occurred.
The
changes,
though,
do
not
significantly
change
our
overall
recommendations.
We
believe
that
the
information
on
population,
emissions
and
air
quality
supports
the
recommended
status
for
a
county
whether
or
not
it
is
part
of
the
old
or
new
metropolitan
area
definitions.

The
State
of
Ohio
is
releasing
two
options
for
public
comment.
The
first
option
would
recommend
only
those
counties
with
monitors
actually
measuring
nonattainment
be
designated
nonattainment
for
PM
2.5.
This
is
based
on
our
belief
that
PM
2.5
concentrations
above
the
standard
are
not
pervasive
in
the
manner
that
ozone
is.
A
significant
amount
of
information
exists
which
demonstrates
that,
while
there
is
an
elevated
regional
component
to
PM
2.5,
there
is
an
urban
excess
which
appears
to
be
limited
to
the
urban
core.
The
counties
recommended
as
nonattainment
under
this
option
include:

Cuyahoga,
Portage,
Summit,
Trumbull,
Mahoning,
Stark,
Lucas,
Franklin,
Montgomery,
Clark,
Hamilton,
Butler,
Jefferson,
Lawrence
and
Scioto
In
the
alternative,
the
state
would
recommend
a
portion
of
the
MSA
or
combined
MSA
(
CMSA)
be
designated
nonattainment.
Counties
experiencing
nonattainment
air
quality
at
one
or
more
monitors,
and
the
counties
with
population
and
emissions
that
could
contribute
to
the
nonattainment
are
being
recommended
to
be
designated
nonattainment.

The
areas
and
their
specific
counties
are
as
follows:
Canton/
Massillon
MSA;
The
MSA
includes
Stark
and
Carroll
Counties.
Ohio
EPA
is
recommending
to
exclude
Carroll
County,
a
rural
area
with
a
population
less
than
30,000.

Cincinnati/
Hamilton
CMSA;
The
interstate
CMSA
includes
Butler,
Warren,
Hamilton,
Clermont
and
Brown
Counties
in
Ohio,
Ohio,
Boone,
Campbell,
Ohio,
Grant,
Gallatin
and
Pendelton
Counties
in
Kentucky
and
Dearborn
County
in
Indiana.
In
Ohio,
Ohio
EPA
is
recommending
to
exclude
Brown
County,
a
rural
upwind
area
with
a
population
less
than
50,000.

Cleveland/
Akron
CMSA:
The
CMSA
includes
Lorain,
Medina,
Cuyahoga,
Summit,
Lake,
Portage,
Geauga
and
Ashtabula
Counties.
Ohio
EPA
is
recommending
to
exclude
Ashtabula
and
Geauga
Counties,
rural
counties
with
minimal
commuting
in
or
out
of
the
Counties.

Columbus
MSA;
The
MSA
includes
Franklin,
Delaware,
Licking,
Fairfield,
Pickaway
and
Madison
Counties.
Ohio
EPA
is
recommending
to
exclude
Madison
and
Pickaway
Counties
rural
counties
with
minimal
population
and
emissions.

Dayton/
Springfield
MSA:
The
MSA
includes
Miami,
Clark,
Greene
and
Montgomery
Counties.
Ohio
EPA
is
recommending
to
exclude
Miami
County,
a
rural
county
with
minimal
population
and
emissions.

Huntington/
Ashland
MSA:
The
interstate
MSA
includes
Lawrence
County
in
Ohio,
Greenup,
Carter
and
Boyd
Counties
in
Kentucky
and
Wayne
and
Cabell
Counties
in
West
Virginia.
Ohio
EPA
is
recommending
that
Scioto
County
be
included
as
part
of
this
area
due
to
monitored
violations.

Lima
MSA;
The
classification
should
be
attainment.
The
MSA
includes
Allen
and
Auglaize
Counties.

Mansfield
MSA:
The
classification
should
be
attainment.
The
MSA
includes
Crawford
and
Richland
Counties.
Ohio
EPA
is
recommending
that
these
counties
be
designated
attainment.

Parkersburg/
Marietta
MSA:
The
interstate
MSA
includes
Washington
County
in
Ohio
and
Wood
County
in
West
Virginia.
Ohio
EPA
is
proposing
to
exclude
Washington
County.

Steubenville/
Weirton
MSA,
The
interstate
MSA
includes
Jefferson
County
in
Ohio
and
Hancock
and
Brook
Counties
in
West
Virginia.

Toledo
MSA;
The
MSA
includes
Lucas,
Wood
and
Fulton
Counties.
Ohio
EPA
is
recommending
to
exclude
Fulton
County,
a
rural
upwind
area
with
population
less
than
50,000.

Youngstown/
Warren
MSA;
The
MSA
includes
Trumbull,
Mahoning
and
Columbiana
Counties.
Ohio
EPA
is
recommending
to
exclude
Columbiana
County,
a
rural
upwind
area
with
a
population
less
than
115,000.

Wheeling
MSA;
The
interstate
MSA
includes
Belmont
County
in
Ohio
and
Ohio
and
Marshall
Counties
in
West
Virginia.
Ohio
EPA
is
recommending
the
exclusion
of
Belmont
County,
a
rural
upwind
county
with
a
population
less
than
75,000.

Attached
are
tables
summarizing
ambient
data
for
the
period
2000­
2002
and
year
2000
population
data
for
counties
in
the
State
of
Ohio.
In
addition,
maps
summarizing
population,
population
change,
manufacturing
population
and
manufacturing
population
change
have
been
attached
to
assist
in
describing
the
nature
of
counties
excluded
from
nonattainment
designations.

Please
call
if
you
have
any
questions.

Sincerely,

Christopher
Jones
Director
enclosures
js
