{
  "id": "R40096",
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      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 418314,
      "date": "2013-02-20",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-06T21:21:49.520656",
      "title": "2006 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5): Designating Nonattainment Areas",
      "summary": "The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published revisions to the Clean Air Act (CAA) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (particulates, or PM) on October 17, 2006. EPA\u2019s actions leading up to and following promulgation of the 2006 standard have been the subject of considerable congressional oversight. EPA and states\u2019 ongoing implementation of the standard, beginning with the designation of those geographical areas not in compliance, likewise has been an area of concern and debate among some Members of Congress, states, and other stakeholders for some time. EPA\u2019s most recent round of periodic review of the particulates NAAQS and final rule revising the PM NAAQS, published January 15, 2013, prompted further scrutiny of the ongoing implementation of the standards.\nPromulgation of NAAQS sets in motion a process under which the states and EPA identify areas that exceed the national standard (\u201cnonattainment areas\u201d) using multi-year air quality monitoring data and other criteria, requiring states to take steps to reduce pollutant concentrations in order to achieve it. The publication of the final designations for the 2006 NAAQS\u2014and thus the effective date of the final designations\u2014had initially been delayed pending review by the current Administration. On November 13, 2009, EPA published its final designations for the 2006 PM NAAQS that included 120 counties and portions of counties in 18 states as nonattainment areas based on 2006 through 2008 air quality monitoring data. The final designations, which include tribal land of 22 tribes, were effective as of December 14, 2009. States have three years from the effective date to submit nonattainment area State Implementation Plans (SIPs), which identify specific regulations and emission control requirements that would bring a nonattainment area into compliance.\nThe 2006 NAAQS strengthened the pre-existing (1997) standard for \u201cfine\u201d particulate matter 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter (PM2.5) by lowering the allowable daily concentration of PM2.5 in the air. The daily standard averaged over 24-hour periods was reduced from 65 micrograms per cubic meter (\u00b5g/m3) to 35 \u00b5g/m3. However, the annual PM2.5 standard, which addresses human health effects from chronic exposures to the pollutants, was unchanged from the 1997 standard of 15 \u00b5g/m3. The 2006 NAAQS did not substantially modify the daily standard for slightly larger, but still inhalable, particles less than or equal to 10 micrometers (PM10), retaining the 24-hour standard but revoking the annual standard for PM10.\nEPA\u2019s final nonattainment designations are only for the revised 2006 24-hour PM2.5 standard. EPA did not require new nonattainment designations for the PM2.5 annual standard and for PM10. The final designations for the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS included a few areas designated nonattainment for PM2.5 for the first time, but, as expected, the majority of the counties identified overlapped with EPA\u2019s final nonattainment designations for the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS. EPA\u2019s designations for the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS included all or part of 204 counties in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Most of them were only exceeding the annual standard; only 12 counties were exceeding both the 24-hour and the annual standards. Thus, the 2006 tightening of the 24-hour standard resulted in an increased number of areas being designated nonattainment based on exceedances of both the 24-hour and the annual standards.",
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    {
      "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department",
      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc122190/",
      "id": "R40096_2012Oct25",
      "date": "2012-10-25",
      "retrieved": "2012-11-30T09:28:34",
      "title": "2006 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5): Designating Nonattainment Areas",
      "summary": "This report focuses primarily on the NAAQS implementation process for designating geographical nonattainment areas with respect to the tightening of the PM2.5 standards under the 2006 particulates NAAQS, including comparisons with the final designations under the 1997 PM2.5 NAAQS. Also included is a brief overview of states' subsequent obligations for developing and submitting implementation plans (SIPs) for attaining or maintaining compliance with the NAAQS.",
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          "id": "Air pollution",
          "name": "Air pollution"
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          "source": "LIV",
          "id": "Air pollution control",
          "name": "Air pollution control"
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      "id": "R40096_2010Sep07",
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      "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc810752/",
      "id": "R40096_2009Dec17",
      "date": "2009-12-17",
      "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26",
      "title": "2006 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5): Designating Nonattainment Areas",
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      "id": "R40096_2008Dec01",
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