UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
EPA-SAB-LTR-90-QQ7
September 18, 1990 OFFIOEOF
THi ADMINISTRATOR
Honorable William K. Reilly
Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, D.C, 20460
Re; CASAC Visibility Research
Subcommi ttee
Dear Mr. Reilly;
In 1987, the Clean A1r Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC)
formed a Visibility Research Subcommittee to evaluate the ongoing
visibility research activities being conducted by EPA and other
Federal Agencies. The Subcommittee met 1n November 1987 and
concluded that the Federal research program lacked adequate
coordination, i.e., individual projects sponsored by a variety of
agencies lacked overall direction and focus.
The Subcommittee, concerned over this lack of coordination,
asKed EPA to draft a plan for a focused, coordinated Federal
research program that would allow EPA oversight. However, due to
subsequent reduced EPA funding of visibility research, this program
was never completed. Consequently, the Subcommittee has not met
again.
Recently, the Senate and House versions of the new Clean Air
Act both contain a renewed emphasis on visibility. The Senate bill
provides EPA with t8,000,OOO/year for five years to identify the
sources of regional haze. The Administrator is required to provide
interim findings within 3 years. Within 24 months of enactment,
the bill requires the Administrator to assess Improvements in
visibility that are likely to result from the implementation of the
Act, and every five years, the Administrator must conduct an
assessment of the progress. The House plan requires EPA to issue
regulations to control regional haze within two years.
In view of the renewed interest and impending increase in
funding for visibility work, we recommend that EPA initiate
planning now, for the development of an Interageney research plan
which would optimize the likelihood of appropriate research being
Printed <» fecydfd Pttptr
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conducted to respond to these visibility initiatives. The CASAC
would be pleased to assist In this activity and, in particular,
would welcome the opportunity to review and comment on the Agency's
plans on visibility research.
Si ncerely,
Roger O, McClellan, D.V.M.
Ghai rman
Clean Air Scientific Advisory
Convnl ttee
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August. 1990
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD
CLEAN AIR SCIENTIFIC. ADVISORY CO1
Chairman
Dr, Roger Q, McClellan, President, Chemical Industry Institute
of Toxicology, P.O. Box 12137, Research Triangle Park,
North Carolina 27709
Members
Dr. Timothy Larson, Environmental Engineering and Science Program,
Department of civil Engineering FX-10, University of
Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
Dr. Gilbert S, Omenn, Dean, School of Public Health and
Community Medicine, SC-3Q, University of Washington,
Seattle, Washington 98195
Dr. Marc B. Schenker, Division of Occupational and Environmental
Medicine, I.E.H.R. Buildling, University of California,
Davis, California 95616
Dr. Mark J. utell, Pulmonary Disease Unit, Box 692, University of
Rochester Medical Center,, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester,
New „ork 14642
Dr, Jerome J. Wesolowski, Chief, Air and Industrial Hygiene
Laboratory, California state Department of Health Services,
2151 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94704
Dr* George T. Wolff, General Motors Research Laboratories,
Environmental Science Department, Warren, Michigan 48090
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-2-
Science Advisory Board Staff
Mr. A. Robert Flaak, Federal Official and Assistant Director,
Science Advisory Board (A.-101F), U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460
Ms. Carolyn Osborne, Staff Secretary, Science Advisory Board
(A-101F), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street,
SW, Washington, DC 20460
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