WASHINGTON STATE REGISTER

WSR 10-16-152

DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY

[ Filed August 4, 2010, 9:52 a.m. ]

NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

Regional Haze State Implementation Plan (SIP)

аааа The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adopted the regional haze rule on July 1, 1999. It established a program to improve visibility in one hundred fifty-six of the nation's national parks and wilderness areas, where visibility is especially important. Congress called these "mandatory Class I areas." See Washington's eight Class I areas at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/PDFS/wilderness.pdf.

аааа Washington must submit a plan to the EPA to reduce air pollutants that affect visibility in its Class 1 [I] areas. The regional haze SIP:

Х Documents current conditions at Washington's mandatory Class 1 [I] areas.

Х Establishes the base for controls in future SIPs.

Х Begins the process of making reasonable progress toward the 2064 goal of natural visibility conditions.

аааа Public hearing schedule: On Tuesday, September 28, 2010, at 6:00 p.m., at the Department of Ecology, Headquarters Building, Auditorium, 300 Desmond Drive S.E., Lacey, WA 98503.

аааа Ecology will provide a link to participate in the hearing via the internet. Information about how to participate via the internet will be available on the regional haze SIP web page by September 21. View the regional haze SIP web page at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/globalwarm_RegHaze/regional_haze.html.

аааа How to review and comment: Ecology will accept comments on the draft regional haze SIP and appendices. The draft regional haze SIP and appendices will be available for review: On-line at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/airhome.html and at the following locations: Bellingham Public Library, 210 Central Avenue, CS-9710, Bellingham, WA 98227-9710, (360) 778-7323; at the Seattle Public Library, Central Library, 1000 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, (206) 386-4636; at the Longview Public Library, 1600 Louisiana Street, Longview, WA 98632, (360) 442-5300; at the Twisp Library, 201 North Methow Valley Highway, Twisp, WA 98856-0237, (509) 997-4681; at the Mount Vernon City Library, 315 Snoqualmie Street, Mt. Vernon, WA 98273, (360) 336-6209; at the Port Townsend Public Library, 1220 Lawrence Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368, (360) 385-3181; and at the Wenatchee Library, 310 Douglas Street, Wenatchee, WA 98801-2864, (509) 662-5021.

аааа Ecology will accept comments from August 25 to October 6. Send comments to: Doug Schneider, Department of Ecology, Air Quality Program, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600, AQcomments@ecy.wa.gov.

аааа Ecology's response to your comments: All of the comments we receive will become part of the official record. Ecology will compile a summary of oral and written comments received during the comment period and ecology's response to those comments.

аааа For more information, contact Jeff Johnston, Department of Ecology, Air Quality Program, (360) 407-6115, jeff.johnston@ecy.wa.gov, or go to http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/globalwarm_RegHaze/regional_haze.html.

аааа Ecology's Regional Haze Focus Sheet: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0902016.pdf.

аааа Documents related to the seven sources subject to BART requirements: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/globalwarm_RegHaze/bart/BARTInformation.html.

аааа If you need special accommodations, call the air quality program at (360) 407-6800. Persons with hearing loss, call 711 for Washington relay service. Persons with a speech disability, call 877-833-6344.

Х	Documents current conditions at Washington's mandatory Class 1 [I] areas.
Х	Establishes the base for controls in future SIPs.
Х	Begins the process of making reasonable progress toward the 2064 goal of natural visibility conditions.

й Washington State Code Reviser's Office