98-29802. Lead, Identification of Dangerous Levels of Lead; Extension of Comment Period and Rescheduling of Public Meeting  

  • [Federal Register Volume 63, Number 214 (Thursday, November 5, 1998)]
    [Proposed Rules]
    [Pages 59754-59755]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 98-29802]
    
    
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    ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
    
    40 CFR Part 745
    
    [OPPTS-62156D; FRL-6044-9]
    RIN 2070-AC63
    
    
    Lead, Identification of Dangerous Levels of Lead; Extension of 
    Comment Period and Rescheduling of Public Meeting
    
    AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
    
    ACTION: Proposed rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: EPA is extending the time for the public to provide written 
    comments on a proposed rule, issued under section 403 of the Toxic 
    Substances Control Act (TSCA), that would provide guidelines for 
    managing lead in paint, dust, and soil in residences and child-occupied 
    facilities. The public now has until December 31, 1998, to submit 
    written comments. EPA is also rescheduling a public meeting on the 
    proposed rule from its original date of November 16, 1998, to December 
    4, 1998. The purpose of this meeting is to provide an opportunity for 
    nationally recognized experts to offer their perspectives on the 
    proposed rule and for the public to present oral comments. The public 
    would still have the opportunity to submit written comments after the 
    meeting.
    
    DATES: Written comments on the proposed rule must be received on or 
    before December 31, 1998.
        The public meeting will be held on December 4, 1998, from 9 a.m. to 
    9 p.m. EPA requests that members of the public wishing to present oral 
    comments at the meeting register by November 23, 1998, persons may also 
    register to speak at the time of the meeting, if any comment time is 
    remaining.
    
    ADDRESSES: Public meeting: The meeting will be held at the Grand Hyatt 
    San Francisco, 345 Stockton St., San Francisco, CA.
        Comments: Each written comment must bear the docket control number 
    OPPTS-62156D. All comments should be sent in triplicate to: OPPT 
    Document Control Officer (7407), Office of Pollution Prevention and 
    Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Rm. G-099, 
    East Tower, Washington, DC 20460.
        Written comments and data may also be submitted electronically to: 
    oppt.ncic@epa.gov. Follow the instructions in Unit III. of this 
    document. No Confidential Business Information (CBI) should be 
    submitted through e-mail.
        All written comments which contain information claimed as CBI must 
    be clearly marked as such. Three copies, sanitized of any comments 
    containing information claimed as CBI, must also be submitted and will 
    be placed in the public record for this rulemaking. Persons submitting 
    information, any portion of which they believe is entitled to treatment 
    as CBI by EPA, must assert a business confidentiality claim in 
    accordance with 40 CFR 2.203(b) for each such portion. This claim must 
    be made at the time that the information is submitted to EPA. If a 
    submitter does not assert a confidentiality claim at the time of 
    submission, EPA will consider this as a waiver of any confidentiality 
    claim and the information may be made available to the public by EPA 
    without further notice to the submitter.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information and to 
    register to present oral comments at the meeting: National Lead 
    Information Center's Clearinghouse, 1-800-424-LEAD (5323).
        For technical and policy questions: Jonathan Jacobson, telephone: 
    (202) 260-3779 or e-mail: jacobson.jonathan@epa.gov.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    I. Background
    
        In the Federal Register of June 3, 1998 (63 FR 30302) (FRL-5791-9), 
    EPA published a proposed rule under Title IV of TSCA. Section 403 of 
    TSCA (15 U.S.C. 2683) directs EPA to promulgate regulations identifying 
    lead-based paint hazards, lead-contaminated dust, and lead-contaminated 
    soil. Section 402 of TSCA (15 U.S.C. 2682) directs EPA to promulgate 
    regulations governing lead-based paint activities. Section 404 of TSCA 
    (15 U.S.C. 2684) requires that any State that seeks to administer and 
    enforce the requirements established by the Agency under section 402 of 
    TSCA must submit to the Administrator a request for authorization of 
    such a program.
    
