Air Toxics & Public Health Committee Update Heidi Hales Monitoring and Assessment Committee Meeting Troy, NH April 24, 2007

I. Overview of the Air Toxics Committee Monthly conference calls to discuss air toxics issuesMonthly conference calls to discuss air toxics issues –State updates –EPA actions –NESCAUM projects Annual meeting (Fall)Annual meeting (Fall) –Last meeting October 2007, Kennebunkport, ME –Next meeting Fall 2008 MAC?MAC? Organize TrainingOrganize Training –Risk assessment

Purpose Information exchange Collaborate on air toxics and public health projects that are a priority for the NESCAUM region

Committee Members  State Environmental Agency and Health Department Representatives  EPA Region 1 and 2  NESCAUM

II. Committee Actions Comments to EPA on proposed rulesComments to EPA on proposed rules –Mobile Source Air Toxics rule Joint with NESCAUM Mobile Source Committee Need for a benzene cap in fuel Unit risk factor for formaldehyde Importance of other toxics –PM2.5 Proposed NAAQS Health-protective standard –HON Low-Risk Exemption –Toxics Release Inventory Maintain lower reporting thresholds Maintain annual reporting

Committee Actions… Reviews –Summary of health basis of NESCAUM’s OWB model rule –“Back of envelope” general OWB risk assessment Need more data! Training –RAIMI Model more than 1 source –Risk Assessment for Air Toxics –Health Effects of Air Toxics September 2008

Committee Actions… Current –Review of the EPA proposed ozone NAAQS (8-hour) and CASAC recommended range Is there a health and science basis for the proposed range? –Reviewing EPA proposed area source program –Reviewing EPA proposed risk assessment Residual Risk program Emissions inventories under review

State Project Presentations Outdoor wood boilers (OWB) Air Toxics Data Analysis –Air Toxics Monitoring Network Data Evaluation/Comparison/Trends –RI Airport Study [Air toxics] in neighborhoods surrounding airport and compared to other areas in RI PAMS sites also used for toxics data –Benzene modeling in Burlington –Western NY –CT OWB Acrolein issues Early childhood exposure

Comparison between Modeled & Monitored Benzene at S. Winooski Avenue 24-Hour Averages NOTE: 3m impacts were estimated by averaging 1m & 5m model impact predictions. The Monitoring inlet was at slightly below 3 meters.

1999 NATA Results

NATA Results – Respiratory Toxicity 92% US Population w/ HI>1 17% US Population w/HI>10 Acrolein= 91% of HI for Respiratory Toxicity in US from EPA Region 1’s Acrolein Fact Sheet

Rhode Island Results: 10X RfC

III. Priorities Summary Long-term ambient air monitoring –Evaluate trends over time Data for model validation Special studies Ability to evaluate effectiveness of regulatory programs Ranking system of priority HAPs Transport of air toxics

Priorities for Early childhood exposures –How to incorporate into” Risk assessment Health-based standards/benchmarks Comment on proposed EPA rules Establish uniform approaches to data analysis –Compare results across the NE region –Build upon lessons learned Regional air toxics reduction strategies Flexibility

Priority Air Toxics to be Monitored What are the risk drivers (what is over 1 in 1 million everywhere)? –HAPs Benzene, Ni, Cr, Formaldehyde What can we measure at levels we can detect? What can we do something about? –Ex: Carbon tetrachloride, benzene Long-term trends

Source, EPA Region 1

Conclusions We need and use the data! THANK YOU Contact: Heidi Hales

THANK YOU!