Environmental Community Lines Up for Stronger Standards, 4-17-06
More than 160 national, state, and local environmental, public interest, environmental justice, conservation, and religious groups sent a letter to EPA Administrator Steve Johnson on April 17, 2006 in support of strengthened air quality standards for particulate matter.
The letter, endorsed by 19 national organizations and groups from 38 states raised grave concerns that the proposed revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality standards for fine and coarse particulate matter are insufficient to protect public health and welfare as required by the Clean Air Act.
Specifically, the groups endorsed:
• an annual average PM2.5 standard of 12 µg/m3 or below, with elimination of the spatial averaging loophole;
• a 24-hour PM2.5 standard of 25 µg/m3, 99th percentile;
• a 24-hour PM10-2.5 standard of 25-30 µg/m3, 99th percentile, to apply nationally.
• application of the coarse particle standard across the country, with monitoring in rural areas and elimination of the special exemption for the mining and agriculture industries;
• a PM2.5 secondary standard of 20 µg/m3 or below, based upon a rolling 4-hour average; and
• a secondary standard for coarse PM that protects ecosystems and scenic vistas across the country.
A copy of the letter is attached.
A number of additional organizations including the American Lung Association, Environmental Defense, Natural Resources Defense Council, Earthjustice, National Parks and Conservaton Association, and Appalachian Mountain Club filed a separate set of detailed technical and legal comments.
Attachments
- Comments of 162 Organizations on PM NAAQS
- group-sign-on-letter-42506.pdf
Joint comments on environmental and public interest organizations
