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4.12.2 REGULATORY BETTING FEDERAL REGULATIONS Criteria Air Pollutants Air pollutants subject to federal ambient standards are referred to as"criteria"pollutants because the EPA publishes criteria documents to justify the choice of standards. An important reason for air quality standards is the protection of sensitive receptors. The standards for criteria pollutants are identified in Table 4.12-2. The EPA has been charged with implementing national air quality programs. EPA's air quality mandates are drawn primarily from the federal Clean Air Act(CAA),which was signed into law in 1970. Congress substantially amended the CAA in 1977 and 1990. The CAA required EPA to establish primary and secondary NAAQS for criteria pollutants,which are shown in Table 4.12-1. These standards are designed to protect people who are sensitive to respiratory distress,such as asthmatics,the elderly, children,people already weakened by other disease or illness,and persons engaged in strenuous work or exercise. The NAAQS were originally = established for six air pollution constituents and have been periodically revised. The CAA also required states exceeding the NAAQS to prepare a State Implementation Plan(SIP) showing how they would meet the standards by December 1987. The CAA Amendments of 1977(1977 CAAAs)and 1990(1990 CAAAs)made major _ changes in deadlines for compliance with the NAAQS and required revisions to the SIPS. Sanctions were imposed on states that failed to implement an acceptable plan; these consisted of denial of federal highway funds and more stringent requirements for major stationary sources. The 1990 CAAAs require that designated agencies in any area that does not meet the NAAQS prepare a plan(SIP update) demonstrating the steps that will be taken to bring the area into compliance. These SIP requirements vary depending on the degree of severity to which an area is in nonattainment. The 1990 CAAAs also revised the federal statute for achieving attainment of NAAQS and provided amew set of guidelines and planning processes for carrying out the requirements of the amendments. Provisions of Section 182,which relates to 03 nonettamment areas,and Section 187,which relates to CO nonattainment areas, emphasize strategies for reducing y vehicle miles traveled. Section 182 requires submission of a plan revision that adopts specific enforceable transportation control measures to offset any growth in emissions from growth in vehicle miles traveled or number of vehicle trips in such an area to meet statutory requirements for demonstrating periodic emission .Y reduction requirements. The conformity provisions of the CAA require that federal agencies contribute to instead of j eopardizing efforts to achieve the NAAQS. The EPA required that transportation-related federal discretionary actions in 1993 and transportation projects receiving federal funds in 1997 demonstrate conformity to the approved SIP. The SIP represents a series of attainment plans by air basin that are periodically updated by air districts in consultation Y with regional transportation planning agencies. Hazardous Air Pollutants Title III of the CAA requires the EPA to promulgate National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)for certain categories of sources which emit one or more pollutants identified as Hazardous Air Pollutants(HAPS)(termed"TACs"in California). Emission standards may differ among"major sources"and "area sources"of HAPS. Major sources are defined as stationary sources with potential to emit over 10 tons per year of any HAP or over 25 tons per year of any combination of HAPs; all other sources are considered area sources. Promulgation of the emission standards involves two phases. In the first phase(1992 through 2000),the a EPA developed technology-based emission standards designed to produce the maximum emission reduction achievable. These standards are generally referred to as requiring Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT). For area sources,the standards may be different,based on generally available control technology. In F the second phase(2001 through 2008), EPA is required to promulgate health risk-based emissions standards EDAW College Park at Mountain House Specific Plan III Draft EIR Air Quality 4.12-10 San Joaquin County