[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 179 (Thursday, September 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50284-50285]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24167]
[[Page 50284]]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPPTS-00276; FRL-6095-5]
North American Regional Action Plan on Mercury; Notice of
Availability for Public Comment
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: Today's notice makes available for public comment the draft of
the second phase of the North American Regional Action Plan (NARAP) on
Mercury. This regional action plan stems from activities taken under
the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC)
between the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The
NARAP represents a mutually agreed upon framework for future actions to
be taken by each country either independently or collaboratively under
the direction of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC).
The Mercury NARAP is being made available for public/stakeholder
review to allow interested parties the opportunity to provide guidance
on the nature and direction that these three North American governments
should proceed in order to reduce mercury use and releases to the
environment.
DATES: Comments, identified by the docket control number OPPTS-00276,
must be received by EPA on or before October 18, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by mail, electronically, or in
person. Please follow the detailed instructions for each method as
provided in Unit I.C. of the ``SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION'' section. To
ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that you identify docket
control number OPPTS-00276 in the subject line on the first page of
your response.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact:
Christine Augustyniak, Associate Director, Environmental Assistance
Division (7408), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics,
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460;
telephone numbers: 202-554-1404 and TDD: 202-554-0551; e-mail address:
TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov.
For technical information contact: Greg Susanke, Office of
Pollution Prevention and Toxics, National Program Chemicals Division
(7404), Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC
20460; telephone number: 202-260-3547; fax number: 202-260-0001; e-mail
address: susanke.greg@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does This Notice Apply to Me?
You may be potentially affected by this notice if you use mercury
in, or release mercury from processing, operations, or products.
Potentially affected entities may include, but are not limited to: the
automotive vehicle and equipment manufacturing sector, the mercury cell
chlor-alkali sector, the dry cell battery manufacturing sector, the
electrical switches and relays sector, the lamp manufacturing sector,
health and dental care sectors, the users of mercury for cultural and
artisanal uses, and the analytical, testing, measurement, and
calibration sector. If you have any questions regarding the
applicability of this notice to a particular entity, consult the
technical person listed in the ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT''
section.
B. How Can I Get Additional Information or Copies of This Document and
Other Related Documents?
1. Electronically. Electronic copies of this document are available
from the EPA Home Page at the Federal Register - Environmental
Documents entry for this document under ``Laws and Regulations''
(http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/). You can follow the menu to find this
Federal Register notice using the publication date or the Federal
Register citation for this notice. You can also obtain copies of this
document and certain other available documents from the CEC Internet
Home Page at http://www.cec.org/. On the Home Page select ``CEC
Resources and Publications'' and then look up the entry for this
document under the ``Regional Action Plans'' section.
2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for
this notice under docket control number OPPTS-00276. The official
record consists of the documents specifically referenced in this
notice, any public comments received during an applicable comment
period, and other information related to this notice, including any
information claimed as Confidential Business Information (CBI). This
official record includes the documents that are physically located in
the docket, as well as the documents that are referenced in those
documents. The public version of the official record does not include
any information claimed as CBI. The public version of the official
record, which includes printed, paper versions of any electronic
comments submitted during an applicable comment period, is available
for inspection in the TSCA Nonconfidential Information Center, Rm. NE
B-607, Waterside Mall, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC. The Center is
open from 12 noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal
holidays. The telephone number of the Center is 202-260-7099.
C. How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?
You may submit comments through the mail, in person, or
electronically. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, it is imperative that
you identify docket control number OPPTS-00276 in the subject line on
the first page of your response.
1. By mail. Submit your written comments to: Document Control
Office (7407), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT),
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 20460.
2. In person or by courier. Deliver your written comments to: OPPT
Document Control Office (DCO) in East Tower Rm. G-099, Waterside Mall,
401 M St., SW., Washington, DC. The DCO is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number
for the DCO is 202-260-7093.
3. Electronically. You may submit your comments electronically by
e-mail to: oppt.ncic@epa.gov. Do not submit any information
electronically that you consider to be CBI. Electronic comments must be
submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and
any form of encryption. Comments will also be accepted on standard
computer disks in Wordperfect 5.1/6.1 or ASCII file format. All
comments in electronic form must be identified by the docket control
number OPPTS-00276. Electronic comments may also be filed online at
many Federal Depository Libraries.
