[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 60 (Thursday, March 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15702-15704]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-06317]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2013-0620 and Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-
0128; FRL-9959-72-ORD]
First External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment for
Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur, and Particulate Matter--
Ecological Criteria
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of public comment period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a public
comment period for the draft document titled, ``First External Review
Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of
Sulfur, and Particulate Matter--Ecological Criteria'' (EPA/600/R-16/
372). The draft document was prepared by the National Center for
Environmental Assessment (NCEA) within EPA's Office of Research and
Development (ORD) as part of the review of the secondary (welfare-
based) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for oxides of
nitrogen, oxides of sulfur, and particulate matter. The Integrated
Science Assessment (ISA), in conjunction with additional technical and
policy assessments, provides the scientific basis for EPA's decisions
on the adequacy of the current NAAQS and the appropriateness of
possible alternative standards. On January 28, 2016, EPA released a
separate ISA as part of an independent review for the primary (health-
based) NAAQS for oxides of nitrogen (EPA/600/R-15/068). In addition,
EPA is currently developing separate ISAs to support the primary NAAQS
review for oxides of sulfur and the primary and non-ecological
secondary (e.g., visibility, climate, materials damage) NAAQS review
for particulate matter.
EPA is releasing this draft document to seek review by the Clean
Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) and the public (meeting date
and location to be specified in a separate Federal Register notice).
This draft document is not final, as described in EPA's information
quality guidelines, and it does not represent, and should not be
construed to represent, Agency policy or views. When revising the
document, EPA will consider any public comments submitted during the
public comment period specified in this notice.
DATES: The public comment period begins on March 30, 2017, and ends on
May 24, 2017. Comments must be received on or before May 24, 2017.
ADDRESSES: The ``First External Review Draft Integrated Science
Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur, and Particulate
Matter--Ecological Criteria'' will be available primarily via the
internet on EPA's Integrated Science Assessment home page at https://www.epa.gov/isa/integrated-science-assessment-isa-oxides-nitrogen-and-sulfur-ecological or the public docket at http://www.regulations.gov,
Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2013-0620 and Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-
0128. A limited number of CD-ROM copies will be available. Contact Ms.
Marieka Boyd by phone: 919-541-0031; fax: 919-541-5078; or email:
[email protected] to request a CD-ROM, and please provide your name,
your mailing address, and the document title, ``First External Review
Draft Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of
Sulfur, and Particulate Matter--Ecological Criteria'' to facilitate
processing of your request.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the public comment
period, contact the ORD Docket at the EPA Headquarters Docket Center;
phone: 202-566-1752; fax: 202-566-9744; or email: [email protected].
For technical information, contact Dr. Tara Greaver, NCEA; phone:
919-541-2435; fax: 919-541-1818; or email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Information About the Document
Section 108(a) of the Clean Air Act directs the Administrator to
identify certain pollutants which, among other things, ``cause or
contribute to air pollution which may reasonably be anticipated to
endanger public health or
[[Page 15703]]
welfare'' and to issue air quality criteria for them. These air quality
criteria are to ``accurately reflect the latest scientific knowledge
useful in indicating the kind and extent of all identifiable effects on
public health or welfare which may be expected from the presence of [a]
pollutant in the ambient air. . .'' Under section 109 of the Act, EPA
is then to establish NAAQS for each pollutant for which EPA has issued
criteria. Section 109(d) of the Act subsequently requires periodic
review and, if appropriate, revision of existing air quality criteria
to reflect advances in scientific knowledge on the effects of the
pollutant on public health or welfare. EPA is also required to review
and, if appropriate, revise the NAAQS (for more information on the
NAAQS review process, see https://www.epa.gov/naaqs).
Oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulfur, and particulate matter are
three of six criteria pollutants for which EPA has established NAAQS.
Periodically, EPA reviews the scientific basis for these standards by
preparing an ISA (formerly called an Air Quality Criteria Document).
The ISA, in conjunction with additional technical and policy
assessments, provides the scientific basis for EPA's decisions on the
adequacy of the current NAAQS and the appropriateness of possible
alternative standards. The CASAC, an independent science advisory
committee whose review and advisory functions are mandated by Section
109(d)(2) of the Clean Air Act, is charged (among other things) with
independent scientific review of the EPA's air quality criteria.
