[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 176 (Friday, September 11, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48728-48729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24478]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6159-6]


Peer Review Meeting on the Hudson River PCBs Reassessment RI/FS 
Phase 2 Report Entitled ``Preliminary Model Calibration Report (PMCR)''

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of a Scientific Peer Review meeting to review EPA's 
Preliminary Model Calibration Report (PMCR).

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SUMMARY: Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG), a U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) contractor, has scheduled a scientific peer 
review meeting to review the ``Preliminary Model Calibration Report 
(PMCR).'' This report is one of several reports that comprise the basis 
for EPA's reassessment of the PCB-contaminated portions of the upper 
Hudson River. This report includes data and information used to make 
projections of future concentrations of PCBs in water, sediment, and 
fish tissue as well as the rationale for selection of calibration data 
sets and projections for the Thompson Island Pool.

DATES: The scientific peer review meeting will be held on September 9 
and 10, 1998, from 9:00 a.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m. each day. The 
public is invited to attend the scientific peer review meeting. There 
is no charge for attending the meeting; however, seating is limited so 
advance registration is suggested.

ADDRESSES: The scientific peer review meeting will be held at the 
Sheraton Saratoga Springs Hotel and Conference Center, 534 Broadway, 
Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866. To make hotel reservations, please call 
the hotel directly at (518) 584-4000. Reference the ``PCBs Peer Review 
Meeting'' to receive the group rate. The Sheraton Saratoga Springs 
Hotel and Conference Center is located off Exit 15 of I-87 (Adirondack 
Northway). If traveling North on I-87, turn left off Exit 15. At the 
fifth traffic light, turn left onto Rock Street. At the stop sign, turn 
right onto Maple Avenue. The Sheraton parking lot is on the right. If 
traveling South on I-87, turn right off Exit 15. At the fourth traffic 
light, turn left onto Rock Street. At the stop sign turn right onto 
Maple Avenue. The Sheraton parking lot is on the right. Members of the 
public wishing to attend the meeting may contact EPA's contractor, 
Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG), by calling the ERG meeting 
registration line at (781) 674-7374.
    The document to be peer reviewed, entitled ``Preliminary Model 
Calibration Report (PMCR),'' may be obtained by contacting Damien 
Hughes, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region II, Emergency and 
Remedial Response Division, 290 Broadway, 20th Floor, New York, NY, 
10007-1866; telephone (212) 637-3957; fax (212) 637-4284. When 
ordering, please provide your name, mailing address, and the document 
title.
    The PMCR also will be available for public inspection at the EPA 
Region II Library, 290 Broadway, 16th Floor, New York, NY, 10007-1866, 
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except for federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) has contracted with Eastern

[[Page 48729]]

