97-29054. Dialogue Group on Identification of Lead-Based Paint Hazards; Notice of Open Meeting

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 212 (Monday, November 3, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59354-59355]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-29054]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPTS-62151B; FRL-5741-6]


Dialogue Group on Identification of Lead-Based Paint Hazards; 
Notice of Open Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA will be holding a meeting of the Dialogue Process to 
support the forthcoming rulemaking under section 403 of the Toxic 
Substances Control Act (TSCA). Section 403 directs the Agency to 
promulgate regulations which shall identify lead-based paint hazards, 
lead-contaminated dust, and lead-contaminated soil. The purpose of this 
meeting of the Dialogue Process is to obtain comment on regulatory 
options that will be presented to senior EPA management the following 
week.

DATES: The Dialogue Process will meet on November 12, 1997, from 10 
a.m. to 4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Metro Center Marriott Hotel, 
775 12th St., NW., Washington, DC. All written comments should be 
submitted in triplicate to: TSCA Document Receipts (7407), Office of 
Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. 
E-G99, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460. All comments should be 
identified by the docket control number OPPTS-62151B.
    Comments and data may also be submitted electronically by following 
the instructions under Unit IV. of this document. No Confidential 
Business Information (CBI) should be submitted through e-mail.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific or technical information 
contact: Karen Lannon, National Program Chemicals Division (7404), 
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection 
Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460, Telephone: [phone], 
Fax: [phone], e-mail: [e-mail].
    For general information contact: National Lead Information 
Clearinghouse (NLIC), 1025 Connecticut Ave., NW., Suite 1200, 
Washington, DC 20036-5405 or Toll free at 1-800-424-5323, Fax: 202-659-
1192, e-mail: [e-mail], Internet site: http://www.nsc.org/ehc/
lead.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 403 of TSCA, 15 U.S.C. 2683, directs EPA to promulgate 
regulations that identify lead hazards in paint, household dust, and 
bare residential soil. Title IV of TSCA, titled ``Lead Exposure 
Reduction,'' which includes section 403, was added to TSCA by the 
Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992. To support 
the rulemaking, EPA established a Dialogue Process in 1995 to obtain 
input from interested parties early in the rulemaking process. 
Establishment of the Dialogue Process was announced in the Federal 
Register of July 18, 1995 (60 FR 36806) (FRL-4964-8).
    EPA held four meetings of the Dialogue Process in 1995 and 1996 to 
obtain input from interested parties on a range of regulatory and 
policy issues and options. Since that time, the Agency has conducted 
risk, economic, and policy analyses and has developed options to 
present to senior EPA managers. Following selection of the preferred 
options, the proposed rule will undergo final Agency review and Office 
of Management and Budget review. EPA will then publish the proposed 
regulation in the Federal Register for public comment.

II. Dialogue Meeting

    The purpose of the meeting being announced today is to obtain input 
and comment on the regulatory options that will be presented to EPA 
management. Agency staff plan to include a synopsis of these comments 
in their presentation to management.
    This meeting is open to the public and will provide 30 minutes for 
public comment on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to the need to 
accommodate as many interested parties as possible during the public 
comment period, EPA will limit comments to 5 minutes for 
representatives of organizations and 3 minutes for individuals. Members 
of the public interested in offering comment at the meeting should 
sign-up at the registration desk.
    Individuals wishing to provide comments to EPA, but who cannot be 
accommodated during the comment period or cannot attend the Dialogue 
meeting may submit written comments to EPA at the address listed in the 
ADDRESSES unit of this notice. In order to be included in the synopsis 
of comments to be presented to EPA management, written comments must be 
received by close of business on November 14, 1997.

III. Confidential Business Information

    A person may assert a claim of confidentiality for any information, 
including all or portions of written comments, submitted to EPA in 
connection with the Dialogue Process. Any person who submits a comment 
subject to a claim of confidentiality must also submit a 
nonconfidential version. Any claim of confidentiality must accompany 
the information when it is submitted to EPA. Persons must mark 
information claimed as confidential by circling, bracketing, or 
underlining it, and marking it with ``CONFIDENTIAL'' or some other 
appropriate designation. EPA will disclose information subject to a 
claim

[[Page 59355]]

of confidentiality only to the extent permitted by section 14 of TSCA 
and 40 CFR part 2, subpart B. If a person does not assert a claim of 
confidentiality for information at the time it is submitted to EPA, EPA 
may make the information public without further notice to that person.

IV. Public Docket

    A record has been established for this action under docket control 
number ``OPPTS-62151B'' (including comments submitted electronically as 
described below). A public version of this record, including printed, 
paper versions of the electronic comments, which does not include any 
information claimed as CBI, is available for inspection from noon to 4 
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The public 
record is located in the TSCA Nonconfidential Information Center, Rm. 
NE-B607, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460.
    Electronic comments can be sent directly to EPA at:
    [e-mail]
    Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the 
use of special characters and any form of encryption.
    The official record for this action as well as the public version, 
as described above will be kept in paper form. Accordingly, EPA will 
transfer all comments received electronically into printed, paper form 
as they are received and will place the paper copies in the official 
record which will also include all comments submitted directly in 
writing. The official record is the paper record maintained at the 
address in ADDRESSES at the beginning of this document.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection and Lead.

    Dated: October 28, 1997.
William H. Sanders III,
Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.

[FR Doc. 97-29054 Filed 10-31-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F