Industry Seeks EPA-Led Modeling 'Summit' To Resolve NAAQS Concerns

摘要

Industry lawyers are pushing EPA to convene a "summit" of air quality modelers and other experts with the goal of addressing long-running concerns about the agency's increasing reliance on modeling over monitoring to determine compliance with its air standards, an approach critics say could overestimate non-compliance problems. Industry officials argue that the concerns over modeling are causing a freeze on Clean Air Act permit applications because the models make it difficult for companies to show facilities seeking air permits would not violate agency air standards, while states say the agency's models have flaws and that increased modeling use drains resources. At a recent EPA Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC) meeting in Alexandria, VA, state and industry representatives called for urgent meetings with the agency to resolve what they see as deficiencies in the agency's modeling requirements for its national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), including EPA's mandates to use modeling in part to determine compliance with its sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) NAAQS. Traditionally, states and EPA designate areas either in attainment or nonattainment using data mainly gathered from air monitors. In departing from this approach in order to implement its new more stringent SO2 and NO2 standards, EPA cites the very short averaging time for the standards, a lack of monitors in remote areas and near roadways and the unique nature of SO2 emissions to justify increased emphasis on modeling to determine attainment. Areas out of attainment face tougher regulatory requirements and potentially costly new pollution controls.