[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 238 (Wednesday, December 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58600-58601]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-26893]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2013-0357; FRL-9971-90-ORD]


Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Oxides--Health Criteria

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing the availability of a final document titled, 
``Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Oxides--Health Criteria'' 
(EPA/600/R-17/451). The document was prepared by the National Center 
for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and 
Development (ORD) as part of the review of the primary (health-based) 
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for sulfur oxides 
(SOX). This Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) provides a 
comprehensive review, synthesis, and evaluation of the most policy-
relevant science to serve as the scientific foundation for EPA's review 
of the current primary NAAQS for SOX.\1\ EPA is developing a 
separate ISA as part of an independent review for the

[[Page 58601]]

secondary (welfare-based) NAAQS for oxides of nitrogen and sulfur.
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    \1\ Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is the indicator for the 
current primary NAAQS, so it is also commonly referred to as the 
primary SO2 NAAQS.

DATES: The ``Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Oxides--Health 
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Criteria'' will be available on or before December 14, 2017.

ADDRESSES: The ``Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Oxides--
Health Criteria'' will be available primarily via the internet on EPA's 
Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur Oxides (Health Criteria) home 
page at http://www2.epa.gov/isa/integrated-science-assessment-isa-sulfur-dioxide-health-criteria or the public docket at http://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2013-0357. A limited number 
of CD-ROM copies will be available. Contact Ms. Marieka Boyd by phone: 
919-541-0031; fax: 919-541-5078; or email: [email protected] to 
request a CD-ROM, and please provide your name, your mailing address, 
and the document title, ``Integrated Science Assessment for Sulfur 
Oxides--Health Criteria'' to facilitate processing of your request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information, contact Dr. 
Tom Long, NCEA; phone: 919-541-1880; fax: 919-541-1818; or email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Information About the Document

    Section 108(a) of the Clean Air Act directs the Administrator to 
identify certain pollutants which, among other things, ``cause or 
contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to 
endanger public health or 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 NAAQS for 
each pollutant for which EPA has issued criteria. Section 109(d) of the 
Act subsequently requires 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 or welfare. 
EPA is also required to periodically review and, if appropriate, revise 
the NAAQS, based on the revised air quality criteria (for more 
information on the NAAQS review process, see https://www.epa.gov/naaqs).
    Sulfur oxides are one of six criteria pollutants for which EPA has 
established NAAQS. Periodically, EPA reviews the scientific basis for 
these standards by preparing an ISA (formerly called an Air Quality 
Criteria Document). The ISA provides a comprehensive review, synthesis, 
and evaluation of the most policy-relevant science to serve as the 
scientific foundation for EPA's review of the current primary NAAQS for 
SOX. The Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), an 
independent science advisory committee whose review and advisory 
functions are mandated by Section 109(d)(2) of the Clean Air Act, is 
charged (among other things) with independent scientific review of the 
EPA's air quality criteria.
    On May 10, 2013 (78 FR 27387), EPA formally initiated its current 
review of the air quality criteria for the health effects of sulfur 
oxides and the primary (health-based) NAAQS for SOX, 
requesting the submission of recent scientific information on specified 
topics. EPA held a workshop on June 12-13, 2013, to gather input from 
invited scientific experts, both internal and external to EPA, as well 
as from the public, regarding key science and policy issues relevant to 
the review of the health effects of sulfur oxides and the primary NAAQS 
for SOX (78 FR 27387). These science and policy issues were 
incorporated in EPA's ``Integrated Review Plan for the Primary National 
Ambient Air Quality Standard for Sulfur Dioxide'' (EPA-452/R-14-007), 
which was finalized in October 2014 (79 FR 66721) with a prior draft 
available for public comment (79 FR 14035) and discussion by the CASAC 
via publicly accessible teleconference consultations (79 FR 16325, 79 
FR 30137, 79 FR 34739). On June 23-24, 2014, EPA held a workshop to 
discuss, with invited internal and external scientific experts, initial 
draft materials prepared in the development of the ISA (79 FR 33750). 
EPA considered comments on these draft materials in preparing the first 
external review draft of the ISA, which was released on November 24, 
2015 (80 FR 73183). The first draft ISA was discussed at a public CASAC 
meeting on January 27-28, 2016 (80 FR 79330). Subsequently, on April 
15, 2016, the CASAC provided a consensus letter to the EPA 
Administrator summarizing their review (https://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/
sabproduct.nsf/4620a620d0120f93852572410080d786/
8DEC36A7E2A54BA485257F9600667D81/$File/EPA-CASAC+2016-
002+Unsigned.pdf). The second draft ISA was then developed with 
consideration of comments from the CASAC and the public, and includes 
consideration of scientific studies published through September 2016 
(81 FR 89097). The CASAC panel met at a public meeting on March 20-21, 
2017, to review the second draft ISA (82 FR 11449). Subsequently, on 
June 30, 2017, the CASAC provided a consensus letter for their review 
to the EPA Administrator (https://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/
4620a620d0120f93852572410080d786/88CD26BC35A8C8688525814F004D86EC/
$File/EPA-CASAC-17-003.pdf). The letters from CASAC, as well as public 
comments received on the ISA drafts, can be found in Docket ID No. EPA-
HQ-ORD-2013-0357.
    EPA has considered comments by the CASAC panel and by the public in 
preparing this final ISA.

    Dated: November 29, 2017.
Tina Bahadori,
Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2017-26893 Filed 12-12-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P