[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 178 (Friday, September 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53002-53003]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21317]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8714-2]


Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Oxides-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 Sulfur Oxides-Health Criteria'' (EPA/600/R-08/047F) and 
the supplementary annexes (EPA/600/R-08/047FA). The document was 
prepared by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) 
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 sulfur oxides.

DATES: The document will be available on or about September 12, 2008.

ADDRESSES: The ``Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Oxides-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 Sulfur Oxides-Health Criteria'' (EPA/600/R-08/
047F), to facilitate processing of your request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information, contact Jee 
Young Kim, Sc.D., NCEA [telephone: 919-541-4157; facsimile: 919-541-
5078; or e-mail: [email protected]] or Douglas Johns, PhD, NCEA 
[telephone: 919-541-5596; 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.
    Sulfur oxides are one of six principal (or ``criteria'') pollutants 
for which EPA has established NAAQS. Periodically, EPA reviews the 
scientific basis for these standards by preparing an Integrated Science 
Assessment (ISA), 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 expert scientific review of EPA's draft 
ISAs.
    On May 16, 2006 (71 FR 28023), EPA formally initiated its current 
review of the criteria for Sulfur Oxides, requesting the submission of 
recent scientific information on specified topics. A draft of EPA's 
``Integrated Plan for Review of the Primary National Ambient Air 
Quality Standard for Sulfur Oxides'' was made available in February 
2007 for

[[Page 53003]]

public comment and was discussed by the CASAC via a publicly accessible 
teleconference consultation on May 11, 2007 (72 FR 20336). This plan 
was then finalized and made available to the public in October 2007. A 
review of the secondary (welfare-based) NAAQS for Sulfur Oxides is 
being conducted separately, in conjunction with the review of the 
secondary NAAQS for Oxides of Nitrogen. (http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/so2/s_so2_cr_pd.html). 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 sulfur oxides. The first external review 
draft of this ISA was released for public comment and review by the 
CASAC on September 28, 2007 (72 FR 55207), and was reviewed by CASAC at 
a public meeting held on December 5-6, 2007 (72 FR 64216). The second 
draft of this ISA was released for public comment and review by the 
CASAC in June 2008 (73 FR 31113), and was reviewed by CASAC at a public 
meeting held on July 30-31, 2008. EPA has considered comments by CASAC 
and by the public in preparing this final ISA.

    Dated: September 2, 2008.
Rebecca Clark,
Acting Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. E8-21317 Filed 9-11-08; 8:45 am]
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