D. How Should I Handle CBI Information That I Want to Submit to the
Agency?
Do not submit any information electronically that you consider to
be CBI. You may claim information that you submit to EPA in response to
this notice as CBI by marking any part or all of that information as
CBI. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance
with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. A copy of the comment that
does not contain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for
inclusion in the public version of the official record. Information not
marked confidential will be included in the public version
[[Page 50285]]
of the official record without prior notice. If you have any questions
about CBI or the procedures for claiming CBI, please consult the
technical person identified in the ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT''
section.
E. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?
We invite you to provide your views on the various options we
propose, new approaches we haven't considered, the potential impacts of
the various options (including possible unintended consequences), and
any data or information that you would like the Agency to consider
during the development of the final action. You may find the following
suggestions helpful for preparing your comments:
Explain your views as clearly as possible.
Describe any assumptions that you used.
Provide copies of any technical information and/or data
you used that support your views.
If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.
Offer alternative ways to improve the document.
Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline in this
notice.
To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the
docket control number assigned to this notice in the subject line on
the first page of your response. You may also provide the name, date,
and Federal Register citation.
II. Background
A. What Action is the Agency Taking?
EPA is representing the United States as the lead Agency in
drafting not only the NARAP on Mercury but also other NARAPs on
selected persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substances of concern.
The action plans are to incorporate, as appropriate, pollution
prevention principles and precautionary approaches in making
recommendations to reduce risks associated with these substances.
These action plans reflect a shared commitment by the parties to
work cooperatively by building upon international environmental
agreements and existing policies and laws; by bringing a regional
perspective to international initiatives that are in place or being
negotiated with respect to persistent toxic substances; by promoting
cooperation with Latin American and Caribbean nations and with
countries that have territories in the high Arctic; and by encouraging
mutually consistent trade and environment policies that are conducive
to the conservation, protection, and enhancement of the environment in
their territories. At the same time, each action plan is unique and
recognizes the differentiated responsibilities of each of the countries
while taking into account each country's respective natural endowments,
climate and geographical conditions, and economic, technological, and
infrastructure capabilities.
The action plans reflect a long-term commitment to regional action.
The sharing and transfer of information and best practices are seen as
important means of enhancing national capacity for the sound management
of chemicals. Other important elements and outcomes of these
cooperative initiatives include collaboration and cooperation in the
measurement, monitoring, modeling, research and assessment of selected
persistent and toxic substances in environmental media. Such
cooperation will improve the quality, availability, and relevance of
the ``environmental information'' needed to make informed and
responsible decisions throughout the implementation of the action
plans.
The action plans are also intended to help facilitate the
meaningful participation of the public, including nongovernmental
organizations; business and industry; native North Americans;
provincial, state and municipal governments; academia; and technical
and policy experts. Regular public reporting of the progress that has
occurred with respect to each action plan will be important to its
eventual success.
B. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking This Action?
The NARAP on Mercury is one of a number of such regional
undertakings that stem from the NAAEC between the governments of
Canada, Mexico, and the United States. As a parallel side agreement to
the North American Free Trade Agreement, the NAAEC came into force on
January 1, 1994 as an overarching framework for environmental
cooperation. The NAAEC established the CEC to ``facilitate cooperation
on the conservation, protection and enhancement of the environment in
their territories.'' The Council (of Ministers) of the Commission
agreed to Resolution 95-05 on the Sound Management of Chemicals on
October 13, 1995, at its second regular meeting held in Oaxaca, Mexico.
The resolution established ``a working group composed of two senior
officials selected by each party whose duties pertain to the regulation
or management of toxic substances and who shall work with the CEC to
implement the decisions and commitments set out in this resolution.''
The resolution specifically calls for the development of four regional
action plans for selected persistent and toxic substances as a first
priority in the parties' common desire to address national and regional
concerns associated with the sound management of chemicals. Mercury, as
well as dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane (DDT), chlordane, and
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), is one of the four priority
substances identified by the parties for action plan development.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection.
Dated: September 8, 1999.
Stephen L. Johnson,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and
Toxic Substances.
[FR Doc. 99-24167 Filed 9-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F
