[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 219 (Monday, November 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61874-61875]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-29765]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6475-1]


Peer Review of Agency Draft Mercury Research Strategy

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: This document announces a workshop organized by Eastern 
Research Group, Inc., a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
contractor, to obtain scientific peer review of an EPA Office of 
Research and Development (ORD) draft Research Strategy entitled: 
Mercury Research Strategy.

DATES: The peer review workshop will begin at 9 a.m. and end no later 
than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 8, 1999, and begin at 8:30 a.m. and 
end no later than 4 p.m. on Thursday, December 9,

[[Page 61875]]

1999. Members of the public may attend as observers. Due to limited 
space, seating at the meetings will be on a first-come first-serve 
basis.

ADDRESSES: The peer review workshop will be held at the Holiday Inn 
Capitol, 550 C Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024. To attend the workshop 
as an observer, contact Eastern Research Group, Inc., Telephone: (781) 
674-7374. Space is limited so please register early.

AVAILABILITY OF REVIEW MATERIALS: An electronic version of the draft 
Research Strategy is accessible on EPA's National Center for 
Environmental Assessment (NCEA) home page via the Internet at http://
www.epa.gov/ncea/new.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The EPA has contracted with Eastern 
Research Group, Inc., (ERG, Inc., 110 Hartwell Avenue, Lexington, 
Massachusetts 02421). To attend the meeting as an observer, please 
preregister by calling ERG at 781-674-7374 or fax a registration 
request to 781-674-2906. Upon registration, you will be sent an agenda 
and a logistical fact sheet.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ERG is convening the peer review panel to 
review a draft Mercury Research Strategy. The peer review panel is 
requested to comment on the extent to which the Research Strategy 
clearly identifies the appropriate strategic directions for a research 
program to answer key scientific questions for mercury risk assessment 
and risk management over the next five years, describes the rationale 
for, and the expected benefits of, EPA's Mercury Research Program and 
outlines the relative emphasis and timing of the research activities. 
ORD expects the Mercury Research Strategy to guide development of more 
detailed implementation plans and serve as a resource for Agency 
managers who must make decisions about research priorities and budgets.
    After considering recommendations from extramural advisory groups, 
as well as senior scientists from across EPA's Program and Regional 
Offices, ORD has identified in the Research Strategy the strategic 
directions for its Mercury Research Program. While the Research 
Strategy delineates the research areas comprising the framework for the 
Mercury Research Program, the details of the research areas, including 
the scientific approach at the individual project level, and the 
anticipated products, performance measures, and schedules, will be 
included in subsequent research plans and are not a part of this 
Research Strategy. ERG is undertaking the establishment of a peer 
review panel to review the Research Strategy.

    Dated: November 8, 1999
Harold Zenick,
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Science, Office of Research 
and Development.
[FR Doc. 99-29765 Filed 11-12-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P