[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 116 (Friday, June 15, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32621-32622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-15146]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6996-3]


Preliminary Draft Staff Paper for Particulate Matter

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of a draft for public review and comment.

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SUMMARY: On June 13, 2001, the Office of Air Quality Planning and 
Standards (OAQPS)of EPA will make available for public review and 
comment a preliminary draft document, Review of the National Ambient 
Air Quality Standards for Particulate Matter: Policy Assessment of 
Scientific and Technical Information (Preliminary Draft Staff Paper). 
The purpose of the Staff Paper is to evaluate the policy implications 
of the key scientific and technical information contained in a related 
EPA document, Air Quality Criteria for Particulate Matter, required 
under sections 108 and 109 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for use in the 
periodic review of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) 
for particulate matter (PM). The OAQPS also will make available for 
public review and comment a draft EPA document entitled, Particulate 
Matter NAAQS Risk Analysis Scoping Plan.

DATES: Comments on the preliminary draft Staff Paper and draft Risk 
Analysis Scoping Plan should be submitted on or before July 12, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the preliminary draft Staff Paper should be 
submitted to Dr. Mary Ross, Office of Air Quality Planning and 
Standards (MD-15), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research 
Triangle Park, NC 27711; e-mail: [email protected];

[[Page 32622]]

telephone: (919) 541-5170; fax: (919) 541-0237.
    Comments on the draft Risk Analysis Scoping Plan should be 
submitted to Mr. Harvey Richmond, Office of Air Quality Planning and 
Standards (MD-15), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research 
Triangle Park, NC 27711; e-mail: [email protected]; telephone: 
(919) 541-5271; fax: (919) 541-0237.

Availability of Related Information

    Single copies of the preliminary draft Staff Paper and draft Risk 
Analysis Scoping Plan may be obtained without charge by contacting Mary 
Ross at the address or telephone number listed above. Please include 
name, address, telephone number, e-mail if available, and delivery 
preference (mail or e-mail delivery).

Electronic Availability

    The preliminary draft Staff Paper and draft Risk Analysis Scoping 
Plan can also be obtained online at the Agency's OAQPS Technology 
Transfer Network (TTN) under the technical area of Office of Air and 
Radiation Policy and Guidance (OAR P&G), and under the heading of 
``Staff Papers'' at the following internet web site: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t1sp.html If assistance is needed in accessing 
the system, call the help desk at (919) 541-5384 in Research Triangle 
Park, NC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Mary Ross at the address and 
telephone number given above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EPA is currently reviewing the NAAQS for 
PM. Sections 108 and 109 of the CAA require that EPA carry out a 
periodic review and revision, where appropriate, of the scientific 
criteria and the NAAQS for ``criteria'' air pollutants such as PM. 
Details of EPA's plans for review of the NAAQS for PM were announced in 
a previous Federal Register notice (62 FR 55201, October 23, 1997). The 
second external review draft of the Air Quality Criteria for 
Particulate Matter was recently made available for public review and 
comment (66 FR 18929, April 12, 2001).
    The purpose of the Staff Paper is to evaluate the policy 
implications of the key scientific and technical information contained 
in the Air Quality Criteria document and identify critical elements 
that EPA staff believe should be considered in reviewing the NAAQS. The 
Staff Paper is intended to ``bridge the gap'' between the scientific 
review contained in the Air Quality Criteria document and the public 
health and welfare policy judgments required of the Administrator in 
reviewing the NAAQS (Natural Resources Defense Council v. 
Administrator, 902 F.2d 962, 967 (D.C. Cir. 1990).
    This preliminary draft Staff Paper includes preliminary assessments 
of the scientific and technical information contained in the draft Air 
Quality Criteria document and discusses proposed analyses to be 
conducted for inclusion in a subsequent draft Staff Paper. Staff 
conclusions and recommendations on the PM NAAQS are not included in 
this preliminary draft but will be included in a subsequent draft to be 
made available for further review and comment as indicated below.
    The draft Risk Analysis Scoping Plan describes EPA's plans and 
approach for conducting PM health risk analyses that will be summarized 
and discussed in the next draft of the Staff Paper.
    The preliminary draft Staff Paper and draft Risk Analysis Scoping 
Plan, along with the second external review draft of the Air Quality 
Criteria for PM, will be reviewed at an upcoming public meeting of the 
Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) of EPA's Science 
Advisory Board. A future Federal Register notice will inform the public 
of the date and location of that meeting. Following the CASAC meeting, 
EPA will prepare a revised draft Staff Paper, taking into account 
public and CASAC comments, and will make the revised draft available 
for further review and comment by CASAC and the public.

    Dated: June 7, 2001.
Anna B. Duncan,
Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 01-15146 Filed 6-14-01; 8:45 am]
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