[Federal Register: May 16, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 94)]
[Notices]
[Page 28324-28325]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16my06-74]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8170-8]
National Environmental Justice Advisory Council; Notification of
Public Meeting and Public Comment
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notification of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public
Law 92-463, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hereby
provides notice that the National Environmental Justice Advisory
Council (NEJAC) will meet on the dates and times described below. All
meetings are open to the public. Members of the public are encouraged
to provide comments relevant to the specific issues being considered by
the NEJAC. For additional information about registering for public
comment, please see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Due to limited space,
seating at the NEJAC meeting will be on a first-come basis.
DATES: The NEJAC meeting will take place at the Washington Plaza Hotel,
10 Thomas Circle, NW., Washington, DC 20005. On-site registration for
the NEJAC meeting will begin on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 at 11 a.m. The
NEJAC will convene Tuesday, June 20, 2006, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The
NEJAC will reconvene on Wednesday, June 21, 2006, from 8:30 a.m. to 5
p.m., and Thursday, June 22, 2006, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. One public
comment session relevant to the specific issues being considered by the
NEJAC is scheduled for Tuesday, June 20, 2006, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
All times noted are Eastern Time. Members of the public who wish to
participate in the public comment period are encouraged to pre-register
by Wednesday, June 14, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Correspondence concerning the meeting
should be sent to Ms. Victoria Robinson, NEJAC Program Manager, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, at 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
(MC2201A), Washington, DC 20460; via e-mail at
environmental-justice-epa@epa.gov; by telephone at (202) 564-6349; or by FAX at (202) 564-
1624. Additional information about the meeting is available at the
Internet Web site: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/environmentaljustice/nejac/meetings.html
.
Pre-registration for all attendees is recommended. To register
online, visit the Web site above. Requests for registration forms
should be sent to Ms. Julianne Pardi of ICF International at: 9300 Lee
Highway, Fairfax, Virginia 22031; Telephone: (703) 934-3873; E-mail:
jpardi@icfi.com, or FAX: (703) 934-3270. Hearing-impaired individuals
or non-English speaking attendees wishing to arrange for a sign
language or foreign language interpreter, may make appropriate
arrangements using these numbers also.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Charter of the NEJAC states that the
advisory committee shall provide independent advice to the
Administrator on areas that may include, among other things, ``advice
on EPA's progress, quality and adequacy in planning, developing and
implementing environmental justice strategies, projects and programs''
relating to environment justice. In order to provide such independent
advice, the Agency requests that the NEJAC convene a focused, issue-
oriented public meeting in Washington, DC. To help prepare for this
specific focused policy issue meeting the following background
information is provided:
The meeting shall be used to receive comments on, discuss, and
analyze what mechanisms will most effectively:
[[Page 28325]]
(1) Ensure continuation of timely, relevant and cogent public policy
advice on environmental justice issues/concerns; (2) enable impacted
communities to continue to raise concerns to government agencies; (3)
support continued partnership-building and problem-solving capacity
among EPA's regulatory partners and other environmental justice
stakeholders; and (4) promote opportunities for training and sharing
lessons learned for all stakeholders involved in the environmental
justice dialogue. The Agency, furthermore, requests that the NEJAC
produce a comprehensive report on the differing views, interests,
concerns, and perspectives expressed by the stakeholder participants on
the focused policy issue, and provide advice and recommendations for
the Agency's review and consideration.
In order to fulfill this charge, the NEJAC is being asked to
discuss and provide recommendations regarding the following broad
public policy questions:
What venues and other mechanisms would be most effective
for EPA to continue to obtain public policy advice on specific
environmental justice issues/concerns?
What mechanisms would be most effective for EPA to receive
timely advice on specific environmental justice issues/concerns that
require action or decision on short notice?
What are the best mechanisms to continue to build a
collaborative problem-solving capacity to address environmental justice
issues/concerns among EPA's regulatory partners and other environmental
justice stakeholders?
In addition, the NEJAC will deliberate on two draft reports: (1)
the Gulf Coast Hurricanes Workgroup's draft advice and recommendations
on the environmental justice issues related to natural disasters such
as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and (2) the Waste and Facility Siting
Subcommittee's draft report, ``Unintended Impacts of Redevelopment and
Revitalization Efforts in Five Environmental Justice Communities.''
Documents that are the subject of NEJAC reviews normally are available
from the originating EPA office and are not available from the NEJAC.
The Gulf Coast Hurricanes Workgroup's draft advice and
recommendations responds to the following question:
How can EPA effectively address the vulnerabilities of all
communities to public health and environmental risks and harms,
including minority and low-income communities, in EPA's response and
rebuilding, and preparedness and prevention efforts, in the
aftermath of natural disasters similar to Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita, pursuant to the National Response Plan and applicable
statutory authorities and their implementing regulations, as well as
Executive Order 12898?
The Waste and Facility Siting Subcommittee's draft report provides
draft advice and recommendations based upon lessons learned regarding
unintended impacts of successful brownfields cleanup at redevelopment
and revitalization projects in five minority, low-income, and/or tribal
communities.
Public Comment: Individuals or groups making oral presentations
during the public comment period will be limited to a total time of
five minutes. Only one representative of a community, an organization,
or a group will be allowed to speak. Any number of written comments can
be submitted for the record. The suggested format for individuals
making public comment should be as follows: Name of Speaker, Name of
Organization/Community, Address/Telephone/E-mail, Description of
Concern and its Relationship to the policy issue(s), and
Recommendations or desired outcome. If you wish to submit written
comments of any length, at least 50 copies should be received by
Friday, June 14, 2006. Written comments received after that date will
be provided to the NEJAC as logistics allow. All information should be
sent to the address, e-mail, or fax number listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section above.
Dated: May 10, 2006.
Charles Lee,
Designated Federal Officer, National Environmental Justice Advisory
Council.
[FR Doc. E6-7410 Filed 5-15-06; 8:45 am]
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