{"abstract":"This document describes EPA's decision to revise the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone (O<INF>3</INF>) based on its review of the available scientific evidence linking exposures to ambient O<INF>3</INF> to adverse health and welfare effects at levels allowed by the current O<INF>3</INF> standards. The current 1-hour primary standard is replaced by an 8-hour standard at a level of 0.08 parts per million (ppm) with a form based on the 3-year average of the annual fourth-highest daily maximum 8-hour average O<INF>3</INF> concentrations measured at each monitor within an area. The new primary standard will provide increased protection to the public, especially children and other at-risk populations, against a wide range of O<INF>3</INF>-induced health effects, including decreased lung function, primarily in children active outdoors; increased respiratory symptoms, particularly in highly sensitive individuals; hospital admissions and emergency room visits for respiratory causes, among children and adults with pre-existing respiratory disease such as asthma; inflammation of the lung, and possible long-term damage to the lungs. The current 1-hour secondary standard is replaced by an 8-hour standard identical to the new primary standard. The new secondary standard will provide increased protection to the public welfare against O<INF>3</INF>-induced effects on vegetation, such as agricultural crop loss, damage to forests and ecosystems, and visible foliar injury to sensitive species. EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule is effective September 16, 1997. ADDRESSES: A docket containing information relating to the EPA's review of the O<INF>3</INF> primary and secondary standards (Docket No. A-95- 58) is available for public inspection in the Central Docket Section of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, South Conference Center, Room 4, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC. This docket incorporates the docket from the previous review of the O<INF>3</INF> standards (Docket No. A- 92-17) and the docket established for the air quality criteria document (Docket No. ECAO-CD-92-0786). The docket may be inspected between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays, and a reasonable fee may be charged for copying. The information in the docket constitutes the complete basis for the decision announced in this final rule. For the availability of related information, see ``SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.'' FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David McKee, MD-15, Air Quality Standards and Strategies Division, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone: (919) 541-5288; e-mail: mckee.dave@epamail.epa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY","name":"Environmental Protection Agency","id":145,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/environmental-protection-agency","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/145","parent_id":null,"slug":"environmental-protection-agency"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/1997/07/18/97-18580.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":50,"title":40}],"citation":"62 FR 38856","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This rule is effective September 16, 1997.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["ADA-95-58","FRL-5725-3"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"97-18580","effective_on":"1997-09-16","end_page":38896,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":null,"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/1997/07/18/97-18580/national-ambient-air-quality-standards-for-ozone","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/97-18580?publication_date=1997-07-18","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-1997-07-18/97-18580/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":41,"page_views":{"count":830,"last_updated":"2026-09-21 20:15:12 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1997-07-18/pdf/97-18580.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":null,"publication_date":"1997-07-18","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/1997/07/18/97-18580.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{},"regulation_id_numbers":[],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":null,"signing_date":null,"start_page":38856,"subtype":null,"title":"National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone","toc_doc":null,"toc_subject":null,"topics":[],"type":"Rule","volume":62}