National Ambient Air Quality Standards

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-018140",
  "term": "National Ambient Air Quality Standards",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. Maximum air pollutant standards that EPA set under the Clean Air Act for attainment by each state. The standards were to be achieved by 1975, along with state implementation plans to control industrial sources in each state.\n\n2. In 1971, EPA promulgated NAAQS for six classes of air pollutants, known as \"criteria\" air pollutants. According to the Clean Air Act, the purpose of the NAAQS is to protect the public from air pollutants \"with an adequate margin of safety\" (primary NAAQS) and to promote the public welfare (secondary NAAQS). Under the Clean Air Act, individual states are required to develop plans for implementing, enforcing, and maintaining the standards. Several states have considered including heat island mitigation in their air quality plans for ozone, a criteria air pollutant.\n\n3. Standards established by EPA to protect human health and the environment from criteria pollutants, which apply for outside air throughout the nation.\n\n4. National Ambient Air Quality Standards are federal standards for the minimum ambient air quality needed to protect public health and welfare. They have been set for six criteria pollutants: sulfur dioxide (S02), particulates (PM/PM10), nitrogen oxides (NOX), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), volatile organic compounds (VOC), and lead (Pb).\n\n5. Standards established by EPA that apply for outdoor air throughout the country.\n\n6. Regulations promulgated by EPA under CAA for six criteria pollutants - sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, and lead - in order to protect the public from toxic emissions to the atmosphere.\n\n7. National Ambient Air Quality Standards established by EPA for six \"criteria\" pollutants in outdoor air. NAAQS are currently set for carbon monoxide, lead, ground-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide.\n\n8. Standards established by EPA that apply to outdoor air throughout the country. The Clean Air Act established two types of national air quality standards. Primary standards set limits to protect public health, including the health of “sensitive” populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly. Secondary standards set limits to protect public welfare, including protection against decreased visibility and damage to animals, crops, vegetation, and buildings. EPA has set NAAQS for the six criteria pollutants.\n\n9. Standards established by EPA for maximum allowable concentrations of six \"criteria\" pollutants in outdoor air. The six pollutants are carbon monoxide, lead, ground-level ozone, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide. The standards are set at a level that protects public health with an adequate margin of safety.\n\n10. Those standards established pursuant to section 109 of the Act and include standards for carbon monoxide (CO₂), lead (Pb), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), ozone, particulate matter (PM-10 and PM2.5), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂).",
  "abbreviation": "NAAQS",
  "subject": "Air",
  "references": [
    "Environmental Issues Terms & Acronyms",
    "Heat Island Effect Glossary",
    "Childrens Health Protection Glossary",
    "Air Permitting Terms",
    "Terms of Environment",
    "RCRA Orientation Manual 2008 Glossary",
    "NAAQS Glossary",
    "Report on the Environment (ROE) Glossary",
    "America's Children and the Environment Terms",
    "General Conformity Glossary"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/national-ambient-air-quality-standards/"
}