OAR Policy and Guidance Metarecord

Document Title/Subject: Fact Sheet on EPA's Interim Air Quality Policy on Wildland and Prescribed Fires Related Documents:	Signed by: Unsigned Signature Date: Contact: Ken Woodard Gary Blais	Filename(s): http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t1/fact_sheets/firefl.pdf URL(s):
Regulatory Authority: Title 1	Division: Air Quality Strategies and Standards Division (OAQPS)	Submitted By: Blais.Gary
Document Type: Fact Sheets	EPA Document Number: Federal Register:	Supersedes:
Subject Category: AIR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY HUMAN HEALTH PM	Keywords: Fire Particulate matter Prescribed burning Wildland Fire	Terms: Air quality Forests
Abstract: This fact sheet announces the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) interim policy for addressing public health and welfare impacts caused by wildland and prescribed fires that are managed to achieve resource benefits. Ambient air quality worse than the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for PM2.5 and PM10 is used as the principal indicator of public health impacts. Visibility impairment is used as the principal indicator of public welfare impacts. This policy complements the Natural Events Policy which was issued May 30, 1996, to address public health impacts caused by wildfires (which are unwanted wildland fires). This is an interim policy for two reasons. First, the Agency is expecting recommendations on how to treat air quality impacts from agricultural burning from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Air Quality Task Force. Second, until the final rules for implementing EPA's Regional Haze Program are promulgated, it is not possible to formulate final policy with r espect to the impact of wildland and prescribed fires on regional haze.

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