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General Listing
Title of Listing:
EPA OAR Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS)
Category:
Federal/National - Agencies
Subcategory:
US Environmental Protection Agency-EPA, All Listings
Date:
Document #:
Web Site:
http://www.epa.gov/oar/oaqps
Email:
Abstract:

The Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) is part of the US EPA Office of Air and Radiation (OAR). OAQPS's primary mission is to preserve and improve air quality in the United States under the regulatory framework of the Clean Air Act. To accomplish this, OAQPS: compiles and reviews air pollution data; develops regulations to limit and reduce air pollution; assists states and local agencies with monitoring and controlling air pollution; makes information about air pollution available to the public; and reports to Congress the status of air pollution and the progress made in reducing it.

          The following are the main projects OAQPS is undertaking to accomplish its goals:

          Air Quality - OAQPS is involved in setting air quality standards. EPA uses six "criteria pollutants" as indicators of air quality, and OAQPS has established for each of them a maximum concentration above which adverse effects on human health may occur. These threshold concentrations are called National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), and are used by OAQPS to determine attainment and non-attainment areas. OAQPS also administers the Aerometric Information Retrieval System (AIRS) which contains air pollution and meteorological measurements from EPA, state and local agency monitoring stations.

          Air Toxics - OAQPS is involved in regulating air toxics. The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 require EPA to regulate emissions of 189 toxic air pollutants. These substances include certain volatile organic chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, and radionuclides that present tangible hazard, based on scientific studies of exposure to humans and other mammals. In response to the Clean Air Act's mandate to regulate toxic pollutants, OAQPS has identified 174 categories of industrial and commercial sources that emit these pollutants.

          Emissions - Changes in the amount of pollution that is emitted into the atmosphere from year to year are the net effect of many factors, including shifts in the nation's economy and in industrial activity, technology, consumption of fuels, traffic, and other activities. In response to changing emissions, OAQPS produces the National Air Quality and Emission Trends Report which tracks emissions over time. OAQPS has also developed fact sheets which explain EPA rules and regulations that apply to emissions of toxic substances into the air.

          Visibility - Visibility impairment is caused by the presence of particles in the air, and is a complex problem that relates to several pollutants. OAQPS and the National Park Service have established a long-term visibility monitoring program at locations throughout the U.S. In April 1994, EPA announced a new regional haze program to address visibility impairment in national parks and wilderness areas. This program will introduce new approaches to monitoring and modeling regional haze, and will define a policy for achieving "reasonable progress" in improving visibility.
Topics
Air Emissions/Pollution/CAA, Federal Environmental Agencies

Additional Topics/Tags/Keywords
Air Pollution, Toxics, Emissions, Controls, Visibility, Haze

Organization:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS)
Address:

Phone:
DescriptionNumber
City:
Research Triangle Park
1.
Primary (919) 541-5616
State/Province/Territory:
NC
2.
Zip/Postal Code:
27711
3.
Country:
United States
4.
Fax:(919) 541-2464
Branch Locations: