[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43865-43867]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21049]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OEI-100009; FRL 6723-2]


Public Meeting to Discuss Guidance Document for Lead and Lead 
Compounds; Community Right-to-Know Toxic Chemical Release Reporting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of pending availability; request for comments and 
request for workgroup members.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On January 17, 2001, EPA published a final rule (66 FR 4499-
4547) that lowered the reporting thresholds for lead and lead 
compounds, under section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community 
Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) and section 6607 of the Pollution 
Prevention Act of 1990 (PPA). With this rulemaking EPA lowered the 
25,000 pound and 10,000 pound manufacturing, processing and otherwise 
use reporting thresholds to 100 pounds (except for lead contained in 
stainless steel, brass, and bronze alloys). EPA is currently developing 
a guidance document intended to assist regulated entities, particularly 
those that are not familiar with completing and submitting EPCRA 
section 313 release reports, in complying with this new regulation. 
This guidance document will provide guidance on: The specific details 
of this new regulation; which facilities must file release reports for 
lead and lead compounds; and methods to estimate releases of lead and 
lead compounds into the environment associated with manufacture, 
processing, use, or waste management activities of lead and lead 
compounds. With this notice EPA is announcing that a public meeting has 
been scheduled to take place on September 24, 2001, in Arlington, 
Virginia to discuss the draft version of this guidance document, which 
will be made available approximately three weeks prior to the meeting. 
EPA is requesting comments on this draft guidance document when it 
becomes available and is also requesting the participation of 
interested stakeholders on a workgroup to assist in the preparation of 
the final guidance document.

DATES: Written comments, identified by the docket control number OEI-
100009, must be received by EPA on or before September 20, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted by mail, electronically, or in 
person. Please follow the detailed instructions for each method as 
provided in Unit I. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this 
document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen C. DeVito, (202) 260-6185, e-
mail: [email protected], for specific information on this notice and 
the guidance document described herein. For more information on EPCRA 
section 313, contact the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know 
Hotline, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 5101, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, Toll free: 1-800-535-
0202, in Virginia and Alaska: (703) 412-9877 or Toll free TDD: 1-800-
553-7672. Information concerning this notice is also available on EPA's 
Web site at http://www.epa.gov/tri.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 43866]]

I. General Information

A. Does this Notice Apply to Me?

    You may be interested in this notice if you manufacture, process, 
or otherwise use lead or lead compounds. Potentially interested 
categories and entities may include, but are not limited to:

 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Examples of Potentially Interested
             Category                             Entities
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Industry                            SIC major group codes 10 (except
                                     1011, 1081, and 1094), 12 (except
                                     1241), or 20 through 39; industry
                                     codes 4911 (limited to facilities
                                     that combust coal and/or oil for
                                     the purpose of generating power for
                                     distribution in commerce); 4931
                                     (limited to facilities that combust
                                     coal and/or oil for the purpose of
                                     generating power for distribution
                                     in commerce); or 4939 (limited to
                                     facilities that combust coal and/or
                                     oil for the purpose of generating
                                     power for distribution in
                                     commerce); or 4953 (limited to
                                     facilities regulated under the
                                     Resource Conservation and Recovery
                                     Act, subtitle C, 42 U.S.C. section
                                     6921 et seq.), or 5169, or 5171, or
                                     7389 (limited to facilities
                                     primarily engaged in solvent
                                     recovery services on a contract or
                                     fee basis)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal Government                  Federal facilities
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This table is not intended to be complete, but rather provides a 
guide for readers regarding entities likely to be interested in this 
notice. Other types of entities not listed in the table could also be 
interested. To determine whether your facility may be interested in 
this notice, you should carefully examine the applicability criteria in 
part 372, subpart B of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations. If 
you have questions regarding the applicability of this notice to a 
particular entity, consult the person listed in the preceding FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

