March
3,
2004
Honorable
Donald
L.
Carcieri
Governor
of
Rhode
Island
State
House
Executive
Chambers
Providence,
RI
02903
Dear
Governor
Carcieri:

Thank
you
for
your
letter
forwarding
Rhode
Island=
s
recommendations
on
air
quality
designations
for
the
national
health
based
standards
for
fine
particles.
We
received
your
letter
on
February
18,
2004.

Your
letter
is
an
important
step
toward
providing
citizens
in
your
state
with
critical
information
about
air
pollution
levels
in
their
community.
We
intend
to
carefully
review
the
recommendations
and
work
with
the
Rhode
Island
Department
of
Environmental
Management
in
determining
final
designations.
The
EPA
must
make
its
final
official
designation
decisions
for
fine
particles
by
December
31,
2004.

We
look
forward
to
working
with
Rhode
Island
in
the
coming
months
on
designations
for
the
fine
particle
standards.
If
you
have
any
questions,
please
do
not
hesitate
to
call
me
or
Tim
Williamson,
Acting
Manager
of
the
Air
Quality
Planning
Unit,
at
617­
918­
1099.

Sincerely,

Robert
W.
Varney
Regional
Administrator
cc:
Frederick
J.
Vincent,
Interim
Director,
RI
DEM
Stephen
Majkut,
OAR,
RI
DEM
