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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Inspector General
At a Glance
10-P-0154
June 23, 2010
Catalyst for Improving the Environment
Why We Did This Review
The public health risk from
exposure to air toxics is a
concern in many urban areas.
Accordingly, we conducted
this evaluation to assess how
the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
tracks progress toward the
goals of its 1999 Integrated
Urban Air Toxics Strategy.
The Clean Air Act (CAA)
Amendments of 1990 required
EPA to develop this Strategy
to reduce public health risks
from air toxics emissions in
urban areas.
Background
Air toxics are emitted from a
variety of sources, including
major sources (refineries,
power plants), small stationary
sources (dry cleaners, gas
stations), and mobile sources
(cars, trucks, construction
equipment). Excessive
exposure to air toxics may
result in increased risks of
cancer and noncancer diseases
affecting the human
respiratory, reproductive, and
neurological systems.
For further information,
contact our Office of
Congressional, Public Affairs
and Management at
(202) 566-2391.
To view the full report,
click on the following link:
www.epa.qov/oiq/reports/2010/
20100623-10-P-0154.pdf
Key Activities in EPA's Integrated Urban
Air Toxics Strategy Remain Unimpiemented
What We Found
EPA has not implemented key requirements of CAA Section 112(k), including
developing emission standards for all area (smaller) source categories and
submitting a second report to Congress (due in 2002) identifying urban areas that
continue to experience significant public health risks from air toxics exposures. In
addition, 10 years after issuing the 1999 Integrated Urban Air Toxics Strategy, EPA
has still not implemented key activities outlined in the Strategy. For example, EPA
has not established baseline risk data to measure progress in reducing air toxics
risks. As a result, EPA has not tracked progress in meeting the Strategy's goals.
Further, although EPA determined in 2001 that a risk-based program is necessary
to meet the goals of the Strategy, EPA has not yet determined whether it has the
statutory authority to require State and local agencies to implement such a
program. Many State and local agencies do not have their own risk-based
programs, and about half of the States and several local agencies have laws
preventing them from implementing environmental regulations stricter than EPA's
regulations. Without the establishment of a minimum, federally required risk-
based program, we do not believe that all State and local agencies will implement
programs to adequately address the health risks from urban air toxics.
EPA's last risk assessment, based on 2002 data, estimated that 1 in every 28,000
people could develop cancer from air toxics exposure, and that 2 million
Americans live in areas with lifetime cancer risks from air toxics in excess of 1 in
10,000. Given the length of time since the Integrated Urban Air Toxics Strategy
was developed and the problems EPA has encountered in its implementation, EPA
should reassess and update its approach to addressing urban air toxics.
What We Recommend
We recommend that EPA (1) submit the required second report to Congress,
which should include a list of urban areas that continue to experience high or
unacceptable levels of risk and EPA's plan to reduce risks in those areas, as well
as the factors that have hindered implementation of the Strategy and EPA's plan to
address those factors; and (2) determine how it will measure progress in meeting
the goals of the Strategy. EPA partially agreed with our recommendations, but did
not agree to include the full list of issues in its second report to Congress, or to
inform Congress if it decides to measure progress against a baseline other than a
1990 or similar baseline. EPA said it would reassess its position when submitting
its corrective action plan. We consider the recommendations open and unresolved.

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