[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 143 (Friday, July 25, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40073-40074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19666]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPTS-400115; FRL-5733-3]


Request for Nominations to the Toxics Data Reporting Committee of 
the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of request for nominations.

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SUMMARY: EPA is inviting nominations of candidates to consider for 
appointment to fill vacancies on the Toxics Data Reporting (TDR) 
Committee of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and 
Technology (NACEPT). Nominations will be accepted until 5 p.m. EST, 
August 18, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit nominations to: Cassandra Vail, Designated Federal 
Official, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Mail Stop 7408, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC 
20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Price at 202-260-3372, e-
mail: [email protected] for specific information regarding 
the TDR Committee and the stakeholder dialogue.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NACEPT is a federal advisory committee under 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Pub. Law 92-463. NACEPT provides 
advice and recommendations to the Administrator of EPA on a broad range 
of environmental policy issues. The TDR is a committee created under 
the auspices of NACEPT.
    On April 22, 1997, EPA finalized a rule under the Emergency 
Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) section 313 
adding seven new industry sectors to the Toxics Release Inventory 
program. These newly added industry groups include: metal mining, coal 
mining, electric utilities, commercial hazardous waste treatment, 
chemicals and allied products-wholesale, petroleum bulk terminals and 
plants-wholesale, and solvent recovery services. These are all industry 
sectors which will provide significant information on TRI chemicals and 
which are engaged in activities directly related to the support of 
manufacturing activities currently covered under TRI. Certain 
facilities within these industry groups will begin to report to TRI for 
activities conducted during the 1998 calendar year with reports 
submitted by July 1, 1999.
    In finalizing the industry expansion rule, the Vice President 
announced that EPA would initiate an intensive stakeholder process to 
comprehensively evaluate the current reporting forms and reporting 
practices relating to the TRI program. The goals of this process will 
be to improve the type of right-to-know information available to 
communities and to help streamline right-to-know reporting to ease the 
paperwork burden for businesses affected by the requirements. EPA plans 
to use the TDR Committee under NACEPT as one avenue to gain input from 
stakeholders on this issue. Below are some possible topics for 
discussion in the TDR Committee:
      Format of the Form R.
      Nomenclature used in the Form R.
      Opportunities for burden reduction in both the Form R and 
Form A.
      Additional clarification of the elements in the Form R.
      EPA's presentation of the data in public information 
documents.
    EPA expects to receive specific recommendations from NACEPT for

[[Page 40074]]

changes, modifications, deletions, and/or additions of data elements to 
the Form R and the Form A. The recommendations will include information 
on how the changes or modifications will improve the type of right-to-
know information available to communities or streamline the paperwork 
burden for businesses. In making recommendations to EPA, NACEPT will 
also identify a priority level for those recommendations.
    EPA will review the recommendations received from NACEPT and use 
them to make decisions about changes to the Form R and Form A. Changes 
to the Forms will be made as expeditiously as possible depending on 
whether these changes can be made administratively versus through 
notice and comment rulemaking.
    EPA is seeking nominations for representation from all sectors, 
including state and local agencies, industry, environmental groups, 
public health groups, unions, small business, and community 
organizations.
    Nominations for membership must include a resume and short 
biography describing the educational and professional qualifications of 
the nominee and the nominee's current business address and daytime 
telephone number. EPA plans to have the first meeting of this committee 
in September or October of this year and a total of approximately six 
or seven meetings over the course of the next year. Prospective 
nominees should consider the fact that serving on this committee is a 
serious time commitment. In addition, please consider that a Council 
Chair may consider the removal of a Council member if the member has 
missed two consecutive meetings of the Council.

    Dated: July 22, 1997.
Christine M. Augustyniak,
Acting Director, Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics.

[FR Doc. 97-19666 Filed 7-24-97; 8:45 am]
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