96-5396. Science Advisory Board; Emergency Notification of Public Advisory Committee Meetings

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 46 (Thursday, March 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9162-9164]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-5396]



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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5436-6]


Science Advisory Board; Emergency Notification of Public Advisory 
Committee Meetings

    This is an Emergency Notification of Federal Advisory Committee 
Meetings. This notice is being published less than fifteen calendar 
days prior to the date of the announced meetings due to delays caused 
by Federal budgetary exigencies. In addition, scheduling and 
announcement of several of these meetings has been delayed due to 
ongoing litigation involving one of the committees that has set the 
schedule for that Advisory Committee's review of certain scientific 
documents. Information concerning this delay is given in 61 FR 6004-
6006 published on February 15, 1996.
    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, 
notice is hereby given that several committees of the Science Advisory 
Board (SAB) will meet on the dates and times described below. All times 
noted are Eastern Time. All meetings are open to the public. Due to 
limited space, seating at meetings will be on a first-come basis. For 
further information concerning specific meetings, please contact the 
individuals listed below. Documents that are the subject of SAB reviews 
are normally available from the originating EPA office and are not 
available from the SAB Office.

1. Ecological Processes and Effects Committee

    The Ecological Processes and Effects Committee (EPEC) of the 
Science Advisory Board (SAB) will meet on March 14-15, 1996, at the 
Environmental Protection Agency's Waterside Mall Complex, 401 M Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20460 in Room M2103. For convenient access, members 
of the public should use the EPA entrance next to the Safeway store. 
The meeting will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end no later than 5:00 p.m. on 
each day.
    The main purpose of the meeting is to discuss ecological risks and 
the potential for risk reduction as part of an SAB project to update 
the 1990 SAB report, Reducing Risk: Setting Priorities and Strategies 
for Environmental Protection. EPEC may also conduct general committee 
business, including briefings on upcoming review topics,

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agenda planning, and discussion of subcommittee activities.

Background

     In a letter dated October 25, 1995, to Dr. Matanoski, Chair of the 
SAB Executive Committee, Deputy Administrator Fred Hansen charged the 
SAB to update its 1990 report, Reducing Risk: Setting Priorities and 
Strategies for Environmental Protection. Specifically, the charge is 
to: (1) develop an updated ranking of the relative risk of different 
environmental problems based upon explicit scientific criteria; (2) 
provide an assessment of techniques and criteria that could be used to 
descriminate among emerging environmental risks and identify those that 
merit serious, near-term Agency attention; (3) assess the potential for 
risk reduction and propose alternative technical risk reduction 
strategies for the environmental problems identified; and (4) identify 
the uncertainties and data quality issues associated with the relative 
rankings. The project will be conducted by several SAB panels, 
including EPEC, working at the direction of an ad hoc Steering 
Committee established by the Executive Committee.
    Single copies of Reducing Risk can be obtained by contacting the 
SAB's Committee Evaluation and Support Staff (1400), 401 M Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20460, telephone [phone], or fax [phone]. 
Members of the public desiring additional information about the 
meeting, including an agenda, should contact Ms. Constance Valentine, 
Staff Secretary, Science Advisory Board (1400F), US EPA, 401 M Street, 
SW., Washington DC 20460, by telephone at [phone], fax at (202) 
260-7118, or via The INTERNET at: [email protected]
    Anyone wishing to make an oral presentation at the meeting should 
contact Stephanie Sanzone, Designated Federal Official for EPEC, no 
later than 4:00 p.m., March 11, 1996, at [phone] or via the 
Internet at [e-mail]. The request should 
identify the name of the individual who will make the presentation and 
an outline of the issues to be addressed. At least 35 copies of any 
written comments to the Committee are to be given to Ms. Sanzone no 
later than the time of the presentation for distribution to the 
Committee and the interested public. See below for additional 
information on providing comments to the SAB.

2. Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC)

    The Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) of the 
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Science Advisory Board (SAB) 
will meet on March 21, 1996 at the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Administration Building, Auditorium (Ground level), Alexander 
Drive and Route 54, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711. The meeting will 
begin at 8:30 am and end at 5:00 pm, Eastern Time. The meeting is open 
to the public and seating is on a first come basis.
    At this meeting, the Committee will review and provide advice to 
EPA on the revisions to the secondary standard portions (Chapters 7 & 
8) of the revised draft Staff Paper for ozone (Review of National 
Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone: Assessment of Scientific and 
Technical Information). The purpose of the Staff Paper is to evaluate 
and interpret the most relevant scientific and technical information 
reviewed in the ozone air quality criteria document in order to better 
specify the critical elements which the EPA staff believes should be 
considered in any possible revisions to the national ambient air 
quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone. This document is intended to 
bridge the gap between the scientific review contained in the criteria 
document and the judgments required of the Administrator in setting 
NAAQS for ozone. The Committee will consider presentations from Agency 
staff and the interested public prior to making recommendations to the 
Administrator.
    The Committee previously closed on the Air Quality Criteria for 
Ozone (the Criteria Document) and the Primary Standard portions of the 
Staff Paper. This closure is contained in the following CASAC reports: 
(a) CASAC Closure on the Air Quality Criteria Document for Ozone and 
Related Photochemical Oxidants, EPA-SAB-CASAC-LTR-96-001, November 28, 
1995, and (b) CASAC Closure on the Primary Standard Portion of the 
Staff Paper for Ozone, EPA-SAB-CASAC-LTR-96-002, November 30, 1995. See 
below for ordering information.

Draft Ozone Staff Paper

    Single copies of the two chapters of the ozone staff paper that are 
the subject of the CASAC review may be obtained from Ms. Tricia 
Crabtree, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (MD-15), U.S. 
EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711. Ms. Crabtree can also be reached 
by telephone at [phone] or by fax at [phone]. The Office 
of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) will accept written 
comments from the public on Chapters 7 and 8 of the revised draft ozone 
staff paper through March 28, 1996. Comments should be sent to Ms. 
Crabtree at the previously stated address.

CASAC Reports

    Single copies of the two CASAC reports identified above may be 
obtained from the US EPA, Science Advisory Board, Committee Evaluation 
and Support Staff (1400), Washington, DC 20460, phone: [phone]; 
fax: [phone].
    Members of the public desiring additional information concerning 
the meeting should contact Mr. A. Robert Flaak, Designated Federal 
Official, Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, Science Advisory 
Board (1400F), US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC 
20460, telephone [phone], fax [phone] or via the INTERNET 
at [email protected]
    Members of the public who wish to make a brief oral presentation to 
the Committee concerning the scientific issues contained in the revised 
draft Chapters 7 and 8 of Staff Paper must contact Mr. Flaak in writing 
no later than 12 noon Eastern time on Wednesday, March 13, 1996, in 
order to be placed on the meeting agenda. Public commentors will be 
limited to five minutes per person or organization. The written request 
should identify the name of the individual who will make the 
presentation, the organization (if any) they will represent, any audio 
visual requirements (e.g., overhead projector, 35mm projector, 
chalkboard, etc.), and a summary of the issue they will address. 
Presentors are expected to provide at least 35 copies of an outline of 
the issues to be addressed or the presentation itself.

Providing Oral or Written Comments at SAB Meetings

    The Science Advisory Board expects that public statements presented 
at its meetings will not be repetitive of previously submitted oral or 
written statements. In general, each individual or group making an oral 
presentation will be limited to a total time of ten minutes. For 
conference call meetings, opportunities for oral comment will be 
limited to no more than five minutes per speaker and no more than 
fifteen minutes total. Written comments (at least 35 copies) received 
in the SAB Staff Office sufficiently prior to a meeting date, may be 
mailed to the relevant SAB committee or subcommittee prior to its 
meeting; comments received too close to the

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meeting date will normally be provided to the committee at its meeting. 
Written comments may be provided to the relevant committee or 
subcommittee up until the time of the meeting.

    Dated: February 23, 1996.
John R. Fowle,
Acting Staff Director, Science Advisory Board.
[FR Doc. 96-5396 Filed 3-6-96; 8:45 am]
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