[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 117 (Thursday, June 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 33371]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16209]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[ER-FRL-5497-7]
Second Public Scoping Meeting for EPA's Environmental Impact
Statement for the Final Rule for Environmental Impact Assessment of
Nongovernmental Activities in Antarctica
AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of second public scoping meeting for EPA's Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for the final rule for environmental impact
assessment (EIA) of nongovernmental activities in Antarctica.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. EPA, in accordance with Section 102(2)(c) of the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), will prepare a Draft EIS for
proposed final regulations that will provide for: (1) environmental
impact assessment of nongovernmental activities, including tourism, in
Antarctica for which the United States is required to give advance
notice under paragraph 5 of Article VII of the Antarctic Treaty of
1959; and (2) coordination of the review of information regarding
environmental impact assessments received by the United States from
other Parties to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the
Antarctic Treaty. These final regulations will be prepared pursuant to
the Antarctic Science, Tourism, and Conservation Act of 1996. EPA held
its first public scoping meeting on July 8, 1997, and, at the request
of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators,
individual Antarctica tour operators, and The Antarctica Project on
behalf of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, agreed to conduct
a second scoping meeting following the 1997-1998 Antarctic tour season,
the first such season following promulgation of EPA's Interim Final
Rule governing Environmental Impact Assessment of Nongovernmental
Activities in Antarctica (Federal Register/Vol. 62, No. 83/ Wednesday,
April 30, 1997/Rules and Regulations). EPA invites comments and
suggestions on the scope of the rulemaking with regard to the
environmental and regulatory issues to be addressed in the EIS.
DATES: The public scoping meeting will be on Tuesday, July 14, 1998,
from 1:00 PM until 4:30 PM, at the Washington Information Center--EPA
Conference Service Center, Conference Room 3 North, Waterside Mall, 4th
and M Street SW, Washington, DC. To access Conference Room 3 North,
enter Waterside Mall through the entrance directly in front of the
Waterfront-SEU Metro Station (green line), turn right at the central
hallway, left at the end of this hallway, and enter the North
Conference Center through the last door on the right. Written comments
from the public may also be sent directly to EPA to the contacts listed
below and will be accepted by EPA through July 31, 1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Joseph Montgomery or Ms. Katherine
Biggs, Office of Federal Activities (2252A), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone:
(202)564-7157 or (202)564-7144, respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Please refer to the Public Scoping Meeting
Notice for the July 8, 1997 meeting (Federal Register/Vol. 62, No. 105/
Monday, June 2, 1997/Notices), and the Notice of Intent to Prepare an
EIS for the final rule for EIA of nongovernmental activities in
Antarctica (Federal Register/Vol. 62, No. 90/Friday, May 9, 1997/
Notices). Copies of documents pertinent to this project are available
from the contacts listed above and also on the World Wide Web at:
http://www.epa.gov/oeca/ofa.
Richard E. Sanderson,
Director, Office of Federal Activities.
[FR Doc. 98-16209 Filed 6-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
