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EPA/AR

RIN: 2060-AO72

Publication ID: Spring 2011

Title: Review of the Secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen and Oxides of Sulfur
Abstract: Under the Clean Air Act, EPA is required to review and, if appropriate, revise the air quality criteria for the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) every 5 years. On October 11, 1995, EPA published a final rule not to revise either the primary or secondary NAAQS for nitrogen dioxide (NO2). On May 22, 1996, EPA published a final decision that revisions of the primary and secondary NAAQS for sulfur dioxide (SO2) were not appropriate at that time, aside from several minor technical changes. On December 9, 2005, EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) initiated the current periodic review of NO2 air quality criteria with a call for information in the Federal Register (FR). On May 3, 2006, ORD initiated the current periodic review of SO2 air quality criteria with a call for information in the FR. Subsequently, the decision was made to review the oxides of nitrogen and the oxides of sulfur together, rather than individually, with respect to a secondary welfare standard for NO2 and SO2. This decision derives from the fact that NO2, SO2, and their associated transformation products are linked from an atmospheric chemistry perspective, as well as from an environmental effects perspective, most notably in the case of secondary aerosol formation and acidification in ecosystems. This review includes the preparation of an Integrated Science Assessment (ISA), Risk/Exposure Assessment (REA), and a Policy Assessment Document (PAD) by EPA, with opportunities for review by EPA's Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and the public. These documents inform the Administrator's proposed decision as to whether to retain or revise the standards. It should be noted that this review will be limited to only the secondary standards; the primary standards for SO2 and NO2 were reviewed separately. The ISA, REA, and PAD have been completed and a meeting to discuss the final PAD by CASAC will be held on February 15-16, 2011. The court ordered date for the proposed rulemaking to be signed is July 12, 2011 with final rulemaking on March 20, 2012.
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)	Priority: Other Significant
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda	Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Proposed Rule Stage
Major: Yes	Unfunded Mandates: No
CFR Citation: 40 CFR 50
Legal Authority: 42 USC 7408 and 7409

Legal Deadline:

Action	Source	Description	Date
Final	Judicial	The court has approved the amendments to the consent decree incorporating the revised dates.	03/20/2012
NPRM	Judicial		07/12/2011

Timetable:

Action	Date	FR Cite
NPRM	07/00/2011
Final Action	03/00/2012

Additional Information: EPA Docket information: EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-1145
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No	Government Levels Affected: Federal, Local, State, Tribal
Small Entities Affected: No	Federalism: No
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No
Agency Contact: Ginger Tennant Environmental Protection Agency Air and Radiation 109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Mail Code C504-06, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 Phone:919 541-4072 Fax:919 541-0237 Email: tennant.ginger@epa.gov Karen Martin Environmental Protection Agency Air and Radiation C504-06, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 Phone:919 541-5274 Fax:919 541-0237 Email: Martin.Karen@epamail.epa.gov