[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 193 (Thursday, October 4, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50644-50645]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24907]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OEI-10010; FRL 6723-3]


Office of Environmental Information; Draft Data Standard for 
Exchange of Environmental Permitting Information and Draft Data 
Standard for Exchange of Enforcement and Compliance Information

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of information availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Notice of availability is hereby given for a 45-day public 
comment period on two draft data standards: Permitting Data Standard, 
and, Enforcement and Compliance Data Standard. These draft standards 
consist of a list of data elements, definitions for these elements, 
notes and explanatory preamble language. The draft standards were 
developed by the partnership efforts of States, Indian Tribes and the 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) participating in the 
Environmental Data Standards Council (EDSC). The EDSC convened Action 
Teams consisting of representatives from EPA, States and Tribes to 
develop these core sets of data elements to facilitate the sharing of 
information regarding environmental permitting and enforcement and 
compliance activities. The EPA and the EDSC invite comment on these 
standards from States, EPA and Tribes and database managers in the 
public and private sectors and the general public with interest in 
development and use of environmental program permitting and enforcement 
and compliance data.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 19, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Electronic Access and Filing of Comments--You may view and 
download the draft data standards and related explanatory material at 
the EDSC Website at: http://www.epa.gov/edsc/ in the area of the site 
marked ``Announcements''. The draft data standards can also be viewed 
and downloaded at the EPA Environmental Data Registry (EDR) at http://www.epa.gov/edr/ in the area of the site marked ``Data Standards''. Or 
for those with password access, at the WISER portion of the State/EPA 
Website at: http://www.sso.org/ecos/wiser/
    You may submit comments via electronic mail (e-mail) to William 
Sonntag ([email protected]) as a WordPerfect or Word file 
avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. 
Comments may also be mailed to: OEI Docket; USEPA, 401 M. Street SW 
Washington, DC. 20460, Docket Number: OEI-10010:FRL 6723-3. If you 
require a paper copy be sent to you, you must contact the OEI Docket; 
USEPA, 401 M. Street, SW, Washington, DC. 20460, Docket Number: OEI-
10010:FRL 6723-3.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information concerning 
today's Notice you may contact: William A. Sonntag, Office of 
Environmental Information, Office of Information Collection, MC-2822, 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 
Washington DC 20460 (202 260-0633).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Environmental Data Standards Council (EDSC) Background

    Data sharing has become an increasingly important aspect of sound 
environmental management. States, Tribes and the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) together face the critical challenge of sharing 
information among themselves and with their respective stakeholders and 
public. Fundamental to the seamless exchange of data are data 
standards. Data standards help improve the ability of partners 
(internal and external) to exchange data efficiently and accurately and 
also assist secondary users of data to understand, interpret, and use 
data appropriately. Recognition of the need for EPA, States and Tribes 
to develop and agree upon data standards for environmental information 
sharing has lead to the creation of the Environmental Data Standards 
Council (EDSC). Data standards are documented agreements on formats and 
definitions of data elements. Standards will be developed only when 
there is an environmental management business reason.
    The EDSC's mission is to promote the efficient sharing of 
environmental information between EPA, States, Tribes and other parties 
through the development of data standards. The EDSC identified 
permitting, and enforcement and compliance as areas of information for 
which having standards will create value to all interested parties. An 
Action Team deliberation process bringing together State, EPA and 
Tribal parties began in August 2000 for these two standards areas. 
Draft standards were delivered to the EDSC for consideration in June 
2001 and approved for initiation of this 45-day public comment period 
in September 2001.
    After the comment period announced in this Notice, the EDSC and its 
Action Teams will review comments received and make appropriate 
modifications. The EDSC will then consider and approve of these data 
standards as appropriate. EDSC approval does not bind an individual 
agency to using a standard. It will be up to the individual agency to 
determine if, when, and how it might use a standard developed under the 
auspices of the EDSC. It will be the intent of EPA to adopt and 
implement the consistent use of EDSC-approved standards in its 
information systems and programs.

II. Enforcement & Compliance Draft Data Standard Background

    The Environmental Data Standards Council (EDSC) chartered the

[[Page 50645]]

Enforcement and Compliance Data Standard Action Team to identify and 
define the major areas of enforcement and compliance information, and 
to develop a data standard that could be used for the exchange of data 
among environmental agencies and other entities. The purpose of the 
standard is to provide a common vocabulary or lexicon, so that 
information about functionally similar activities and/or instruments 
can be shared. The proposed standard focuses on core information common 
across most program areas. The draft standard is not intended to 
constrain what information an agency chooses to collect, nor does it 
constitute a reporting requirement. It merely defines a standardized 
way to organize and exchange key information if agencies choose to 
exchange that information.
    The draft Enforcement/Compliance Data Standard, contains (1) the 
enforcement data element matrix, (2) the compliance assistance data 
element matrix, and (3) commonly used enforcement and compliance 
terminology. It is important to note that the compliance assistance 
data element matrix is presented as separate and distinct from the 
enforcement data element matrix/standard. The compliance assistance 
data element matrix deals with an area of information that is not 
currently, routinely exchanged. It does not have a basis in long 
established practice and program to program data exchange. It is 
included for comment in the Notice as a way to receive State and other 
data exchange partner reaction to its form and impact on systems as an 
area of potential new data exchange. Please see the additional 
discussion of this matter found in the materials at the websites 
referenced above.

III. Permitting Data Standard

    The EDSC chartered the Permitting Data Standard Action Team to 
identify and define the major areas of permitting information and to 
develop a data standard that could be used for the exchange of 
permitting data among environmental agencies and other entities The 
proposed Permit Data Standard is not intended to be a system design or 
to cover every detail of permitting data that are currently exchanged 
or managed; instead, it focuses on core information common across most 
program areas and organizations. The draft standard is not intended to 
constrain what information an agency chooses to collect, nor does it 
constitute a reporting requirement. It merely defines a standardized 
way to organize and exchange key information if agencies choose to 
exchange that information.
    This standard is designed to provide simple, high-level information 
that includes core data sufficient to identify a permit, as well as 
some information on administrative status and history, that is common 
across most organizations and programs. The standard does not contain 
more detailed information that is program specific. Standardization of 
this program specific data should be accomplished via the development 
of program-specific standards (consistent with this overall standard) 
and/or the development of Data Exchange Templates between information 
exchange partners. A ``permit'' is a permit, authorization, license, or 
equivalent used to implement the requirements of an environmental 
regulation. A permit is issued to an individual or organization and 
typically specifies pollutant discharge limits or operating procedures.

III. Review of Draft Standards To Date

    These draft standards have received significant input through the 
representatives from EPA program, States and Tribal organizations 
serving on the development Action Teams. In addition, the preliminary 
versions of the draft standards have been reviewed by State and EPA 
programs managers in May and June 2001. EDSC members have also reviewed 
and recommended these draft standards for this public comment process.

    Dated: September 28, 2001.
Mark Luttner,
Director, Office of Information Collection, Office of Environmental 
Information.
[FR Doc. 01-24907 Filed 10-3-01; 8:45 am]
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