View Rule

Under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977, EPA is required to review and if appropriate revise the air quality criteria and national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) every 5 years. On June 22, 2010, EPA published a final rule to revise the primary (health-based) NAAQS for Sulfur Oxides to provide increased protection for public health. This review of the 2010 NAAQS includes the preparation by EPA of an Integrated Review Plan, an Integrated Science Assessment, a Risk/Exposure Assessment, and also a Policy Assessment Document, with opportunities for review by EPA's Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) and the public. These documents inform the Administrator's proposed decision as to whether to retain or revise the current standard. This proposed decision was published in the Federal Register with opportunity provided for public comment. The Administrator's final decisions will take into consideration these documents, CASAC advice, and public comment on the proposed decision.

Statement of Need:

Under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977, EPA is required to review and if appropriate revise the air quality criteria and national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) every 5 years. On June 22, 2010, EPA published a final rule to revise the primary (health-based) NAAQS for sulfur oxides to provide increased protection for public health.

Summary of the Legal Basis:

Under the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977, EPA is required to review and if appropriate revise the air quality criteria and the primary (health-based) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) every 5 years.

Alternatives:

The main alternative for the Administrator's decision on the review of the primary (health-based) national ambient air quality standard for sulfur oxides (SOx) is whether to retain or revise the existing standard.

Anticipated Costs and Benefits:

The Clean Air Act makes clear that the economic and technical feasibility of attaining standards is 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, when the Agency proposes revisions to the standards, 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. In those instances, cost and benefit information is generally included in the regulatory analysis accompanying the final rule. Because this action does not propose to change the existing primary NAAQS for SOx, it does not impose costs or benefits relative to the baseline of continuing with the current NAAQS in effect. EPA has thus not prepared a Regulatory Impact Analysis for this action.

Risks:

As part of this review, the EPA prepared an Integrated Review Plan, an Integrated Science Assessment, a Risk/Exposure Assessment, and also a Policy Assessment document, with opportunities for review by the EPA's Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and the public. These documents will inform the Administrator's decision as to whether to retain or revise the standards. The proposed decision was published in the Federal Register with opportunity provided for public comment. The Administrator's final decisions will take into consideration these documents and public comment on the proposed decision.