2001 Particulate Matter Health Effects and Standard Recommendations
The document entitled “Report to the Air Quality Advisory Committee on the Review of the California Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter and Sulfates” has been prepared by Air Resources Board (ARB) and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) staff.
The joint document, as well as dates, times and locations for public workshops are available on the Air Resources Board web site at:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/aaqs/std-RS/std-rs.htm
Questions and comments regarding the review of the Health Effects Chapter may be directed to Rachel Broadwin at rbroadwi@oehha.ca.gov (510-622-3144).
Update - Draft proposal to establish a 24-hour PM2.5 ambient air quality standard
March 14, 2002
The Air Resources Board and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment have released a draft proposal to establish a 24-hour PM2.5 ambient air quality standard. The draft proposal can be found at www.arb.ca.gov/research/aaqs/std-RS/pm25-draft/pm25-draft.htm.
In the initial Report to the Air Quality Advisory Committee (November 30, 2001), ARB and OEHHA staff did not propose a specific 24-hour standard for PM2.5. At their January 23-24, 2002 meeting, the Air Quality Advisory Committee (AQAC) unanimously recommended that staff develop such a standard, and suggested several possible approaches. Responding to the Committee's concerns and suggestions, OEHHA and ARB staff members have developed the proposal which will be reviewed by the Air Quality Advisory Committee (AQAC) at a meeting scheduled for April 3, 2002 in Oakland, California.
April 3, 2002
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
1515 Clay Street, 2nd Floor, Room 2
Oakland, CA
Time: 1-5 p.m.
Directions to the meeting can be found the ARB website at:
www.arb.ca.gov/research/aaqs/std-RS/aqac/aqac.htm
If you wish to have your comments addressed at the upcoming AQAC meeting on April 3, they must be submitted by no later than March 25, 2002.
Please submit comments to Dr. David Mazzera at dmazzera@arb.ca.gov. Dr. Mazzera can also be reached at (916) 445-9488. Comments on this draft proposal will be accepted up to the time a final recommendation is presented to the Air Resources Board, tentatively scheduled for June 20, 2002. For more information on our schedule to review and revise the State ambient air quality standards for particulate matter and sulfates, see ARB's website at www.arb.ca.gov/research/aaqs/std-RS/std-rs.htm
Update - Final recommendations to amend the State ambient air quality standards for particulate matter and sulfates
May 9, 2002
have been released based on a joint review by staff from the Air Resources Board and the Office of Health Hazard Assessment of the health and scientific literature regarding particulate matter exposure, health effects, and monitoring methods. The staff report entitled "PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO THE AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS FOR PARTICULATE MATTER AND SULFATES," can be downloaded at:
www.arb.ca.gov/research/aaqs/std-RS/pm-final/pm-final.htm. The staff recommendations discussed in the report will be presented to the Board at a public hearing on June 20, 2002, in El Monte, CA. Information on the hearing is available at:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/board/directioelmonte.htm. To be considered by the Board, written comments not physically submitted at the hearing must be received no later than 12:00 noon, June 19, 2002, submitted by the following methods: 1) e-mail to aaqspm@listserv.arb.ca.gov; 2) mail to Clerk of the Board, Air Resources Board, 1001 "I" Street, 23rd Floor, Sacramento, CA, 95814; or 3) by facsimile at (916) 322-3928.
In addition, public workshops have been scheduled for June 5 and 6, 2002, to discuss the review process and staff recommendations. Times and locations are posted at:
www.arb.ca.gov/research/aaqs/std-rs/std-rs.htm. Questions and comments regarding the review of the PM standards or workshops may be directed to Dr. David Mazzera at dmazzera@arb.ca.gov (916-445-9488).