United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA/600/S9-88/022 Feb. 1989
&EPA Project Summary
Control Technology Center
Current Status and Future Plans
Sharon L. Nolen
The report gives the current status
of, and future plans for, the Control
Technology Center (CTC). Initially
established to help reduce public
exposure to toxic air pollutants in the
ambient air, the CTC's program has
been expanded to also include
emission source and control
technology assessments associated
with air toxics, particulate matter,
sulfur and nitrogen oxides, and
volatile organic compounds, as well
as emission measurements.
This Project Summary was
developed by EPA's Air and Energy
Engineering Research Laboratory,
Research Triangle Park, NC, to
announce key findings of the
research project that is fully
documented in a separate report of
the same title (see Project Report
ordering information at back).
Overview
In June 1985, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) announced a
strategy to reduce public exposure to
toxic air pollutants in the ambient air. The
strategy called for state and local
authorities to take on an additional
regulatory role, with EPA providing
technical and financial assistance to their
efforts.
As a result of this shift in
responsibility, EPA's Office of Research
and Development (ORD) and Office of
Air Quality Planning and Standards
(OAQPS) developed and implemented
the Control Technology Center (CTC), an
innovative technical assistance program
for state and local air pollution agencies
and EPA's regional offices. The program
has since been expanded to include not
only air toxics but also emission source
and control technology assessments
associated with air toxics, particulate
matter, oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, and
volatile organic compounds (VOCs); and
emission measurements. Even though
the CTC is not EPA's only technical
assistance effort for state and local
agencies, it is unique in its structure,
which is described in this report. The
CTC is designed to be flexible so that it
can respond quickly to needs as they
arise.
Three types of services are provided
by the CTC: telephone HOTLINE calls,
direct engineering assistance, and
technical guidance. The CTC HOTLINE is
a telephone number that state and local
agencies can call for easy access to EPA
personnel who can provide prompt
assistance in a variety of ways including
consultations, references to pertinent
literature, and access to EPA technical
data and analyses. Direct engineering
assistance is short-term (about 3
months or less) and each project
provides technical assistance to one state
or local agency. It tends to be specific in
nature and may not be applicable to
problems in other locations. Technical
guidance tends to be longer-term (up to
a year), broader in scope, and of national
interest.
The CTC is a successful program that
has shown significant growth since its
formation less than 2 years ago. The
number of HOTLINE calls and requests
for assistance received from state and
local agencies continues to grow.
Engineering assistance and technical
guidance have been well received with
over 200 requests received for two of the
completed project reports. Feedback
from state and local agency personnel
and groups such as STAPPA/ALAPCO
has been positive. The continued
increase in the number of calls and
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requests for assistance indicates the
need for this program and further
potential for growth.
This report documents the activity of
the CTC from its beginning in December
1986 through August 31, 1988.
Beginning in 1989, the CTC plans to
issue a year-end report at the end of
each fiscal year to discuss the CTC's
activities for the year. This report
includes a discussion of how the CTC
was established, how the program has
grown, and future plans.
Sharon L Wo/en, is both the author and the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Control Technology Center Current Status and
Future Plans," (Order No. PB 89-124 622/AS; Cost: $13.95, subject to
change) will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161 '^
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory ,-
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
EPA/600/S9-88/022
0000329 PS
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60604
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