[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 18, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17176-17177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08135]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-9976-97-OA]
Notification of a Public Meeting of the Chartered Science
Advisory Board
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory
Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public meeting of the chartered
SAB to: (1) Conduct a quality review of a draft SAB report on an
Screening Methodologies to Support Risk and Technology Reviews (RTR)
for National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: RTR; (2)
discuss information provided by the EPA on planned actions in the 2017
semi-annual regulatory agenda and their supporting science; and (3)
receive briefings from the EPA Office of Research and Development, the
Office of Water, and the Office of Air.
DATES: The public meeting will be held on Thursday, May 31, 2018, from
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday June 1, 2018, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00
p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Washington Plaza Hotel, 10
Thomas Circle NW, Washington, DC 20005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public who wants
further information concerning the meeting may contact Mr. Thomas
Carpenter, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA Science Advisory Board
(1400R), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20460; via telephone/voice mail (202) 564-4885, or
email at [email protected]. General information concerning the
SAB can be found on the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: The SAB was established pursuant to the Environmental
Research, Development, and Demonstration Authorization Act (ERDDAA),
codified at 42 U.S.C. 4365, to provide independent scientific and
technical advice to the Administrator on the scientific and technical
basis for Agency positions and regulations. The SAB is a Federal
Advisory Committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), 5 U.S.C., App. 2. The SAB will comply with the provisions of
FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies. Pursuant
to FACA and EPA policy, notice is hereby given that the SAB will hold a
public meeting to discuss and deliberate on the topics below.
(1) Quality Review of a Draft SAB Review Report on the Screening
Methodologies To Support Risk and Technology Reviews (RTR): A Case
Study Analysis
EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS)
requested that the SAB conduct a review of the methods for conducting
Risk and Technology Review Assessments in conjunction with assessments
of residual risk required by the Clean Air Act. These assessments
evaluate the effects of industrial emissions of hazardous air
pollutants (HAPs) on public health and the environment. The SAB
convened RTR Methods Panel to review EPA's draft Screening
Methodologies to Support Risk and Technology Reviews (RTR) (External
Review Draft May, 2017).
The chartered SAB will conduct a quality review of the panel's
draft report before it is transmitted to the EPA Administrator. The SAB
quality review process ensures that all draft reports developed by SAB
panels, committees or workgroups are reviewed and approved by the
Chartered SAB before being finalized and transmitted to the EPA
Administrator. These reviews are conducted in a public meeting as
required by FACA.
Background on the current advisory activity, Screening
Methodologies to Support Risk and Technology Reviews (RTR): A Case
Study Analysis can be found on the SAB website at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/RTR%20Screening%20Methods%20Review?OpenDocument.
(2) Discussion of Information in the Agency's Semiannual Regulatory
Agenda
As part of the EPA's effort to routinely inform the SAB about
proposed and planned agency actions that have a scientific or technical
basis, the agency provided notice to the SAB that the Office of
Management and Budget published the ``Unified (Regulatory) Agenda'' on
the Web on and available at: http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaMain.
The SAB convened a Work Group to review information provided in the
agency's 2017 regulatory agenda regarding EPA planned actions and their
supporting science. The SAB will discuss recommendations and
information developed by the Work Group regarding the adequacy of the
science supporting the planned actions. Information about this advisory
activity can be found on the Web at: http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/SAB%20Spring%202017%20Reg%20Agenda?OpenDocument.
Availability of Meeting Materials: A meeting agenda and other
materials for the meeting will be placed on the SAB website at http://epa.gov/sab.
Procedures for Providing Public Input: Public comment for
consideration by EPA's federal advisory committees and panels has a
different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices.
Therefore, the process for submitting comments to a federal advisory
committee is different from the process used to submit comments to an
EPA program office.
Federal advisory committees and panels, including scientific
advisory committees, provide independent advice to the EPA. Members of
the public can submit relevant comments pertaining to the EPA's charge,
meeting materials, or the group providing advice. Input from the public
to the SAB will have the most impact if it provides specific scientific
or technical information or analysis for the SAB to consider or if it
relates to the clarity or accuracy of the technical information.
Members of the public wishing to
[[Page 17177]]
provide comment should contact the DFO directly.
Oral Statements: In general, individuals or groups requesting an
oral presentation at a public meeting will be limited to five minutes.
Persons interested in providing oral statements at the May 31-June 1,
2018, meeting should contact Mr. Thomas Carpenter, DFO, in writing
(preferably via email) at the contact information noted above by May
22, 2018 to be placed on the list of registered speakers.
Written Statements: Written statements for the May 31-June 1, 2018,
meeting should be received in the SAB Staff Office by March 22, 2018,
so that the information can be made available to the SAB for its
consideration prior to the meeting. Written statements should be
supplied to the DFO at the contact information above via email
(preferred) or in hard copy with original signature. Submitters are
requested to provide a signed and unsigned version of each document
because the SAB Staff Office does not publish documents with signatures
on its websites. Members of the public should be aware that their
personal contact information, if included in any written comments, may
be posted to the SAB website. Copyrighted material will not be posted
without explicit permission of the copyright holder.
Accessibility: For information on access or services for
individuals with disabilities, please contact Mr. Carpenter at the
phone number or email address noted above, preferably at least ten days
prior to the meeting, to give the EPA as much time as possible to
process your request.
Dated: April 12, 2018.
Khanna Johnston,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2018-08135 Filed 4-17-18; 8:45 am]
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