Children's Environmental Health Protection
Act (SB 25)
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| Review of California's Health-Based Ambient Air Quality Standards |
| One requirement of the Children's Environmental Health Protection Act (SB 25, Escutia 1999) is that the Air Resources Board (ARB), in consultation with the
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), review all of California's health-based ambient air quality standards by December
31, 2000. The purpose of the review was to determine whether the standards adequately protect public health,
especially the health of infants and children. SB 25 also requires that those standards found to be inadequate
to protect public health must be revised, with the highest priority pollutant standard to be revised by December
31, 2002. |
| On December 7, 2000, the ARB was presented with the findings of the standards
review. The findings are summarized in the report, "Adequacy of California Ambient Air Quality Standards: Children's Environmental
Health Protection Act". This report found that the standards
for particulate matter, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide are inadequate to protect public health. The standards
for particulate matter (PM10 and sulfates) were found to have the highest priority for revision. The ARB approved
the report and urged staff to work as expeditiously as possible to present them with recommendations due to
the serious impact of these pollutants on the health of Californians. |
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Children's Environmental Health Protection Fact
Sheet: English Spanish
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| The Air Quality Standards Review Process |
| The Ambient Air Quality Standards review process, mandated by SB25, involves
the collaborative efforts of staff from the ARB and OEHHA, review by the Air Quality Advisory Committee
(AQAC - a panel of air pollution health experts), and public review. The review process incorporates the following
steps for each standard: |
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1.
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ARB and OEHHA staff evaluates available scientific literature. |
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2.
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ARB and OEHHA staff proposes recommendations based on Step 1 and internal review. |
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Review and Comment by Public - Phase I |
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AQAC reviews and proposes recommendations based on previous steps. |
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ARB and OEHHA staff proposes recommendations based on previous steps and internal review. |
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Review and Comment by Public - Phase II |
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Staff presents recommendations to the Board based on previous steps and
internal review. |
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| Review of Ambient Air Quality Standards: Current Activities |
| The ARB and OEHHA staffs have been working to revise the California ambient
air quality standards based on the final recommendations in the December 2000 report discussed above.
On June 20, 2002, staff presented to the Board recommendations for revising and updating the ambient
air quality standards for PM and sulfates. The Board unanimously approved the staff recommendations, which include
lowering the annual standard for PM10 from 30 to 20 micrograms per cubic meter, and establishing a new annual
standard for PM2.5 of 12 micrograms per cubic meter. For additional information regarding the PM and sulfates review, click here. |
| We are maintaining an Ambient Air Quality Standards List Serve for those interested in
receiving information regarding the status of the standards review and revision process. The schedule for
review and revision is listed below: |
| Particulate Matter Standards
(PM10, PM2.5, and Sulfates): |
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| Ozone: |
- December 2003 (Tentative)
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| Nitrogen Dioxide: |
- December 2004 (Tentative)
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For more information on Ambient Air Quality Standards
please contact Richard Bode
at (916) 323-8413 or email at rbode@arb.ca.gov.
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