{ "id": "R43092", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R43092", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 584221, "date": "2018-08-16", "retrieved": "2019-12-20T21:00:53.111662", "title": "Implementing EPA\u2019s 2015 Ozone Air Quality Standards", "summary": "Implementation of revised ozone standards by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now moving forward, after the agency designated 52 areas with just over 200 counties or partial counties and two tribal areas as \u201cnonattainment\u201d for the standards. The standards\u2014formally known as National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone\u2014are standards for outdoor (ambient) air. In 2015, EPA tightened both the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) standards from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 70 ppb after concluding that protecting public health and welfare requires lower concentrations of ozone than were previously judged to be safe. Ozone aggravates heart and lung diseases and may contribute to premature death; the primary standard addresses these concerns. Ozone can also have negative effects on forests and crop yields, which the secondary NAAQS is intended to protect. \nThe designated nonattainment areas include counties in 22 states and the District of Columbia. Most of these areas have had previous experience as nonattainment for earlier versions of the NAAQS. Designation as nonattainment imposes more stringent permitting and pollution control requirement for new and modified stationary sources of emissions as compared with the requirements in areas that are in attainment of the NAAQS, and requires the development of State Implementation Plans demonstrating how emissions will be reduced sufficiently to reach attainment.\nEPA estimates the cost of meeting the 70 ppb standard in all states except California at $1.4 billion annually in 2025. Because most California areas would have until the 2030s to reach attainment, EPA provided separate cost estimates for California ($0.80 billion annually, post-2025). These cost estimates are substantially less than those from the National Association of Manufacturers and other industry sources, which have been widely cited. The benefits of reducing ozone concentrations were estimated by EPA at $2.9-$5.9 billion annually by 2025. The dollar value of avoided premature deaths accounts for 94% to 98% of this estimate. \nThe agency projects that most areas will be able to reach attainment of the new standards by 2025 as a result of already promulgated regulations for gasoline, autos, power plants, and other emission sources. These regulations are being implemented independently of the 2015 NAAQS revision.\nMembers of Congress have shown particular interest in whether the expected benefits of the standards justify their projected costs. There is controversy over the methods used to estimate both costs and benefits. As the Clean Air Act is currently written, however, the agency is prohibited from weighing costs against benefits in setting NAAQS standards. The statute simply directs EPA to set the primary standard at a level requisite to protect public health, allowing an adequate margin of safety.\nVarious interest groups have lobbied against strengthening the standards. In the 115th Congress, the House has passed H.R. 806 to delay implementation of the 2015 NAAQS until the mid-2020s and to make changes to the process of future NAAQS revisions. The House Appropriations Committee reported a similar delay as a rider to EPA\u2019s 2018 appropriation (in Section 432 of H.R. 3354), but the final version of the appropriation (in H.R. 1625/P.L. 115-141) did not include the rider.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43092", "sha1": "34f32010042d72ca251b51cc11a8da597deae862", "filename": "files/20180816_R43092_34f32010042d72ca251b51cc11a8da597deae862.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43092_files&id=/2.png": "files/20180816_R43092_images_5c4687f79909e7f67e171d6fc49332cfe7afaba0.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43092_files&id=/1.png": "files/20180816_R43092_images_e7264b416056580e332b1988db7d61358e27890d.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43092_files&id=/0.png": "files/20180816_R43092_images_5928526bd721a797c79622c72423ce812205a397.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43092", "sha1": "8b3f6d82e8871b513369637af72eb044469b518d", "filename": "files/20180816_R43092_8b3f6d82e8871b513369637af72eb044469b518d.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4750, "name": "Air Quality" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 581127, "date": "2018-05-10", "retrieved": "2018-05-22T13:21:25.979218", "title": "Implementing EPA\u2019s 2015 Ozone Air Quality Standards", "summary": "Implementation of revised ozone standards by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now moving forward, after the agency designated 51 areas with 200 counties or partial counties and two tribal areas as \u201cnonattainment\u201d for the standards on April 30, 2018. The standards\u2014formally known as National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone\u2014are standards for outdoor (ambient) air. In 2015, EPA tightened both the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) standards from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 70 ppb after concluding that protecting public health and welfare requires lower concentrations of ozone than were previously judged to be safe. Ozone aggravates heart and lung diseases and may contribute to premature death; the primary standard addresses these concerns. Ozone can also have negative effects on forests and crop yields, which the secondary NAAQS is intended to protect. \nThe designated nonattainment areas include counties in 22 states and the District of Columbia. Most of these areas have had previous experience as nonattainment for earlier versions of the NAAQS. Designation as nonattainment imposes more stringent permitting and pollution control requirement for new and modified stationary sources of emissions as compared with the requirements in areas that are in attainment of the NAAQS, and requires the development of State Implementation Plans demonstrating how emissions will be reduced sufficiently to reach attainment.