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.

The Arizona Department of Education is pleased to provide you with this state report card as a part of our compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind law. We are working hard to raise academic standards for Arizona students. We are also holding our schools accountable for how well students perform academically. We are restoring classroom discipline, which is an essential component for achieving academic excellence. We also have an extensive state program to help schools whose test scores show a need for improvement. We are working hard to make sure Arizona students and schools are performing to their absolute potential.

The Strategic Plan comprises an ambitious set of goals and objectives. It is a “living” document that will guide our focus and activities. As such, some objectives and expected results will be subject to change as information and events unfold. Objectives and measures aligned to drive achievement have also been developed in Units, Sections, and Divisions throughout the Department.

Our Plan includes ambitious, innovative goals and objectives focused on developing great schools, excellent teachers, and successful students. We believe that implementing this Plan in partnership with education, business and community stakeholders will help us achieve our mission: To serve Arizona’s education community, ensuring every student has access to an excellent education.

Bullying and violence in K-12 schools have been in the policy spotlight in Arizona for almost a decade. However, current indicators and recent traumatic events show that a range of anti-social behaviors on school campuses remain a major threat to student well-being and learning. This briefing was distributed at panel discussion on bullying and safe school environments, focusing on such issues.

The Clean Air Act states that an area can be redesignated to attainment if specific conditions are met. This document demonstrates that all CAA requirements for attainment have been met, summarizes the progress of the area in attaining the PM10 standard, demonstrates that the Bullhead City area qualifies for EPA’s Clean Data Policy and Limited Maintenance Plan option, and includes a maintenance plan to assure continued attainment for ten years after the redesignation. This document includes a formal request to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to redesignate the Bullhead City, Arizona PM10 nonattainment area to attainment for the health-based 24-hour average and annual average PM10 National Ambient Air Quality Standard.

In addition, this document includes a formal request to revise the nonattainment area boundary, as currently defined in 40 CFR 81.303, to exclude three townships (108 square miles) in the east and south of the nonattainment area. The rationale for eliminating the three townships is that the land contains undisturbed desert terrain. The majority of the three townships is federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management and state land managed by the Arizona State Land Department. Analyses included in this document show that ambient air quality measurements have remained below the NAAQS for PM10, and both the 24-hour average design value and annual average PM10 design value are below EPA’s LMP allowable limits. This document also demonstrates that the emission reduction control measures responsible for the air quality improvement are both permanent and enforceable.