Joseph Knollenberg: “I am pleased to see that the conferees saw the need and the value to conduct a near-term research program for PM2.5…”

“I am pleased to see that the conferees saw the need and the value to conduct a near-term research program for PM2.5 immediately. Specifically, as an initial phase of the program, the conferees noted the ongoing efforts to conduct research as well as the need to conduct new research with the goal to start and rapidly complete before the next NAAQS review in 2002. This would be in coordination with NAS and target broad-based research program, intensively peer-reviewed research in line with the near-term priorities that the gentleman cites, and to fully reanalyze the key epidemiologic studies in this program. We have heard estimates that successful completion of this near-term research would be in the range of $5 million. I would ask the chairman, does this agree with the estimates that have been suggested to him?”