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Draft Lead Risk Assessment Available for Public Comment

Release Date: 07/31/2007
Contact Information: Enesta Jones, (202) 564-4355 / [email protected]

(Washington, D.C. – July 31, 2007) EPA is releasing a second draft risk report as part of the agency’s review of the national air quality standards for lead. Completing and reviewing a risk assessment is part of the extensive scientific and technical process EPA uses to review any national ambient air quality standard.

EPA has provided the draft report to the Clean Air Science Advisory Committee (CASAC), a group of independent scientific and technical experts that provides advice to EPA. The CASAC will review the report at a public meeting in Research Triangle Park, N.C. on Aug. 28 and 29, 2007. EPA also is accepting written comment on the draft assessment until Aug. 29.

This second draft assessment does not include any conclusions or recommendations with regard to keeping or changing the current lead air quality standard. EPA must propose whether to revise or retain the current lead standards by May 1, 2008, and issue a final rule by Sept. 1, 2008.

As a result of removing lead from gasoline and other EPA regulations, airborne lead concentrations have decreased dramatically in the United States. From 1980 to 2005, national lead air quality levels have dropped more than 90 percent.

Main body of the report, appendices and fact sheet: https://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pb/s_pb_cr_td.html