B. How Can I Get Additional Information on the Upcoming Public Meeting, 
and a Copy of the Draft Guidance Document?

    1. Information Pertaining to the Upcoming Public Meeting. Please 
note that there is limited attendance at the public meeting. To 
register to attend the public meeting, please contact Andrea Auerbach 
of the Eastern Research Group, Inc. by electronic mail at 
[email protected] or by telephone at: (781) 674-7374. Upon registering, 
you will receive a confirmation notice including information on the 
hotel, driving directions and other logistics. Information regarding 
the upcoming public meeting may also be obtained by visiting the 
following EPA internet address: http://www.epa.gov/tri, and selecting 
``What's New''.
    2. Obtaining a Copy of the Draft Guidance Document. The draft 
version of the guidance document for which EPA is requesting public 
comment and will be discussed at the public meeting to be held on 
September 24, 2001, is currently under development. The draft version 
will be made available for public comment approximately three weeks 
prior to the public meeting. Copies of the draft version will be made 
available as follows:
    a. Electronically. The draft guidance document for lead and lead 
compounds will be made available for downloading at http://www.epa.gov/tri/. You may obtain electronic copies of this FR notice from the EPA 
internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/. On the Home Page select 
``Laws and Regulations'' and then look up the entry for this document 
under the ``Federal Register--Environmental Documents.'' You can also 
go directly to the ``Federal Register'' listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/ for a copy of this Federal Register notice.
    b. In person. The Agency has established an official record for 
this action under docket control number OEI-100009. The official record 
will consist of the document specifically referenced in this action, 
any public comments received during an applicable comment period, and 
other information related to this action, including any information 
claimed as confidential business information (CBI). This official 
record includes the documents that are physically located in the 
docket, as well as the documents that are referenced in those 
documents. The public version of the official record does not include 
any information claimed as CBI. The public version of the official 
record, which includes printed, paper versions of any electronic 
comments submitted during an applicable comment period, is available 
for inspection in the TSCA Nonconfidential Information Center, North 
East Mall Rm. B-607, Waterside Mall, 401 M St., SW., Washington, DC. 
The Center is open from noon to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
excluding legal holidays. The telephone number of the Center is (202) 
260-7099.

C. How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?

    You may submit comments through the mail, in person, or 
electronically. Be sure to identify the appropriate docket control 
number (i.e., ``OEI-100009'') in your correspondence.
    1. By mail. Submit written comments to: Document Control Office 
(7407), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
    2. In person or by courier. Deliver your comments to: OPPT Document 
Control Office (DCO) in East Tower Rm. G-099, Waterside Mall, 401 M 
St., SW., Washington, DC. The DCO is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the 
DCO is: (202) 260-7093.
    3. Electronically. Submit your comments electronically by E-mail 
to: ``[email protected].'' Please note that you should not submit any 
information electronically that you consider to be CBI. Electronic 
comments must be submitted as an ASCII file avoiding the use of special 
characters and any form of encryption. Comments and data will also be 
accepted on standard computer disks in WordPerfect 6.1/8.0 or ASCII 
file format. All comments and data in electronic form must be 
identified by the docket control number OEI-100009. Electronic comments 
on this document may also be filed online at many Federal Depository 
Libraries.

D. How Should I Handle CBI Information That I Want to Submit to the 
Agency?

    You may claim information that you submit in response to this 
document as CBI by marking any part or all of that information as CBI. 
Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with 
procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2. A copy of the comment that does 
not contain CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public record. 
Information not marked

[[Page 43867]]

confidential will be included in the public docket by EPA without prior 
notice. If you have any questions about CBI or the procedures for 
claiming CBI, please consult with the technical person identified in 
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

II. Background Information

A. What is the Purpose of This Notice?

    The purpose of this notice is to announce that a public meeting 
will be held to discuss the draft version of an EPA document titled: 
``Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act--Section 313: 
Guidance for Reporting Toxic Chemicals: Lead and Lead Compounds''. The 
meeting will take place on September 24, 2001, at the Holiday Inn 
Arlington at Ballston, Arlington, Virginia. The draft document, which 
is currently under development by EPA, will be made available for 
comment approximately three weeks prior to the meeting. Once finalized, 
the purpose of this document is to assist regulated entities, 
particularly those that are not familiar with completing and submitting 
EPCRA section 313 release reports, in complying with this new 
regulation. This guidance document will provide guidance on: the 
specific details of this new regulation; which facilities must file 
release reports for lead and lead compounds; and methods to estimate 
releases of lead and lead compounds into the environment associated 
with manufacture, processing, use, or waste management activities. EPA 
would like to receive comments on the technical contents of the draft 
guidance document, particularly on the methods of estimating releases 
and other waste management quantities for lead and lead compounds. Unit 
I.B. of this notice contains information on how to get copies of the 
draft guidance document once the document becomes available. Through 
this notice EPA is also announcing that a public meeting has been 
scheduled to take place on September 24, 2001, to discuss the draft 
guidance. Stakeholders interested in attending this meeting should 
contact the person or internet address identified in Section I.B.1 
``Information Pertaining to the Upcoming Public Meeting'' section of 
this notice. Please note that attendance at this meeting is limited. 
Attendance at the public meeting is not necessary for comments to be 
considered; all comments received within the allocated timeframe stated 
in this notice will be considered in preparing the final guidance 
document.

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 372

    Environmental protection, Chemicals, Community right-to-know, 
Hazardous substances, Intergovernmental relations, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Superfund.

    Dated: August 10, 2001.
Maria Doa,
Acting Director, Office of Information Analysis and Access.
[FR Doc. 01-21049 Filed 8-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F