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This draft document has been prepared by staff from the Risk and Benefits Group, Health and Environmental Impacts Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Any findings and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency. This draft document is being circulated to facilitate discussion with the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee to inform the EPA's consideration of the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

This draft document has been prepared by staff from the Risk and Benefits Group, Health and Environmental Impacts Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Any findings and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Agency. This draft document is being circulated to facilitate discussion with the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee to inform the EPA's consideration of the ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

The Truck Carrier Tool was designed in Microsoft Excel. Microsoft Excel is an electronic spreadsheet program used for storing and manipulating data. Microsoft Excel Forms were used to enable the functional capabilities of the Tool.

This second draft Policy Assessment (PA) has been prepared by staff in the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) as part of the Agency's ongoing review of the primary (health-based) and secondary (welfare-based) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone (O3). It presents analyses and preliminary staff conclusions regarding the policy implications of the key scientific and technical information that informs this review.

Annual planning is a dynamic process and requires adjustments throughout the year to meet priorities and to anticipate and respond to emerging issues with the resources available. The OIG examines the cross-Agency risk assessment, Agency challenges, prior work, future priorities, and customer input to develop and prioritize its FY 2013 work by using the following strategic themes to outline the OIG's focus for each project. These eight themes generally represent cross-Agency weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and opportunities for significant Agency improvement through greater savings, efficiency, and risk reduction.

This Office of Inspector General (OIG) Annual Plan for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identifies mandated and selected assignment topics continuing from Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 and scheduled to be started during FY 2011, providing for unforeseen work that may be requested by Agency leadership and Congress, and through ongoing OIG Hotline activities. Because this is a living, flexible document subject to change, the reader is encouraged to consult our website, www.epa.gov/oig, for the most current listing of recently issued reports.

This is our report on the subject audit conducted by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This report contains findings that describe the problems the OIG has identified and corrective actions the OIG recommends. This report represents the opinion of the OIG and does not necessarily represent the final EPA position. Final determination on matters in this report will be made by EPA managers in accordance with established audit resolution procedures.

A Human Well-being Index (HWBI) has been developed for the U.S. to help inform and empower decision makers to weigh and integrate human health, socio-economic, environmental and ecological factors equitably to foster sustainability. The integrity of the index structure is designed to be transferable to different U.S. population groups across space, time and demography. To demonstrate index transferability, American Indian Alaska Native (AIAN) specific data were evaluated for the calculation of a HWBI for AIAN and larger tribal populations. The applicability and integrity of the HWBI framework were maintained when using metrics scaled to assess well-being for AIAN and large tribal populations. Greater than 80% of the data available for a national AIAN assessment were specific to the target population, while the remaining data were derived from the general U.S. population. Full listings of domains, indicators and metrics for HWBI can be found in the U.S. Environmental Protection agency's report.

This is our report on the subject audit conducted by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This report contains findings that describe the problems the OIG has identified and corrective actions the OIG recommends. The Office of Information Collection within the Office of Environmental Information is the primary office responsible for the agency program that we reviewed. The Office of General Counsel is responsible for reviewing Attorney General certifications for the agency program reviewed.

Saving energy through energy efficiency improvements can cost less than generating, transmitting, and distrib- uting energy from power plants, and provides multiple economic and environmental benefits. Energy savings can reduce operating costs for local governments, free- ing up resources for additional investments in energy efficiency and other priorities. Energy efficiency can also help reduce air pollution and GHG emissions, improve energy security and independence, and create jobs.

The Local Government Climate and Energy Strategy Series provides a comprehensive, straightforward overview of green- house gas (GHG) emissions reduction strategies for local governments. Topics include energy efficiency, transportation, community planning and design, solid waste and materials management, and renewable energy. City, county, territorial, tribal, and regional government staff, and elected officials can use these guides to plan, implement, and evaluate their climate change mitigation and energy projects.

This document describes the air quality modeling performed by EPA in support of the Tier 3 motor vehicle emission and fuel standards. A national scale air quality modeling analysis was performed to estimate the impact of the Tier 3 standards on future year annual and 24-hour PM2.5 concentrations, daily maximum 8-hour ozone concentrations, annual nitrogen dioxide concentrations, annual nitrogen and sulfur deposition levels, annual ethanol and select annual and seasonal air toxic concentrations (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, acrolein and naphthalene) as well as visibility impairment. To model the air quality benefits of this rule we used the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model.1 CMAQ simulates the numerous physical and chemical processes involved in the formation, transport, and destruction of ozone, particulate matter and air toxics. In addition to the CMAQ model, the modeling platform includes the emissions, meteorology, and initial and boundary condition data which are inputs to this model.

