[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 125 (Monday, June 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36801-36802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-15155]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0146; FRL-9912-98-OAR]


Release of Integrated Review Plan for the Primary National 
Ambient Air Quality Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the 
availability of a final document titled Integrated Review Plan for the 
Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Nitrogen Dioxide 
(IRP). This document contains the plans for the review of the air 
quality criteria for health for oxides of nitrogen and the primary 
national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for nitrogen dioxide 
(NO2). The primary NO2 NAAQS provide for the 
protection of public health from exposure to oxides of nitrogen in 
ambient air.

DATES: The IRP will be available on or about June 30, 2014.

ADDRESSES: This document will be available primarily via the Internet 
at the following Web site: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/nox/s_nox_2012_pd.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 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; telephone number: 
919-541-4605; fax number: 919-541-0237; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Two sections of the Clean Air Act (CAA) 
govern the establishment and revision of the NAAQS. Section 108 (42 
U.S.C. 7408) directs the Administrator to identify and list certain air 
pollutants and then to issue air quality criteria for those pollutants. 
The Administrator is to list those air pollutants that in her 
``judgment, cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably 
be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare;'' ``the presence 
of which in the ambient air results from numerous or diverse mobile or 
stationary sources;'' and ``for which . . . [the Administrator] plans 
to issue air quality criteria. . . . .'' Air quality criteria are 
intended 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 . . .'' 42 U.S.C. 7408(b). Under section 
109 (42 U.S.C. 7409), the EPA establishes primary (health-based) and 
secondary (welfare-based) NAAQS for pollutants for which air quality 
criteria are issued. Section 109(d) 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, if appropriate, revise the NAAQS 
based on the revised criteria. Section 109(d)(2) requires that an 
independent scientific review committee ``shall complete a review of 
the criteria . . . and the national primary and secondary ambient air 
quality standards . . . and shall recommend to the Administrator any 
new . . . standards and revisions of existing criteria and standards as 
may be appropriate . . . .'' Since the early 1980's, this independent 
review function has been performed by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory 
Committee (CASAC).
    Presently, the EPA is reviewing the primary NAAQS for 
NO2.\1\ The final document, announced today, has been 
developed as part of the planning phase for the review. This phase 
began with a science policy workshop to identify issues and questions 
to frame the review.\2\ Drawing from the workshop discussions, a draft 
IRP was prepared jointly by the EPA's National Center for Environmental 
Assessment, within the Office of Research and Development, and the 
EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, within the Office 
of Air and Radiation (79 FR 7184, February 6, 2014).\3\ The draft IRP 
was reviewed by CASAC at a meeting on March 12, 2014 (79 FR 8701, 
February 13, 2014). Comments from CASAC on the draft IRP were provided 
to the EPA in a June 10, 2014, letter (Frey, 2014).\4\

[[Page 36802]]

The final IRP includes consideration of CASAC and public comments 
received on the draft IRP. This document presents the current plan and 
specifies the schedule for the entire review, the process for 
conducting the review, and the key policy-relevant science issues that 
will guide the review.
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    \1\ The EPA's call for information for this review was issued on 
February 10, 2012 (77 FR 7149).
    \2\ The EPA held a workshop titled ``Kickoff Workshop to Inform 
EPA's Review of the Primary NO2 NAAQS on February 29 to 
March 1, 2012 (77 FR 7149, February 10, 2012).
    \3\ The EPA released a draft plan for developing the Integrated 
Science Assessment (ISA) for CASAC consultation and public review 
(78 FR 26026, May 3, 2013). The EPA held a consultation with CASAC 
on this draft plan during a public teleconference on June 5, 2013 
(78 FR 27234, May 10, 2013). Individual CASAC member comments were 
provided to the EPA in a letter from Dr. H. Christopher Frey, Chair, 
Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee to the Honorable Bob 
Perciasepe, Acting Administrator, U.S. EPA, Consultation on the 
EPA's Draft Plan for the Development of the Integrated Science 
Assessment for Nitrogen Oxides--Health Criteria (May 2013 Draft). 
June 18, 2013. Available at: http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/
sabproduct.nsf/264cb1227d55e02c85257402007446a4/
08EF0A3789CDB13A85257B8E006A496E/$File/EPA-CASAC-13-
006+unsigned.pdf. CASAC and public comments on that draft plan were 
considered in developing Chapter 4 of the draft IRP.
    \4\ Letter from Dr. H. Christopher Frey, Chair, Clean Air 
Scientific Advisory Committee to the Honorable Gina McCarthy, 
Administrator, U.S. EPA. CASAC Review of the EPA's Integrated Review 
Plan for the Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for 
Nitrogen Dioxide (External Review Draft) (February 2014). June 10, 
2014. Available at: http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/
264cb1227d55e02c85257402007446a4/89989229944F36B085257CF300692E2A/
$File/EPA-CASAC-14-001+unsigned.pdf.

    Dated: June 19, 2014.
Mary Henigin,
Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2014-15155 Filed 6-27-14; 8:45 am]
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