Release of Policy Assessment for the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards, 31182 [2020-11121]
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31182
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 100 / Friday, May 22, 2020 / Notices
document in electronic format for
publication, as an official document of
the Department of Energy. This
administrative process in no way alters
the legal effect of this document upon
publication in the Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on May 19,
2020.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S.
Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2020–11074 Filed 5–21–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[EPA–HQ–OAR–2018–0279; FRL–10009–30–
OAR]
Release of Policy Assessment for the
Ozone National Ambient Air Quality
Standards
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
On or about May 29, 2020, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
will make available the document,
Policy Assessment for the Ozone
National Ambient Air Quality
Standards (PA, EPA–452/R–20–001).
This document was prepared as part of
the current review of the national
ambient air quality standards (NAAQS)
for photochemical oxidants including
ozone (O3). The PA serves to ‘‘bridge the
gap’’ between the currently available
scientific and technical information and
the judgments required of the
Administrator in determining whether
to retain or revise the existing O3
NAAQS. The primary and secondary O3
NAAQS are set to protect the public
health and the public welfare from O3
and other photochemical oxidants in
ambient air.
DATES: This document will be available
on or about May 29, 2020.
ADDRESSES: This document will be
available on the EPA’s website at
https://www.epa.gov/naaqs/ozone-o3air-quality-standards. The document
will be accessible under ‘‘Policy
Assessments’’ from the current review.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Deirdre L. Murphy, Office of Air Quality
Planning and Standards, (Mail Code
C504–06), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Research Triangle
Park, NC 27711; telephone number:
919–541–0729, fax number: 919–541–
0237; or email: murphy.deirdre@
epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Two
sections of the Clean Air Act (CAA or
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:07 May 21, 2020
Jkt 250001
the Act) govern the establishment and
revision of the NAAQS. Section 108
directs the Administrator to identify and
list certain air pollutants and then issue
‘‘air quality criteria’’ for those
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 such
pollutant in the ambient air . . .’’ (CAA
section 108(a)(2)). Under section 109 of
the Act, the EPA is then to establish
primary (health-based) and secondary
(welfare-based) NAAQS for each
pollutant for which the EPA has issued
air quality criteria. Section 109(d)(1) of
the Act requires periodic review and, if
appropriate, revision of existing air
quality criteria. Revised air quality
criteria are to reflect advances in
scientific knowledge on the effects of
the pollutant on public health and
welfare. Under the same provision, the
EPA is also to periodically review and,
if appropriate, revise the NAAQS, based
on the revised air quality criteria.
The Act additionally requires
appointment of an independent
scientific review committee that is to
periodically review the existing air
quality criteria and NAAQS and to
recommend any new standards and
revisions of existing criteria and
standards as may be appropriate (CAA
section 109(d)(2)(A)–(B)). Since the
early 1980s, the requirement for an
independent scientific review
committee has been fulfilled by the
Clean Air Scientific Advisory
Committee (CASAC).
Presently the EPA is reviewing the air
quality criteria and NAAQS for
photochemical oxidants and O3.1 The
EPA’s overall plan for this review is
presented in the Integrated Review Plan
for the Ozone NAAQS (IRP).2 As
described in the IRP, the EPA has
prepared an Integrated Science
Assessment for Ozone and Related
Photochemical Oxidants (ISA), a draft of
which was released in September 2019
for public comment and review by the
CASAC.3 A draft of the PA was also
reviewed by the CASAC (84 FR 58713,
November 1, 2019; 85 FR 4656, January
27, 2020). The final PA reflects
consideration of the advice and
1 The EPA’s call for information for this review
was issued on June 26, 2018 (83 FR 29785).
2 The IRP is available at https://www.epa.gov/
naaqs/ozone-o3-standards-planning-documentscurrent-review.
3 The ISA is available at: https://www.epa.gov/
naaqs/ozone-o3-standards-integrated-scienceassessments-current-review.
PO 00000
Frm 00048
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
comments from the CASAC,4 as well as
public comments, on the draft PA. The
PA serves to ‘‘bridge the gap’’ between
the scientific and technical information
in the final ISA and any air quality,
exposure and risk analyses available in
the review, and the judgments required
of the Administrator in determining
whether to retain or revise the existing
ozone NAAQS. The PA builds upon
information presented in the ISA and
quantitative air quality, exposure and
risk analyses (presented in appendices
to the PA). The PA document will be
available on or about May 29, 2020, on
the EPA’s website at https://
www.epa.gov/naaqs/ozone-o3-airquality-standards. The document briefly
described here does not represent and
should not be construed to represent
any final EPA policy, viewpoint, or
determination.
Dated: May 19, 2020.
Panagiotis Tsirigotis,
Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and
Standards.
[FR Doc. 2020–11121 Filed 5–21–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[ER–FRL–9050–9]
Environmental Impact Statements;
Notice of Availability
Responsible Agency: Office of Federal
Activities, General Information 202–
564–5632 or https://www.epa.gov/nepa.