As a participant in the construction and development process, your success may depend on how well you identify, analyze, and manage your environmental risks. Simply being unaware of your environmental obligations does not relieve you of your liability. This planning guide was developed in a collaborative effort between U.S. EPA and its partners. Its purpose is to help you to: Recognize the federal environmental requirements and factor in the associated expenses for the project; Designate the responsible party to fulfill these requirements; Complete the requirements by filing the necessary paperwork, performing the required activities, and obtaining the essential permits; and Identify additional sources of information to help implement these requirements throughout your project.

In September 2010 and May 2011, we visited the Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements Project in the City of Nappanee, Indiana. As part of our site visit, we toured the project, visually inspected equipment and materials, interviewed IFA and city officials and their employees, reviewed manufacturers' substantial transformation supporting documentation, and reviewed documentation related to Buy American requirements. We noted in our draft report 7 of 32 instances where the city could not demonstrate compliance with Buy American requirements as set out in Section 1605 of the Recovery Act. In response, the city provided documentation and agreed to take corrective actions to replace two items with products that meet the Buy American requirements. We agree that six of the seven items now comply with the requirements. For the one remaining item, the city could not demonstrate that it was manufactured in the United States, as required by the Recovery Act. As a result, the project is not eligible for the $1,769,000 of Recovery Act funds authorized by the state unless the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency exercises a regulatory option.

We recommend that the Director for the Office of Grants and Debarment disallow and recover $9 million in questioned costs; consider suspension and debarment of CSS on current and future awards; require CSS to ensure that the use of funds meets federal criteria; require special conditions for future awards to CSS; and provide clarifying guidance to CSS on progress reporting requirements. We also recommend that the Director require CSS to comply with pertinent procurement requirements; disallow pre-2007 model year trucks as project costs; and assist CSS with developing a methodology to calculate number of jobs created and direct CSS to correct the numbers reported, with documentation. The Agency generally agreed with the findings and said that it has initiated corrective actions to address some of the weaknesses identified in the report. CSS disagreed with most of the findings and two of the recommendations. CSS partially agreed with one recommendation and neither agreed nor disagreed with six recommendations. CSS described actions planned to document compliance with EPA procurement regulations and is willing to work with EPA on developing a Recovery Act job reporting methodology.

The Nation's aquatic resources are among its most valuable assets. Although environmental protection programs in the United States have improved water quality during the past 35 years, many challenges remain. Significant strides have been made in reducing the impacts of discrete pollutant sources, but some aquatic ecosystems remain impaired, due in part to complex pollution problems caused by nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. Of special concern are the problems in our streams, lakes, estuaries, aquifers, and other water bodies caused by runoff that is inadequately controlled or treated. These problems include changes in flow, increased sedimentation, higher water temperature, lower dissolved oxygen, degradation of aquatic habitat structure, loss of fish and other aquatic populations, and decreased water quality due to increased levels of nutrients, metals, hydrocarbons, bacteria, and other constituents. USEPA (1993) defines hydromodification as the "alteration of the hydrologic characteristics of coastal and non-coastal waters, which in turn could cause degradation of water resources." Examples of hydromodification in streams include dredging, straightening, and, in some cases, complete stream relocation. Other examples include construction in or along streams, construction and operation of dams and impoundments, channelization in streams, dredging, and land reclamation activities. Hydromodification can also include activities in streams that are being done to maintain the stream's integrity such as removing snags. Some indirect forms of hydromodification, such as erosion along streambanks or shorelines, are caused by the introduction or maintenance of structures in or adjacent to a waterbody and other activities, including many upland activities, that change the natural physical properties of the waterbody. EPA has grouped hydromodification activities into three categories: (1) channelization and channel modification, (2) dams, and (3) streambank and shoreline erosion.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 3 Chesapeake Bay Program Office, awarded the recipient five CAs with a total approved project cost of $3,619,049. The purpose of the CAs was to promote public education, outreach, and participation in the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. Under the CAs, EPA is to contribute 95 percent of all approved budget period costs incurred up to the total federal funding of $3,619,049. One of the tasks under the CAs was to produce and publish the Bay Journal. The Bay Journal is published to inform the public about issues and events that affect the Chesapeake Bay.

