42 U.S.C. § 7511f — NOx and VOC study

EPA, working with the National Academy of Sciences, must study the role that ozone precursors — pollutants that react to form ozone — play in creating and controlling ground-level ("tropospheric") ozone. The study must examine the roles of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and volatile organic compound (VOC) emission reductions; how much NOx reductions might help — or actually hurt — attainment in different nonattainment areas; how sensitive ozone levels are to NOx control; how available NOx control technology is and how far it reaches; the role of VOC emissions from plants and other natural ("biogenic") sources; and the basic information needed to run air-quality models. A proposed report must be made public for 30 days of comment within 1 year of November 15, 1990, and a final report must be submitted to Congress within 15 months of that date. EPA must use all available information and studies, and develop additional information as needed, to complete the study.