[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 78 (Friday, April 22, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 22665-22666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9688]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Part 50

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0492; FRL-9298-4]


Release of Final Document Related to the Review of the National 
Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) of 
EPA is announcing the availability of a

[[Page 22666]]

final document titled, Policy Assessment for the Review of the 
Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards (PA). The PA 
contains staff analyses of the scientific bases for alternative policy 
options for consideration by the Agency prior to rulemaking.

DATES: The PA will be available on or about April 19, 2011.

ADDRESSES: The document will be available via the Internet at the 
following Web site: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pm/s_pm_2007_pa.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions related to this final 
document, please contact Ms. Beth Hassett-Sipple, Office of Air Quality 
Planning and Standards (Mail code C504-06), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; e-mail: [email protected]; telephone: 919-541-4605; fax: 919-541-0237.

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 NAAQS for particulate matter 
(PM).\1\ The document announced today, Policy Assessment for the Review 
of the Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards, 
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 PM standards are considered in terms of the basic 
elements of the NAAQS: indicator, averaging time, form, and level. The 
PA builds upon information presented in the Integrated Science 
Assessment for Particulate Matter (ISA, EPA 600/R-08/139F and EPA 600/
R-08/139FA, December 2009) and two quantitative risk and exposure 
assessment documents (REAs)--Quantitative Health Risk Assessment for 
Particulate Matter (EPA 452/R-10-005; June 2010) and Particulate Matter 
Urban-Focused Visibility Assessment (EPA 452/R-10-004, July 2010).
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    \1\ The EPA's initial overall plan and schedule for this review 
was presented in the Integrated Review Plan for the National Ambient 
Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter (EPA 452/R-08-004, 
March 2008). Documents related to the current PM NAAQS review are 
available at: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pm/s_pm_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 preliminary draft PA (EPA-452/P-09-007) was released in September 
2009 for informational purposes and to facilitate discussion with the 
Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) at an October 5-6, 
2009, meeting on the overall structure, areas of focus, and level of 
detail to be included in the PA (74 FR 46586, September 10, 2009). 
CASAC's comments on the preliminary draft PA encouraged the development 
of a document focused on the key policy-relevant issues that draws from 
and is not repetitive of information in the Integrated Science 
Assessment (ISA) and REAs. These comments were considered in developing 
a first draft PA (EPA-452/P-10-003, March 2010; 75 FR 4067, January 26, 
2010) that built upon the information presented and assessed in the ISA 
and second draft REAs (EPA-452/P-10-001, February 2010; EPA-452/P-10-
002, January 2010). The EPA presented an overview of the first draft PA 
at a CASAC meeting on March 10, 2010 (75 FR 8062, February 23, 2010). 
CASAC and public review of the first draft PA was discussed during 
public teleconferences on April 8-9, 2010, (75 FR 8062, February 23, 
2010) and May 7, 2010 (75 FR19971, April 16, 2010).
    CASAC (Samet, 2010a) \3\ and public comments on the first draft PA 
were considered by EPA staff in developing a second draft PA (EPA 452/
P-10-007, June 2010) based on the ISA and final REAs. The EPA solicited 
advice and recommendations from CASAC regarding the second draft PA at 
a public meeting that was held on July 26-27, 2010 (75 FR 32763, June 
9, 2010). Following the CASAC meeting, EPA considered comments received 
from CASAC (Samet, 2010b) \4\ and the public in preparing the final PA. 
The final PA is available through the Agency's Technology Transfer 
Network (TTN) Web site at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pm/s_pm_2007_pa.html.
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    \3\ Samet J (2010a). Letter from Dr. Jonathan M. Samet, Chair, 
Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee to the Honorable Lisa P. 
Jackson, Administrator, U.S. EPA. CASAC Review of Policy Assessment 
for the Review of the PM NAAQS--First External Review Draft (March 
2010). May 17, 2010. Available at: http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/
sabproduct.nsf/264cb1227d55e02c85257402007446a4/
E504EE3276D87A9E8525772700647AFB/$File/EPA-CASAC-10-011-
unsigned.pdf.
    \4\ Samet J (2010b). Letter from Dr. Jonathan M. Samet, Chair, 
Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee to the Honorable Lisa P. 
Jackson, Administrator, U.S. EPA. CASAC Review of Policy Assessment 
for the Review of the PM NAAQS--Second External Review Draft (June 
2010). September 10, 2010. Available at: http://yosemite.epa.gov/
sab/sabproduct.nsf/264cb1227d55e02c85257402007446a4/
CCF9F4C0500C500F8525779D0073C593/$File/EPA-CASAC-10-015-
unsigned.pdf.

    Dated: April 15, 2011.
Mary Henigin,
Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2011-9688 Filed 4-21-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P