[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 134 (Friday, July 11, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39960-39961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-15726]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8689-9]


Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen--Health 
Criteria

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing 
the availability of a final document entitled ``Integrated Science 
Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen--Health Criteria'' (EPA/600/R-08/
071). The document was prepared by the National Center for 
Environmental Assessment within EPA's Office of Research and 
Development as part of the review of the primary (health-based) 
national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for oxides of nitrogen.

DATES: The document will be available on July 11, 2008.

ADDRESSES: The ``Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen--
Health Criteria'' will be available primarily via the Internet on the 
National Center for Environmental Assessment's home page under the 
Recent Additions and Publications menus at http://www.epa.gov/ncea. A 
limited number of CD-ROM or paper copies will be available. Contact Ms. 
Ellen Lorang by phone (919-541-2771), fax (919-541-5078), or e-mail 
([email protected]) to request either of these, and please provide 
your name, your mailing address, and the document title, ``Integrated 
Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen--Health Criteria'' (EPA/600/
R-08/071), to facilitate processing of your request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information, contact 
Dennis Kotchmar, M.D., NCEA; telephone: 919-541-4158; facsimile: 919-
541-5078; or e-mail: [email protected] or Thomas Luben, PhD, 
NCEA; telephone: 919-541-5762; or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 108(a) of the Clean Air Act directs 
the Administrator to identify certain pollutants that ``may reasonably 
be anticipated to endanger public health and welfare'' and to issue air 
quality criteria for them. These air quality criteria are to 
``accurately reflect the latest scientific knowledge useful in 
indicating the kind and extent of all identifiable effects on public 
health or welfare which may be expected from the presence of [a] 
pollutant in the ambient air * * *.'' Under section 109 of the Act, EPA 
is then to establish national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for 
each pollutant for which EPA has issued criteria. Section 109(d) of the 
Act requires subsequent periodic review and, if appropriate, revision 
of existing air quality criteria to reflect advances in scientific 
knowledge on the effects of the pollutant on public health and welfare. 
EPA is also to revise the NAAQS, if appropriate, based on the revised 
air quality criteria.
    Oxides of nitrogen are one of six principal (or ``criteria'') 
pollutants for which EPA has issued air quality criteria. National 
ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) based on those criteria have been 
established for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), an indicator for 
gaseous nitrogen oxides. Periodically, EPA reviews the scientific basis 
for these standards by preparing an Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) 
and supplementary annexes, formerly called an Air Quality Criteria 
Document (AQCD). The ISA and supplementary annexes, in conjunction with 
additional technical and policy assessments, provide the scientific 
basis for EPA decisions on the adequacy of a current NAAQS and the 
appropriateness of new or revised standards. The Clean Air Scientific 
Advisory Committee (CASAC), an independent science advisory committee 
mandated by the Clean Air Act and part of the EPA's Science Advisory 
Board (SAB), is charged with independent, expert scientific review of 
EPA's draft ISAs.
    On December 9, 2005 (70 FR 73236), EPA formally initiated its 
current review of the criteria for Oxides of Nitrogen, requesting the 
submission of recent scientific information on specified topics. A 
draft of EPA's ``Integrated Review Plan for the Primary National 
Ambient Air Quality Standard for Nitrogen Dioxide'' was made available 
in February 2007 for public comment and was discussed by the Clean Air 
Science Advisory Committee (CASAC) via a publicly accessible 
teleconference consultation on May 11, 2007 (72 FR 20336). In February 
2007 (72 FR 6238), a workshop was held to discuss, with invited 
scientific experts, initial draft materials prepared in the development 
of the ISA and supplementary annexes for oxides of nitrogen. The first 
external review draft of this ISA was released for public comment and 
review by the CASAC on

[[Page 39961]]

August 31, 2007 (72 FR 50107), and was reviewed by CASAC at a public 
meeting held on October 24-25, 2007. The second draft of this ISA was 
released for public comment and review by the CASAC in March 2008 (73 
FR 11916), and was reviewed by CASAC at a public meeting held on May 1-
2, 2008. EPA has considered comments by CASAC and the public in 
preparing this final ISA.

    Dated: July 1, 2008.
Rebecca M. Clark,
Acting Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. E8-15726 Filed 7-10-08; 8:45 am]
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