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As part of the Air Resources Board's development of the
Emission Reduction Plan for Ports and Goods Movement, ARB staff performed a
health impacts analysis for domestic and international goods movement
activities. At the April 20, 2006 Board meeting, staff presented the results of
this analysis, which can be found in Appendix A at http://www.arb.ca.gov/planning/gmerp/gmerp.htm.
Following the presentation, staff was directed by the Board to update the
health impacts methodology to reflect recent health information on PM2.5
exposures and premature death. On August 21, 2006, a public
workshop was held to discuss our approach for revising the methodology and
our timeline for completing the work. Staff reviewed all relevant literature
and completed a draft report incorporating public comments received at the
workshop. A formal review of the updated methodology and analysis was conducted
by a peer
review committee appointed by the University of California. The committee
is composed of experts in the fields of epidemiology, air quality
measurement, risk management, health effects of air pollution, and
biostatistics. A draft staff report was presented to the Board at its meeting on May 22, 2008,
and it was also discussed at a public workshop
on June 25, 2008. Public comments were received through July 11, 2008.
On October 24, 2008 the ARB released the staff report titled
"Methodology for Estimating Premature Deaths Associated with Long-term
Exposure to Fine Airborne Particulate Matter in California." This staff
report presents an updated relative risk factor for the association between
PM2.5 and premature death. It also provides an updated threshold level for this
relationship. The staff report, which can be downloaded at the link
below, includes revisions made in response to public comments on the draft
staff report. It also contains a summary of the public comments and
ARB staff's responses. Copies of the original written comments have been
compiled in a separate supplement
to the staff report. Also, references cited in the staff report are available
for public inspection.
At the December
9, 2009 meeting of the ARB,
the Board directed staff to withdraw the 2008 staff report and to
reassess the methodology developed to quantify the association
between PM2.5 exposure and premature death. The Board
requested this new assessment because of concerns over the
development of the
concentration-response factor. A draft
report will be published for public review and comment in the Spring of
2010.
This fact sheet
provides background on particulate matter and the health risks it poses.
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*Note: The Final Staff Report was withdrawn by the Board on December 9, 2009
due to concerns over development of the concentration-response factor.
The methodology is currently being reassessed, and a new draft report
will be available for public comment in Spring 2010. |