[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 249 (Friday, December 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67247-67249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-31940]


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

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7122-6 ]


EPA Science Advisory Board; Notification of Public Advisory 
Committee Meetings

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, 
notice is hereby given that the Environmental Engineering Committee 
(EEC) of the US EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) will meet via public 
teleconference on the dates and times noted below. All times noted are 
Eastern 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 (if any) is included below. Subsequent 
teleconference meetings of the EEC are planned for March 13, 2002, May 
1, 2002, July 3, 2002, September 4, 2002 and November 6, 2002. 
Information concerning these meetings will appear in future Federal 
Register notices.

1. Environmental Engineering Committee (EEC)--January 30, 2002

    The Environmental Engineering Committee of the US EPA Science 
Advisory Board (SAB), will conduct a public teleconference meeting on 
January 30, 2002 in Room 6450C location, USEPA, Ariel Rios Building 
North, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004. The meeting 
will begin at 12:00 pm and adjourn no later than 2:00 pm. The meeting 
will be coordinated through a conference call connection in Room 6450C, 
USEPA, Ariel Rios Building North, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20004. The public is encouraged to attend the meeting in 
the conference room noted above, however, the public may also attend 
through a telephonic link if lines are available. Additional 
instructions about how to participate in the conference call can be 
obtained by calling Mary Winston (see contact information below).

Purpose of the Meeting

    The primary purpose of this meeting will be to review for approval 
the reports of the EEC's Surface Impoundments Study Subcommittee and 
the Risk Reduction Options Selection Subcommittee, if available. If the 
reports are not available, the time will be used to update the EEC on 
other activities of the SAB and for planning the committee's FY2002 
activities. The Surface Impoundments Study Subcommittee reviewed 
Industrial Surface Impoundments in the United States for the Office of 
Solid Waste as announced in Federal Register notices 66 FR 30917-30920 
June 8, 2001 and 66 FR 9671-49672 September 28, 2001. At the request of 
the Committee, the Risk Reduction Options Selection Subcommittee has 
prepared an update of the risk reduction options selection methodology 
first proposed in the SAB's Toward Integrated Environmental Decision-
Making (EPA-SAB-EC-00-011--Please see http://www.epa.gov/sab/ecirp011.pdf).

Availability of Review Materials

    The availability of Industrial Surface Impoundments in the United 
States was

[[Page 67248]]

announced previously in the FRs cited above. The other task is self-
initiated and there is no review document.
    For Further Information--Please see below.

2. Environmental Engineering Committee (EEC)--January 31, 2002

    The Environmental Engineering Committee of the EPA Science Advisory 
Board (SAB) will conduct a public teleconference meeting on January 31, 
2002 between the hours of 12:00 noon and 2:00 pm (Eastern Daylight 
Time). The meeting(s) will be coordinated through a conference call 
connection in Room 6450C, USEPA, Ariel Rios Building North, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004. The public is encouraged 
to attend the meeting in the conference room noted above, however, the 
public may also attend through a telephonic link if lines are 
available. Additional instructions about how to participate in the 
conference call can be obtained by calling Mary Winston (see below).

Purpose of the Meeting

    The purpose of this meeting is for staff from EPA's Office of 
Research and Development to provide background briefings sufficient for 
the Committee to plan the requested review of the Risk Management 
Evaluation (RME) Protocol. The review will NOT be conducted on this 
conference call.
    The draft RME Protocol document was developed from the lessons 
learned and success stories from the focused pilot RME program, as well 
as from a review of the latest developments in risk management, 
including from outside of EPA. The draft Protocol provides a structure 
and format for: (a) Compiling state-of-the-science in risk management 
and assessment associated with a specific risk or set of risks; (b) 
identifying, evaluating, and prioritizing promising long-term and 
short-term risk management options to manage these risks (e.g., control 
technologies, pollution prevention measures, process modifications, 
remediation, best management practices, market-based incentives, social 
and behavioral measures); (c) evaluating feasibility, performance (risk 
reduction potential), cost, and applicability of these risk management 
strategies; (d) identifying gaps in the available data; (e) 
recommending future research efforts to reduce these data gaps; and (f) 
developing and providing tools/models to evaluate, prioritize and 
optimize these risk management options and reduce uncertainties in the 
data.
    The overriding purpose of the draft RME Protocol is to formalize a 
foundation, structure and general approach for NRMRL, other ORD 
laboratories and centers, and others both within and outside of EPA, to 
identify areas where knowledge in risk management is currently 
sufficient to effectively manage risks, versus areas where additional 
research is required. In this way the Protocol will serve as a tool to 
assist ORD and other research groups in planning and prioritizing risk 
management research programs, as well as provide an approach to: (a) 
Analyze sources of potential, perceived or actual risk; (b) evaluate 
promising risk management options for adapting, preventing, and 
reducing these risks; and (c) evaluate the availability, cost and 
effectiveness of the identified options. It is envisioned that the RME 
Protocol will provide the basis for developing EPA risk management 
guidance documents.

Charge to the Subcommittee

    The tentative charge, which will be the subject of further 
discussion and negotiation is:
    (a) Is the document clear and internally consistent? Is it written 
at the proper level of technical depth and complexity? Is it adequately 
and appropriately referenced?
    (b) Is the RME Protocol presented in the document logical, 
complete, and understandable?
    (c) Is the RME Protocol an adequate and effective framework and 
guide for conducting risk management evaluations (RMEs)?
    (d) Based on review of the draft RME Protocol and pilots, are risk 
management evaluations (RMEs) potentially effective and useful tools 
for enhancing risk management decisions, whether by EPA or others?

Availability of Review Materials

    No review is being conducted at this meeting. The document to be 
eventually reviewed is still in the draft stages and unavailable to 
both the Committee and the public. When the review dates are set, an 
announcement will be published in the FR about the meeting and the 
availability of review materials. A one-page request for the review can 
be obtained from Ms. White (see below), or on the SAB website 
(www.epa.gov/SAB) prior to the meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public wishing 
further information concerning either of these teleconference meetings 
or who wishes to submit brief oral comments (3 minutes or less) must 
contact Ms. Kathleen White, Designated Federal Officer, EPA Science 
Advisory Board (1400A), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460; telephone (202) 564-
4559; 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 Ms. White no later than noon Eastern Time January 23, 2002. 
An agenda or information on participation in either of the above 
teleconference meetings may be obtained from Ms. Mary Winston, 
Management Assistant, EPA Science Advisory Board (1400A), U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone: (202) 564-4538, FAX (202) 501-0582; or 
via e-mail at [email protected].

Providing Oral or Written Comments at SAB Meetings

    It is the policy of the EPA Science Advisory Board to accept 
written public comments of any length, and to accommodate oral public 
comments whenever possible. The EPA 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 
(unless otherwise indicated). 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 EPA 
Science Advisory Board, its structure, function,

[[Page 67249]]

and composition, may be found on the SAB Website (http://www.epa.gov/sab) and in The FY2000 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 Ms. White at least five business days prior to the meeting so 
that appropriate arrangements can be made.

    Dated: December 18, 2001.
Donald G. Barnes,
Staff Director, EPA Science Advisory Board.
[FR Doc. 01-31940 Filed 12-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P