EPA May Finally Release Final Ozone Standards

EPA says it will release in late July 2011 its final primary and secondary standards for ground-level ozone. The standards were initially scheduled to be released in August 2010, then October 2010.

The agency is issuing new standards after it determined that the ones approved during the George W. Bush administration weren't grounded in science, didn't protect public health with an adequate margin of safety, and didn't protect the environment. The primary standard is intended to address human health concerns, and the secondary standard is supposed to address environmental impacts.

When released, the final standards should be available at:

• Ozone (O3) Standards:  Enesta Jones, 202-564-7873.

For much more information on the standards, see the TipSheet of Oct. 27, 2010.

A lengthy list of sources with industry, government, and environmental groups is included in the TipSheet of March 5, 2008.