Regulations

The regulatory component is the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS). OAQPS directs national efforts to meet air quality goals, particularly for:

• smog
• air toxics
• carbon monoxide
• sulfur dioxide
• nitrogen dioxide

Strategies for air quality management are based on assessments of health and ecological effects, exposure and risk, and economic impacts and benefits.  Health and environmental effects evaluations supporting emission standards development are conducted to characterize the nature and magnitude of air toxics.  Air pollution control information is transferred to government and non-government clients via the design, development, maintenance, and evaluation of information systems, hardware, and software.  Emission standards are developed and implemented for hazardous and criteria air pollutants.  OAQPS directs a national program of scientific and technical guidance for air quality:

• monitoring and modeling
• control strategy demonstrations
• emissions measurement