National Air Toxics Program Integrated Urban Strategy

Purpose of Briefing

Provides background on National Air Toxics Program
Presents overview of the Urban Strategy
Discusses next steps in implementing the Strategy

What are Air Toxics?

188 compounds listed in the Clean Air Act -like Benzene, Dioxin and Mercury
Pollutants that cause or may cause cancer or other serious health effects
Pollutant that deposit on soil or in water and impact ecological systems
Air toxics are emitted from large industry, small sources, and mobile sources

The Clean Air Act calls for:

Step I: Broad toxic emission reductions from MACT standards and incidental reductions from mobile source standards and other CAA programs
Step II: Residual Risk standards, Urban air toxics strategy, Mobile source study and standards

National Air Toxics Program Components

Source-specific standards and sector-based standards
National, regional, and community-based initiatives to focus on multimedia and cumulative risks
National Air Toxics Assessments
Education and outreach

Reductions in Air Toxics

Significant Reductions Since 1990

Stationary source regulations have reduced air toxics by over 1 million tons per year from 1990 levels (e.g., chemical plants, refineries, steel mills).
Mobile source requirements also reduce air toxics (e.g., lead phaseout from gasoline, reformulated gasoline, new vehicle emission standards)

Air Toxics Program: Where Are We Headed?

Considering cumulative risk: multi-pollutant, multi-source, multi-pathway
Integrating authorities to address all risks from all sources of toxics
Identifying and addressing disproportionate risks--geographic and demographic

Unique Concerns About Urban Air

Concentration of people and multiple sources leading to potentially high exposures
Sensitive populations, e.g., children, elderly, and people with existing respiratory problems
Larger percentages of minority and low-income populations in urban areas

What is the Urban Air Toxics Strategy?

Focuses on reducing cumulative risk from all sources in urban areas from stationary and mobile sources
Presents goals for reducing risks
Provides road map of activities over several years to attain goals

Urban Stategy - Goals

75% reduction in cancer "incidences"

Scope - all air toxics, stationary sources, urban areas nationwide, all laws

"Substantial" reduction in noncancer risks

Scope - all air toxics, small (area) sources, urban areas nationwide, all laws

Address disproportionate impacts of air toxics hazards across urban areas (e.g., on children, elderly, environmental justice communities)

Scope - all air toxics, emission sources (small, large, and mobile) and indoor air

Urban Strategy - Standards

List of 33 polutants of greatest concern - from small, large and mobile sources

Partial list of small industries for regulation

13 new sources categories
Additional categories will be listed no later than 2003

Mobile source activities

study and determination of the need for any additional fuel or vehicle standards
preparation of risk assessment document for diesel particulate matter

Large (major) source avtivities

Continue regulatory efforts
Coordinate with analysis of residual risk

Urban Strategy - Assessments and Risk Initiatives

Iterative assessments to measure progress and determine priorities

National scale - ASPEN screening model, spring 2000
Local scale - to support local initiatives
Improve data and tools - ambient monitoring network, research

Work in partnerships with state/local/tribal authorities to develop programs that address the goals of the Strategy

Community-based pilot projects
Clean Air Act Partnership Fund projects
Build on existing risk assessments
Draw on information from other federal projects (e.g., Persistend, Bioaccumulative Toxics Initiative and Mercury Action Plan)

Urban Strategy - Education and Outreach

Key Stakeholders

State and local governments
Communities
Mayors
Environmental groups
Small Businesses
Industry

Activities

Air Toxics Monitoring Network
NATA assessments
Program development
Standards devlopment

Urban Strategy Products Status

Federal Register notice announcing the Strategy -- consent decree deadline of July 1, 1999 for signature

Reports to Congress

Act requires two reports, 8 and 12 years after enactment
First report scheduled for August

Next Steps

Outreach to the public and interested stakeholders - this summer
Initial national air toxics assessments - under way
Review results of assessments and present to the public - Spring 2000
Determine priorities for standards - Spring 2000
Work with State/local/tribal agencies on roles and build State programs
Initiate individual urban assessments
Initiate standards development

National Air Toxics Program Integrated Urban Strategy

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