May 22, 1998
EPA-SAB-CASAC-LTR-98-002
Honorable Carol M. Browner
Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street SW
Washington, DC 20460
Subject: CAS AC Review of Project Work Plan for the Particulate
Matter Criteria Document
Dear Ms. Browner:
The Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) met on May 5, 1998 to review
the Project Work Plan For Preparation of Revised U.S. EPA Air Quality Criteria for Particulate
Matter (2000), developed by the National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) in
Research Triangle Park, NC. This work plan describes the general approach and schedule NCEA
proposes to follow in developing the criteria document for the next review of the National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM).
NCEA staff presented a well-developed and clearly-stated plan which included steps and
milestones appropriate for meeting the mandated deadline for completion of the next PM review.
The Committee agreed with the general organization of the document into the nine chapters
specified in the plan, and engaged with staff in a productive discussion of subtopics within the
chapters. The discussion ended with an agreement on the general structure and scope of the
chapters.
The Committee was pleased with NCEA staffs proposal for taking a new approach in
their development of the next PM criteria document. Stated in general terms, this approach will
produce a document which builds on previous knowledge, but avoids recapitulating in a
comprehensive manner the information contained in previous criteria documents. The Committee
was unanimous in its view that this is a much-needed shift in the Agency's approach to criteria
documents, and looks forward to working with NCEA staff to completing the document in a
timely manner.
We look forward to the opportunity to evaluate the external review draft of the PM
criteria document in the fall of 1999, as the current schedule dictates.
Sincerely,
Dr. Joe L. Mauderly, Chair
Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Science Advisory Board
Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC)
Chair
Dr. Joe Mauderly, Director Of External Affairs, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute,
Albuquerque, NM
Members
Mr. John Elston, Administrator, Office of Air Quality Management, State of New Jersey,
Department of Environmental Protection and Energy, Trenton, NJ
Dr. Philip K. Hopke, R.A. Plane Professor of Chemistry, Clarkson University, Department of
Chemistry, Pottsdam, NY
Dr. Jay S. Jacobson, Plant Physiologist, Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca,
NY
Dr. Arthur C. Upton, M.D., Director, Independent Peer Review, CRESP, Environmental and
Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, NJ
Dr. Sverre Vedal, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Respiratory Division, Vancouver General
Hospital, Vancouver, BC Canada
Dr. Warren White, Senior Research Associate, Washington University, Chemistry Department,
St. Louis, MO
Science Advisory Board Staff
Mr. Robert Flaak, Designated Federal Official (DFO) and Team Leader, Committee Operations
Staff, US Environmental Protection Agency, Science Advisory Board (1400),
Washington, DC 20460
Ms. Dorothy M. Clark, Staff Secretary, US Environmental Protection Agency, Science Advisory
Board (1400), Washington, DC 20460
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NOTICE
This report has been written as a part of the activities of the Science Advisory Board, a
public advisory group providing extramural scientific information and advice to the Administrator
and other officials of the Environmental Protection Agency. The Board is structured to provide
balanced expert assessment of scientific matters related to problems faced by the Agency. This
report has not been reviewed for approval by the Agency; and hence, the contents of this report
do not necessarily represent the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency or
other agencies in the Federal government. Mention of trade names or commercial products does
not constitute a recommendation for use.
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