Weekly receipt of Environmental Impact
Statements (EIS)
Filed May 11, 2020, 10 a.m. EST
Through May 18, 2020, 10 a.m. EST
Pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.9.
Section 309(a) of the Clean Air Act
requires that EPA make public its
comments on EISs issued by other
Federal agencies. EPA’s comment letters
on EISs are available at: https://
cdxnodengn.epa.gov/cdx-enepa-public/
action/eis/search.
EIS No. 20200106, Draft, BR, ND,
Eastern North Dakota Alternate Water
Supply, Comment Period Ends: 07/
06/2020, Contact: Damien Reinhart
701–221–1275.
EIS No. 20200107, Final, USFWS, CA,
Placer County Conservation Program
Final Environmental Impact
Statement/Environmental Impact
Report, Review Period Ends: 06/22/
2020, Contact: Stephanie Jentsch 916–
414–6600.
4 The CASAC comments are available at: https://
yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/WebProjects
byTopicCASAC!OpenView.
E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM
22MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 100 (Friday, May 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 31182]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11121]
=======================================================================
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0279; FRL-10009-30-OAR]
Release of Policy Assessment for the Ozone National Ambient Air
Quality Standards
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On or about May 29, 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) will make available the document, Policy Assessment for the Ozone
National Ambient Air Quality Standards (PA, EPA-452/R-20-001). This
document was prepared as part of the current review of the national
ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for photochemical oxidants
including ozone (O3). The PA serves to ``bridge the gap''
between the currently available scientific and technical information
and the judgments required of the Administrator in determining whether
to retain or revise the existing O3 NAAQS. The primary and
secondary O3 NAAQS are set to protect the public health and
the public welfare from O3 and other photochemical oxidants
in ambient air.
DATES: This document will be available on or about May 29, 2020.
ADDRESSES: This document will be available on the EPA's website at
https://www.epa.gov/naaqs/ozone-o3-air-quality-standards. The document
will be accessible under ``Policy Assessments'' from the current
review.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Deirdre L. Murphy, Office of Air
Quality Planning and Standards, (Mail Code C504-06), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone number:
919-541-0729, fax number: 919-541-0237; or email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Two sections of the Clean Air Act (CAA or
the Act) govern the establishment and revision of the NAAQS. Section
108 directs the Administrator to identify and list certain air
pollutants and then issue ``air quality criteria'' for those
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 such pollutant in the ambient air . . .''
(CAA section 108(a)(2)). Under section 109 of the Act, the EPA is then
to establish primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) NAAQS
for each pollutant for which the EPA has issued air quality criteria.
Section 109(d)(1) of the Act requires periodic review and, if
appropriate, revision of existing air quality criteria. Revised air
quality criteria are to reflect advances in scientific knowledge on the
effects of the pollutant on public health and welfare. Under the same
provision, the EPA is also to periodically review and, if appropriate,
revise the NAAQS, based on the revised air quality criteria.
The Act additionally requires appointment of an independent
scientific review committee that is to periodically review the existing
air quality criteria and NAAQS and to recommend any new standards and
revisions of existing criteria and standards as may be appropriate (CAA
section 109(d)(2)(A)-(B)). Since the early 1980s, the requirement for
an independent scientific review committee has been fulfilled by the
Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC).
Presently the EPA is reviewing the air quality criteria and NAAQS
for photochemical oxidants and O3.\1\ The EPA's overall plan
for this review is presented in the Integrated Review Plan for the
Ozone NAAQS (IRP).\2\ As described in the IRP, the EPA has prepared an
Integrated Science Assessment for Ozone and Related Photochemical
Oxidants (ISA), a draft of which was released in September 2019 for
public comment and review by the CASAC.\3\ A draft of the PA was also
reviewed by the CASAC (84 FR 58713, November 1, 2019; 85 FR 4656,
January 27, 2020). The final PA reflects consideration of the advice
and comments from the CASAC,\4\ as well as public comments, on the
draft PA. The PA serves to ``bridge the gap'' between the scientific
and technical information in the final ISA and any air quality,
exposure and risk analyses available in the review, and the judgments
required of the Administrator in determining whether to retain or
revise the existing ozone NAAQS. The PA builds upon information
presented in the ISA and quantitative air quality, exposure and risk
analyses (presented in appendices to the PA). The PA document will be
available on or about May 29, 2020, on the EPA's website at https://www.epa.gov/naaqs/ozone-o3-air-quality-standards. The document briefly
described here does not represent and should not be construed to
represent any final EPA policy, viewpoint, or determination.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The EPA's call for information for this review was issued on
June 26, 2018 (83 FR 29785).
\2\ The IRP is available at https://www.epa.gov/naaqs/ozone-o3-standards-planning-documents-current-review.
\3\ The ISA is available at: https://www.epa.gov/naaqs/ozone-o3-standards-integrated-science-assessments-current-review.
\4\ The CASAC comments are available at: https://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/WebProjectsbyTopicCASAC!OpenView.
Dated: May 19, 2020.
Panagiotis Tsirigotis,
Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 2020-11121 Filed 5-21-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
