Hickory (Catawba County) and Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point (Davidson and Guilford Counties) Areas (PM2.5)

Supplement to the Redesignation and Maintenance Plan for Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) - December 2010

On December 22, 2010, the Division of Air Quality (DAQ) submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) a "Supplement to the Hickory and Triad Areas' Maintenance Plan", revising the motor vehicle emission and the motor vehicle emission budgets for transportation conformity purposes using the new USEPA mobile model Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES). Additionally, the DAQ submitted an Errata document to make minor corrections or changes, at the request of the USEPA, to the redesignation demonstration and maintenance plan for the fine particulate matter nonattainment areas. The transmittal letter, the supplement narrative, appendices and errata document are available through the links found below.

DEQ Submittals:

The Supplement made revisions to select pages of the Redesignation Demonstration and Maintenance Plan Narrative and Appendix E - Hearing Report. The Supplement replaced in its entirety Appendix C.3 - On-Road Mobile Source Emission Inventory Documentation. The Errata also made changes to select pages of the Narrative and Appendix C.1 - Point Source Emission Inventory Documentation. Below are the documents affected by the Supplement and Errata with the new pages inserted.

DEQ Submittals:

EPA Actions:

  • Final Rule: Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; North Carolina: Redesignation of the Hickory Morganton-Lenoir 1997 Annual Fine Particulate Matter Nonattainment Area to Attainment (76 FR 71452, November 18, 2011)
  • Proposed Rule: Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans and Designation of Areas for Air Quality Planning Purposes; North Carolina: Redesignation of the Hickory Morganton-Lenoir 1997 Annual Fine Particulate Matter Nonattainment Area to Attainment (76 FR 58210, September 20, 2011)

Please direct any further questions or comments concerning this SIP submittal to the Planning Section Chief.


Redesignation and Maintenance Plan for Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) - December 2009

The final "Redesignation Demonstration and Maintenance Plan for the Hickory and Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point Fine Particulate Matter Nonattainment Areas" State Implementation Plan (SIP) package was submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) on December 18, 2009. The narrative documents that the Hickory and Triad areas have attained the 1997 annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standard, fulfilling requirements of Section 175A(b) of the Federal Clean Air Act as amended. The transmittal letter, narrative, and appendices are available through the links found below.

DEQ Submittals:


Attainment Demonstration Plan for Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) - August 2009

The final "The North Carolina Fine Particulate Matter Attainment Demonstration for the Hickory and Triad Fine Particulate Matter Nonattainment Areas" State Implementation Plan (SIP) package was submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) on August 21, 2009. The transmittal letter, narrative, and appendices are available through the links found below:

This Attainment Demonstration Plan is required by the Clean Air Act and provides the State's plan on actions and measures necessary in order for Hickory and the Triad to attain the PM2.5 annual standard by the April 5, 2010 attainment date. As of the end of 2008, both of these regions have achieved attainment. To this end, a Redesignation and Maintenance Plan is currently being developed and will be released for public comment by the end of October 2009.

EPA Actions:

This Attainment Demonstration Plan is required by the Clean Air Act and provides the State's plan on actions and measures necessary in order for Hickory and the Triad to attain the PM2.5 annual standard by the April 5, 2010 attainment date. As of the end of 2008, both of these regions have achieved attainment. To this end, a Redesignation and Maintenance Plan is currently being developed and will be released for public comment by the end of October 2009.

Please direct any further questions or comments concerning this SIP submittal to the Planning Section Chief.