Advisory Committee Urges Lower Lead Standard

The Children’s Health Protection Advisory Committee plans to send a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Stephen Johnson urging tighter air quality standards for lead.

The advisory committee’s letter indicates that lowering lead standards will benefit children by reducing their exposure to the chemical. The Clean Air Act requires EPA to set national air quality standards for lead and other pollutants considered harmful to public health and the environment.

The law also requires EPA to periodically review the standards to ensure that they provide adequate health and environmental protection, and to update those standards as necessary. Air quality for lead is currently regulated at 1.5 micrograms per cubic meter. EPA staff has recommended the agency tighten the level to a range between 0.02 to 0.05 micrograms.

The advisory committee has expressed concerns over lead monitoring, particularly in urban areas and demolition sites. The EPA is expected to publish an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on lead sometime today. The proposed notice is expected to seek comment on how the agency should conduct and prioritize its monitoring of events, such as demolitions, resulting in lead emissions

Contact Tyrone Wilson

Homeland Security Finalizes Anti-Terrorism Standards

The Department of Homeland Security last week published the final Appendix A list of over 300 chemicals subject to screening requirements under the Department’s anti-terrorism standards published earlier this year.

The deadline for submission of “Top Screens” required under 6 CFR § 27.210(a)(1)(i) in accordance with this rule (for facilities with a chemical inventory meeting or exceeding its respective standard threshold quantity) will be 60 calendar days from the date of publication of Appendix A in the Federal Register.

Click here for a copy of the official Federal Register notice (including Appendix A).

The compliance deadline for submission of “Top Screens” required by 6 CFR § 27.210(a)(1)(i) for those facilities required to do so, will be 60 calendar days from the date of publication of Appendix A in the Federal Register. In this case, the compliance date is expected to be January 22, 2007.

Contact Tyrone Wilson

For more information or to unsubscribe, send an e-mail to info@washingtonbriefing.com.