FACT SHEET PROPOSED DETERMINATION ON CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM WOOD FURNITURE MANUFACTURING, AEROSPACE, AND SHIPBUILDING AND SHIP REPAIR COATINGS  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is today proposing its determination that control techniques guidelines are substantially as effective as national regulations to control emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from wood furniture, aerospace, shipbuilding and ship repair coatings. VOCs contribute significantly to the formation of ground-level ozone (smog) which is associated with a wide variety of human health effects, agricultural crop loss, and damage to forests and ecosystems.  Wood furniture, aerospace, shipbuilding and ship repair coatings are commercial products used at industrial facilities. These products include primers, sealers, topcoats, as well as general use and specialty coatings. The use of these coatings can result in significant emissions of VOCs. BACKGROUND  Under the Clean Air Act, EPA is required to (1) study emissions of VOCs from consumer and commercial products; (2) list those categories of products that account for at least 80 percent of the total VOC emissions from consumer and commercial products in areas of the country that fail to meet the national ambient air quality standards set for ground-level ozone; and (3) divide the list into four groups and regulate one group every two years using best available controls, as defined by the Clean Air Act.  In March 1995, EPA issued a report to Congress entitled, Study of Volatile Organic Compound Emissions from Consumer and Commercial Products. This report evaluated the contribution of VOC emissions from consumer and commercial products to ground-level ozone levels, and established criteria as well as a schedule for regulating these products under the Clean Air Act. Wood furniture, aerospace, and shipbuilding and ship repair coatings are in the first group of products which were scheduled to be regulated by March 1997.  EPA has discretion to consider issuing a control techniques guideline in lieu of a regulation if EPA determines that a control techniques guideline is substantially as effective as a regulation in reducing VOC emissions in areas of the country that do not meet the national ambient air quality standard for ozone (known as nonattainment areas). EPA has coordinated with many stakeholders (industry, state and local agencies, and environmental groups) to assure a common sense approach in conducting the comparison of the two regulatory options with regard to emission reduction potential and regulatory flexibility.  EPA has already issued draft or final control techniques guidelines for the application of wood furniture, aerospace, and shipbuilding and ship repair coatings. Today's proposed determination provides confirmation that these same control techniques guidelines are as effective as national rules would be for these coatings categories. WHAT ARE THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF TODAY'S ACTION AND HOW IS EPA REDUCING THE REGULATORY BURDEN ON AFFECTED INDUSTRIES?  EPA expects the wood furniture control techniques guideline to reduce VOC emissions from 950 facilities in ozone nonattainment areas by approximately 20,350 tons/year.  EPA expects the aerospace control techniques guideline to reduce VOC emissions from 1,836 facilities in ozone nonattainment areas by approximately 4,300 tons/year.  EPA expects the shipbuilding and ship repair control techniques guideline to reduce VOC emissions from 100 shipyards in ozone nonattainment areas by approximately 1,400 tons/year.  Therefore the targeted VOC emission reductions can be achieved without placing any additional regulatory burden on the affected industries. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...  For further information about the proposed determination, contact Linda Herring at the EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards at (919) 541-5358.  EPA's Office of Air and Radiation's homepage on the Internet contains a wide range of information on the air toxics program, as well as many other air pollution programs and issues. The Office of Air and Radiation's home page address is: (http://www.epa.gov/oar/).