Western State/EPA Exceptional Events Implementation Meeting
February 25-26, 2009
Rincon Hill Room
Courtyard Marriott
299 Second Street
San Francisco, California
Audience: EPA Headquarters, Regional Office and Western State agency decision makers and managers with responsibility for implementing the Exceptional Events Rule.
Meeting Objective/Outcome: The purpose of the meeting is for western states and EPA to discuss the challenges of implementing the exceptional events rule and accomplish the following:
· Reach a common understanding of the definition of an exceptional event and identify examples of recurring natural events that may meet the definition.
· Reach a common understanding of the role event parameters, such as statistical occurrence and magnitude play in identifying qualifying exceptional events.
· Reach a common understanding on the nature and extent of the documentation needed for a complete EE demonstration, particularly for ozone.
· Discuss the elements of a “toolbox” states could use to document exceptional events, and the need for written guidance.
· Discuss whether there would be utility in EPA developing a checklist of criteria for concurrence on event documentation, and its possible content.
· Discuss consistency of review criteria between regions with similar exceptional events.
· Discuss EPA concurrence/non-concurrence determination timeframes.
Wednesday, February 25
8:00-8:15 Welcome and Introductions
8:15-9:15 Guiding Principles for Exceptional Events, Dan Johnson
9:15-10:15 Overview of Exceptional Events Rule, Tom Link
· Status of pending litigation
10:15-10:30 Break
10:30-11:00 Status of Exceptional Events submissions, EPA
· Submittals received and acted on by EPA
· Outstanding concerns causing non-concurrence or delays in concurrence
11:00-11:30 EPA PM2.5 Exceptional Events Informal TSD Template for Regional Consistency: A Review of Best Practices—Neil Frank
11:30-1:00 Lunch (on you own)
1:00-2:00 California, Karen Magliano
· California's suggestions for how to approach and move forward on exceptional events, as well as some examples of past events including windblown dust and this past summer's wildfires and the level of documentation adequate and appropriate for them.
2:00-2:45 Clark County, Jean-Paul Huys, Rodney Langston
· Clark County exceptional events demonstration documentation for 2005 wildfire events.
· Clark County's wind driven exceptional event demonstrations, empirically derived criteria and a summary of demonstration needs based on past demonstrations.
2:45-3:00 Break
3:00-3:45 Arizona, Ira Domsky
· How Arizona has been implementing the exceptional events policies and the new rules with examples of exceptional events, including the format Arizona uses to present the data and analyses, and exceedance events not flagged.
3:45-5:00 Technical Documentation for ozone exceptional events, discussion
· Can the PM2.5 Exceptional Events TSD template be used by States as a starting point for creating a similar checklist or template for ozone?
5:00 Adjourn for the day
Thursday, February 26
8:00-8:45 Re-cap previous day’s discussions and progress toward accomplishing the meeting objectives.
8:45-9:30 EPA action on Exceptional Events—What can States expect from EPA
· How can the process be expedited?
9:30-9:45 Break
9:45-11:30 Other topics including:
· Flagging concentrations below the NAAQS
11:30-12:00 Next Steps
Noon Adjourn