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EPA initiates new review of the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards

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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new review of the Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). EPA established the current standards at a level of 70 parts per billion in 2015 and retained them in 2020, after concluding that there was little new information to suggest the need for revision.

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Satellite method provides insight into ozone-NOx-VOCs sensitivity for different locations

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Ozone pollution near Earth’s surface is one of the main ingredients of summertime smog. It is also not directly measurable from space due to the abundance of ozone higher in the atmosphere, which obscures measurements of surface ozone. —Jin et al.

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Airborne measurements show ozone-forming VOCs emissions from ethanol plant higher than government estimates

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The measurements also show emissions of all volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which include ethanol, were five times higher than government numbers, which estimate emissions based on manufacturing information. VOCs and nitrogen oxides react with sunlight to form ground-level ozone, the main component of smog. —Joost de Gouw.

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Study finds significant slowdown in decrease of NOx emissions in US; implications for air quality management

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NO x emissions have not been decreasing as expected in recent years (2011–2015) when comparing top-down estimates from satellites and surface NO 2 measurements to the trends predicted from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s emission inventory data, according to a new study by an international team of researchers.

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EPA updates VOCs standards for oil and gas storage tanks

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EPA is making the changes based on information received after the 2012 standards were issued that shows more storage tanks will come online than the agency originally estimated. tanks that came online before 12 April 2013 are likely to have lower emissions and must control VOC emissions by 15 April 2015.

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WMO reports GHG concentrations at highest in 800K years

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ppm in 2015 because of a combination of human activities and a strong El Niño event. increase from 2015 to 2016 alone, according to figures from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration quoted in the bulletin. ppm in 2015. Globally averaged concentrations of CO 2 reached 403.3 This record annual increase of 3.3

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California ARB releases concept paper for public review on reducing short-lived climate pollutants

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Short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) include methane, tropospheric ozone, black carbon, and fluorinated gases. Senate Bill 605 (Lara, Chapter 523, Statutes of 2014) requires ARB, in coordination with other state agencies and local air districts, to develop a SLCP Strategy by the end of 2015, to further reduce SLCP emissions in California.

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