NMED News:The Air Quality Bureau has developed a draft dust mitigation plan and proposed fugitive dust control rule for Doña Ana and Luna counties in southern New Mexico.
Mitigation plans are required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in areas where recurring natural events (in this case, high winds resulting in blowing dust) cause exceedances of the health based national standards for Particulate Matter.
Some of the required elements of a mitigation plan include:
- Steps to identify and study sources of dust;
- Mandatory or voluntary control measures to abate sources of dust that cause or contribute to exceedances of the standards to better protect public health;
- Public education and notification programs aimed at reducing individuals’ exposure to unhealthy levels of particulate matter in the air before, during, and after high wind events; and
- Public review and periodic evaluation of the mitigation plan.
Draft documents of the dust mitigation plan and fugitive dust control rule may be downloaded here. The Air Quality Bureau will accept comments on the draft documents through April 30, 2018. Although this is considered an informal comment period, the Bureau plans to respond to every submission received and incorporate input as appropriate. A formal comment period will be held in conjunction with the rule making process and will be announced at a later date.