Research Group, Inc. (ERG) to manage and conduct the peer review. To 
attend the meeting contact ERG's registration line at (781) 674-7374, 
and reference the ``PCBs Peer Review Meeting.'' A limited amount of 
time will be set aside for members of the public to present brief oral 
comments regarding the Preliminary Model Calibration Report (PMCR) to 
the peer review panel or for public record on each day of the meeting. 
Oral presentations will be limited to a maximum of 5 minutes, and the 
number of people giving oral comment may be limited by the time 
available. Opportunity for making oral comment will be provided on a 
first-come, first-served basis; therefore, the public is encouraged to 
register in advance to present oral comments by contacting ERG's 
registration line at (781) 674-7374.
    For general questions about the overall Hudson River PCBs 
Reassessment, contact Ann Rychlenski, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Region II, Communications Division, 290 Broadway, New York, NY, 
10007-1866, (212) 637-3672.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: From about 1947 to 1977, approximately 1.1 
million pounds of PCBs were discharged into the Hudson River from two 
General Electric (GE) Company capacitor manufacturing plants located in 
Fort Edward and Hudson Falls, New York. The U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) has classified PCBs as probable human 
carcinogens. In 1983, a 197-mile stretch of the Hudson River from 
Hudson Falls to the Battery in New York City was classified as a 
Superfund site. In 1984, EPA made an interim no-action decision for the 
contaminated upper Hudson River sediments.
    In 1990, EPA began the reassessment of its no-action decision of 
PCB-contaminated sediments in the upper Hudson River. Because of the 
size and complexity of the site and the high degree of public interest 
associated with this project, EPA decided to conduct the reassessment 
in three phases, issuing reports to the public as work progressed. 
Phase 2, the largest in scope, was further broken down into six 
segments. EPA's eventual remedial decision for this site will depend on 
the information contained in all three phases of the project and in all 
associated reports, and how that information fits together as a whole. 
The reports consist of the following:
    Phase 1 Report--This report compiled and analyzed existing data 
relevant to PCB contamination in the Hudson River. The report also 
included a preliminary ecological risk assessment and a preliminary 
human health risk assessment. The Phase 1 Report was released in August 
1991.
    Phase 2 Report--The Phase 2 Report consists of seven separately 
issued reports:
     Database Report--The report is a guide to understanding 
the information contained in the database and where to find it. The 
database includes EPA's Phase 2 data from the New York State Department 
of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), General Electric (GE), the U.S. 
Geological Survey (USGS), and other sources. EPA's database is 
available to the public on CD-ROM. An explanation of the database is 
contained in the Database Report, but the report did not include any 
analyses or findings. The report was released in November 1995; the CD-
ROM was released in March 1996. An update to the database is expected 
in July 1998.
     Preliminary Model Calibration Report--This report includes 
groundwork for projections of future concentrations of PCBs in water, 
sediment, and fish tissue; rationale for selection of calibration data 
sets; and projections for the Thompson Island Pool. The report provides 
interested parties with an opportunity to review and comment on the 
assumptions used in the models developed for the reassessment. The 
report was released in October 1996.
     Data Evaluation and Interpretation Report--This report 
contains geochemical analysis of data from water columns and high-
resolution sediment coring investigations; evaluation of these data to 
determine relationships between parameters; and evaluation of PCB 
sources. This report, which complements the computer modeling, was 
released in February 1997.
     Low Resolution Coring Report--This report contains 
information that describes the technical approach for the Low 
Resolution Coring Program, field sampling procedures, and sample 
analysis. The report also interprets the results of the program, 
presents evidence on how the low-resolution coring results build on 
previously collected Phase 2 data, and examines PCB inventories in the 
area of study.
     Baseline Modeling Report--This report will provide 
projections of future concentrations of PCBs in water, sediment, and 
fish tissue without remediation; will include the interpretation of the 
low-resolution sediment coring data; and will provide interested 
parties an opportunity to review the baseline model projections prior 
to their incorporation into the risk assessments.
     Ecological Risk Assessment--This report will include the 
evaluation and interpretation of the ecological field data, further the 
Phase I ecological risk assessment, and present the ecological risk to 
certain organisms associated with the site.
     Human Health Risk Assessment--This report will present the 
human health risks associated with the site. It includes cancer and 
non-cancer risks from consumption of fish and other exposure pathways 
from the upper Hudson River, will include the most current PCB toxicity 
values adopted by EPA in the risk calculation, and will qualitatively 
address endocrine disruption effects.
    Phase 3 Report--The Phase 3 Report will consist of the Feasibility 
Study, a detailed analysis of remedial alternatives, the running of 
models for each remedial scenario, and a calculation of risk reduction 
for each scenario.
    The above reassessment reports taken together, along with the 
public comment received on them, will assist EPA in formulating a 
Proposed Plan for the Site, in which the Agency will propose its 
preferred remedy for the Site.
    Only the Preliminary Model Calibration Report (PMCR) and related 
supplemental documents will be the subject of the scientific peer 
review meeting to be held on September 9 and 10, 1998; the Phase 1 
Report, the other Phase 2 Reports, and the Phase 3 Report will not be 
addressed.

    Dated: September 1, 1998.
William J. Muszynski,
Deputy Regional Administrator, Region 2.
[FR Doc. 98-24478 Filed 9-10-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U