On August 21, 2013 (78 FR 53452), EPA formally initiated its
current review of the air quality criteria for the ecological effects
of oxides of nitrogen and oxides of sulfur, and the associated
secondary (welfare-based) NAAQS, requesting the submission of recent
scientific information on specified topics. Similarly, on December 3,
2014 (79 FR 71764), EPA formally initiated its current review of the
air quality criteria for the particulate matter NAAQS. EPA conducted
two workshops--the first on March 4 to 6, 2014, for oxides of nitrogen
and oxides of sulfur (79 FR 8644, February 13, 2014), and the second on
February 11, 2015 (79 FR 71764, December 3, 2014), for particulate
matter--to gather input from invited scientific experts, both internal
and external to EPA, as well as from the public, regarding key science
and policy issues relevant to the review of the these secondary NAAQS.
These science and policy issues were incorporated into EPA's ``Draft
Integrated Review Plan for the Secondary National Ambient Air Quality
Standard for Oxides of Nitrogen and Oxides of Sulfur'' as well as the
``Integrated Review Plan for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards
for Particulate Matter.'' The Draft Integrated Review Plan (IRP) for
oxides of nitrogen and oxides of sulfur was available for public
comment (80 FR 69220, November 9, 2015) and discussion by the CASAC via
publicly accessible teleconference consultation (80 FR 65223, February
10, 2016). The Draft IRP for particulate matter was available for
public comment (81 FR 2297, April 19, 2016) and discussion by the CASAC
via publicly accessible teleconference consultation (81 FR 13362, March
14, 2016) prior to release of the final document (81 FR 87933, December
6, 2016). The final ``Integrated Review Plan for the Secondary National
Ambient Air Quality Standard for Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur,
and Particulate Matter'' will be announced by a separate Federal
Register notice.
Teleconference workshops with invited scientific experts, both
internal and external to EPA, were held on August 25, 26, and 27, 2015
(80 FR 48316, August 12, 2015), and June 13, 2016 (81 FR 89262, May 11,
2016), to discuss initial draft materials prepared in the development
of the draft ISA.
The ``First External Review Draft Integrated Science Assessment for
Oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of Sulfur, and Particulate Matter--
Ecological Criteria'' will be discussed at a public meeting for review
by CASAC and the public. In addition to the public comment period
announced in this notice, the public will have an opportunity to
address the CASAC. A separate Federal Register notice will inform the
public of the exact date and time of the CASAC meeting and of the
procedures for public participation.
II. How To Submit Technical Comments to the Docket at
www.regulations.gov
Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2013-
0620 and Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0128, by one of the following
methods:
www.regulations.gov: Follow the online instructions for
submitting comments.
Email: [email protected].
Fax: 202-566-9744.
Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket
Center (ORD Docket), Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20460. The phone number is 202-566-1752.
Hand Delivery: The ORD Docket is located in the EPA
Headquarters Docket Center, EPA West Building, Room 3334, 1301
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20004.
The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The phone
number for the Public Reading Room is 202-566-1744. Deliveries are only
accepted during the docket's normal hours of operation, and special
arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. If you
provide comments by mail or hand delivery, please submit three copies
of the comments. For attachments, provide an index, number pages
consecutively with the comments, and submit an unbound original and
three copies.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-
2013-0620 and Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2014-0128. Please ensure that
your comments are submitted within the specified comment period.
Comments received after the closing date will be marked ``late,'' and
may only be considered if time permits. It is EPA's policy to include
all comments it receives in the public docket without change and to
make the comments available online at www.regulations.gov, including
any personal information provided, unless a comment includes
information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or
other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not
submit information through www.regulations.gov or email that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise protected. The www.regulations.gov Web
site is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know
your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body
of your comment. If you send an email comment directly to EPA without
going through www.regulations.gov, your email address will be
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is
placed in the public docket and made available on the internet. If you
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of
any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public
docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
[[Page 15704]]
Docket: Documents in the docket are listed in the
www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some
information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other materials,
such as copyrighted material, are publicly available only in hard copy.
Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically
on www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the ORD Docket in the EPA
Headquarters Docket Center.
Dated: February 14, 2017.
Mary A. Ross,
Deputy Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 2017-06317 Filed 3-29-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P