EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation has requested advice to help in revising the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for lead. Under the Clean Air Act, EPA is required to carry out a periodic review and revision, as appropriate, of the air quality criteria and the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) standards for six criteria air pollutants, which include lead. Primary standards set limits to protect public health, including the health of "sensitive" populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly. Secondary standards set limits to protect public welfare, including protection against decreased visibility, damage to animals, crops, vegetation, and buildings.
An early step in EPA’s new process for revising the NAAQS is to develop a plan for reviewing the science associated with the primary and secondary NAAQS. EPA has requested that CASAC provide consultative advice on EPA’s Draft Plan for Review of the Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for lead.
|