This guide is the second of two guides available to help your company participate fully in the SmartWay Transport Partnership as a Logistics Company Partner. The first guide, the Logistics Company Tool "Quick Start Guide," provides a basic walk-through of the process of identifying, gathering, preparing, and submitting your data using the SmartWay Logistics Company Tool. (From this point on, this guide will refer to the SmartWay Logistics Company Tool as the "Logistics Company Tool" or simply, the "Tool," for brevity.) The Quick Start Guide may be all you need to successfully complete the Logistics Company Tool. This guide, the Logistics Company Tool "Data Entry and Troubleshooting Guide," is intended to supplement the Quick Start Guide and provide more detailed information for completing your tool submission. The Table of Contents for this guide is designed so that you can find the relevant information on specific topics without reading the entire guide.

The purpose of this guide is to provide the tools needed to develop and implement an effective outreach campaign as part of a state or local water quality improvement effort. Whether you're charged with developing a watershed management plan to restore impaired waters or protecting your local water resources for the future, this guide will help you understand the importance of reaching out to people and motivating them to act. It will help you understand the audiences in your watershed, create messages that resonate with them, find appropriate ways to communicate your message, and prompt changes in behavior to reduce water pollution. This guide is an update of the 1998 publication "Getting In Step: A Guide to Effective Outreach in Your Watershed." This updated version includes more specific information on how to work with the mass media to conduct an outreach campaign. It also provides new information on how to incorporate social marketing techniques into your campaign to generate sustainable behavior changes that will protect water quality. The guide will teach you how to listen to the needs of your audience rather than just blindly handing out fact sheets or reports that sit on shelves and collect dust. It will show you the important roles that audience research and program evaluation play in changing personal behavior. The step-by-step approach to social marketing and outreach planning and implementation in this guide will help you to determine the most effective vehicle to reach the target audience and motivate behavior change.

This is a report on the subject evaluation conducted by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This report contains findings that describe the problems the OIG has identified and corrective actions the OIG recommends. This report represents the opinion of the OIG and does not necessarily represent the final EPA position. Final determinations on matters in this report will be made by EPA managers in accordance with established audit resolution procedures.

SmartWay is a voluntary collaboration between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the business community (e.g., truck and rail carriers, shippers, logistics companies1) to improve fuel efficiency and reduce environmental impacts from moving goods. Established by EPA in 2004, SmartWay is the only voluntary program working across the entire freight system to comprehensively address key national economic, energy, and environmental goals related to goods movement and freight sustainability. Environmental, state, and community groups rely upon SmartWay's clean air achievements in protecting Americans' health and well-being. The freight industry uses price and on-time signals to assess its performance, but has historically lacked the necessary data to track its progress in environmental performance. In today's increasingly competitive global economy, corporations need to assess their carbon and criteria pollutant emissions consistently across their global supply chains.

This is our report on the subject audit conducted by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This report contains findings that describe the problems the OIG has identified and corrective actions the OIG recommends. This report represents the opinion of the OIG and does not necessarily represent the final EPA position. Final determinations on matters in this report will be made by EPA managers in accordance with established audit resolution procedures.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to revise new source performance standards (NSPS) for residential wood stoves, and to issue NSPS for pellet stoves, furnaces, hydronic heaters, and masonry heaters. The EPA is proposing this revision under the authority of section 111 of the Clean Air Act (CAA), "Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources," under which the EPA establishes federal standards of performance for new sources within source categories which cause or contribute significantly to air pollution, which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare. We are proposing to amend 40 CFR part 60, subpart AAA, Standards of Performance for New Residential Wood Heaters. The current regulation (subpart AAA) applies to affected facilities manufactured since 1988. Except as discussed in this proposal, the current requirements would remain in effect for the heaters/stoves and model lines manufactured before this proposal. We also propose to broaden the applicability of the wood heaters regulation beyond adjustable burn rate heaters (stoves, the focus of the original regulation) to specifically include single burn rate heaters, hydronic heaters, and pellet stoves. Heaters/stoves and model lines manufactured after the compliance dates would be required to meet particulate matter (PM) standards. Compliance upon the effective date of the final rule is the intention in section 111 of the CAA. Revision of the current residential wood heaters NSPS is necessary to capture the improvements in performance of such units and to include additional wood-burning residential heating devices. The proposed changes are expected to achieve several objectives, including the application of updated emission limits reflecting the best industry emission reduction systems; elimination of exemptions over a broad suite of residential wood combustion devices; the strengthening of test methods as appropriate; and the streamlining of the certification process. These proposed revisions help address the health impacts of particle pollution, of which wood smoke is a contributing factor in many areas. Particulate pollution from wood heaters is a significant national air pollution problem and human health issue. Health benefits associated with these proposed regulations are valued to be much greater than the cost to manufacture cleaner, lower emitting appliances. These proposed regulations would also significantly reduce emissions of many other pollutants from these appliances, including carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, hazardous air pollutants and climate-forcing emissions. Emissions from wood stoves occur near ground level in residential communities across the country, and setting these new requirements for cleaner stoves into the future will result in substantial reductions in exposure and improved public health.

