151676 Scientific uncertainties and science policy decisions in setting national ambient air quality standards

Monday, November 5, 2007: 8:30 AM

Ronald White, MST , Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public health, Baltimore, MD
  
The process of establishing or revising health-based national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) involves integrating a broad array of scientific information regarding pollutant levels in the environment, population exposures to the pollutant, and health outcomes associated with those exposures into a health risk assessment. Inherent in this process are numerous sources of scientific uncertainty and associated science policy decisions that provide the foundation for public health policy decisions regarding ambient air quality standard-setting. This presentation will discuss potential sources of scientific uncertainty in the air quality standard-setting process and identify potential approaches to addressing these uncertainties. Examples from the health assessments used to support the 2006 particulate matter NAAQS revision, the 2007 proposed Ozone NAAQS review, and other previous NAAQS reviews will be presented to illustrate the influence of these uncertainties and associated science policy decisions in public health policy decision-making.

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify key scientific uncertainties associated with the process of setting U.S. national ambient air quality standards. 2. List approaches to addressing scientific uncertainty in the air quality standard-setting process. 3. Describe how scientific uncertaities have influenced public policy decisions regarding historical reviews of national ambient air quality standards.

Keywords: Air Quality, Public Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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