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<REGINFO_RIN_DATA xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" RUN_DATE="2026-04-30-04:00" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/xml/REGINFO_XML_Ver10262011.xsd">
    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>2060-AO72</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>201010</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>2060</CODE>
            <NAME>Air and Radiation</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>AR</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <PARENT_AGENCY>
            <CODE>2000</CODE>
            <NAME>Environmental Protection Agency</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>EPA</ACRONYM>
        </PARENT_AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>Review of the Secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Oxides of Nitrogen and Oxides of Sulfur</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[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 first draft PAD have been completed and a review of the second draft PAD by CASAC is anticipated on October 6 and 7, 2010.]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Economically Significant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>Previously Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Proposed Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>Yes</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>40 CFR 50</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 7408</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 7409</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST>
            <LEGAL_DLINE_INFO>
                <DLINE_TYPE>Judicial</DLINE_TYPE>
                <DLINE_ACTION_STAGE>Final</DLINE_ACTION_STAGE>
                <DLINE_DATE>03/20/2012</DLINE_DATE>
                <DLINE_DESC>The court has approved the amendments to the consent decree incorporating the revised dates.</DLINE_DESC>
            </LEGAL_DLINE_INFO>
            <LEGAL_DLINE_INFO>
                <DLINE_TYPE>Judicial</DLINE_TYPE>
                <DLINE_ACTION_STAGE>NPRM</DLINE_ACTION_STAGE>
                <DLINE_DATE>07/12/2011</DLINE_DATE>
                <DLINE_DESC> </DLINE_DESC>
            </LEGAL_DLINE_INFO>
        </LEGAL_DLINE_LIST>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>Yes</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <RPLAN_INFO>
            <STMT_OF_NEED><![CDATA[As established in the Clean Air Act, the national ambient air quality standards for oxides of nitrogen and oxides of sulfur are to be reviewed every 5 years.]]></STMT_OF_NEED>
            <LEGAL_BASIS><![CDATA[Section 109 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7409) directs the Administrator to propose and promulgate "primary" and "secondary" national ambient air quality standards for pollutants identified under section 108 (the "criteria" pollutants). The "primary" standards are established for the protection of public health, while "secondary" standards are to protect against public welfare.]]></LEGAL_BASIS>
            <ALTERNATIVES><![CDATA[The main alternatives for the Administrator's decision on the review of the national ambient air quality standards for oxides of nitrogen and oxides of sulfur are whether to retain or revise the existing standards.]]></ALTERNATIVES>
            <COSTS_AND_BENEFITS><![CDATA[The Clean Air Act makes clear that the economic and technical feasibility of attaining standards are not to be considered in setting or revising the NAAQS, although such factors may be considered in the development of State plans to implement the standards. Accordingly, the Agency prepares cost and benefit information in order to provide States information that may be useful in considering different implementation strategies for meeting proposed or final standards. Cost and benefit information is not developed to support a NAAQS rulemaking until sufficient policy and scientific information is available to narrow potential options for the form and level associated with any potential revisions to the standard. Therefore, work on the developing the plan for conducting the cost and benefit analysis will generally start 1 1/2 to 2 years following the start of a NAAQS review.]]></COSTS_AND_BENEFITS>
            <RISKS><![CDATA[During the course of this review, risk assessments may be conducted to evaluate public welfare risks associated with retention or revision of the NOx/SOx secondary standards.]]></RISKS>
        </RPLAN_INFO>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>07/00/2011</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Final Action</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>03/00/2012</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <ADDITIONAL_INFO>EPA Docket information: EPA-HQ-OAR-2007-1145</ADDITIONAL_INFO>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>No</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>No</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Federal</GOVT_LEVEL>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Local</GOVT_LEVEL>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>State</GOVT_LEVEL>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Tribal</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <ENERGY_AFFECTED>No</ENERGY_AFFECTED>
        <PRINT_PAPER>No</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>No</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Bryan</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Hubbell</LAST_NAME>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>2060</CODE>
                    <NAME>Office of Air and Radiation</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>OAR</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>919 541-0621</PHONE>
                <FAX>919 541-0804</FAX>
                <EMAIL>Hubbell.bryan@epa.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>C504-02,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Research Triangle Park</CITY>
                    <STATE>NC</STATE>
                    <ZIP>27711</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Ginger</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Tennant</LAST_NAME>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>2060</CODE>
                    <NAME>Office of Air and Radiation</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>OAR</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>919 541-4072</PHONE>
                <FAX>919 541-0237</FAX>
                <EMAIL>tennant.ginger@epa.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>109 T.W. Alexander Drive, Mail Code C504-06,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Research Triangle Park</CITY>
                    <STATE>NC</STATE>
                    <ZIP>27711</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
