Proposed State Implementation Plan Revision Redesignation Request and Maintenance Plan for the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Nonattainment Area for the 1997 Annual and 2006 24-Hour Fine Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards; Public Hearing Particulate matter (PM) includes both solid and liquid particles suspended in the air. Fine particle pollution describes particulate matter that is less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5). PM2.5 concentrations above the federal health-based standard pose a serious human health threat. With significant improvements in air quality in the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Area, this nonattainment area is monitoring attainment of the 1997 annual and the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley nonattainment area for the PM2.5 NAAQS includes Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland counties and portions of Allegheny, Armstrong, Greene and Lawrence counties. In accordance with applicable federal Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) intends to submit a request to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for redesignation of the area to attainment of the 1997 and 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS. DEP is seeking public comments on the Redesignation Request and a proposed revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) containing the 2007 comprehensive inventory as required under Section 172(c)(3) of the CAA and a Maintenance Plan demonstrating that the area can maintain the 1997 annual and 2006 24-hour PM2.5 health-based NAAQS for at least 10 years following redesignation as required under Section 175A(a) of the CAA (42 U.S.C.A. § 7505a). Upon EPA approval of the SIP revision, the Maintenance Plan will also establish new motor vehicle emission budgets for transportation conformity purposes. Pennsylvania's proposed request to EPA for the redesignation of the Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley Area to attainment for the PM2.5 NAAQS and the proposed SIP revision are available on DEP's website at www.dep.state.pa.us (select "Air," then "Bureau of Air Quality," and click on "PA SIPs page" under "Comment Periods Now Open") or through the contact persons listed below. DEP will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the proposal on Tuesday, December 16, 2014, at 1:00 p.m., at the DEP Southwest Regional Office, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Persons wishing to present testimony at the hearing should contact Alex Haas at P.O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105, by phone at (717) 787-9495 or via email at alehaas@ pa.gov to reserve a time. Witnesses should keep testimony to ten minutes and should provide two written copies of their statement at the hearing. Persons with a disability who wish to attend the hearing and require an auxiliary aid, service or other accommodation to participate in the proceeding should contact Alex Haas at (717) 787-9495 or alehaas@pa.gov. TDD users may contact the AT&T Relay Service at (800) 654-5984 to discuss how DEP can best accommodate their needs. DEP must receive comments no later than December 16, 2014. Written comments should be sent to the attention of Nancy Herb, Bureau of Air Quality, P.O. Box 8468, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8468, or nherb@pa.gov. Use "PBV PM2.5 Redesignation" as the subject line in written communication. Dana K. Aunkst, Acting Secretary
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