Arizona State and Local Government Documents Collection

In a rule published July 2, 2002, EPA found the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s "Plan for Attainment of the 24-Hour PM10 Standard – Maricopa County PM10 Nonattainment Area" (May 1997), inadequate to achieve attainment of the 24-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter 10 microns or fewer in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) at the Salt River monitoring site. The 1997 ADEQ SIP revision included attainment and Reasonable Further Progress demonstrations for the 24-hour NAAQS at the Salt River air quality monitoring site of the Maricopa County PM10 Serious Nonattainment Area, as well as at three other monitoring sites in the Phoenix area, - the Maryvale, Gilbert, and West Chandler sites. On August 4, 1997, EPA approved ADEQ’s attainment and RFP demonstrations for the Salt River monitoring area, which showed that the 24-hour PM10 NAAQS would reach attainment in the area by May 1998. Due to continuing violations of the 24-hour PM10 NAAQS at the Salt River air quality monitoring site since May 1998, EPA subsequently required Arizona to submit a revision to correct SIP inadequacies. This document consists of Arizona’s revisions to the state implementation plan for the Maricopa County PM10 Serious Nonattainment Area as described by EPA in its Federal Register notice of disapproval.

This inventory includes emissions of coarse particulate matter <10 µm in diameter (PM10), fine particulate matter < 2.5 µm (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and ammonia. Emissions are calculated for both Maricopa County and the PM10 nonattaiment area. Annual totals as well as typical daily emissions are provided for all source categories.

The purpose of this handbook is to provide a practical guide offering a comprehensive overview of the
department’s policies and interpretations of Rule 310. The intent is that this guide will be useful and used. The handbook is organized to respond to topical questions and it is structured to provide answers to the most commonly encountered compliance challenges.

The purpose of the ambient air monitoring network is to sample air pollution in a variety of settings, assess the health and welfare effects, and assist in determining sources of air pollution. In general, six basic monitoring objectives and five measuring scales are used to determine the network design. Since it is physically and fiscally impossible to monitor the air in every location, representative samples must be obtained. These samples are determined by using the monitoring objectives and the spatial measurement scales. The network must be dynamic enough to maintain a current representative sample of the air quality. Air quality issues such as eight-hour ozone non-attainment boundaries and permits for new sources are diverse and controversial subjects for the citizens of Maricopa County. With its robust air monitoring network and mobile monitoring tools, the department strives to provide the most reliable and relevant air monitoring data to the public.