[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 64 (Friday, April 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16502-16503]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8789]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5991-1]


Air Quality: Photochemical Reactivity--Open Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of open meeting.

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SUMMARY: The EPA is holding a 3-day open meeting to discuss the concept 
of photochemical reactivity as it relates to control of volatile 
organic compounds (VOC) for the attainment of the ozone national 
ambient air quality standard. At the workshop, participants will 
discuss various issues related to reactivity policy, what research is 
needed to answer key questions related to those issues, and 
opportunities for participation in a private sector/government 
partnership research effort. The intent of the meeting is to share 
information and ideas with the scientific community rather than to 
reach consensus on issues. The focus of this workshop will be on 
identifying the scientific issues where further research is needed and 
how this research may be carried out.

DATES: The meeting will be held on May 12-14, 1998 from 8:30 am to 5:00 
pm. Persons who preregister by April 13, 1998 will be sent a final 
agenda prior to the meeting.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at: The Regal University Hotel, 
2800 Campus Walk Avenue, Durham, North Carolina 27705. The telephone 
number for the hotel is (919) 383-8575 or 800-222-8888. Persons wishing 
to preregister for the meeting should contact Shonna Okada, EC/R 
Incorporated, 1129 Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Ms. 
Okada's telephone is (919) 933-9501, extension 223, and her fax number 
is (919) 933-6361. Persons interested in making a presentation at the 
meeting should contact Ms. Okada prior to April 13, 1998 and submit a 
one page abstract to her.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Basil Dimitriades, National 
Exposure Research Laboratory, Mail Drop 80, U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, telephone (919) 
541-2706, fax (919) 541-1094, e-mail [email protected]. 
Another contact is William L. Johnson, Ozone Policy and Strategies 
Group, Mail Drop 15, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research 
Triangle Park, NC 27711, telephone (919) 541-5245, fax number (919) 
541-0824, e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EPA is reviewing its photochemical 
reactivity policy, which has existed since 1977, in order to ensure 
that the policy is consistent with the most current scientific 
findings. In connection with this effort, EPA proposes to pursue 
planning and conduct of the requisite new research jointly with the 
private sector in a public-private partnership-type effort within the 
on-going North America Research Strategy for Tropospheric Ozone 
(NARSTO) research program.
    Consistent with the above, the specific objectives of the workshop 
are to: (a) identify on-going research programs in the area of 
photochemical reactivity, (b) identify research tasks needed in 
response to the private industry's and government's concerns, (c) 
identify organizations from the private and government sectors that 
would be willing to commit to become sponsors or co-sponsors of 
research and/or participants in the planning and conduct of the new 
research needed and the analysis and interpretation of the results, and 
(d) lay the management foundations of the proposed public-private 
partnership project. Following the workshop, a Proceedings Report will 
be prepared and distributed to all participants that will include a 
listing of would-be-sponsors/participants and their selections of 
research tasks to sponsor. The workshop should be relevant to research 
organizations with

[[Page 16503]]

an interest in participating in the research program proposed here.
    Although no policy decisions will be made at the meeting, policy 
issues will be discussed in order to bring to light scientific issues 
which must be addressed in the research program. The EPA wants to 
ensure an open dialogue that is not constrained by legal issues. 
However, in developing any new reactivity policy, the Agency will need 
to assess the policy's legal viability. The EPA notes that the Agency 
must comply with current statutory mandates to regulate VOC emissions, 
and that this reconsideration of the Agency's policy does not delay or 
suspend the Agency's obligation to comply with such mandates. If 
additional studies that arise as a result of this workshop justify the 
Agency's reconsideration of any regulatory program in the future, EPA 
will take such action as the Agency deems appropriate at that time. The 
Agency does not intend the workshop to generate consensus advice or 
recommendations for the Agency.

    Dated: March 27, 1998.
Lek Kadeli,
Acting Director, National Exposure Research Laboratory.

Henry C. Thomas,
Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 98-8789 Filed 4-2-98; 8:45 am]
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