94-858. Guidance on Determining Environmentally Preferable Products and Services; Notice of Meeting

[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 12, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-858]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: January 12, 1994]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPTS-00146; FRL-4754-7]

 

Guidance on Determining Environmentally Preferable Products and 
Services; Notice of Meeting

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Action: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing a public meeting to solicit input from all 
interested parties on developing guidance that Executive agencies can 
use in determining the preference and purchase of environmentally 
preferable products and services. This meeting is part of a process 
that EPA has established to obtain public input. The draft guidance is 
being developed to implement section 503 of Executive Order on Federal 
Acquisition, Recycling and Waste Prevention (Executive Order 12873).

DATES: The meeting will take place on February 7 and 8, 1994, starting 
at 9:30 a.m. on February 7, and 12:30 p.m. on February 8, and ending 
each day at 5 p.m. unless concluded earlier. Registration will occur 
one half hour before the meeting is scheduled to begin on both days. 
The second day will only proceed if there are more confirmed presenters 
than can be accommodated on the first day.
    Requests to present oral testimony must be received on or before 
February 1, 1994, and will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served 
basis. Written comments must be received on or before March 10, 1994.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at: EPA Headquarters, Auditorium, 
401 M St., SW., Washington, DC.
    Written comments on the concept paper, discussed in Unit II. of 
this document, and other aspects of implementation of section 503 
should be sent to Eun-Sook Goidel (7409), Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., 
Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Claudia O'Brien (7406), Office of 
Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M 
St., SW., Washington, DC 20460; Telephone [phone]; Fax (202) 
260-0981.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    On October 20, 1993, President Clinton signed Executive Order 
12873, entitled ``Federal Acquisition, Recycling and Waste 
Prevention,'' (58 FR 5411, October 22, 1993). Section 503 of Executive 
Order 12873 requires EPA to ``issue guidance that recommends principles 
that Executive agencies should use in making determinations for the 
preference and purchase of environmentally preferable products.'' Draft 
guidance for implementing this provision is to be published in the 
Federal Register by EPA within 180 days from the effective date of the 
Executive Order (April 18, 1994). The Executive Order also allows the 
Agency to issue additional guidance for public comment on how the 
principles can be applied to specific product categories.

II. Process

    To implement section 503 of Executive Order 12873, the Agency is 
establishing a process whereby public input is solicited from all 
interested persons and organizations. This process will include public 
meetings and discussions with stakeholders where interested parties 
will be given an opportunity to comment on a concept paper. This 
concept paper will be available in late January and will describe the 
Agency's preliminary proposal on guiding principles that Federal 
agencies should use when making determinations for the preference and 
purchase of environmentally preferable products.
    To schedule oral testimony at the public meeting and to obtain a 
copy of the concept paper, contact EPA's Public Hearing Hotline, 110 
Hartwell Avenue, Lexington, MA 02173-3198; telephone [phone]. 
Callers will receive mail confirmation of their scheduled testimony and 
logistical information. Persons who wish to make oral presentations 
must restrict testimony to 7 minutes and are also expected to provide 
three written copies of their completed comments for inclusion in the 
official record. If interested parties are unable to attend the public 
meetings, they are invited to submit written comments to the Agency.
    Finally, the Agency plans to hold a series of stakeholder meetings 
beginning in February, as time allows, at EPA Headquarters. The Agency 
will accept requests for participation in stakeholder meetings on a 
first-come, first-served basis. Persons or organizations wishing to 
sign up for stakeholder meetings with Agency representatives should 
contact Claudia O'Brien at the telephone number listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Due to the limited amount of time 
available to develop the draft guidance, the Agency requests that 
organizations and companies with similar interests arrange to meet with 
Agency representatives during the same time period. The Agency may also 
hold a limited number of audio or video conferences for persons or 
organizations lacking travel funding. Interested persons should contact 
Claudia O'Brien at the telephone number listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

III. Approach

    The Agency has been directed by Executive Order 12873 to develop an 
approach for Federal acquisition of environmentally preferable products 
that not only minimizes environmental burden, but also provides 
incentives to industry to continuously improve the environmental 
performance of products and services to the Federal government. 
Ideally, the approach would guide Federal agencies in comparing 
environmental performance among competing products and services, so 
that the environmental impact becomes a criterion like cost or 
performance against which Federal agencies may select products or 
services.
    As currently envisioned, the Agency's guidance on acquisition of 
environmentally preferable products would include three components: (1) 
General principles and procedures that apply across product categories 
and that Federal agencies can use when implementing acquisition 
programs for the purchase of environmentally preferable products; (2) 
guidance for applying these principles to specific products or product 
categories (to be developed as appropriate at a later date); and (3) a 
code of practice that Federal agencies could use when judging the 
credibility of non-governmental environmental certification or eco-
labeling programs.


    Dated: January 7, 1994.

Lynn R. Goldman,
Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic 
Substances.

[FR Doc. 94-858 Filed 1-11-94; 8:45 am]

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