Release of Final Documents Related to the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter, 39252-39253 [2010-16491]

Download as PDF srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES 39252 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 130 / Thursday, July 8, 2010 / Notices review we will take into consideration the use of other reductants, in addition to current aqueous urea DEF, and will reexamine requisite infrastructure needs, any issues regarding the emission of unregulated pollutants, and any potential safety concerns. EPA is conducting the workshop with the California Air Resources Board in order that all relevant information be timely shared and considered by all affected parties; however, any final policies reached by EPA will be independently made and based upon applicable federal law and regulations. Any representations made by the California Air Resources Board regarding this matter are not binding upon EPA. Procedures for Public Participation: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2010– 0444, by one of the following methods: • https://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. • E-mail: a-and-r-docket@epa.gov. • Fax: (202) 566–1741. • Mail: Air and Radiation Docket, Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2010– 0444, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Please include a total of two copies. • Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center, Public Reading Room, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket’s normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. • Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2010– 0444. EPA’s policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at https:// www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through https:// www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The https://www.regulations.gov Web site is an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through https:// www.regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:09 Jul 07, 2010 Jkt 220001 made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD–ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA’s public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at https:// www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm. Persons with comments containing proprietary information must distinguish such information from other comments to the greatest possible extent and label it as ‘‘Confidential Business Information’’ (CBI). If a person making comments wants EPA to base its decision in part on a submission labeled as CBI, then a non-confidential version of the document that summarizes the key data or information should be submitted for the public docket. To ensure that proprietary information is not inadvertently placed in the docket, submissions containing such information should be sent directly to the contact person listed above and not to the public docket. Information covered by a claim of confidentiality will be disclosed by EPA only to the extent allowed and by the procedures set forth in 40 CFR Part 2. If no claim of confidentiality accompanies the submission when EPA receives it, EPA will make it available to the public without further notice to the person making comments. Dated: July 1, 2010. Margo Tsirigotis Oge, Director, Office of Transportation and Air Quality. [FR Doc. 2010–16702 Filed 7–7–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–OAR–2007–0492; FRL–9171–8] Release of Final Documents Related to the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of Availability. SUMMARY: The Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) of EPA is announcing the availability of PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 two final documents titled, Quantitative Health Risk Assessment for Particulate Matter and Particulate Matter UrbanFocused Visibility Assessment. These two documents describe the quantitative analyses that have been conducted as part of the review of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM). DATES: These documents will be available on or about June 30, 2010. ADDRESSES: The documents will be available primarily via the Internet at the following Web site: https:// www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pm/ s_pm_2007_risk.html. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions related to the final document titled, Quantitative Health Risk Assessment for Particulate Matter, please contact Dr. Zachary Pekar, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (Mail code C504–06), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; email: pekar.zachary@epa.gov; telephone: 919–541–3704; fax: 919– 541–0237. For questions related to the final document titled, Particulate Matter Urban-Focused Visibility Assessment, please contact Ms. Vicki Sandiford, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (Mail code C504–06), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; email: sandiford,vicki@epa.gov; telephone: 919–541–2629; 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 (healthbased) and secondary (welfare-based) 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 E:\FR\FM\08JYN1.SGM 08JYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 130 / Thursday, July 8, 2010 / Notices srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES periodically review and revise the NAAQS, if appropriate, based on the revised criteria.1 Presently, EPA is reviewing the NAAQS for PM. The EPA’s overall plan and schedule for this review is presented in the Integrated Review Plan for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter.2 A draft of this integrated review plan was released for public review and comment in October 2007 and was the subject of a consultation with the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) on November 30, 2007 (72 FR 63177; November 8, 2007).3 Comments received from that consultation and from the public were considered in finalizing the plan and in beginning the review of the air quality criteria. As part of EPA’s review of the primary and secondary PM NAAQS, the Agency conducted quantitative assessments characterizing: (1) The health risks associated with exposure to ambient PM, and (2) urban visibility impairment associated with ambient PM. The EPA’s plans for conducting these assessments, including the proposed scope and methods of the analyses, were presented in two planning documents titled, Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Scope and Methods Plan for Health Risk and Exposure Assessment and Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Scope and Methods Plan for Urban Visibility Impact Assessment (henceforth, Scope and Methods Plans).4 These documents were released for public comment in February 2009 and were the subject of a consultation with the CASAC on April 2, 2009 (74 FR 11580; March 18, 2009). First and second external review drafts of the assessment documents were released for CASAC review and public comment in September 2009 (74 FR 46589; September 10, 2009) and January/February 2010 (75 FR 4067; January 26, 2010), respectively, and were the subjects of CASAC review meetings in October 2009 (74 FR 46586; September 10, 2009) and March 2010 (75 FR 8062; February 23, 2010), respectively. In preparing the final assessment documents, EPA has 1 See https://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/review.html for more information on the NAAQS review process. 2 EPA 452R–08–004; March 2008; Available: https://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pm/ s_pm_2007_pd.html. 3 See https://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/ WebProjectsbyTopicCASAC!OpenView for more information on CASAC activities related to the current PM NAAQS review. 4 EPA–452/P–09–001 and –002; February 2009; Available: https://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/ standards/pm/s_pm_2007_pd.html. VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:09 Jul 07, 2010 Jkt 220001 considered comments received from CASAC and the public on these earlier draft documents. The final assessment documents announced today convey the approaches taken to assess PM-related human health risks and urban visibility impairment, as well as present key results, observations, and related uncertainties associated with the quantitative analyses performed. These documents will be available on or about June 30, 2010, through the Agency’s Technology Transfer Network (TTN) Web site at https://www.epa.gov/ttn/ naaqs/standards/pm/ s_pm_2007_risk.html. Dated: June 25, 2010. Jennifer Noonan Edmonds, Acting Director. [FR Doc. 2010–16491 Filed 7–7–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560–50–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA–HQ–OAR–2007–0492; FRL–9171–6] Release of Second Draft Document Related to the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Availability of draft document for public comment. SUMMARY: On or about June 30, 2010, the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) of EPA is making available for public comment a draft document: Policy Assessment for the Review of the Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards—Second External Review Draft. This draft document will serve to ‘‘bridge the gap’’ between the scientific information and the judgments required of the Administrator in determining whether it is appropriate to retain or revise the standards as part of the review of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM). DATES: Comments should be submitted on or before August 16, 2010. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– OAR–2007–0492, by one of the following methods: • https://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments. • E-mail: Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-mail) to a-and-rdocket@epa.gov, Attention Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2007–0492. PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 39253 • Fax: Fax your comments to 202– 566–9744, Attention Docket ID. No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2007–0492. • Mail: Send your comments to: Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2007–0492. • Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver your comments to: EPA Docket Center, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Room 3334, Washington, DC. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket’s normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2007– 0492. The EPA’s policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through https:// www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The https://www.regulations.gov Web site is an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through https:// www.regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD–ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the https:// www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket E:\FR\FM\08JYN1.SGM 08JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 130 (Thursday, July 8, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39252-39253]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-16491]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-0492; FRL-9171-8]


