SUBJECT: Reporting of Summer 2003 Ozone Fast-Track Data

July 03, 2003

MEMORANDUM

SUBJECT: Reporting of Summer 2003 Ozone "Fast-Track" Data

FROM: Fred Dimmick, Leader Air Quality Trends Analysis Group (C304-01)

TO: Air Program Managers

We will be closely tracking ambient ozone concentrations during this summer, with the help of Regional Office staff, State and local agencies and the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standard’s Information Transfer Group. The “Fast-Track” summary reports of this summer’s ozone data should help State and local agencies focus their quality-assurance activities of these data, thus allowing a quick submittal of these data into the Air Quality System (AQS).

Because these "Fast-Track" data are generally not subjected to final validation and quality assurance procedures and the data are being voluntarily submitted early, we view these data as belonging to the State and local agencies. We also do not consider the data suitable for regulatory purposes. In the past, there have been many requests for the ozone "Fast-Track" information from Congressional committees, the regulatory community, the news media, and the general public. We plan to work closely with STAPPA and ALAPCO to disseminate appropriate information to outside organizations this year as we have previously. While EPA will be responsible for compiling and preparing the report, external dissemination of appropriate data will be handled primarily by the STAPPA and ALAPCO Secretariat. Once we begin making the data available to STAPPA and ALAPCO, inquiries from those external to EPA should contact the Association’s web site at http://www.cleanairworld.org/stappa/news.html.

Process for Compiling and Disseminating the Data:

Approximately on a bi-weekly basis, we will compile an ozone data set based on the data from the AIRNow database for those States and local agencies participating in the Ozone Mapping Project. These data will be compiled into tabular format then forwarded to the appropriate Regional Office and State and local agency representatives. For each monitoring site reported in 2 the AIRNow database, the tables will consist of the 4 highest 1-hour and 8-hour concentration values reported in the database up to the date shown in the tables. Also, the historical data for

2001 and 2002 based on data from the AQS will also be included. The tables will be provided in both Excel and Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets. To update the data, States and local agencies may make the necessary changes in the concentration values on the Excel or Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets and return them to Dennis Doll at [email protected].

The first report is attached and reflects the data in the AIRNow data base as of June 30. We anticipate the next report to be forwarded on approximately July, 16. Therefore, we request that the States and local agencies provide any necessary changes to us by July 14.

We are continuing to evaluate a revised and more convenient “Fast-Track” process and anticipate introducing this revised reporting process soon.

We request that the Regional Offices forward this information to the appropriate State and local agencies for review. We appreciate the past effort and cooperation of the EPA Regional Offices and the State/local agencies in providing this "Fast-Track" ozone data in a timely manner. This effort has been a successful colloboration with EPA and STAPPA and ALAPCO. If you have any questions about the 2003 “Fast Track” data reporting process, please contact Dennis Doll of my staff. Dennis can be reached at (919) 541-5693, E-mail: [email protected]. We will be glad to discuss any issues or questions you may have about this year’s effort.

Attachments

Addressees: Mr. Charles App, Office of Ecological Assessment & Mgmt., EPA Region III Mr. Dave Arnold, Air Protection Division, EPA Region III Mr. William Baker, Environmental Planning & Protection Division, EPA Region II Mr. Norm Beloin, Office of Environmental Measurement and Evaluation, EPA Region I Mr. Jay Bortzer, Air and Radiation Division, EPA Region V Ms. Catherine Brown, Air Division, EPA Region IX Mr. Dave Conroy, EPA Region I Mr. Tom Diggs, Multimedia Planning & Permitting Division, EPA Region VI Mr. Doug Hardesty, Office of Air Quality, EPA Region X Mr. John Kennedy, Air Division, EPA Region IX Mr. Mike Kenyon, EPA Region I Ms. Loretta Lehrman, Air and Radiation Division, EPA Region V Mr. Denny Lohman, Environmental Services Division, EPA Region III Makeba Morris, Environmental Services Division, EPA Region III Mr. Carl Nash, Air and Radiation Division, EPA Region V Mr. Doug Neeley, Air, Pesticides & Toxics Management Division, EPA Region IV Ms. Kay Prince, Air, Pesticides & Toxics Management Division, EPA Region IV Mr. Steve Rapp, Office of Environmental Measurement and Evaluation, EPA Region I 3

Addressees cont’d

Ms. Marcia Spink, Air Protection Division, EPA Region III Mr. Larry Svoboda, Air and Radiation Program, EPA Region VIII Ms. Bonnie Thie, Office of Air Quality, EPA Region X Mr. Donald Toensing, Air, RCRA, and Toxics Division, EPA Region VII Mr. Barry Towns, Office of Environmental Assessment, EPA Region IX Ms. Callie Videtich, Air Program Technical Unit, Air and Radiation Division, EPA Region VIII Ms. Jane Watson, Multimedia Planning & Permitting Division, EPA Region VI Mr. Ray Werner, Chief, Air Programs Branch, EPA Region II cc: Donna Ascenzi, Region VI Josephine Ball, NM Steven Barhite, Region IX Jesse Baskerville, Region IV Ken Bigos, Region IX Ron Borsellino, Region II Susan Branning, Region VI Dave Bray, Region X Jeff Clark, OAQPS Jack Colbourn, Region IX Stephanie Cooper, STAPPA and ALAPCO Phil Dickerson, ITPID Tom Downs, ME Kerry Drake, Region IX Ed Finfer, Region II Terence Fitz-Simons, EMAD Barry Gilbert, AQSSD Richard Guillot, Region IV Matt Grupke Pamela Hargett, Region III D. Harman, ND Bill Harnett, ITPID Tom Helms, EMAD James Hemby, EMAD D. Hopson, AL Tahmina Islam, NC Gordon Jones, Region V Kathy Jones, GA 4

cc’s continued

Jeff Kenknight, Region X A. King, DEQ, UT William Kotasek, CO Jim Kutzman, Region IV Bill Lamason, EMAD Richard Long, Region VIII William Luthans, Region VI Joe Mashburn, OK Colleen McKaughan, Region IX Cheryl Newton, Region V Bob Pallarino, Region IX Richard Payton, Region VIII William Puckett, Region X Tesh Rao, AQTAG James Regehr, Region VII Gerardo Rios, Region IX Rich Scheffe, MQAG Ann Sorensen, MA Andrew Steckel, Region IX H. Stewart, TNRCC, TX Susan Studlien, Region I Joshua Tapp, Region VII Ruth Tatom, Region VI Peter Tsirigotis, EMAD Bernie Turlinski, Region III Kale Walch, AZ Sandra Wardwell, AZ Karen Way, Region I Richard Wayland, ITPID Rebecca Weber, Region VI Lydia Wegman, AQSSD Amy Zimpfer, Region IX