[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 155 (Wednesday, August 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48316-48317]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19842]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9931-96-ORD; Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2013-0620 and Docket ID No.
EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0128]
Workshop To Review Initial Draft Materials for the Nitrogen
Oxides (NOX) and Sulfur Oxides (SOX) Integrated
Science Assessment (ISA) for Ecological Effects
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of workshop.
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SUMMARY: As part of the review of the air quality criteria for nitrogen
oxides (NOX) and sulfur oxides (SOX) secondary
(welfare-based) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a teleconference
workshop to evaluate preliminary draft materials that will inform the
development of the NOX and SOX Integrated Science
Assessment (ISA) for ecological effects. The workshop is being
organized by EPA's National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA)
within the Office of Research and Development and will be held by
teleconference from August 25-27, 2015. The workshop will be open to
attendance by interested public observers on a first-come, first-served
basis and participation will be by teleconference only.
DATES: The workshop will be held on Tuesday, August 25, 2015, beginning
at 1:30 p.m. and ending at 4 p.m.; Wednesday, August 26, 2015,
beginning at 1 p.m. and ending at 4 p.m.; and Thursday, August 27,
2015, beginning at 11:30 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held by teleconference and webinar. The
call in number and Web site information for the teleconference are
available to registered participants. Please register by going to
https://nox-sox-eco-criteria-webinars.eventbrite.com.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please direct questions regarding
workshop registration or logistics to Canden Byrd at
[email protected] or by phone at (919) 293-1660. Questions
regarding the scientific and technical aspects of the workshop should
be directed to Dr. Tara Greaver; telephone: 919-541-2435; facsimile:
919-541-1818; or email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Information About the Workshop
Section 109(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires the U.S. EPA to
conduct periodic reviews of the air quality criteria for each air
pollutant listed under section 108 of the Act. Based on such reviews,
EPA is to retain or revise the NAAQS for a given pollutant as
appropriate. As part of these reviews, NCEA assesses newly available
scientific information and develops ISA documents (formerly known as
Air Quality Criteria Documents) that provide the scientific basis for
the reviews of the NAAQS.
NCEA is holding this workshop to inform the Agency's evaluation of
the scientific evidence for the review of the secondary NAAQS for
NO2 and SO2. Section 109(b)(2) of the CAA defines
secondary NAAQS must, ``specify a level of air quality the attainment
and maintenance of which, in the judgment of the Administrator, based
on such criteria, is requisite to protect the public welfare from any
known or anticipated adverse effects associated with the presence of
[the] pollutant in the ambient air.'' The purpose of the workshop is to
obtain review of the scientific content of preliminary draft materials
that will inform the development of the draft ecological effects ISA.
Workshop sessions will include review and discussion of preliminary
draft materials on the atmospheric chemistry, including air quality/
deposition, biogeochemistry, terrestrial acidification, terrestrial
eutrophication, freshwater acidification, freshwater eutrophication,
marine eutrophication, and ecosystem services. In addition, roundtable
discussions will help identify key studies or concepts within each
discipline to assist EPA in integrating relevant literature within and
across disciplines. These preliminary materials are not being released
as an external draft, but will be used to guide workshop discussions
and inform the development of the draft ecological effects ISA. This
workshop is planned to help ensure that the ISA, once developed, is up-
to-date and focuses on the key evidence to inform the scientific
understanding for the review of the NOX and SOX
secondary NAAQS. EPA is planning to release the first external review
draft ecological effects ISA for NOX and SOX for
review by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and the public
during the first quarter of 2016.
[[Page 48317]]
II. Workshop Information
Members of the public may attend the teleconference as observers.
Space in the teleconference may be limited, and reservations will be
accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration for the
workshop is available online at https://nox-sox-eco-criteria-webinars.eventbrite.com.
Dated: August 5, 2015.
Mary A. Ross,
Deputy Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2015-19842 Filed 8-11-15; 8:45 am]
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