CENR Air Quality Research Subcommittee

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introduction sketch

The Nation is committed to the goal of clean air.

The Congress has articulated, through the Clean Air Act (CAA) and its Amendments, national air quality goals, including ambient air quality standards for the protection of human health and welfare. The Nation has invested substantial resources in reducing air pollution and will continue to invest tens of billions of dollars annually to meet its clean air goals. While the Nation's commitment to better air quality is clear and unequivocal, the best means of attaining it are far less clear. Public debate often highlights the difficult issues associated with managing the Nation's air quality. What is "acceptable air quality"? How sure of the linkage between emissions and effects must we be before we act? Can we demonstrate the benefits that accrue from our investment in reducing emissions?

Subcommittee Goals

To enhance the effectiveness and productivity of U.S. air quality research.
To improve information exchange between research and policy on air quality issues, including the scientific knowledge base for air quality standards and for assessing compliance.

Strategic Action Plan

The breadth and complexity of air quality issues necessitate a strategic approach to the development of truly complementary and collaborative efforts among the member agencies. The main elements of this plan are as follows:

Define the high priority scientific questions whose answers are most needed by policy makers, placing special emphasis on those uncertainties in atmospheric science that apply to multiple phenomena/issues.
With the participation of the relevant stakeholders, set a national research agenda and associated priorities.
Track and coordinate research done by participating organizations and researchers.
Update and revise the research strategy as new research results and policy relevant scientific needs emerge.
Review progress and prepare periodic assessments of the state of scientific understanding, with summaries describing the relevance to decision making.
Promote public education and awareness of air pollution understanding and issues.

Focus Issues

The Subcommittee is currently focusing its efforts on the following areas:

Particulate Matter and Visibility
Ozone and Associated Air Pollutants
Acidic Deposition
Hazardous Air Pollutants (Air Toxics)
Indoor Air Quality

Clearly, many of the phenomena associated with these issues are interrelated. For example, particulate matter plays a role in acidic deposition. Similarly, the oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere influences the formation of acidic compounds, particulate matter and surface ozone.

Charter PDF file of the Air Quality Research Subcommittee (AQRS), Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR), National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)

The National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program (NAPAP) operates under the auspices of the Air Quality Research Subcommittee.

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