Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Environmental Topics
  • Laws & Regulations
  • Report a Violation
  • About EPA
Risk Assessment
Contact Us

Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Carbon Monoxide (Second External Review Draft, Sep 2009)

On this page:

  • Overview
  • History
  • Downloads

Alert
Alert Notice - This site contains archived material(s)

Archive disclaimer
Archived files are provided for reference purposes only. The file was current when produced, but is no longer maintained and may now be outdated. Persons with disabilities having difficulty accessing archived files may contact the Risk Webmaster for assistance. Please use the contact us form if you need additional support.

Abstract

EPA announced that the Second External Review Draft of the Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Carbon Monoxide (CO) and related Annexes was made available for independent peer review and public review. This draft ISA document represents a concise synthesis and evaluation of the most policy-relevant science and will ultimately provide the scientific bases for EPA's decision regarding whether the current standards for CO sufficiently protect public health and the environment.
EPA has released this second draft document for review by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) and the public (meeting date and location to be specified in a separate Federal Register notice). The draft document does not represent, and should not be construed to represent, any final EPA policy, viewpoint, or determination. EPA will consider any timely public comments submitted when revising the document.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is one of six principal (or criteria) pollutants for which EPA has established NAAQS. Periodically, EPA reviews the scientific basis for these standards by preparing an Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) (formerly called an Air Quality Criteria Document). The ISA and supplementary annexes, in conjunction with additional technical and policy assessments, provide the scientific basis for EPA decisions on the adequacy of the current NAAQS and the appropriateness of possible alternative standards. The Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), an independent science advisory committee whose existence and whose review and advisory functions are mandated by Section 109 (d) (2) of the Clean Air Act, is charged (among other things) with independent scientific review of EPA's air quality criteria.

Impact/Purpose

Section 108(a) of the Clean Air Act directs the EPA Administrator to identify certain pollutants that “cause or contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare” and to issue air quality criteria for them. These air quality criteria are to “accurately reflect the latest scientific knowledge useful in indicating the kind and extent of all identifiable effects on public health or welfare which may be expected from the presence of such pollutant in the ambient air….” Under section 109 of the Act, EPA is to establish national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for each pollutant for which EPA has issued criteria. Section 109(d) of the Act requires periodic review and, if appropriate, revision of existing air quality criteria to reflect advances in scientific knowledge on the effects of the pollutant on public health or welfare. EPA is also to revise the NAAQS, if appropriate, based on the revised air quality criteria.

Status

The second external review draft ISA for CO will be discussed at a public meeting for review by CASAC, and public comments received will be provided to the CASAC review panel. A future Federal Register notice will inform the public of the exact date and time of that CASAC meeting. In revising and finalizing the ISA, EPA will take into account CASAC advice and recommendations as well as public comments. The final ISA is scheduled for release in January 2010.

Citation

U.S. EPA. Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Carbon Monoxide (Second External Review Draft, Sep 2009). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-09/019B, 2009.

History/Chronology

Date Description
01- Mar 1970 The National Air Pollution Control Administration published the first Air Quality Criteria for Carbon Monoxide.
02- Oct 1979 EPA released an updated Air Quality Criteria Document for Carbon Monoxide (EPA-600/8-79-022).
03- Aug 1984 EPA published the Revised Evaluation of Health Effects Associated with Carbon Monoxide Exposure: An Addendum to the 1979 EPA Air Quality Criteria Document for Carbon Monoxide (EPA-600/8-83-033F).
04- Dec 1991 EPA published an updated Air Quality Criteria Document for Carbon Monoxide (EPA/600/8-90/045F).
05- Jun 2000 EPA published an updated Air Quality Criteria Document for Carbon Monoxide (EPA/600/P-99/001F).
06- Sep 2007 EPA formally initiated its current review of the air quality criteria for CO, requesting the submission of recent scientific information on specific topics. [Federal Register Sep 13, 2007]
07- Jan 2008 EPA held a workshop to discuss policy-relevant science to inform EPA's planning for the CO NAAQS review. [Federal Register Jan 15, 2008]
08- Mar 2008 EPA released an external review draft of EPA's Plan for Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Carbon Monoxide (EPA/452/D-08-001) for public comment. The plan was discussed by the CASAC via a publicly accessible teleconference consultation on April 8, 2008 [Federal Register Mar 11, 2008].
09- Aug 2008 EPA released the final Plan for Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Carbon Monoxide (EPA/452/R-08/005).
10- Mar 2009 EPA released the Integrated Science Assessment for Carbon Monoxide (First External Review Draft) (EPA/600/R-09/019) for public review and comment. [Federal Register Mar 12, 2009]
11- Apr 2009 EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) announced a public meeting of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory (CASAC) CO Review Panel to discuss the CO ISA (First External Review Draft). [Federal Register Apr 3, 2009]
12- May 2009 EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) announced a public teleconference to review and approve the draft report of the CASAC Carbon Monoxide Review Panel regarding the review of the CO ISA (First External Review Draft). [Federal Register May 28, 2009]
13- Sep 2009 EPA released the Integrated Science Assessment for Carbon Monoxide (Second External Review Draft) (EPA/600/R-09/019B) for public review and comment. [Federal Register Notice September 23, 2009]

Additional Information

Included for public review is the draft Integrated Science Assessment for Carbon Monoxide (SecondExternal Review Draft). Comments on this document may be submitted and reviewed using the e-Government Regulations.gov Web site. From the site, select Environmental Protection Agency and the keyword EPA-HQ-ORD-2007-0925 (for the docket ID) to comment on this report.

The deadline for comments is Nov. 13, 2009.

Download(s)

This download(s) is distributed solely for the purpose of pre-dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. It has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency determination or policy.

  • Integrated Science Assessment for Carbon Monoxide - Second External Review Draft (PDF)  (684  pp, 11.1 MB, about PDF)
  • CASAC Committees Final Report on the CO 2nd ERD (PDF)  (57  pp, 263.7 KB, about PDF)
  • CASAC Review of Carbon Monoxide - Project Page
  • AGENCY RESPONSE

Related Link(s)

  • Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Carbon Monoxide (First External Review Draft, Mar 2009)
  • Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Carbon Monoxide (Final Report, Jan 2010)

Federal Register Notices

  • FR Notice: Sep 23, 2009
  • Risk Assessment Home
  • About Risk Assessment
  • Risk Recent Additions
  • Human Health Risk Assessment
  • Ecological Risk Assessment
  • Risk Advanced Search
    • Risk Publications
  • Risk Assessment Guidance
  • Risk Tools and Databases
  • Superfund Risk Assessment
  • Where you live
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on April 04, 2017
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshots
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Open Government
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions

Follow.