\nEPA estimates the cost of meeting the 70 ppb standard in all states except California at $1.4 billion annually in 2025. Because most California areas would have until the 2030s to reach attainment, EPA provided separate cost estimates for California ($0.80 billion annually, post-2025). These cost estimates are substantially less than those from the National Association of Manufacturers and other industry sources, which have been widely cited. The benefits of reducing ozone concentrations were estimated by EPA at $2.9-$5.9 billion annually by 2025. The dollar value of avoided premature deaths accounts for 94% to 98% of this estimate. \nThe agency projects that most areas will be able to reach attainment of the new standards by 2025 as a result of already promulgated regulations for gasoline, autos, power plants, and other emission sources. These regulations are being implemented independently of the 2015 NAAQS revision.\nMembers of Congress have shown particular interest in whether the expected benefits of the standards justify their projected costs. There is controversy over the methods used to estimate both costs and benefits. As the Clean Air Act is currently written, however, the agency is prohibited from weighing costs against benefits in setting NAAQS standards. The statute simply directs EPA to set the primary standard at a level requisite to protect public health, allowing an adequate margin of safety.\nVarious interest groups have lobbied against strengthening the standards. In the 115th Congress, the House has passed H.R. 806 to delay implementation of the 2015 NAAQS until the mid-2020s and to make changes to the process of future NAAQS revisions. The House Appropriations Committee reported a similar delay as a rider to EPA\u2019s 2018 appropriation (in Section 432 of H.R. 3354), but the final version of the appropriation (in H.R. 1625/P.L. 115-141) did not include the rider.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43092", "sha1": "f5cb7c6303a94ed09f161523263a8762e41e0588", "filename": "files/20180510_R43092_f5cb7c6303a94ed09f161523263a8762e41e0588.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43092_files&id=/2.png": "files/20180510_R43092_images_5c4687f79909e7f67e171d6fc49332cfe7afaba0.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43092_files&id=/1.png": "files/20180510_R43092_images_71fabbc87e6cac6c09264585c15691d0ee50b3cd.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43092_files&id=/0.png": "files/20180510_R43092_images_b909038b533c9c6b378224ade06cc2510b491364.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43092", "sha1": "d8f50c0d5bf18020d4c5f200294f6839ff0052a4", "filename": "files/20180510_R43092_d8f50c0d5bf18020d4c5f200294f6839ff0052a4.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4750, "name": "Air Quality" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 580254, "date": "2018-04-17", "retrieved": "2018-04-24T13:09:54.979650", "title": "Implementing EPA\u2019s 2015 Ozone Air Quality Standards", "summary": "Implementation of revised ozone standards by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in limbo. EPA finalized the revised standards\u2014formally known as National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone\u2014in October 2015. Under a statutory deadline, the agency was to have identified areas that exceed the standards by October 1, 2017. The agency did not do so. \nMissing such a deadline is not unusual: EPA has frequently missed such deadlines under both Republican and Democratic Administrations. But the agency has displayed a notable degree of uncertainty as it has delayed implementation of the 2015 standards over the past year. In April 2017, EPA announced that it would reconsider the standards but gave no schedule for doing so. In June, it announced that it would delay the designation of nonattainment areas for a year, only to reverse course two months later. In November, EPA released a list of 2,646 counties that it was designating as \u201cattainment/unclassifiable,\u201d but it took no action regarding 493 counties that include those most likely to be in nonattainment of the standards. Most recently, a court has imposed an April 2018 deadline for completing the designation process.\nNAAQS are standards for outdoor (ambient) air. EPA tightened the ozone NAAQS, lowering both the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) standards from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 70 ppb after concluding that protecting public health and welfare requires lower concentrations of ozone than were previously judged to be safe. Ozone aggravates heart and lung diseases and may contribute to premature death; the primary standard addresses these concerns. Ozone can also have negative effects on forests and crop yields, which the secondary NAAQS is intended to protect. \nAs of February 2018, 107 million people (one-third of the U.S. population) lived in areas classified as \u201cnonattainment\u201d for the 75 ppb ozone NAAQS set by EPA in 2008. These areas include 168 counties in 17 states and the District of Columbia. The 2015 standard will affect more areas. Using 2013-2015 monitoring data, states identified 213 counties as potentially in nonattainment with the 70 ppb standard. \nEPA estimates the cost of meeting the 70 ppb standard in all states except California at $1.4 billion annually in 2025. Because most California areas would have until the 2030s to reach attainment, EPA provided separate cost estimates for California ($0.80 billion annually, post-2025). These cost estimates are substantially less than those from the National Association of Manufacturers and other industry sources, which have been widely cited. The benefits of reducing ozone concentrations were estimated by EPA at $2.9-$5.9 billion annually by 2025. The dollar value of avoided premature deaths accounts for 94% to 98% of this estimate. \nThe agency projects that most areas will be able to reach attainment of the new standards by 2025 as a result of already promulgated regulations for gasoline, autos, power plants, and other emission sources. These regulations are being implemented independently of the 2015 NAAQS revision.\nMembers of Congress have shown particular interest in whether the expected benefits of the standards justify their projected costs. There is controversy over the methods used to estimate both costs and benefits. As the Clean Air Act is currently written, however, the agency is prohibited from weighing costs against benefits in setting NAAQS standards. The statute simply directs EPA to set the primary standard at a level requisite to protect public health, allowing an adequate margin of safety.