[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 151 (Monday, August 6, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41026-41027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-19570]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7023-1]


Preliminary Draft Staff Paper for Particulate Matter

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On June 15, 2001, the Office of Air Quality Planning and 
Standards (OAQPS)of EPA announced in a Federal Register document (66 FR 
32621) the availability for public review and comment of 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), and a draft EPA document 
entitled Particulate Matter NAAQS Risk Analysis Scoping Plan. In 
response to requests from several commenters, EPA is extending the 
comment period for the preliminary draft Staff Paper beyond the 
original date of July 12, 2001.

DATES: Comments on the preliminary draft Staff Paper should be 
submitted on or before September 28, 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]; telephone: (919) 
541-5170; fax: (919) 541-0237.

Availability of Related Information

    Single copies of the preliminary draft Staff Paper 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 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) at the following internet web site: http//www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/ramain.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 purpose of the Staff Paper is to 
evaluate the policy implications of the key scientific and technical 
information contained in a related document, Air Quality Criteria for 
Particulate Matter (Criteria Document), 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). This preliminary draft Staff Paper includes preliminary 
assessments of the scientific and technical information contained in 
the second external review draft of the Criteria Document (66 FR 18929, 
April 12, 2001) 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 preliminary draft Staff Paper and draft Risk Analysis Scoping 
Plan (along with the second external review draft of the Criteria 
Document) are being reviewed at a public meeting of the Clean Air 
Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) of EPA's Science

[[Page 41027]]

Advisory Board on July 23-24, 2001. For the purposes of that meeting, 
OAQPS staff has reviewed comments on these documents submitted by July 
12, 2001. OAQPS staff will now prepare a revised draft Staff Paper, 
taking into account CASAC comments and public comments received by 
September 28, 2001, as well as any revisions made to the draft Criteria 
Document in light of CASAC and public comments on that document. The 
revised draft Staff Paper will then be made available for review and 
comment by CASAC and the public.
    In conjunction with preparation of a revised draft Staff Paper, 
OAQPS staff will also prepare a more detailed technical methodological 
report on the risk analysis for PM, taking into account CASAC and 
public comments on the draft Scoping Plan. The technical methodological 
report will also be made available for public and CASAC comment prior 
to the preparation of a risk assessment, the results of which will be 
included in the revised draft Staff Paper. Thus, parties interested in 
providing further comments on the PM risk assessment methodology can do 
so in conjunction with review of the more detailed technical 
methodological report that is targeted for release this Fall.

    Dated: July 25, 2001.
Henry C. Thomas,
Acting Director, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
[FR Doc. 01-19570 Filed 8-3-01; 8:45 am]
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