DEQ seeks comment on air quality issue in Pinehurst

BOISE — The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is seeking public comment on a request to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to exclude high concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and coarse particulate matter (PM10) for impacts during the 2017 wildfire season in Pinehurst from calculations used to assess compliance with federal air quality standards.

With EPA concurrence, states are allowed to flag air quality data as exceptional and exclude those data in determining compliance with federal air quality standards when exceedances in pollutant levels are due to events that are not reasonably controllable or preventable.

The exceptional events demonstration document is available for review at DEQ’s state office in Boise and on DEQ’s website (download at right).

Written comments will be accepted through Aug. 6, 2018, at 5 p.m. MDT. Submit comments electronically on DEQ’s website or by mail or email to:

Tanya Chin

Air Quality Division

DEQ State Office

1410 N. Hilton

Boise, ID 83706

Email: tanya.chin@deq.idaho.gov