[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 26, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4694-4695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1639]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-1145; FRL-9257-9]


Release of Final Document Related to the Review of the Secondary 
National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen and 
Sulfur

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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[[Page 4695]]

SUMMARY: The Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) of 
EPA is announcing the availability of a document titled, Policy 
Assessment for the Review of the Secondary National Ambient Air Quality 
Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur (January 14, 2011 version) 
(Policy Assessment). The Policy Assessment contains staff analyses of 
the scientific bases for alternative policy options for consideration 
by the Agency prior to rulemaking.

DATES: This version of Policy Assessment will be available on or about 
January 14, 2011; a final version is expected to be released around the 
end of January.

ADDRESSES: The document will be available primarily via the Internet at 
the following Web site: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/no2so2sec/cr_pa.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions related to this 
document, please contact Dr. Richard Scheffe, Office of Air Quality 
Planning and Standards (Mail code C304-02), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; e-mail: 
[email protected] telephone: 919-541-4650; fax: 919-541-2357.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under section 108(a) of the Clean Air Act 
(CAA), the Administrator identifies and lists certain pollutants which 
``cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be 
anticipated to endanger public health or welfare.'' The EPA then issues 
air quality criteria for these listed pollutants, which are commonly 
referred to as ``criteria pollutants.'' The 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, in varying quantities.'' Under section 
109 of the CAA, EPA establishes primary (health-based) and secondary 
(welfare-based) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for 
pollutants for which air quality criteria are issued. Section 109(d) of 
the CAA requires periodic review and, if appropriate, revision of 
existing air quality criteria. The revised air quality criteria reflect 
advances in scientific knowledge on the effects of the pollutant on 
public health or welfare. The EPA is also required to periodically 
review and revise the NAAQS, if appropriate, based on the revised 
criteria.
    Presently, EPA is reviewing the secondary NAAQS for oxides of 
nitrogen and sulfur.\1\ The document announced today, Policy Assessment 
for the Review of the Secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards 
for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur (January 14, 2011 version), contains 
staff analyses of the scientific bases for alternative policy options 
for consideration by the Agency prior to rulemaking. This document, 
which builds upon the historical ``Staff Paper,'' will serve to 
``bridge the gap'' between the available scientific information and the 
judgments required of the Administrator in determining whether it is 
appropriate to retain or revise the standards.\2\ The current and 
potential alternative standards for oxides of nitrogen and sulfur are 
considered in terms of the basic elements of the NAAQS: Indicator, 
averaging time, form, and level. The Policy Assessment builds upon 
information presented in the Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides 
of Nitrogen and Sulfur--Ecological Criteria: Final report (ISA, EPA 
EPA/600/R-08/082F, December 2008) and the quantitative risk and 
exposure assessment document (REA)--Risk and Exposure Assessment for 
Review of the Secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for 
Oxides of Nitrogen and Oxides of Sulfur (EPA-452/R-09-008a and EPA-452/
R-09-008b; September 2009).
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    \1\ The EPA's initial overall plan for this review was presented 
in the Integrated Review Plan for the National Ambient Air Quality 
Standards for Nitrogen Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide (EPA-452/R-08-006, 
December 2007). Documents related to the current review of the 
secondary NAAQS for oxides of nitrogen and sulfur are available at: 
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/no2so2sec/index.html.
    \2\ See http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/review.html for a copy of 
Administrator Jackson's May 21, 2009, memorandum and for additional 
information on the NAAQS review process.
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    A first draft Policy Assessment (EPA-452/P-10-006) was released in 
March 2010 to facilitate discussion with the Clean Air Scientific 
Advisory Committee (CASAC) at an April 1-2, 2010 meeting on the overall 
structure, areas of focus, and level of detail to be included in the 
Policy Assessment (75 FR 10479-10481, March 2010). CASAC's comments on 
the first draft Policy Assessment encouraged the development of a 
document focused on the key policy-relevant issues that draws from and 
is not repetitive of information in the ISA and REA. These comments 
were considered in developing a second draft Policy Assessment (EPA 
452/P-10-008, September 2010). The EPA presented an overview of the 
second draft Policy Assessment at a CASAC meeting on October 6-7, 2010 
(75 FR 54871-54872).
    CASAC (EPA-CASAC-11-003) and public comments on the second draft 
Policy Assessment were considered by EPA staff in developing this 
version of the final Policy Assessment which is available through the 
Agency's Technology Transfer Network (TTN) Web site at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/no2so2sec/cr_pa.html. CASAC has 
requested a February 15-16, 2011, meeting to review EPA's final Policy 
Assessment. EPA is releasing this January 14, 2011, version of the 
final Policy Assessment at this time, prior to final document 
production, to provide sufficient time for CASAC review of the document 
in advance of this meeting. EPA will continue with final document 
production, including final reference checks and document formatting, 
and release the final version of this Policy Assessment around the end 
of January.

    Dated: January 14, 2011.
Jennifer Noonan Edmonds,
Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2011-1639 Filed 1-25-11; 8:45 am]
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