\nVarious interest groups have lobbied against strengthening the standards. In the 115th Congress, the House has passed H.R. 806 to delay implementation of the 2015 NAAQS until the mid-2020s and to make changes to the process of future NAAQS revisions. The House Appropriations Committee reported a similar delay as a rider to EPA\u2019s 2018 appropriation (in Section 432 of H.R. 3354), but the final version of the appropriation (in H.R. 1625/P.L. 115-141) did not include the rider.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43092", "sha1": "d77b58b67e6b1ecccebf193b29531975e2973cd9", "filename": "files/20180417_R43092_d77b58b67e6b1ecccebf193b29531975e2973cd9.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43092_files&id=/0.png": "files/20180417_R43092_images_b909038b533c9c6b378224ade06cc2510b491364.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43092_files&id=/1.png": "files/20180417_R43092_images_a6651543a91cc2a7f5bc8a56944d48e3e313a34b.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43092_files&id=/2.png": "files/20180417_R43092_images_5c4687f79909e7f67e171d6fc49332cfe7afaba0.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43092", "sha1": "1508bde104a8dabd04b5efac52c96448a5271a86", "filename": "files/20180417_R43092_1508bde104a8dabd04b5efac52c96448a5271a86.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4750, "name": "Air Quality" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 463356, "date": "2017-08-15", "retrieved": "2017-08-21T14:21:11.022528", "title": "EPA\u2019s 2015 Ozone Air Quality Standards", "summary": "On October 1, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone. The rule sets more stringent standards, lowering both the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) standards from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 70 ppb. This report discusses the standard-setting process, the specifics of the most recent reviews, and issues raised by the rulemaking and its implementation.\nNAAQS are standards for outdoor (ambient) air that are intended to protect public health and welfare from harmful pollution. EPA tightened the ozone standards after concluding that protecting public health and welfare requires lower concentrations of ozone than were previously judged to be safe. Ozone aggravates heart and lung diseases and may contribute to premature death. Ozone also can have negative effects on forests and crop yields, which the secondary NAAQS is intended to protect. \nNAAQS do not directly limit emissions of a pollutant; rather, they set in motion a process in which states and EPA identify areas that do not meet the standards and states prepare implementation plans to demonstrate how emissions will be lowered sufficiently to reach attainment in those areas. Using monitoring data and recommendations submitted by the states, EPA has said it expects to designate nonattainment areas for the revised NAAQS by October 2017. States would have until at least 2020 to achieve compliance with the revised standards. Areas with more severe ozone pollution would have additional time to reach attainment\u2014as late as 2037 in the most polluted areas.\nAs of June 2017, 109 million people (one-third of the U.S. population) lived in areas classified as \u201cnonattainment\u201d for the 75 ppb ozone NAAQS set by EPA in 2008. These areas include 177 counties in 18 states and the District of Columbia. The revised (2015) standard will affect a few more areas. Using 2013-2015 monitoring data, states have identified 214 counties as potentially in nonattainment with the 70 ppb standard. The actual designations will be based on 2014-2016 or later monitoring data, and may differ. The preliminary state data are substantially different from industry projections, which had estimated that as many as 958 counties would be in nonattainment of the revised standards.\nEPA projects that most areas will be able to reach attainment of the new standards as a result of already promulgated regulations for gasoline, autos, power plants, and other emission sources. Thus, the agency\u2019s estimates of the compliance cost released when the revisions were finalized were substantially lower than many earlier analyses (including the agency\u2019s own). EPA estimates the cost of meeting a 70 ppb standard in all states except California at $1.4 billion annually in 2025. Because most California areas would have until the 2030s to reach attainment, EPA provided separate cost estimates for California ($0.80 billion annually, post-2025). These cost estimates are substantially less than those from the National Association of Manufacturers and other industry sources, which have been widely cited. \nEPA estimates the economic value of the benefits of reducing ozone concentrations at $2.9-$5.9 billion annually by 2025. The dollar value of avoided premature deaths accounts for 94% to 98% of this estimate. \nMembers of Congress have shown particular interest in whether the expected benefits of the standards justify their projected costs. There is controversy over the methods used to estimate both costs and benefits. As the Clean Air Act is currently written, however, the agency is prohibited from weighing costs against benefits in setting NAAQS standards. The statute simply directs EPA to set the primary standard at a level requisite to protect public health, allowing an adequate margin of safety.\nVarious interest groups have lobbied against strengthening the standards. In the 115th Congress, the House has passed H.R. 806, to delay implementation of the 2015 NAAQS and to make changes to the process of future NAAQS revisions. The House Appropriations Committee has also reported H.R. 3354; Section 432 of the bill would delay implementation of the 2015 ozone NAAQS until the mid-2020s.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43092", "sha1": "c24326b3e14f341918e371b94d78bbb287885011", "filename": "files/20170815_R43092_c24326b3e14f341918e371b94d78bbb287885011.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43092_files&id=/2.png": "files/20170815_R43092_images_5c4687f79909e7f67e171d6fc49332cfe7afaba0.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43092_files&id=/1.png": "files/20170815_R43092_images_a6651543a91cc2a7f5bc8a56944d48e3e313a34b.