Urban Air Toxics Outreach and Education

Reducing urban air toxics has been a priority for EPA since the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and the development of the Integrated Urban Air Toxics Strategy in 1999. While EPA regulations of stationary and mobile sources of air pollution have greatly reduced air toxics in urban areas, regional and local strategies implemented by state, local and tribal agencies are often most effective.

Because air toxics tend to pose greater risks in urban areas, it is critical that EPA continue to work in partnership with states, tribes, local governments and communities to ensure ongoing progress in reducing risks. EPA has supported a number of education and outreach initiatives including:

• Training programs through the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, the online Air Pollution Training Institute and the Environmental Justice community are delivering critical information to state, tribal and local partners that implement air toxics rules.
• EPA funding for air monitoring initiatives, including  grants for community-scale air monitoring, will empower communities and individuals to take action to avoid air pollution exposure using routine and low-cost portable air pollution sensors.
• Partnerships with the National Association of Clean Air Agencies, the National Tribal Air Association and the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council foster community capacity building and help improve understanding of local air toxics issues.

These efforts, along with the implementation and adoption of new and existing national rules for stationary and mobile sources, will provide further reductions in air toxics.