Description
The U.S. Enviromnental Protection Agency (EPA) is under court order to review the adequacy of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Particulate Matter (PM-10) by January 31, 1997. A significant number of recent epidemiological research studies have found a correlation between levels of PM-10 well below the current PM-10 NAAQS with a broad spectrum of adverse health effects, including premature death. This body of scientific data supports the need to revise the current PM-10 standard in a manner that protects the public health with an adequate margin of safety, as required by the Clean Air Act. This paper: 1) includes a description of the court-ordered schedule for EPA's review of the PM-10 NAAQS; 2) reviews recent PM-10 health effects research results and their relation to the EPA PM-10 NAAQS review; and 3) discusses the need for consideration of the public health impact from exposure to prescribed burning emissions in reviewing alternative strategies for wildfire control and ecosystem management.