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43092_files&id=/0.png": "files/20170815_R43092_images_41cddcb48c86f5ff83526a928defe20e9b296c63.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43092", "sha1": "0d7877473e7f6f7af779f78de1fed6022782a157", "filename": "files/20170815_R43092_0d7877473e7f6f7af779f78de1fed6022782a157.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4750, "name": "Air Quality" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 463141, "date": "2017-07-28", "retrieved": "2017-08-16T15:40:26.902700", "title": "EPA\u2019s 2015 Ozone Air Quality Standards", "summary": "On October 1, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone. The rule sets more stringent standards, lowering both the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) standards from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 70 ppb. This report discusses the standard-setting process, the specifics of the most recent reviews, and issues raised by the rulemaking and its implementation.\nNAAQS are standards for outdoor (ambient) air that are intended to protect public health and welfare from harmful pollution. EPA tightened the ozone standards after concluding that protecting public health and welfare requires lower concentrations of ozone than were previously judged to be safe. Ozone aggravates heart and lung diseases and may contribute to premature death. Ozone also can have negative effects on forests and crop yields, which the secondary NAAQS is intended to protect. \nNAAQS do not directly limit emissions of a pollutant; rather, they set in motion a process in which states and EPA identify areas that do not meet the standards and states prepare implementation plans to demonstrate how emissions will be lowered sufficiently to reach attainment in those areas. Using monitoring data and recommendations submitted by the states, EPA has said it expects to designate nonattainment areas for the revised NAAQS by October 2018. States would have until at least 2021 to achieve compliance with the revised standards. Areas with more severe ozone pollution would have additional time to reach attainment\u2014as late as 2038 in the most polluted areas.\nAs of June 2017, 109 million people (one-third of the U.S. population) lived in areas classified as \u201cnonattainment\u201d for the 75 ppb ozone NAAQS set by EPA in 2008. These areas include 177 counties in 18 states and the District of Columbia. The revised (2015) standard will affect a few more areas. Using 2013-2015 monitoring data, states have identified 214 counties as potentially in nonattainment with the 70 ppb standard. The actual designations will be based on 2014-2016 or later monitoring data, and may differ. The preliminary state data are substantially different from industry projections, which had estimated that as many as 958 counties would be in nonattainment of the revised standards.\nEPA projects that most areas will be able to reach attainment of the new standards as a result of already promulgated regulations for gasoline, autos, power plants, and other emission sources. Thus, the agency\u2019s estimates of the compliance cost released when the revisions were finalized were substantially lower than many earlier analyses (including the agency\u2019s own). EPA estimates the cost of meeting a 70 ppb standard in all states except California at $1.4 billion annually in 2025. Because most California areas would have until the 2030s to reach attainment, EPA provided separate cost estimates for California ($0.80 billion annually, post-2025). These cost estimates are substantially less than those from the National Association of Manufacturers and other industry sources, which have been widely cited. \nEPA estimates the economic value of the benefits of reducing ozone concentrations at $2.9-$5.9 billion annually by 2025. The dollar value of avoided premature deaths accounts for 94% to 98% of this estimate. \nMembers of Congress have shown particular interest in whether the expected benefits of the standards justify their projected costs. There is controversy over the methods used to estimate both costs and benefits. As the Clean Air Act is currently written, however, the agency is prohibited from weighing costs against benefits in setting NAAQS standards. The statute simply directs EPA to set the primary standard at a level requisite to protect public health, allowing an adequate margin of safety.\nVarious interest groups have lobbied against strengthening the standards. In the 115th Congress, the House has passed H.R. 806, to delay implementation of the 2015 NAAQS and to make changes to the process of future NAAQS revisions. The House Appropriations Committee has also reported H.R. 3354; Section 432 of the bill would delay implementation of the 2015 ozone NAAQS until the mid-2020s.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43092", "sha1": "01d7e0f7e37f14c8e1a83a211ccbdc00e056e0b9", "filename": "files/20170728_R43092_01d7e0f7e37f14c8e1a83a211ccbdc00e056e0b9.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43092", "sha1": "e9b57ef7096660ba06127bb7604548756a4b4241", "filename": "files/20170728_R43092_e9b57ef7096660ba06127bb7604548756a4b4241.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4750, "name": "Air Quality" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 462476, "date": "2017-06-30", "retrieved": "2017-07-17T16:37:25.528169", "title": "EPA\u2019s 2015 Ozone Air Quality Standards", "summary": "On October 1, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone. The rule sets more stringent standards, lowering both the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) standards from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 70 ppb. This report discusses the standard-setting process, the specifics of the most recent reviews, and issues raised by the rulemaking and its implementation.\nNAAQS are standards for outdoor (ambient) air that are intended to protect public health and welfare from harmful pollution. EPA tightened the ozone standards after concluding that protecting public health and welfare requires lower concentrations of ozone than were previously judged to be safe. Ozone aggravates heart and lung diseases and may contribute to premature death. Ozone also can have negative effects on forests and crop yields, which the secondary NAAQS is intended to protect. \nNAAQS do not directly limit emissions of a pollutant; rather, they set in motion a process in which states and EPA identify areas that do not meet the standards and states prepare implementation plans to demonstrate how emissions will be lowered sufficiently to reach attainment in those areas. Using monitoring data and recommendations submitted by the states, EPA has said it expects to designate nonattainment areas for the revised NAAQS by October 2018. States would have until at least 2021 to achieve compliance with the revised standards. Areas with more severe ozone pollution would have additional time to reach attainment\u2014as late as 2037 in the most polluted areas.