2012 Particulate Matter (PM) NAAQS Infrastructure Certification for the South Carolina Air Quality Implementation Plan
On December 17, 2015, the Department of Health and Environmental Control (Department) submitted the Infrastructure SIP (iSIP) for Particulate Matter to the EPA for approval. The iSIP is the South Carolina Air Quality Implementation Plan for the 2012 PM National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) Infrastructure Certification. An Infrastructure SIP is due within three years after the promulgation of a new or revised NAAQS.
The Department is certifying to the EPA that it has addressed the "infrastructure" elements required by Section 110(a)(1) and (2) of the CAA pertaining to the attainment of the 2012 PM NAAQS in South Carolina. On December 14, 2012, the EPA finalized a revised National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Particulate Matter (78 FR 3086, published January 15, 2013). With this rule, the EPA strengthened the annual primary fine particulate matter (PM2.5) standard by lowering the level from 15.0 to 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3). States are required to submit SIPs by December 14, 2015, three (3) years after promulgation of a new or revised NAAQS.
Download the PDF of the iSIP (pdf). If you have any questions or comments concerning South Carolina's 2012 PM NAAQS infrastructure SIP certification, please contact Marie Brown at (803) 898-1796 or brownmf@dhec.sc.gov.
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On March 31, 2015, in a signed a letter to the governor of South Carolina, the EPA changed the deferred designation for Aiken County to unclassifiable/attainment. The EPA had deferred designation for Aiken County pending additional data. The remainder of the state is also designated unclassifiable/attainment. The effective date of the rule is April 15, 2015.
If you have any questions, please contact Marie Brown at (803) 898-1796 or brownmf@dhec.sc.gov.
Redesignation of the Greenville-Spartanburg Area for the 1997 PM NAAQS
On January 22, 2018, the State of South Carolina, through the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), submitted a request for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to redesignate the Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina fine particulate matter (PM2.5) unclassifiable area to unclassifiable/attainment for the 1997 primary and secondary annual PM2.5 national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). The Greenville-Spartanburg Area is comprised of Anderson, Greenville, and Spartanburg Counties in South Carolina. On June 1, 2018, the EPA approved (83 FR 25390) the State’s request and redesignated the Area to unclassifiable/ attainment for the 1997 primary and secondary annual PM2.5 NAAQS based upon valid, quality-assured, and certified ambient air monitoring data showing that the PM2.5 monitors in the Area are in compliance with the 1997 primary and secondary annual PM2.5 NAAQS.
Please contact Marie Brown at (803) 898-1796 or brownmf@dhec.sc.gov, if you have any questions.