1.6 Who are the target audiences for the 2020 NEI?
The comprehensive nature of the NEI allows for many uses and, therefore, its target audiences include EPA staff and policy makers, the U.S. public, other federal and S/L/T decision makers, and other countries. Table 1.2 lists the major current uses of the NEI and the plans for use of the 2020 NEI in those efforts. These uses include those by the EPA in support of the NAAQS, Air Toxics, and other programs as well as uses by other federal and regional agencies and for international needs. In addition to this list, the NEI is used to respond to Congressional inquiries, provide data that supports university research, and allow environmental groups to understand sources of air pollution.
| Audience | Purposes |
|---|---|
| U.S. Public | Learn about sources of air emissions |
| EPA – NAAQS | Regulatory Impact Analysis – benefits estimates using air quality modeling |
| EPA – NAAQS | NAAQS Implementations, including State Implementation Plans (SIPs) |
| EPA – NAAQS | Monitoring Rules |
| EPA – NAAQS | Final NAAQS designations |
| EPA – NAAQS | NAAQS Policy Assessments |
| EPA – NAAQS | Integrated Science Assessments |
| EPA – NAAQS | Transport Rule air quality modeling (e.g., Clean Air Interstate Rule, Cross-State Air Pollution Rule) |
| EPA – Air toxics | Air Toxics Screening Assessments |
| EPA – Air toxics | Mercury and Air Toxics Standard – mercury risk assessment and Regulatory Impact Assessment |
| EPA – Air toxics | National Monitoring Programs Annual Report |
| EPA – Air toxics | Toxicity Weighted emission trends for the Government Performance and Reporting Act (GPRA) |
| EPA – Air toxics | Residual Risk and Technology Review – starting point for inventory development |
| EPA – other | NEI Reports – analysis of emissions inventory data |
| EPA – other | Report on the Environment |
| EPA – other | Air Emissions website for providing graphical access to CAP emissions for state maps and Google Earth views of facility total emissions |
| EPA – other | Department of Transportation, national transportation sector summaries of CAPs |
| EPA – other | Black Carbon Report to Congress |
| Other federal or regional agencies | Modeling in support of Regional Haze SIPs and other air quality issues |
| International | United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – global and North American Assessments |
| International | The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) - environmental data and indicators report |
| International | UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) - emission reporting requirements, air quality modeling, and science assessments |
| International | Community Emissions Data System (CEDS) - science network for earth system, climate, and atmospheric modeling |
| International | Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) - North American emissions inventory improvement and reduction policies |
| International | U.S. and Canada Air Quality Reports |
| International | Arctic Contaminants Action Program (ACAP) - national environmental and emission reduction strategy for the Arctic Region |
| Other outside parties | Researchers and graduate students |