\nAs of June 2017, 109 million people (one-third of the U.S. population) lived in areas classified as \u201cnonattainment\u201d for the 75 ppb ozone NAAQS set by EPA in 2008. These areas include 177 counties in 18 states and the District of Columbia. The revised (2015) standard will affect a few more areas. Using 2013-2015 monitoring data, states have identified 214 counties as potentially in nonattainment with the 70 ppb standard. The actual designations will be based on 2014-2016 or later monitoring data, and may differ. The preliminary state data are substantially different from industry projections, which had estimated that as many as 958 counties would be in nonattainment of the revised standards.\nEPA projects that most areas will be able to reach attainment of the new standards as a result of already promulgated regulations for gasoline, autos, power plants, and other emission sources. Thus, the agency\u2019s estimates of the compliance cost released when the revisions were finalized were substantially lower than many earlier analyses (including the agency\u2019s own). EPA estimates the cost of meeting a 70 ppb standard in all states except California at $1.4 billion annually in 2025. Because most California areas would have until the 2030s to reach attainment, EPA provided separate cost estimates for California ($0.80 billion annually, post-2025). These cost estimates are substantially less than those from the National Association of Manufacturers and other industry sources, which have been widely cited. \nEPA estimates the economic value of the benefits of reducing ozone concentrations at $2.9-$5.9 billion annually by 2025. The dollar value of avoided premature deaths accounts for 94% to 98% of this estimate. \nMembers of Congress have shown particular interest in whether the expected benefits of the standards justify their projected costs. There is controversy over the methods used to estimate both costs and benefits. As the Clean Air Act is currently written, however, the agency is prohibited from weighing costs against benefits in setting NAAQS standards. The statute simply directs EPA to set the primary standard at a level requisite to protect public health, allowing an adequate margin of safety.\nVarious interest groups have lobbied against strengthening the standards. In the 115th Congress the House Energy and Commerce Committee has ordered reported H.R. 806, to delay implementation of the 2015 NAAQS and to make changes to the process of future NAAQS revisions.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43092", "sha1": "567e0aa9f8079d281fcaf45606819830ed3dc0ce", "filename": "files/20170630_R43092_567e0aa9f8079d281fcaf45606819830ed3dc0ce.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43092", "sha1": "f80850c088be6346ad937cd9c69a4f59f3aa1c9c", "filename": "files/20170630_R43092_f80850c088be6346ad937cd9c69a4f59f3aa1c9c.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4750, "name": "Air Quality" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 461434, "date": "2017-05-22", "retrieved": "2017-05-24T16:15:09.188115", "title": "EPA\u2019s 2015 Ozone Air Quality Standards", "summary": "On October 1, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone. The rule sets more stringent standards, lowering both the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) standards from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 70 ppb. This report discusses the standard-setting process, the specifics of the most recent reviews, and issues raised by the rulemaking and its implementation.\nNAAQS are standards for outdoor (ambient) air that are intended to protect public health and welfare from harmful pollution. EPA tightened the ozone standards after concluding that protecting public health and welfare requires lower concentrations of ozone than were previously judged to be safe. Ozone aggravates heart and lung diseases and may contribute to premature death. Ozone also can have negative effects on forests and crop yields, which the secondary NAAQS is intended to protect. \nNAAQS do not directly limit emissions of a pollutant; rather, they set in motion a process in which states and EPA identify areas that do not meet the standards and states prepare implementation plans to demonstrate how emissions will be lowered sufficiently to reach attainment in those areas. Using monitoring data and recommendations submitted by the states, EPA has said it expects to designate nonattainment areas for the revised NAAQS by October 2017. States would have until at least 2020 to achieve compliance with the revised standards. Areas with more severe ozone pollution would have additional time to reach attainment\u2014as late as 2037 in the most polluted areas.\nAs of February 2017, 115 million people (about 36% of the U.S. population) lived in areas classified as \u201cnonattainment\u201d for the 75 ppb ozone NAAQS set by EPA in 2008. These areas include 197 counties in 20 states and the District of Columbia. The revised (2015) standard will affect a few more areas. Using 2013-2015 monitoring data, states have identified 214 counties as potentially in nonattainment with the 70 ppb standard. The actual designations will be based on later (likely 2014-2016) monitoring data, and may differ. The preliminary state data are substantially different from industry projections, which had estimated that as many as 958 counties would be in nonattainment of the revised standards.