2019-21199. Notification of a Public Teleconference and Public Meeting of the Chartered Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC)

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces two meetings of the Chartered Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC). A public teleconference will be held to receive public comments for the CASAC to consider in their peer review of EPA's Policy Assessment for the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter (External Review Draft—September 2019). A face-to-face meeting will be held to conduct the peer review of EPA's Policy Assessment for the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter (External Review Draft—September 2019).

DATES:

The public teleconference will be held on Tuesday, October 22, 2019, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The Chartered CASAC public face-to-face meeting will be held on Thursday, October 24, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) and Friday, October 25, 2019 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).

ADDRESSES:

The public teleconference will be conducted by telephone only. The public face-to-face meeting will be held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Raleigh Durham Research Triangle, 201 Harrison Oaks Boulevard, Cary, North Carolina, 27513.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Any member of the public wishing to obtain information concerning these public meetings may contact Mr. Aaron Yeow, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), at [phone] or at [e-mail]. General information about the CASAC, as well as any updates concerning the meetings announced in this notice, may be found on the CASAC website at http://www.epa.gov/​casac.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background: The Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) was established under section 109(d)(2) of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) (42 U.S.C. 7409) as an independent scientific advisory committee. The CASAC provides advice, information and recommendations on the scientific and technical aspects of air quality criteria and the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The CASAC shall also: Advise the EPA Administrator of areas in which additional knowledge is required to appraise the adequacy and basis of existing, new, or revised NAAQS; describe the research efforts necessary to provide the required information; advise the EPA Administrator on the relative contribution to air pollution concentrations of natural as well as anthropogenic activity; and advise the EPA Administrator of any adverse public health, welfare, social, economic, or energy effects which may result from various strategies for attainment and maintenance of such NAAQS. The CAA requires that the Agency, at five-year intervals, review and revise, as appropriate, the air quality criteria and the NAAQS for the six “criteria” air pollutants, including particulate matter. EPA is currently reviewing the NAAQS for particulate matter.

The CASAC is a Federal Advisory Committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C., App. 2. The Chartered CASAC will comply with the provisions of FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies. Pursuant to FACA and EPA policy, notice is hereby given that the Chartered CASAC will hold a public teleconference and a public face-to-face meeting. The purpose of the teleconference will be for the Chartered CASAC to receive public comments for their consideration in their peer review of EPA's Policy Assessment for the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter (External Review Draft—September 2019). The purpose of the face-to-face meeting is to conduct a peer review of EPA's Policy Assessment for the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter (External Review Draft—September 2019).

Technical Contacts: Any technical questions concerning the Policy Assessment for the Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter (External Review Draft—September 2019) should be directed to Dr. Scott Jenkins ([e-mail]).

Availability of Meeting Materials: Prior to the meeting, the review documents, agenda and other materials will be accessible through the calendar link on the blue navigation bar at http://www.epa.gov/​casac/​.

Procedures for Providing Public Input: Public comment for consideration by EPA's federal advisory committees and panels has a different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices. Therefore, the process for submitting comments to a federal advisory committee is different from the process used to submit comments to an EPA program office. Federal advisory committees and panels, including scientific advisory committees, provide independent advice to EPA. Members of the public can submit relevant comments on the topic of this advisory activity, including the charge to the CASAC and the EPA review documents, and/or the group conducting the activity, for the CASAC to consider as it develops advice for EPA. Input from the public to the CASAC will have the most impact if it provides specific scientific or technical information or analysis for CASAC to consider or if it relates to the clarity or accuracy of the technical information. Members of the public wishing to provide comment should follow the instructions below to submit comments.

Oral Statements: Individuals or groups requesting an oral presentation during the October 22, 2019, teleconference will be limited to five minutes. Each person making an oral statement should consider providing written comments as well as their oral statement so that the points presented orally can be expanded upon in writing. Interested parties should contact Mr. Aaron Yeow, DFO, in writing (preferably via email) at the contact information noted above by October 15, 2019, to be placed on the list of public speakers.

Written Statements: Written statements will be accepted throughout the advisory process; however, for timely consideration by CASAC members, statements should be supplied to the DFO (preferably via email) at the contact information noted above by October 15, 2019. It is the SAB Staff Office general policy to post written comments on the web page for the advisory meeting or teleconference. Submitters are requested to provide an unsigned version of each document because the SAB Staff Office does not publish documents with signatures on its websites. Members of the public should be aware that their personal contact information, if included in any written comments, may be posted to the CASAC website. Copyrighted material will not be posted without explicit permission of the copyright holder.

Accessibility: For information on access or services for individuals with disabilities, please contact Mr. Aaron Yeow at [phone] or [e-mail]. To request accommodation of a disability, please contact Mr. Yeow preferably at least ten days prior to each meeting to give EPA as much time as possible to process your request.

Dated: September 17, 2019.

Thomas H. Brennan,

Director, EPA Science Advisory Staff Office.