[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 223 (Friday, November 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63315-63316]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-30240]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6479-1]


Science Advisory Board; Notification of Public Advisory Committee 
Meeting

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, 
notice is hereby given that the Environmental Models Subcommittee (EMS) 
of the Science Advisory Board's (SAB) Executive Committee, will meet 
Monday and Tuesday December 13 and 14, 1999 in the Environmental 
Research Center (ERC) Classroom No. 2, Highway 54 & Alexander Drive, at 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North 
Carolina 27711. The meeting will begin at 9:00 am on December 13 and 
adjourn no later than 5:00 pm on December 14th (Eastern Time). This 
meeting is open to the public, however, seating is limited and 
available on a first come basis. Documents that are the subject of SAB 
reviews are normally available from the originating U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) office and are not available from the SAB 
Office. Public drafts of SAB reports are available to the Agency and 
the public from the SAB office. Details on availability are noted 
below.

Purpose

    The purpose of this meeting is to: (a) Conduct an advisory on the 
Agency's Total Risk Integrated Methodology (TRIM) as part of a 
continuing review of this modeling system which is being developed by 
the Office of Air and Radiation (OAR), Office of Air Quality Planning 
and Standards (OAQPS) to support the Agency's regulatory decision 
making for air pollutants; (b) receive an update and briefing on the 
workplan for implementation of activities of the Council for Regulatory 
Environmental Modeling (CREM); and (c) conduct planning for the Fiscal 
Year 2000 activities of the Environmental Models Subcommittee (EMS) of 
the Science Advisory Board (SAB), such as a possible future review of 
the MINTEQA2 model.

SAB Advisory on TRIM

    The Agency's OAR is developing TRIM which is intended to support 
the Agency's regulatory decision making for air pollutants. The intent 
in creating TRIM with a flexible framework using open architecture is 
that it will provide the Agency with essential multi-media, multi-
pathway air pollutant modeling capabilities in the short term, as well 
as allow the Agency to take advantage of future advances made over the 
longer term modeling and monitoring research. The basic charge 
questions the Agency is raising to the SAB's EMS deal with the overall 
TRIM system, as well as the three individual modules. The charge 
questions on the overall TRIM system deal with the TRIM's current 
design, modular approach, and open architecture, as well as the 
scientific reasonableness of plans for addressing uncertainty and 
variability. Questions are being asked by the Agency to the SAB's EMS 
regarding improvements in the ability of TRIM.FaTE to incorporate 
outputs from external models, to model chemical transformation and 
metals, and to incorporate seasonal processes. An additional question 
is focused on issues associated with the incorporation of both 
horizontal and vertical atmospheric dispersion and diffusion 
algorithms, as well as what alternate methods might be recommended to 
incorporate these algorithms. The SAB's EMS will also be asked to 
critique an evaluation plan for TRIM.FaTE. In addition, questions are 
being raised with regard to the adequacy of the TRIM.Expo proposed 
conceptual design and specific algorithms chosen in the modeling 
framework, as well as the adequacy of the conceptual plan for the 
TRIM.Risk module.
    The SAB's EMS will also be updated on the activities and work plan 
for implementation of the Committee for Environmental Regulatory 
Modeling (CREM).

For Further Information

    Copies of the review documents and any background materials for the 
review are not available from the SAB. The TRIM review documents are 
available from the program office by contacting Dr. Deirdre Murphy by 
telephone at (919) 541-0729; by fax at (919) 541-0237, or by E-mail at 
<[email protected]>. The documents that are being provided to the 
SAB's EMS include the following: (1) TRIM Status Report, (2) TRIM.FaTE 
Technical Support Document, Vol. I, (3) TRIM.FaTE Technical Support 
Document, Vol. II, and (4) TRIM.EXPO Technical Support Document. The 
CREM update will be available to the Subcommittee as well as to members 
of the public at the meeting. You may call, fax or E-mail the program 
office for information regarding the status of

[[Page 63316]]

CREM by contacting Mr. Johnnie Pearson by telephone at (919) 541-0572; 
by fax at (919) 541-0445; or by e-mail at <[email protected]> to 
obtain the update materials when they are available.
    Any member of the public wishing further information concerning the 
meeting should contact Dr. K. Jack Kooyoomjian, Designated Federal 
Officer for the Environmental Models Subcommittee, Science Advisory 
Board (1400A), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20460 at (202) 564-4557; by fax (202) 501-0582; or by E-
mail at <[email protected]>. Anyone wishing to make an oral 
presentation at the meeting must contact Dr. Kooyoomjian in writing no 
later than close of business Tuesday, December 7, 1999, at the above 
address, fax or e-mail. The request should identify the name of the 
individual who will make the presentation and an outline of the issues 
to be addressed. Copies of the draft meeting agenda are available from 
Ms. Dorothy Clark, Management Assistant, Committee Operations Staff at 
(202) 564-4537; by fax at (202) 501-0582; or by E-mail at 
<[email protected]>.

Providing Oral or Written Comments at SAB Meetings

    The Science Advisory Board expects that public statements presented 
at its meetings will not repeat previously submitted oral or written 
statements. In general, each individual or group making an oral 
presentation will be limited to a total time of ten minutes. This time 
may be reduced at the discretion of the SAB, depending on meeting 
circumstances. Oral presentations at teleconferences will normally be 
limited to three minutes per speaker or organization. Written comments 
(at least 35 copies) received in the SAB Staff Office sufficiently 
prior to a meeting date, may be mailed to the relevant SAB committee or 
subcommittee prior to its meeting; comments received too close to the 
meeting date will normally be provided to the committee at its meeting. 
Written comments, which may be of any length, may be provided to the 
relevant committee or subcommittee up until the time of the meeting.
    Information concerning the Science Advisory Board, its structure, 
function, and composition, may be found in The Annual Report of the 
Staff Director which is available from the SAB Committee Evaluation and 
Support Staff (CESS) by contacting US EPA, Science Advisory Board 
(1400A), Attention: CESS, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460 or via 
fax (202) 501-0256. Additional information concerning the SAB can be 
found on the SAB Home Page at: http://www.epa.gov/sab.

Meeting Access

    Individuals requiring special accommodation at this meeting, 
including wheelchair access, should contact the appropriate DFO at 
least five business days prior to the meeting so that appropriate 
arrangements can be made.

    Dated: November 10, 1999.
Donald G. Barnes,
Staff Director, Science Advisory Board.
[FR Doc. 99-30240 Filed 11-18-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P