\nEPA projects that most areas will be able to reach attainment of the new standards as a result of already promulgated regulations for gasoline, autos, power plants, and other emission sources. Thus, the agency\u2019s estimates of the compliance cost released when the revisions were finalized were substantially lower than many earlier analyses (including the agency\u2019s own). EPA estimates the cost of meeting a 70 ppb standard in all states except California at $1.4 billion annually in 2025. Because most California areas would have until the 2030s to reach attainment, EPA provided separate cost estimates for California ($0.80 billion annually, post-2025). These cost estimates are substantially less than those from the National Association of Manufacturers and other industry sources, which have been widely cited. \nEPA estimates the economic value of the benefits of reducing ozone concentrations at $2.9-$5.9 billion annually by 2025. The dollar value of avoided premature deaths accounts for 94% to 98% of this estimate. \nMembers of Congress have shown particular interest in whether the expected benefits of the standards justify their projected costs. There is controversy over the methods used to estimate both costs and benefits. As the Clean Air Act is currently written, however, the agency is prohibited from weighing costs against benefits in setting NAAQS standards. The statute simply directs EPA to set the primary standard at a level requisite to protect public health, allowing an adequate margin of safety.\nVarious interest groups have lobbied against strengthening the standards. In the 114th Congress, 15 bills were introduced to delay the promulgation of a revised ozone NAAQS or to change EPA\u2019s authority to revise the standards. Whether the 115th Congress and the Trump Administration will consider legislation affecting the standards remains to be seen.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43092", "sha1": "fb80fb78cb2c0a1d74f8928e5529f116f5a967ca", "filename": "files/20170522_R43092_fb80fb78cb2c0a1d74f8928e5529f116f5a967ca.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43092", "sha1": "3f61098ec5bcc399178a9380cee04363deb61380", "filename": "files/20170522_R43092_3f61098ec5bcc399178a9380cee04363deb61380.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4750, "name": "Air Quality" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 458159, "date": "2017-01-05", "retrieved": "2017-01-13T15:44:10.367539", "title": "EPA\u2019s 2015 Ozone Air Quality Standards", "summary": "On October 1, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone. The rule sets more stringent standards, lowering both the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) standards from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 70 ppb. This report discusses the standard-setting process, the specifics of the most recent reviews, and issues raised by the rulemaking and its implementation.\nNAAQS are standards for outdoor (ambient) air that are intended to protect public health and welfare from harmful pollution. EPA tightened the ozone standards after concluding that protecting public health and welfare requires lower concentrations of ozone than were previously judged to be safe. Ozone aggravates heart and lung diseases and may contribute to premature death. Ozone also can have negative effects on forests and crop yields, which the secondary NAAQS is intended to protect. \nNAAQS do not directly limit emissions of a pollutant; rather, they set in motion a process in which states and EPA identify areas that do not meet the standards and states prepare implementation plans to demonstrate how emissions will be lowered sufficiently to reach attainment in those areas. Using monitoring data and recommendations submitted by the states, EPA expects to designate nonattainment areas for the revised NAAQS by October 2017. States would have until at least 2020 to achieve compliance with the revised standards. Areas with more severe ozone pollution would have additional time to reach attainment\u2014as late as 2037 in the most polluted areas.\nAs of September 2016, 119 million people (nearly 40% of the U.S. population) lived in areas classified as \u201cnonattainment\u201d for the 75 ppb ozone NAAQS set by EPA in 2008. These areas include 211 counties in 21 states and the District of Columbia. The revised (2015) standard will affect a few more areas. Using 2013-2015 monitoring data, states have identified 214 counties as potentially in nonattainment with the 70 ppb standard. The actual designations will be based on later (likely 2014-2016) monitoring data, and may differ. The preliminary state data are substantially different from industry projections, which had estimated that as many as 958 counties would be in nonattainment of the revised standards.\nEPA projects that most areas will be able to reach attainment of the new standards as a result of already promulgated regulations for gasoline, autos, power plants, and other emission sources. Thus, the agency\u2019s estimates of the compliance cost released when the revisions were finalized were substantially lower than many earlier analyses (including the agency\u2019s own). EPA estimates the cost of meeting a 70 ppb standard in all states except California at $1.4 billion annually in 2025. Because most California areas would have until the 2030s to reach attainment, EPA provided separate cost estimates for California ($0.80 billion annually, post-2025). These cost estimates are substantially less than those from the National Association of Manufacturers and other industry sources, which have been widely cited. \nEPA estimates the economic value of the benefits of reducing ozone concentrations at $2.9-$5.9 billion annually by 2025. The dollar value of avoided premature deaths accounts for 94% to 98% of this estimate. \nMembers of Congress have shown particular interest in whether the expected benefits of the standards justify their projected costs. There is controversy over the methods used to estimate both costs and benefits. As the Clean Air Act is currently written, however, the agency is prohibited from weighing costs against benefits in setting NAAQS standards. The statute simply directs EPA to set the primary standard at a level requisite to protect public health, allowing an adequate margin of safety.\nVarious interest groups have lobbied against strengthening the standards. In the 114th Congress, 15 bills were introduced to delay the promulgation of a revised ozone NAAQS or to change EPA\u2019s authority to revise the standards. Whether the 115th Congress and a new Administration will consider legislation affecting the standards remains to be seen.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43092", "sha1": "9a06a3aaf2261e8e69fd6d0e46a10924b2e9cf43", "filename": "files/20170105_R43092_9a06a3aaf2261e8e69fd6d0e46a10924b2e9cf43.