EPA revises lead ambient air monitoring requirements

The EPA has finalized its revisions to the source-oriented lead monitoring requirements, lowering the emission threshold from 1.0 tpy to 0.50 tpy for industrial sources of lead. However, the agency is maintaining the emission threshold for airports at 1.0 tpy, and implementing an airport monitoring study to determine the need for monitoring of airports which emit less than 1.0 tpy of lead.

The Monday, Dec. 27, 2010, Federal Register included a notice from the EPA concerning its previously announced revisions to the primary and secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for lead and associated monitoring requirements.

The action promulgates revisions to the monitoring requirements pertaining to where state and local monitoring agencies would be required to conduct lead monitoring. The agency received 616 comments on its proposal to lower the emission threshold for all lead sources to 0.50 tpy, of 601 were in favor of the proposed change to the emission threshold, according to the Federal Register notice.

The final rule is effective on Jan. 26, 2011.

SOURCE: Federal Register