[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 202 (Monday, October 19, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66327-66328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-23100]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-ORD-2013-0620 and EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0128; FRL-10015-76-76-ORD]


Final Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen, 
Oxides of Sulfur, and Particulate Matter--Ecological Criteria

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, ``Final Integrated Science 
Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur, and Particulate 
Matter--Ecological Criteria'' (EPA/600/R-20/278). The document was 
prepared by the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment 
(CPHEA) within EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) as part 
of the review of the secondary (welfare-based) national ambient air 
quality standards (NAAQS) for oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulfur, and 
particulate matter. This ISA represents an update of the 2008 
Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulfur--
Ecological Criteria (EPA/600/R-08/082F) and the 2009 Integrated Science 
Assessment for Particulate Matter (EPA/600/AR-08/139F). The ISA, in 
conjunction with additional technical and policy assessments, provides 
the basis for EPA's decisions on the adequacy of the current NAAQS and 
the appropriateness of possible alternative standards.

DATES: The document will be available on or about October 16, 2020.

ADDRESSES: The ``Final Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of 
Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur, and Particulate Matter--Ecological 
Criteria'' will be available primarily via the internet on EPA's 
Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur, 
and Particulate Matter page at https://www.epa.gov/isa/integrated-science-assessment-isa-oxides-nitrogen-oxides-sulfur-and-particulate-matter or the public docket at http://www.regulations.gov, Docket ID: 
[EPA-HQ-ORD-2013-0620 and EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0128]. A limited number of 
CD-ROM copies will be available. Contact Ms. Marieka Boyd by phone: 
919-541-0031; or email: [email protected] to request a CD-ROM, and 
please provide your name, your mailing address, and the document title, 
``Final Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of 
Sulfur, and Particulate Matter--Ecological Criteria'' to facilitate 
processing of your request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical information, contact 
Tara Greaver; phone: 919-541-2435; 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 air pollutants, emissions of 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. 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. . .''. Under section 109 of the Act, EPA is then to establish 
NAAQS for each pollutant for which EPA has issued criteria. Section 
109(d)(1) 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 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).
    EPA has established NAAQS for six criteria pollutants. Presently 
the EPA is reviewing the secondary air quality criteria and NAAQS for 
oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulfur, and particulate matter. 
Periodically, EPA reviews the scientific basis for these standards by 
preparing an Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) (formerly called an 
Air Quality Criteria Document). The ISA provides the scientific basis 
for EPA's decisions, in conjunction with additional technical and 
policy assessments, on the adequacy of the current NAAQS and the 
appropriateness of possible alternative standards. 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 August 21, 2013 (78 FR 53452), EPA formally initiated its 
current review of the air quality criteria for the ecological effects 
of oxides of nitrogen and oxides of sulfur, and the associated 
secondary (welfare-based) NAAQS, requesting the submission of recent 
scientific information on specified topics. Similarly, on December 3, 
2014 (79 FR 71764), EPA formally initiated its current review of the 
air quality criteria for the particulate matter NAAQS. EPA conducted 
two workshops--the first on March 4-6, 2014, for oxides of nitrogen and 
oxides of sulfur (79 FR 8644, February 13, 2014), and the second on 
February 11, 2015 (79 FR 71764, December 3, 2014), for particulate 
matter--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 these secondary NAAQS. 
Teleconference workshops with invited scientific experts, both internal 
and external to EPA, were held on August 25-27, 2015 (80 FR 48316, 
August 12, 2015), and June 13, 2016 (81 FR 89262, May 11, 2016), to 
discuss initial draft materials prepared in the development of the 
draft ISA.
    These science and policy issues were incorporated into EPA's 
``Draft Integrated Review Plan for the Secondary National Ambient Air 
Quality Standard for Oxides of Nitrogen and Oxides of Sulfur'' as well 
as the ``Integrated Review Plan for the National Ambient Air Quality 
Standards for Particulate Matter.'' The Draft Integrated Review Plan 
(IRP) for oxides of nitrogen and oxides of sulfur was available for 
public comment (80 FR 69220, Monday, November 9, 2015) and discussion 
by the CASAC via publicly accessible

[[Page 66328]]

teleconference consultation (80 FR 65223, February 10, 2016). The Draft 
IRP for particulate matter was available for public comment (81 FR 
2297, April 19, 2016) and discussion by the CASAC via publicly 
accessible teleconference consultation (81 FR 13362, March 14, 2016) 
prior to release of the final document (81 FR 87933, December 6, 2016). 
The ``First External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment for 
Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur, and Particulate Matter--
Ecological Criteria'' was available for public comment (82 FR 15703, 
March 30, 2017) and discussed by CASAC and the public at meetings on 
May 24-25, 2017 (82 FR 15701, March 30, 2017).
    The ``Second External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment 
for Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur, and Particulate Matter--
Ecological Criteria'' was available for public comment (83 FR 29786, 
June 26, 2018) and discussed by CASAC and the public at meetings on 
September 5-6, 2018 (83 FR 31755, July 9, 2018), and April 27, 2020 (85 
FR 16093, March 20, 2020). Subsequently, CASAC provided a letter of 
their review on May 5, 2020, to the EPA Administrator, which can be 
viewed at: https://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/
LookupWebReportsLastMonthCASAC/66330096471849EE85258561006CC856/$File/
EPA-CASAC-20-004.pdf. The Administrator responded to the CASAC's letter 
on the Second External Review Draft on June 15, 2020, and the letter is 
available at: https://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/0/
66330096471849EE85258561006CC856/$File/EPA-CASAC-20-004.Response.pdf. 
EPA has considered comments by the CASAC and by the public in preparing 
this final ISA.

    Dated: October 13, 2020.
Vanessa Holt,
Acting Director, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2020-23100 Filed 10-16-20; 8:45 am]
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