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43092", "sha1": "6f454245f53806e3fa001c2cb1aca78d70422e83", "filename": "files/20170105_R43092_6f454245f53806e3fa001c2cb1aca78d70422e83.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4750, "name": "Air Quality" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 456016, "date": "2016-05-18", "retrieved": "2016-11-28T22:12:52.087062", "title": "Ozone Air Quality Standards: EPA\u2019s 2015 Revision", "summary": "On October 1, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone. The rule sets more stringent standards, lowering both the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) standards from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 70 ppb. This report discusses the standard-setting process, the specifics of the most recent reviews, and issues raised by the final rulemaking.\nNAAQS are standards for outdoor (ambient) air that are intended to protect public health and welfare from harmful concentrations of pollution. EPA has concluded that protecting public health and welfare requires lower concentrations of ozone pollution than were previously judged to be safe. Ozone aggravates heart and lung diseases and may contribute to premature death. Ozone also can have negative effects on forests and crop yields, which the secondary (welfare-based) NAAQS is intended to protect. \nNAAQS do not directly limit emissions of a pollutant; rather, they set in motion a process in which states and EPA identify areas that do not meet the standards and states prepare implementation plans to demonstrate how emissions will be lowered sufficiently to reach attainment in those areas. Using monitoring data and recommendations submitted by the states, EPA expects to designate nonattainment areas for the revised ozone NAAQS by October 2017. States would have until at least 2020 to achieve compliance with the revised standards. Areas with more severe ozone pollution would have additional time to reach attainment, with an ultimate deadline as late as 2037 in the most polluted areas.\nAs of April 2016, 120 million people (40% of the U.S. population) lived in areas classified as \u201cnonattainment\u201d for the 75 ppb ozone NAAQS set by EPA in 2008. These areas include 216 counties in 24 states and the District of Columbia. Many of these areas have monitoring data that meet the standard, but have not yet completed administrative requirements to be reclassified to \u201cattainment.\u201d The revised (2015) standard may affect more areas. If the nonattainment designations were made using 2012-2014 monitoring data, EPA estimated at least 241 counties in 33 states would be in nonattainment at 70 ppb. The actual designations will be based on later (likely 2014-2016) monitoring data, and may differ. \nEPA projects that most areas will be able to reach attainment of the new standards as a result of already promulgated regulations for gasoline, autos, power plants, and other emission sources. Thus, the agency\u2019s estimates of the cost of NAAQS compliance are substantially lower than many earlier analyses (including the agency\u2019s own). EPA estimates the cost of meeting a 70 ppb standard in all states except California at $1.4 billion annually in 2025. Because most California areas would have until the 2030s to reach attainment, EPA provided separate cost estimates for California ($0.80 billion post-2025). These cost estimates are substantially less than one from the National Association of Manufacturers that has been widely cited. \nEPA estimates the economic value of the benefits of reducing ozone concentrations at $2.9-$5.9 billion annually by 2025. The dollar value of avoided premature deaths accounts for 94% to 98% of this estimate. Some stakeholders have argued that EPA overstates these benefits. \nMembers of Congress have shown particular interest in whether the expected benefits of the revised standards justify their projected costs\u2014a perennial issue raised by stakeholders when EPA considers revising NAAQS. There is controversy over the methods used to estimate both costs and benefits. More importantly, however, as the Clean Air Act is currently written, the agency is prohibited from weighing costs against benefits in setting the standards. The statute simply states that the Administrator is to set the primary standard at a level requisite to protect public health, allowing an adequate margin of safety.\nVarious interest groups have lobbied against strengthening the standards. In the 114th Congress, 12 bills have been introduced to delay the promulgation of a revised ozone NAAQS or to change EPA\u2019s authority to revise the standards. The standards are also the subject of House and Senate joint resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43092", "sha1": "ceada27b507b507a1b28d8fa39cf5954eee959c4", "filename": "files/20160518_R43092_ceada27b507b507a1b28d8fa39cf5954eee959c4.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43092", "sha1": "a10cc1869a6990ffb59889a32d8647cf003176c2", "filename": "files/20160518_R43092_a10cc1869a6990ffb59889a32d8647cf003176c2.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4750, "name": "Air Quality" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 449040, "date": "2016-01-25", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T17:25:37.108557", "title": "Ozone Air Quality Standards: EPA\u2019s 2015 Revision", "summary": "On October 1, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone. The rule sets more stringent standards, lowering both the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) standards from 75 parts per billion (ppb) to 70 ppb. This report discusses the standard-setting process, the specifics of the most recent reviews, and issues raised by the final rulemaking.\nNAAQS are standards for outdoor (ambient) air that are intended to protect public health and welfare from harmful concentrations of pollution. EPA has concluded that protecting public health and welfare requires lower concentrations of ozone pollution than were previously judged to be safe. Ozone aggravates heart and lung diseases and may contribute to premature death. Ozone also can have negative effects on forests and crop yields, which the secondary (welfare-based) NAAQS is intended to protect. \nNAAQS do not directly limit emissions of a pollutant; rather, they set in motion a process in which states and EPA identify areas that do not meet the standards and states prepare implementation plans to demonstrate how emissions will be lowered sufficiently to reach attainment in those areas. Using monitoring data and recommendations submitted by the states, EPA expects to designate nonattainment areas for the revised ozone NAAQS by October 2017. States would have until at least 2020 to achieve compliance with the revised standards. Areas with more severe ozone pollution would have additional time to reach attainment, with an ultimate deadline as late as 2037 in the most polluted areas.