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consistent with EPA's long-range strategic plan and one of the Administrator's four 

 major priorities, ecosystem protection. 



I would like to take a few minutes to outline our plans over the next few 

 years to assure continued progress in protecting and improving air quality in class I 

 areas. In order to be prepared to move as quickly as possible once we have 

 received the recommendations of the Grand Canyon visibility Commission, we plan 

 to initiate the technical activities needed to analyze the appropriate scope and 

 components of a regional haze rulemaking. The immediate effort will focus on 

 developing the technical tools, such as models and monitoring techniques, for 

 regional planning to address haze in all class I areas. Based on the program 

 recommendations of the Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission, when 

 completed in November 1 995, and the work of the Southern Appalachian 

 Mountains Initiative, we will consider options for addressing regional haze 

 impairment in all class I areas. 



As previously noted, EPA is concerned about ecological effects in class I 

 areas caused by ozone. Such effects include damage to trees and other 

 vegetation, soils, and aquatic systems. To address such damage caused by 

 ground-level ozone (smog) to class I area ecosystems, we will incorporate the 

 technical information relevant to such damage into our ongoing review of the 

 national ambient air quality standard for ozone. It is my intention that the 

 assessment of "welfare" protection, which is the basis for establishing the level of 

 the secondary ozone standard, include the effects of ozone on sensitive 

 ecosystems as well as the effects on crops and forest products. We plan to 

 propose our decision on whether or not to revise the ozone standard in 1 996 and 

 promulgate a final decision in mid- 1997. 



As we develop the visibility regional haze framework and review the ozone 

 studies related to ecosystem damage, full implementation of the next phase of the 

 acid rain control program will be a major step in improving visibility in Eastern class 

 I areas and reducing deposition-related damage. 



