The draft staff report, Review of the Ambient Air Quality Standard for Ozone, is now available for public review and comment at:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/aaqs/ozone-rs/ozone-rs.htm.
If you do not have internet access, please call Ms. Jacqueline
Cummins at (916) 445-0753 for a copy.
The staffs of the Air Resources Board (ARB) and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) have completed their review of the California Ambient Air Quality Standard for Ozone. The draft staff report presents staff findings regarding the adequacy of the ozone standard and makes recommendations to revise the standard. The staff recommends establishing a new 8-hour average ozone standard of 0.070 ppm. Staff also recommends retaining the current 1-hour average standard of 0.09 ppm.
Staff has scheduled three public workshops to discuss the
draft staff report and recommendations, including:
There are several opportunities to support CARB adopting strict ozone
standards:
- Workshop on July 14, 10-12 in Sacramento, where CARB staff will summarize their recommendations and respond to public questions and comments. The event will be webcast at www.arb.ca.gov/app/calendar/cal_wbcst.php.
This presentation will also be made on July 16th, 1-3 PM, in Fresno.
Findings and recommendations in the draft staff report will be peer-reviewed by the Air Quality Advisory Committee (AQAC), appointed by the Office of the President of the University of California.
The public is invited to submit written comments on the draft staff report. Comments received by August 2, 2004, will be forwarded to the AQAC for consideration at their public meeting.
Written comments on this draft staff report and the
staff recommendations for revising the ozone standard may be
addressed to Dr. Deborah Drechsler, Ph.D., at:
Air Resources Board, Research Division,
P.O. Box 2815, Sacramento, CA 95612-2815
(ddrechsl@arb.ca.gov, 916-323-1526, 916-322-4357FAX).
Following the meeting of the AQAC (likely in September), staff will revise the draft staff report based on comments received from AQAC members and the public. The revised Staff Report will then be made available for a 45-day public comment period in advance of a public meeting of the Air Resources Board to consider the staff’s final recommendations. The Board meeting is tentatively scheduled for December, 2004. Therefore, other ways to support the new CAAQS on ozone:
- Public comments can be made when the Air Quality Action Committee meets to consider the proposal, probably in September.
- Public comments can be made before the Board meets to consider the proposal, probably in December. Testimony can also be given at the Board meeting.
- This proposal could be an excellent opportunity for media outreach, such as through Op-Eds or letters to the editor.
Again, for more information, please go to:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/aaqs/ozone-rs/ozone-rs.htm.
The American Lung Association says that, "These standards will generate huge opposition from the oil and auto industries because they will set an important precedent for national and international reviews of the ozone standards. They are important because the California review demonstrates that the federal NAAQS for ozone, set in 1997, need to be strengthened in order protect public health, particularly the health of children."
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