\nAs of October 2015, 122 million people (40% of the U.S. population) lived in areas classified as \u201cnonattainment\u201d for the 75 ppb ozone NAAQS set by EPA in 2008. These areas include 224 counties in 25 states and the District of Columbia. The revised standard may affect more areas. If the nonattainment designations were made using current (i.e., 2012-2014) monitoring data, EPA estimates at least 241 counties in 33 states would be in nonattainment at 70 ppb. The actual designations will be based on later (likely 2014-2016) monitoring data, and may differ. \nEPA projects that most areas will be able to reach attainment of the new standards as a result of already promulgated regulations for gasoline, autos, power plants, and other sources of emissions. Thus, the agency\u2019s estimates of the cost of NAAQS compliance included in the Regulatory Impact Analysis accompanying the final rule are substantially lower than many earlier analyses (including the agency\u2019s own). EPA estimates the cost of meeting a 70 ppb standard in all states except California at $1.4 billion annually in 2025. Because most areas in California would have until the 2030s to reach attainment, EPA provided separate cost estimates for California ($0.80 billion post-2025). EPA\u2019s cost estimates are substantially less than one from the National Association of Manufacturers that has been widely circulated. EPA estimates the economic value of the benefits of reducing ozone concentrations at $2.9-$5.9 billion annually by 2025. Some stakeholders have argued that EPA overstates these benefits. \nMembers of Congress have shown particular interest in whether the expected benefits of the revised standards justify their projected costs\u2014a perennial issue raised by stakeholders when EPA considers revising NAAQS. Both nationwide and in California, the agency expects the benefits of attainment to exceed the costs, but there is controversy over the methods used to estimate both. More importantly, as the Clean Air Act is currently written, the agency is prohibited from weighing costs against benefits in setting the standards. The statute simply states that the Administrator is to set the primary standard at a level requisite to protect public health, allowing an adequate margin of safety.\nBecause of the potential cost, various interest groups have lobbied against strengthening the standards. In the 114th Congress, 10 bills have been introduced to delay the promulgation of a revised ozone NAAQS or to change EPA\u2019s authority to revise the standards. The standards are also the subject of House and Senate joint resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43092", "sha1": "25eda13422c52434944873eb4d0be5a6d2960f88", "filename": "files/20160125_R43092_25eda13422c52434944873eb4d0be5a6d2960f88.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43092", "sha1": "be5e638ab79a56ec88a4fe33c384838afd67ab18", "filename": "files/20160125_R43092_be5e638ab79a56ec88a4fe33c384838afd67ab18.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 258, "name": "Clean Air Act and Air Quality" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc813110/", "id": "R43092_2015Feb26", "date": "2015-02-26", "retrieved": "2016-03-19T13:57:26", "title": "Ozone Air Quality Standards: EPA\u2019s 2015 Revision", "summary": null, "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20150226_R43092_280d29a1dfef86543378d44de03601fa4b2899eb.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20150226_R43092_280d29a1dfef86543378d44de03601fa4b2899eb.html" } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc501869/", "id": "R43092_2015Jan05", "date": "2015-01-05", "retrieved": "2015-03-30T22:03:27", "title": "Ozone Air Quality Standards: EPA's 2015 Revision", "summary": "This report discusses the standard-setting process, the specifics of the current and most recent reviews, and issues that may be raised as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) brings the current review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone to completion.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20150105_R43092_35c44111afdc288e666de403e00a166e081a082d.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20150105_R43092_35c44111afdc288e666de403e00a166e081a082d.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air pollution", "name": "Air pollution" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air pollution control", "name": "Air pollution control" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air pollution measurement", "name": "Air pollution measurement" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air quality", "name": "Air quality" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc462623/", "id": "R43092_2014Oct03", "date": "2014-10-03", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "Ozone Air Quality Standards: EPA's 2015 Revision", "summary": "This report discusses the standard-setting process, the specifics of the current and most recent reviews, and issues that may be raised as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) brings the current review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone to completion.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20141003_R43092_fa0e4007ee6b86f7e0b1e5b901b888fcd15e8e4f.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20141003_R43092_fa0e4007ee6b86f7e0b1e5b901b888fcd15e8e4f.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air quality", "name": "Air quality" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air pollution", "name": "Air pollution" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air pollution control", "name": "Air pollution control" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Air pollution measurement", "name": "Air pollution measurement" } ] } ], "topics": [ "American Law", "Appropriations", "Environmental Policy" ] }