    [[Page 59755]]
    
        On October 1, 1998, EPA announced in the Federal Register (63 FR 
    52662) ( FRL-6037-7) that it would extend the public comment period 
    until November 30, 1998. On October 28, 1998, EPA announced in the 
    Federal Register (63 FR 57636) ( FRL-6041-1) that it would be holding a 
    public meeting on November 16, 1998, to provide an opportunity to 
    present oral comments. Upon further reflection, the Agency has decided 
    that it would be more valuable to expand the scope of this meeting and 
    include nationally recognized experts to offer their perspectives on 
    the proposed rule in a public workshop. Following the workshop, members 
    of the public will have the opportunity to present oral comments on the 
    proposed rule to the Agency. In order to accommodate this type of 
    forum, EPA is rescheduling the public meeting to December 4, 1998, and 
    will further extend the time for submitting written comments to 
    December 31, 1998.
    
    II. Meeting Process
    
        The workshop component of the meeting, consisting of nationally 
    recognized experts, will convene at approximately 9 a.m. and will end 
    at 2:30 p.m. Oral comments from the public will be heard between 3 p.m. 
    and 9 p.m.
         The workshop will begin with presentations by EPA officials on the 
    Agency's approach described in the proposed rule and an explanation of 
    the decisions in the proposal. These presentations will be followed by 
    several discussion segments that will address the major issues of 
    concern. In each segment, several experts have been invited to present 
    formal remarks on EPA's proposed standards. After the conclusion of the 
    formal presentations during each segment, there will be an open 
    discussion among the invited participants. EPA officials will 
    facilitate the discussion and will be available to answer questions 
    that will help clarify materials contained in the public record. In 
    addition, the public is encouraged to attend the workshop to hear the 
    discussions and will have the opportunity to offer comments later in 
    the day.
        The public comment component of the meeting will run from 
    approximately 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. with an hour break from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. 
    EPA will hear as many comments as time permits. Commenters will speak 
    in the order in which they register. Individuals are requested to limit 
    their presentations to 10 minutes in order to allow as many persons as 
    possible a fair chance to participate. Individuals interested in 
    presenting comments at the meeting should register in advance by 
    contacting the National Lead Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-424-
    LEAD (5323). Individuals should indicate whether they wish to speak at 
    the afternoon or evening session.
    
    III. Public Record and Electronic Submissions
    
        The official record for this rulemaking, as well as the public 
    version, has been established for this rulemaking under docket control 
    number OPPTS-62156D (including comments and data submitted 
    electronically as described in this unit). A public version of this 
    record, including printed, paper versions of electronic comments, which 
    does not include any information claimed as CBI, is available for 
    inspection from 12 noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding 
    legal holidays. The official rulemaking record is located in the TSCA 
    Nonconfidential Information Center, Rm. NE-B607, 401 M St., SW., 
    Washington, DC. Electronic comments can be sent directly to EPA at: 
    oppt.ncic@epa.gov.
        Electronic comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the 
    use of special characters and any form of encryption. Comments and data 
    will also be accepted on disks in WordPerfect 5.1/6.1 or ASCII file 
    format. All comments and data in electronic form must be identified by 
    the docket control number OPPTS-62156D. Electronic comments on this 
    proposed rule may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.
    
    List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 745
    
        Environmental protection, Hazardous substances, Lead-based paint, 
    Lead poisoning, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
    
        Dated: November 3, 1998.
    
    Joseph S. Carra,
    
    Acting Director, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.
    
    [FR Doc. 98-29802 Filed 11-3-98; 3:37 pm]
    BILLING CODE 6560-50-F
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
11/05/1998
Department:
Environmental Protection Agency
Entry Type:
Proposed Rule
Action:
Proposed rule.
Document Number:
98-29802
Dates:
Written comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before December 31, 1998.
Pages:
59754-59755 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
OPPTS-62156D, FRL-6044-9
RINs:
2070-AC63: Lead; Identification of Dangerous Levels of Lead Pursuant to TSCA Section 403
RIN Links:
https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2070-AC63/lead-identification-of-dangerous-levels-of-lead-pursuant-to-tsca-section-403
PDF File:
98-29802.pdf
CFR: (1)
40 CFR 745