This document is the User Guide for the OTAQ DC FUEL online application. It describes the process a user must follow to submit reports using DC FUEL. This document will cover registration, how to upload a file and submit a report, and how to view your copy of record. If you have any questions about the content, format, or policies for the Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) please reference the Fuels Program website at http: //www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/index.htm. If you have any general or technical questions related to the Central Data Exchange (CDX) you may contact any of the following: Telephone - Person-to-person telephone support is available from the CDX Help Desk 8:00 am to 6:00 pm EST. Call our toll-free line at 888-890-1995. Email - Send e-mail to Technical Support at helpdesk@epacdx.net with "Technical Support" in the Subject line. If you have any questions relating to fuels programs registration, reporting, or DC FUEL, please contact the EPA Fuels Programs and EMTS Support Line: support@epamts-support.com

This is a report on the evaluation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Voluntary Children's Chemical Evaluation Program, conducted by the EPA Office of Inspector General (OIG). This report contains findings that describe the problems the OIG has identified and corrective actions the OIG recommends. This report represents the opinion of the OIG and does not necessarily represent the final EPA position. Final determinations on matters in this report will be made by EPA managers in accordance with established audit resolution procedures.

This document is the User Guide for the OTAQ Fuels Program Registration (OTAQReg) online application. It describes the processes a user must follow to register; update their user profile; associate to companies as well as create, view, and edit companies. If you have any questions about the content, format, or policies for the Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) please reference the Fuels Program website at http: //www.epa.gov/otaq/fuels/index.htm. If you have any general or technical questions related to the Central Data Exchange (CDX) you may contact any of the following: Telephone - Person-to-person telephone support is available from the CDX Help Desk 8:00 am to 6:00 pm EST. Call our toll-free line at 888-890-1995. Email - Send e-mail to Technical Support at helpdesk@epacdx.net with "Technical Support" in the Subject line. If you have any questions relating to fuels programs registration, reporting, or OTAQReg, please contact the EPA Fuels Programs and EMTS Support Line: support@epamts-support.com

This is our report on the subject audit conducted by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This report contains findings that describe the problems the OIG has identified and corrective actions the OIG recommends. This report represents the opinion of the OIG and does not necessarily represent the final EPA position. Final determinations on matters in this report will be made by EPA managers in accordance with established audit resolution procedures.

Guidance for facilities on how to determine whether they're required to report to the TRI Program, how to fill out reporting forms, changes to reporting requirements (if any) for RY 2014, and other important information. The TRI Reporting Forms and Instructions manual contains detailed explanations of how to report quantities of routine and accidental chemical releases, and releases resulting from catastrophic or other one-time events of EPCRA Section 313 chemicals, as well as the maximum amount of chemicals held on-site during the calendar year and the amount contained in wastes managed on-site or transferred off-site.

The SmartWay Shipper Tool is intended to help shippers estimate and assess their carbon, PM, and NOx emissions associated with goods movement in the U.S. freight rail and trucking sectors1 with a greater degree of sophistication than was possible with previous SmartWay tools. Shippers can track their freight-related emissions performance from year-to-year using the Tool and assess a range of strategies to improve the emissions performance of their freight operations, including selection of low-emissions carriers and implementation of operational strategies such as (but not limited to) packaging improvements, load optimization and logistical improvements. The new SmartWay truck, logistics and multi-modal carrier emissions performance data that EPA has included in the Tool, along with industry average Class I rail CO2 data, will allow shippers to generate more accurate emissions inventories. The new data will also help shippers optimize their emissions performance by allowing them to better estimate the emissions impact of individual carriers, modal shifts, and operational strategies.

This is our report on the Office of Inspector General (OIG) evaluation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) management controls governing travel authorization and the approval of travel vouchers using the GovTrip travel system. An OIG employee notified OIG managers that he/she could authorize his/her own travel despite not meeting the criteria to do so under the Agency's Travel Policy. Subsequently, we evaluated EPA's management controls over the GovTrip approval and authorization process. Specifically, we wanted to determine whether these controls are adequate to prevent unauthorized and unapproved travel using the GovTrip system. This report summarizes the results of our evaluation.