November 26, 2014 – Yesterday EPA Administrator McCarthy signed and submitted for publication the proposed rule to lower the primary and secondary NAASQ for ozone. A prepublication copy of the proposal is attached for your information. It is unclear when the rule will appear in the Federal Register. Once it does EPA provides a 90-day comment period and will conduct a series of public hearings during January.

Under the proposed rule the primary standard would be reduced from the current 0.075 ppm to a standard within the range of 0.065 ppm to 0.070 ppm. Similarly the secondary standard would be reduced to a standard within the range of 0.065 ppm to 0.070 ppm.

The agency also solicits comments on reducing the primary and secondary standard to 0.060 ppm. 

As expected, public health advocates have applauded the proposal with some already urging adoption of a 0.060 ppm standard. Business groups have questioned the necessity for the rule and its cost.