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

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) of 
EPA is announcing the availability of two final documents titled, 
Quantitative Health Risk Assessment for Particulate Matter and 
Particulate Matter Urban-Focused Visibility Assessment. These two 
documents describe the quantitative analyses that have been conducted 
as part of the review of the national ambient air quality standards 
(NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM).

DATES: These documents will be available on or about June 30, 2010.

ADDRESSES: The documents will be available primarily via the Internet 
at the following Web site: https://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pm/s_pm_2007_risk.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions related to the final 
document titled, Quantitative Health Risk Assessment for Particulate 
Matter, please contact Dr. Zachary Pekar, Office of Air Quality 
Planning and Standards (Mail code C504-06), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; e-mail: 
pekar.zachary@epa.gov; telephone: 919-541-3704; fax: 919-541-0237.
    For questions related to the final document titled, Particulate 
Matter Urban-Focused Visibility Assessment, please contact Ms. Vicki 
Sandiford, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (Mail code 
C504-06), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, 
NC 27711; e-mail: sandiford,vicki@epa.gov; telephone: 919-541-2629; 
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) 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

[[Page 39253]]

periodically review and revise the NAAQS, if appropriate, based on the 
revised criteria.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See https://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/review.html for more 
information on the NAAQS review process.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Presently, EPA is reviewing the NAAQS for PM. The EPA's overall 
plan and schedule for this review is presented in the Integrated Review 
Plan for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate 
Matter.\2\ A draft of this integrated review plan was released for 
public review and comment in October 2007 and was the subject of a 
consultation with the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) 
on November 30, 2007 (72 FR 63177; November 8, 2007).\3\ Comments 
received from that consultation and from the public were considered in 
finalizing the plan and in beginning the review of the air quality 
criteria.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ EPA 452R-08-004; March 2008; Available: https://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pm/s_pm_2007_pd.html.
    \3\ See https://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/WebProjectsbyTopicCASAC!OpenView for more information on CASAC 
activities related to the current PM NAAQS review.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As part of EPA's review of the primary and secondary PM NAAQS, the 
Agency conducted quantitative assessments characterizing: (1) The 
health risks associated with exposure to ambient PM, and (2) urban 
visibility impairment associated with ambient PM. The EPA's plans for 
conducting these assessments, including the proposed scope and methods 
of the analyses, were presented in two planning documents titled, 
Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Scope and 
Methods Plan for Health Risk and Exposure Assessment and Particulate 
Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Scope and Methods Plan 
for Urban Visibility Impact Assessment (henceforth, Scope and Methods 
Plans).\4\ These documents were released for public comment in February 
2009 and were the subject of a consultation with the CASAC on April 2, 
2009 (74 FR 11580; March 18, 2009).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ EPA-452/P-09-001 and -002; February 2009; Available: https://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pm/s_pm_2007_pd.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    First and second external review drafts of the assessment documents 
were released for CASAC review and public comment in September 2009 (74 
FR 46589; September 10, 2009) and January/February 2010 (75 FR 4067; 
January 26, 2010), respectively, and were the subjects of CASAC review 
meetings in October 2009 (74 FR 46586; September 10, 2009) and March 
2010 (75 FR 8062; February 23, 2010), respectively. In preparing the 
final assessment documents, EPA has considered comments received from 
CASAC and the public on these earlier draft documents. The final 
assessment documents announced today convey the approaches taken to 
assess PM-related human health risks and urban visibility impairment, 
as well as present key results, observations, and related uncertainties 
associated with the quantitative analyses performed. These documents 
will be available on or about June 30, 2010, through the Agency's 
Technology Transfer Network (TTN) Web site at https://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pm/s_pm_2007_risk.html.

    Dated: June 25, 2010.
Jennifer Noonan Edmonds,
Acting Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-16491 Filed 7-7-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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