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House Bill 1927



    Florida House of Representatives - 1997                HM 1927

        By Representative Bronson






  1                          House Memorial

  2         A memorial urging the United States

  3         Environmental Protection Agency to reaffirm the

  4         existing air quality standards for ozone and

  5         particulate matter and for other purposes.

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  7         WHEREAS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

  8  has a responsibility to review periodically the National

  9  Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone and

10  particulate matter (PM), and

11         WHEREAS, the EPA is considering establishing a more

12  stringent ozone standard and a new, more stringent standard

13  for particulate matter at 2.5 microns (PM 2.5) and below, and

14         WHEREAS, Florida, its local jurisdictions, businesses,

15  and citizens, have supported health-based National Ambient Air

16  Quality Standards (NAAQS) that are premised on sound science,

17  and

18         WHEREAS, all of Florida meets the current standards for

19  particulate matter, and

20         WHEREAS, Florida, its local jurisdictions, businesses,

21  consumers, and taxpayers, have borne considerable cost to come

22  into compliance with the current NAAQS for ozone and

23  particulate matter, and

24         WHEREAS, the proposed new standards may significantly

25  expand the number of nonattainment areas for both ozone and

26  particulate matter, which could result in additional emission

27  controls in some areas and could impose significant economic,

28  administrative, and regulatory burdens on Florida, its

29  citizens, businesses, and local governments, and

30         WHEREAS, the EPA's own Clean Air Science Advisory

31  Committee (CASAC) was unable to find any "bright line" that

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1997                HM 1927

    166-170-97






  1  would distinguish any public health benefit among any of the

  2  proposed new standards for ozone, including the current

  3  standard, and

  4         WHEREAS, there is very little existing PM 2.5

  5  monitoring data, and

  6         WHEREAS, there are many unanswered questions and

  7  scientific uncertainties regarding the health effects of

  8  particulate matter and, in particular, PM 2.5, NOW, THEREFORE,

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10  Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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12         That the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is

13  strongly urged to reaffirm the existing air quality standards

14  for ozone and particulate matter.

15         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the

16  State of Florida calls on the EPA to conduct a cost-benefit

17  analysis on these and other regulations and to include in its

18  analysis the health effects of reaffirming existing NAAQS for

19  ozone and PM 10.

20         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the

21  State of Florida advises and strongly urges the EPA to

22  reaffirm the existing NAAQS for PM 10.

23         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the

24  State of Florida advises and strongly urges the EPA to refrain

25  from establishing a new NAAQS for PM 2.5 at this time, and to

26  gather the necessary PM 2.5 monitoring data and conduct all

27  necessary research needed to address the issue of causality

28  and other critical and important unanswered specific questions

29  concerning PM 2.5.

30         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the

31  State of Florida advises and strongly urges the EPA to

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1997                HM 1927

    166-170-97






  1  identify any unfunded mandates or other administrative and

  2  economic burdens for state or local governments or agencies

  3  that would result from the proposed changes to the NAAQS for

  4  ozone and particulate matter.

  5         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

  6  dispatched to the President of the United States, the

  7  President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the

  8  United States House of Representatives, the Florida

  9  congressional delegation, and the Administrator of the U.S.

10  Environmental Protection Agency.

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