[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 20, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79831-79832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-32398]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6919-2]


Science Advisory Board; Notification of Public Advisory Committee 
Meetings

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, 
notice is hereby given of two meetings of the Drinking Water Committee 
(DWC) of the US EPA Science Advisory Board on the dates and times noted 
below. All times noted are Eastern Daylight Time. All meetings are open 
to the public, however, seating is limited and available on a first 
come basis. Important Notice: Documents that are the subject of SAB 
reviews are normally available from the originating EPA office and are 
not available from the SAB Office--information concerning availability 
of documents from the relevant Program Office is included below.

Drinking Water Committee (DWC) Meetings--January 11-12, 2001 and 
February 28, 2001

    The Drinking Water Committee of the US EPA Science Advisory Board 
(SAB), will meet on January 11 and 12, 2001 in Room 120/126 of the 
Andrew W. Breidenbach Environmental Research Center, 26 West Martin 
Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268; telephone (513) 569-7772. The 
meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. on January 11 and adjourn no later than 
3:00 p.m. on January 12, 2001.
    A followup meeting is scheduled for February 28, 2001 to address 
any remaining issues that might arise as a result of the January 11-12, 
2001 discussions. This meeting will be coordinated through a conference 
call connection in room 6013 Ariel Rios North (6th Floor), U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC. The public is strongly encouraged to attend the meeting 
through a telephonic link, but may attend physically if arrangements 
are made with the SAB staff by noon Friday, February 23. Additional 
instructions about how to participate in the conference call can be 
obtained by calling Ms. Dorothy Clark at (202) 564-4537, or via e-mail 
at: [email protected] by noon Friday, February 23.
    Purpose of the Meeting--The Drinking Water Committee will continue 
its review of EPA's draft research plan in support of the Safe Drinking 
Water Act's Contaminant Candidate Listing (CCL) program.

Background

    Research Plan for Candidate Contaminant Listing (CCL)--The Safe 
Drinking Water Act (SDWA), as amended in 1996, requires the EPA to 
establish a list of unregulated microbiological and chemical 
contaminants to aid in priority setting for the Agency's drinking water 
program. A new list must be published every five years. The first 
Contaminant Candidate List (CCL1) was first proposed by EPA in 1997 and 
was then finalized in 1998, following extensive consultation with 
stakeholders.
    The Agency must select five or more contaminants from the CCL1 and 
determine, by August 2001, whether they should be regulated. To support 
these decisions, the Agency will have to evaluate when and where these 
contaminants occur, the extent of exposure and risk to public health, 
and determine if cost effective control methods are available.
    EPA has sorted CCL1 contaminants into categories depending upon 
whether they need additional research (Research or Occurrence 
Priorities categories) or have sufficient data for the evaluation of 
exposure and risk to public health, and therefore enough data to 
support a drinking water standard (Regulatory Determination Priorities 
category). The contaminants considered for selection and regulatory 
determination by August

[[Page 79832]]

2001 will be drawn from the Regulatory Determination category and are 
not duplicated under the Research or Occurrence Priorities categories.
    A Research Plan has been prepared to describe the nature, timing 
and priority of research needed in order to meet the CCL research 
information needs of the Agency. The plan focuses on contaminants that 
are on CCL1. Nevertheless, it is important for some research to be 
conducted on emerging pathogens and chemicals to ensure that any future 
CCL includes contaminants that are of potential public health concern. 
The SAB has been asked to review this plan.
    The DWC began its discussion of the CCL Research Plan at its 
meeting on August 8-9, 2000 (for further information, see 65 Federal 
Register 44051-44053). The charge questions were discussed by panelists 
and as a result of the discussions the Committee decided to prepare an 
Advisory to EPA noting its preliminary advice and the need for 
additional information [An SAB Advisory on EPA's Draft Contaminant 
Candidate List (CCL) Research Plan; EPA-SAB-DWC-ADV-00-007--copies are 
available at www.epa.gov/sab under the REPORTS heading]. The discussion 
at the January 11-12, 2001 DWC meeting will focus on the revised 
Research Plan and begin its drafting of the final report to the 
Administrator.
    Charge to the Committee--EPA asks whether: (i) it considered the 
appropriate existing information about CCL contaminants in formulating 
the Plan; (ii) it identified the key science questions; (iii) they 
identified appropriate research by subject and scope to address the 
identified science questions; (iv) the relative priorities and 
timetable proposed for the planned research are appropriate; and (v) 
the process used to identify data gaps and prioritize research needs is 
sound.
    Availability of Review Materials--Additional information on the 
materials provided to the Committee for its CCL Research Plan review 
can be obtained by contacting Dr. Robert Clark, US EPA, National Risk 
Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH by telephone at (513) 
569-7201 or by e-mail at [email protected].
    For Further Information--Any member of the public wishing further 
information concerning this meeting or wishing to submit brief oral 
comments (10 minutes or less) must contact Thomas O. Miller, Designated 
Federal Officer, Science Advisory Board (1400A), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone (202) 564-4558; FAX (202) 501-0582; or via e-mail at 
[email protected]. Requests for oral comments must be in writing (e-
mail, fax or mail) and received by Mr. Miller no later than noon 
Eastern Time on August 2, 2000.

Providing Oral or Written Comments at SAB Meetings

    It is the policy of the Science Advisory Board to accept written 
public comments of any length, and to accommodate oral public comments 
whenever possible. The Science Advisory Board expects that public 
statements presented at its meetings will not be repetitive of 
previously submitted oral or written statements. Oral Comments: In 
general, each individual or group requesting an oral presentation at a 
face-to-face meeting will be limited to a total time of ten minutes. 
For teleconference meetings, opportunities for oral comment will 
usually be limited to no more than three minutes per speaker and no 
more than fifteen minutes total. Deadlines for getting on the public 
speaker list for a meeting are given above. Speakers should bring at 
least 35 copies of their comments and presentation slides for 
distribution to the reviewers and public at the meeting. Written 
Comments: Although the SAB accepts written comments until the date of 
the meeting (unless otherwise stated), written comments should be 
received in the SAB Staff Office at least one week prior to the meeting 
date so that the comments may be made available to the committee for 
their consideration. Comments should be supplied to the appropriate DFO 
at the address/contact information noted above in the following 
formats: one hard copy with original signature, and one electronic copy 
via e-mail (acceptable file format: WordPerfect, Word, or Rich Text 
files (in IBM-PC/Windows 95/98 format). Those providing written 
comments and who attend the meeting are also asked to bring 25 copies 
of their comments for public distribution.
    General Information-- Additional information concerning the Science 
Advisory Board, its structure, function, and composition, may be found 
on the SAB Website (http://www.epa.gov/sab) and in The FY1999 Annual 
Report of the Staff Director which is available from the SAB 
Publications Staff at (202) 564-4533 or via fax at (202) 501-0256. 
Committee rosters, draft Agendas and meeting calendars are also located 
on our website.
    Meeting Access--Individuals requiring special accommodation at this 
meeting, including wheelchair access to the conference room, should 
contact Mr. Miller at least five business days prior to the meeting so 
that appropriate arrangements can be made.

    Dated: December 8, 2000.
Donald Barnes,
Staff Director, Science Advisory Board.
[FR Doc. 00-32398 Filed 12-19-00; 8:45 am]
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