Proposed Rules. Notice of availability

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Action: Notice of availability
Citation: FR Doc. 2011-10340 · RIN 2060-AP38 · EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0699; FRL-9300-4 · 40 CFR 50, 58

Summary

On or about April 22, 2011, the EPA is making available for public review the documents titled, “Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Scope and Methods Plan for Health Risk and Exposure Assessment,” (REA Plan for the primary ozone NAAQS) and “Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Scope and Methods Plan for Welfare Risk and Exposure Assessment” (REA Plan for the secondary ozone NAAQS). These documents contain the plans for the risk and exposure analyses that EPA is preparing to conduct in support of the reviews of ozone NAAQS. EPA is also making available to the public the final document “Integrated Review Plan for the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards” (IRP). This document contains the plans for the review of the air quality criteria and national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone. The Ozone NAAQS provide for the protection of public health and the environment from ozone in ambient air.

Dates

Comments should be submitted by June 27, 2011.

Supplementary Information

I. General Information A. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA? 1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. 2. Tips for Preparing Your Comments. When submitting comments, remember to: • Identify the rulemaking by docket number and other identifying information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page number). • Follow directions—The agency may ask you to respond to specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number. • Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives and substitute language for your requested changes. • Describe any assumptions and provide any technical information and/or data that you used. • If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how you arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be reproduced. • Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns, and suggest alternatives. • Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the use of profanity or personal threats. • Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period deadline identified. II. Information Specific to This Document 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), 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 revise the NAAQS, if appropriate, 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 1980s, this independent review function has been performed by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). Presently, EPA is reviewing the NAAQS for ozone. Key components of this review include a quantitative population exposure analysis and health risk assessment and a quantitative ecosystem exposure and welfare risk analysis. OAQPS has developed Risk and Assessment Plans (REA Plans) for Ozone Health Risk and Exposure and Ozone Welfare Risk and Exposure which include a discussion of the scope, approaches, and methods that staff is planning to use in conducting the exposure analysis and health and welfare risk assessment. The draft REA Plans and final IRP document announced today have been developed as part of the planning phase for the review. These documents will be available on the EPA's Technology Transfer Network (TTN) Web site at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/ozone/s_o3_index.html in the “Documents for Review Initiated in 2008” section under “Planning Documents.” The REA Plans are being made available for consultation with CASAC and for public comment. Comments should be submitted to the docket, as described above, by June 27, 2011. The CASAC consultation on these planning documents is scheduled for May 19-20, 2011. A separate Federal Register notice will provide details about this meeting and the process for participation. Dated: April 25, 2011. Mary Henigin, Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards. [FR Doc. 2011-10340 Filed 4-27-11; 8:45 am]