[Federal Register: September 27, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 186)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 56418-56419]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27se05-33]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 197
[FRL-7975-6]
RIN 2060-AN15
Notice of Extension of the Public Comment Period, Public Health
and Environmental Radiation Protection Standards for Yucca Mountain,
NV; Proposed Rule
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period and announcement of
additional public hearing in Las Vegas on October 6, 2005.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is extending the comment
period for the Public Health and Environmental Radiation Protection
Standards for Yucca Mountain, Nevada; Proposed Rule which appeared in
the Federal Register on August 22, 2003 (68 FR 65120). The public
comment period for this proposed rule was to end on October 21, 2005.
The purpose of this notice is to extend the comment period to November
21, 2005, and to announce an additional public hearing in Las Vegas on
October 6, 2005.
DATES: EPA will accept public comments on this proposed rule until
November 21, 2005. Comments received after that date will be marked
``late'' and accepted at our discretion. The public hearing will be on
October 6, 2005 from 11 a.m. to 12. a.m. This hearing will be preceded
by an information session from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
ADDRESSES: Procedures for preregistering for and testifying at the
public hearing are detailed in the ``Hearings Procedures'' subsection
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. Comments may be submitted by
mail to: EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Air and Radiation Docket,
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA West, Mail Code 6102T, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket ID No.
OAR-2005-0083. Comments may also be submitted electronically or through
hand delivery/courier. Follow the detailed instructions as provided in
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ray Clark, Office of Radiation and
Indoor Air, Radiation Protection Division (6608J), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC, 20460-
0001; telephone (202) 343-9601; fax number: 202-343-2305; e-mail
address: clark.ray@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Extension of the Public Comment Period
The proposed rule which is the subject of this notice was published
in the Federal Register on August 22, 2005 (70 FR 49014). That notice
requested public comment on the proposed amendments to the public
health and environmental radiation protection standards for Yucca
Mountain, Nevada (40 CFR part 197).
At that time, EPA announced a 60-day public comment period ending
on October 21, 2005. However, the Agency has received formal requests
from several stakeholders to extend the comment period to 180 days. EPA
recognizes the high level of interest in the issue of Yucca Mountain
and that the proposed rule addresses safety over unprecedented time
frames. Furthermore, the Agency agrees that it is important to allow
adequate time for public information to readily reach more rural areas,
particularly in Nevada, which may be affected by decisions related to
Yucca Mountain. In view of these factors, and in consideration of
requests from the stakeholders, EPA is extending the comment period an
additional 30 days to end on November 21, 2005. This will provide a
full three months for the public to submit comments, as much time as
EPA provided for the full Yucca Mountain standards issued in 2001,
which covered a significantly wider array of issues.
II. Additional Public Hearing in Las Vegas, Nevada
EPA is also adding an additional day, October 6, 2006, for a public
hearing in Las Vegas, to respond to concerns about schedule conflicts
with religious holidays. Hearings for two days (October 4 and October
5) in Las Vegas were announced in a previous Federal Register notice
published on September 14, 2005 (70 FR 54325-54327). That notice also
announced hearings in
[[Page 56419]]
Amargosa Valley, Nevada and in Washington, DC. The hearings previously
announced in the Federal Register will be held as described in the
earlier notice; EPA is simply providing an additional hearing in Las
Vegas.
The additional hearing will be held October 6, 2005, at the Cashman
Center, 850 North Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, Nevada, from 10 a.m. until
12 p.m. An information session will be held from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. and a
public hearing from 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Meeting Purpose and Format
The meetings will provide opportunities for both informal exchanges
of information and formal comments. Meeting formats are as follows:
Information Sessions: an informal opportunity to learn
about the standards, meet EPA staff, and ask questions. Comments on the
record can also be provided in writing or on tape.
Public Hearings: a formal opportunity to make verbal
statements that will be recorded for the public record. For the
convenience of the public, individuals and organizations should
schedule a specific time to make their comments (see Hearings
Procedures below).
Hearing Procedures
Persons wishing to testify at any of the public hearings are
requested to pre-register by calling EPA's toll-free Yucca Mountain
Information Line at 1-800-331-9477 at any time. You will be asked to
leave a message with the following information:
Name/Organizational Affiliation (if any).
Hearing time(s) available to testify.
Daytime telephone number.
Your call will be returned within one business day to confirm a
scheduled time for testimony. In order to obtain a scheduled speaking
time, EPA must receive requests no later than September 30, 2005, for
the hearings in Las Vegas, Nevada. Speakers not registered in advance
may register at the door but are not guaranteed the opportunity to
testify, depending on time constraints (all individuals will also be
able to comment in writing or on tape). Individuals testifying on their
own behalf will be allowed 5 minutes. Groups or organizations must
designate one individual to testify as the official representative, and
each group will be allocated ten minutes for an oral presentation.
Individuals and organizations may submit written comments in addition
to oral testimony. Time allowed is exclusive of any time consumed by
questions from the government panel and answers to these questions.
Testimony from individuals and representatives of organizations is
limited to one hearing location. In order to ensure that all
individuals and groups are given an opportunity to testify,
substitutions will not be permitted for any pre-registered person.
Registrants will not be permitted to yield their time to other
individuals or groups, nor will hearing time be used to ``read into the
record'' testimony from individuals not present at the hearings. In the
event any person wishes to enter comments for the record, but either
cannot or does not appear personally at the hearings, EPA will accept
written comments during the hearings and other meetings. These written
comments will be considered to the same extent as oral testimony and
will be included as part of the official hearings transcripts. The
hearing transcript will constitute the official record of the hearings.
Written comments submitted outside of the public hearings must be
received by EPA Docket OAR-2005-0083 in Washington, DC, by November 21,
2005. All comments received by EPA, whether written or oral, will be
given equal consideration in development of the final rule.
III. How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?
EPA is providing numerous ways for the public to provide comments
for us to consider in developing our final rule. First, the Agency has
scheduled two public hearings in Nevada and one in Washington, DC. A
Federal Register notice has been published with times, locations, and
format of the meetings. In addition, you may submit comments
electronically, by mail, by facsimile, or through hand delivery/
courier. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, identify the appropriate
docket identification number in the subject line on the first page of
your comment. Please ensure that your comments are submitted by
November 21, 2005. Comments received after that date will be marked
``late.'' EPA is not required to consider these late comments, but will
do so at its discretion.
To submit comments electronically:
Follow the instructions at the Federal e-Rulemaking Web
site: http://www.regulations.gov, OR
Go to EPA's E-Docket for item OAR-2005-0083, click on
submit comment, OR,
E-mail comments to: a-and-r-docket@epa.gov and specify
``to the attention of Docket ID No. OAR-2005-0083.''
Do not use e-mail or the E-Docket to submit confidential business
information or other legally protected information.
Send comments by surface mail to:
EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Air and Radiation Docket, Environmental
Protection Agency, EPA West, Mail Code 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket ID No. OAR-2005-0083.
Send comments by fax to: 202-566-1741, Attention: Docket ID. No.
OAR-2005-0083.
Deliver comments by courier or in-person to:
Air and Radiation Docket, EPA Docket Center, (EPA/DC), EPA West,
Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC.
Dated: September 20, 2005.
William L. Wehrum,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 05-19256 Filed 9-26-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P