[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66895-66896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-26846]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8739-8]
Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Clean Air Scientific
Advisory Committee (CASAC); Notification of a Public Advisory Committee
Teleconference of the CASAC Oxides of Nitrogen Primary NAAQS Review
Panel
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
[[Page 66896]]
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Science Advisory
Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public teleconference of the Clean
Air Scientific Advisory Committee's (CASAC) Oxides of Nitrogen Primary
NAAQS Review Panel (Panel) to review EPA's completed Risk and Exposure
Assessment to Support the Review of the NO2 Primary National
Ambient Air Quality Standard and to provide advice for EPA to consider
as it develops its Advance Notice for Proposed Rulemaking for nitrogen
dioxide.
DATES: The teleconference will be held on December 5, 2008 from 1 p.m.
to 3 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time).
Location: The public teleconference will be conducted by telephone
only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public who wish to
obtain the call-in number and access code to participate in the
teleconference may contact Dr. Angela Nugent, Designated Federal
Officer (DFO), EPA Science Advisory Board (1400F), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460;
via telephone/voice mail (202) 343-9981; fax (202) 233-0643; or e-mail
at nugent.angela@epa.gov. General information concerning the CASAC and
the CASAC documents cited below can be found on the EPA Web site 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. CASAC
provides advice, information, and recommendations on the scientific and
technical aspects of air quality criteria and national ambient air
quality standards (NAAQS) under sections 108 and 109 of the Act. The
CASAC is a Federal advisory committee chartered under the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C., App. The Panel
will comply with the provisions of FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff
Office procedural policies.
Section 109(d)(1) of the CAA requires that the Agency periodically
review and revise, as appropriate, the air quality criteria and the
NAAQS for the six ``criteria'' air pollutants, including oxides of
nitrogen (NOX). EPA is in the process of reviewing the
primary NAAQS for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), an indicator for
NOX. Primary standards set limits to protect public health,
including the health of ``sensitive'' populations such as asthmatics,
children, and the elderly.
As part of its scientific advice to support EPA's review of the
primary NAAQS for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), CASAC met on
September 9-10, 2008 to conduct a peer review of the Risk and Exposure
Assessment to Support the Review of the NO2 Primary National
Ambient Air Quality Standard: Second Draft (73 FR 43444-43445). At that
time, EPA had not completed chapter eight of the draft assessment
entitled ``Exposure and Health Risk Characterization.'' CASAC also held
a public teleconference on October 22, 2008 to conduct a peer review of
the draft chapter 8 (73 FR 55074-55075).
The public may access completed CASAC advisory reports related to
the primary NO2 NAAQS, including the CASAC reports on the
Risk and Exposure Assessment to Support the Review of the
NO2 Primary National Ambient Air Quality Standard: Second
Draft, on the EPA Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/WebReportsbyTopicCASAC!OpenView.
EPA now plans that the final document will include an additional
chapter (chapter 10) that considers the scientific evidence and
exposure-risk-based information specifically as it relates to the
current and potential alternative standards. At the December 5, 2008
teleconference, the CASAC will review EPA's completed Risk and Exposure
Assessment and provide advice for EPA to consider as it develops its
Advance Notice for Proposed Rulemaking for nitrogen dioxide.
Technical Contact: Any questions concerning Risk and Exposure
Assessment to Support the Review of the NO2 Primary National
Ambient Air Quality Standard should be directed to Dr. Scott Jenkins,
OAR (by telephone (919) 541-1167 or e-mail jenkins.scott@epa.gov.
Availability of Meeting Materials: EPA's Risk and Exposure
Assessment to Support the Review of the NO2 Primary National
Ambient Air Quality Standard will be accessible via the Agency's Office
of Air Quality Planning and Standards Web site at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/nox/s_nox_cr_rea.html on or about November 21,
2008. Agendas and materials supporting the teleconference will be
placed on the EPA Web site before the meeting on the CASAC meeting
page, accessible through the calendar link on the blue navigation bar
at http://www.epa.gov/casac.
Procedures for Providing Public Input: Interested members of the
public may submit relevant written or oral information for the CASAC
Panel to consider during the advisory process. Oral Statements:
Interested members of the public may submit relevant written or oral
information for the SAB Panel to consider during the advisory process.
Oral Statements: In general, individuals or groups requesting an oral
presentation at a public teleconference will be limited to three
minutes per speaker, with no more than a total of 30 minutes for all
speakers. Interested parties should contact Dr. Angela Nugent, DFO, in
writing (preferably via e-mail) by December 1, 2008 at the contact
information noted above to be placed on the public speaker list for
this meeting. Written Statements: Written statements for the public
meeting should be received by Dr. Angela Nugent at the contact
information above by December 1, 2008, so that the information may be
made available to the Panel for their consideration prior to the
teleconference. Written statements should be supplied to the DFO in the
following formats: one hard copy with original signature (optional),
and one electronic copy via e-mail (acceptable file format: Adobe
Acrobat PDF, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, or Rich Text files in IBM-PC/
Windows 98/2000/XP format).
Accessibility: For information on access or services for
individuals with disabilities, please contact Dr. Nugent at the phone
number or e-mail address noted above, preferably at least ten days
prior to the teleconference, to give EPA as much time as possible to
process your request.
Dated: November 5, 2008.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. E8-26846 Filed 11-10-08; 8:45 am]
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