EDITORIAL
Editor: Russell F. Christman Associate Editor: Charles R. O'Melia WASHINGTON EDITORIAL STAFF Managing Editor: Stanton S. Miller Associate Editor: Julian Josephson Assistant Editor: Lois R. Ember MANUSCRIPT REVIEWING Manager: Katherine I. Biggs Assistant Editor: David Hanson MANUSCRIPT EDITING Associate Production Manager: Charlotte C. Sayre Assistant Editor: Gloria L. Dinote GRAPHICS AND PRODUCTION Production Manager: Leroy L. Corcoran Art Director: Norman Favin Artist: Linda M. Mattingly Advisory Board P L Brezonik, Joseph J Bufalini, Arthur A Levin, James J Morgan, Sidney R Orem. Frank P Sebastian. John H Seinfeld, C Joseph Touhill, Charles S Tuesday -
~
__
Published by the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 1155 16th Street N W Washington, D C 20036 (202) 872-4600 Executive Director: Robert W. Cairns BOOKS AND JOURNALS DIVISION D. H. Michael Bowen, Director Charles R Bertsch, Head Editorial Department Bacil Guiiey, Head, Graphics and Production Department Seldon W Terrant, Head, Research and Development Department Marion Gurfein, Head, Circulation Development -
ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT Centcom Ltd For offices and advertisers. see page 618 ~
~~
__
Please send research manuscripts to Manuscript Reviewmg. feature manuscripts to Managing Editor For author s guide and editorial policy. see this issue. page 553 or write Katherine I Biggs Manuscript Reviewing Office ES&T
The Clean Air Act of 1970 mandated an inflexible sequence of events, to be accomplished within a rigid timetable. This was followed by the promulgation in 1970 of the present six air quality standards for carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, oxidants, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide. The sequence involves (1) publication of air quality criteria and control technology documents, (2) publication of the proposed standard, (3) time for public response, (4) promulgation of the standard, and ( 5 ) the requirement that the states submit plans for their implementation to EPA for approval. Although the first four of these steps are relatively rapid and painless, the last step has been long drawn out and traumatic. This trauma has made EPA so gun-shy of following the prescribed sequence and timetable for air quality standard promulgation and revision, that, since 1970, no new air quality standard has been promulgated and no major revision of the original six standards has been made, despite accumulating evidence that both these types of actions are badly needed. The remedies for this situation are to (1) force the Administrator to periodically update, and, where necessary, revise his air quality criteria and control technology documents, obtain public response, and repromulgate the air quality standards and (2) make the required sequence and timetable more flexible by allowing the EPA Administrator to set the timetable. The status of Congressional action on the Clean Air Act is that no change in the sequence or timetable is included in the proposed 1976 amendments, nor is there any provision that would force updating and review of present air quality standards. The prospect of a change in the amendments at this late date seems remote. The EPA National Air Quality Criteria Advisory Committee has completed a chapter-by-chapter review of the six air quality criteria documents, noting which need updating or revision, and why: and has requested an EPA timetable for accomplishing such updating and revision. However, EPA has announced its intention to terminate this committee's activities by June 30, 1976. Therefore the prospect of a new look at our 6-yr-old air quality standards, and at their 8-yr-old supporting documentation, presently appears very dim indeed. Arthur C. Stern Chairman of the Air Quality Criteria Advisory Committee that advises the €PA
V o l u m e 10, Number 6 , June 1976
515
