U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Annual Health National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for fine particles to 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3) and retaining the 24-hour fine particle standard of 35 μg/m3, 2012

ABSTRACT:  EPA Revises the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particle Pollution December 14, 2012 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took important steps to protect the health of Americans from particle pollution by strengthening the annual health National Ambient Air Quality Standard for fine particles (PM2.5) to 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3). The agency also retained the existing standards for coarse particle pollution (PM10).

·    Final Rule (PDF) (203pp, 4.1 MB) - Federal Register - January 15, 2013

·    Press release

·    Overview Fact Sheet (PDF) (3pp, 301k)

·    Fact Sheet: Health (PDF) (3pp, 318k)

·    Fact Sheet: Standards and Air Quality Index (PDF) (5pp, 380k)

·    Fact Sheet: Implementing the Standards (PDF) (4pp, 287k)

·    Regulatory Impact Analysis (PDF) (474pp, 10.2 MB)

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Federal Register National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter, Final rule.

SUMMARY: Based on its review of the air quality criteria and the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM), the EPA is making revisions to the suite of standards for PM to provide requisite protection of public health and welfare and to make corresponding revisions to the data handling conventions for PM and to the ambient air monitoring, reporting, and network design requirements. The EPA also is making revisions to the prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) permitting program with respect to the NAAQS revisions.

With regard to primary (health-based) standards for fine particles (generally referring to particles less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers (mm) in diameter, PM2.5), the EPA is revising the annual PM2.5 standard by lowering the level to 12.0 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m3) so as to provide increased protection against health effects associated with long- and short-term exposures (including premature mortality, increased hospital admissions and emergency department visits, and development of chronic respiratory disease), and to retain the 24-hour PM2.5 standard at a level of 35 mg/m3. The EPA is revising the Air Quality Index (AQI) for PM2.5 to be consistent with the revised primary PM2.5 standards. With regard to the primary standard for particles generally less than or equal to 10 mm in diameter (PM10), the EPA is retaining the current 24-hour PM10 standard to continue to provide protection against effects associated with short-term exposure to thoracic coarse particles (i.e., PM10-2.5). With regard to the secondary (welfare-based) PM standards, the EPA is generally retaining the current suite of secondary standards (i.e., 24-hour and annual PM2.5 standards and a 24-hour PM10 standard). Non-visibility welfare effects are addressed by this suite of secondary standards, and PM-related visibility impairment is addressed by the secondary 24-hour PM2.5 standard.

DATES: The final rule is effective on March 18, 2013.

Pages From Extension of Beach Fires Moratorium Urgency Ordinance 09-01-15

MONTEREY BAY UNIFIED AIR POLLUTION
CONTROL DISTRICT DATA
6/21 to 7/31/2015

Air Quality Guide PM 2015

Air Quality Guide for Particle Pollution

Pollutant: PM2.5 – Particulate < 2.5 microns (24 hr. avg)

Air Quality Index	Concentration (ug/m3)	AQI Category
0-50	0.0-12.0	GOOD
51-100	12.1 – 35.4	MODERATE
101-150	35.5 – 55.4	UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS
151-200	55.5 – 150.4	UNHEALTHY
201-300	150.5 – 250.4	VERY UNHEALTHY
301-500	250.5 – 500.4	HAZARDOUS

REFERENCES:

AQI Calculator: AQI to Concentration
AQI Calculator: Concentration to AQI

DATA ANALYSIS CARMEL BEACH PM2.5

6/21 to 7/31/2015

Carmel Beach 24-Hr Ave PM2.5

AQI CATEGORY	NUMBER OF HOURS
GOOD	883
MODERATE	101
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS	0
UNHEALTHY	0
VERY UNHEALTHY	0
HAZARDOUS	0

TOTAL HOURS 984
Carmel Beach 1-Hour Average PM2.5

AQI CATEGORY	NUMBER OF HOURS
GOOD	965
MODERATE	13
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS	6
UNHEALTHY	0
VERY UNHEALTHY	0
HAZARDOUS	0

TOTAL HOURS 984

Air Quality Rating	Air Quality Index (AQI)	PM2.5 1-hour Average (µg/m3)	PM2.5 24-hour Average (µg/m3)
GOOD	0 - 50	0.0 - 40.4	0.0 - 12.0
MODERATE	51 - 100	40.5 - 80.4	12.1 - 35.4
UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS	101 - 150	80.5 - 175.4	35.5 - 55.4
UNHEALTHY	151 - 200	175.5 - 300.4	55.5 - 150.4
VERY UNHEALTHY	201 - 300	300.5 - 500.4	150.5 - 250.4
HAZARDOUS	>300	>500.5	>250.5