[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 83 (Tuesday, April 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21234-21235]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-10626]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OEI-10014; FRL-6723-7]


Draft Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, 
Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by the 
Environmental Protection Agency

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA.

ACTION: Notice of availability; comment request; meeting announcement.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently 
developing Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, 
Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by the 
Environmental Protection Agency (herein after referred to as 
``Information Quality Guidelines''), in response to an Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) guideline directing all federal agencies to 
develop and implement their own guidelines by October 1, 2002 (67 FR 
8451, February 22, 2002). EPA's ``Information Quality Guidelines'' will 
build upon on-going efforts to improve the quality of the data and 
analyses that support Agency policy and regulatory decisions and 
programs. EPA is announcing the availability of the Agency's draft 
``Information Quality Guidelines'' and is requesting comment on them. 
The draft ``Information Quality Guidelines'' are available at EPA's Web 
site, www.epa.gov/oei/qualityguidelines. In addition, EPA is announcing 
a public meeting in Washington, DC to discuss EPA draft ``Information 
Quality Guidelines''.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 31, 2002, 11:59 pm 
EST. The public meeting will be held on May 15, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to: Docket ID No. OEI-10014 
which has been established at: U.S. EPA, Northeast Mall, Room B607, 401 
M Street SW., Washington, DC, 20460. Comments may be submitted by web 
site, e-mail, mail, facsimile, or in person. The public meeting will be 
held in Washington, DC. See the ``Supplementary Information'' section 
for instructions on submitting comments and public meeting information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Evangeline Tsibris Cummings, 
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information, 
Mail Code 2842T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460. 
Telephone: 202-566-0621; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

What Are EPA's ``Information Quality Guidelines''?

    EPA drafted Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, 
Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by the 
Environmental Protection Agency to comply with a new Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) guideline (67 FR 8451, February 22, 2002). 
Section 515 of the ``Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act 
for FY2001 (Pub. L. 106-554)'' directed OMB to issue government-wide 
guidelines that ``provide policy and procedural guidance to Federal 
agencies for ensuring and maximizing the quality, objectivity, utility, 
and integrity of information, including statistical information, 
disseminated by Federal agencies.'' EPA's ``Information Quality 
Guidelines'' will build upon on-going efforts to improve the quality of 
the data and analyses that are used to support Agency policy and 
regulatory decisions and programs.
    EPA is seeking comments on many key areas of the ``Information 
Quality Guidelines'' developed thus far. Specific areas have been 
highlighted in a Request for Comments section of the ``Information 
Quality Guidelines''. After the comment period closes on May 31, 2002, 
EPA plans to submit the Agency's revised ``Information Quality 
Guidelines'' to OMB by July 1, 2002.

How Can I get Copies of the Draft EPA ``Information Quality 
Guidelines''?

    EPA has established a public docket for these draft ``Information 
Quality Guidelines'' under Docket ID No. OEI-10014. The docket contains 
background information and supporting materials available for public 
viewing at: Northeast Mall, Room B607, 401 M Street SW., Washington, 
DC, 20460. This docket consists of a copy of the ``Information Quality 
Guidelines'', public comments received during the public comment period 
on the ``Information Quality Guidelines'', and other information 
related to the ``Information Quality Guidelines''. The docket is open 
from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm EST, Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays.
    You may also access EPA's draft ``Information Quality Guidelines'' 
and other information related to this notice electronically at this web 
page: www.epa.gov/oei/qualityguidelines. To obtain a written copy of 
the draft ``Information Quality Guidelines'', you may contact: Ms. 
Evangeline Tsibris Cummings, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Office of

[[Page 21235]]

Environmental Information, Mail Code 2842T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue 
NW., Washington, DC, 20460; Telephone: 202-566-0621; or e-mail: 
[email protected].
    EPA intends to make public comments and supplemental information 
that are received during the comment period available for public 
viewing via EPA's Web site at www.epa.gov/oei/qualityguidelines, as the 
Agency receives them and without change, unless the comments contain 
copyrighted material, Confidential Business Information (CBI), or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Paper comments 
(with their attachments) will be scanned and placed on the web page. To 
the extent feasible, other supporting information for these guidelines 
may be placed on the web page as well. EPA will maintain a docket list 
of the materials that are available in the public docket, and will 
include this docket list with the other materials on the Web site.

How and To Whom Do I Submit Comments?

    You may submit comments via EPA's Web site, electronic mail (e-
mail), mail, facsimile, or in person. To ensure proper receipt of your 
comments by EPA, identify Docket ID No. OEI-10014 in the subject line 
on the first page of your comments.
    Submitting comments via EPA's web page (www.epa.gov/oei/qualityguidelines) is the Agency's preferred method for receiving 
comments on the draft ``Information Quality Guidelines'' in order to 
ensure timely receipt. The Web site is an ``anonymous access'' system, 
which means EPA will not know your identity, e-mail address, or other 
contact information unless you provide it. Please note, that EPA asks 
commenters to provide their names in order to comment via the Web site. 
These commenters' names will be included with their comments when they 
are placed on the EPA Web site for public viewing.
    Comments may also be sent by e-mail to: [email protected], 
Attention: Docket ID No. OEI-10014. In contrast to the Web site, EPA's 
e-mail system is not an ``anonymous access'' system. If you send an e-
mail comment, EPA's e-mail system automatically captures your e-mail 
address. E-mail addresses that are automatically captured by EPA's e-
mail system will be posted on the Web site with comments received.
    If you submit any type of electronic comment EPA recommends that 
you include your name, mailing address, and an e-mail address or other 
contact information with your comment. This ensures that you can be 
identified as the submitter of the comment and it allows EPA to contact 
you in case EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties 
or seeks further information on the substance of your comment. EPA's 
policy is to post comments, as they are submitted. Any identifying or 
contact information provided in the comment will be made available to 
the public via the Web site.
    If you submit comments by U.S. mail, send two copies of your 
comments to: Evangeline Tsibris Cummings, Environmental Protection 
Agency, Office of Environmental Information, Mail Code 2842T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC Attention: Docket ID No. OEI-
10014.
    If you submit comments in person, by courier, or other shipping 
method, deliver your comments to: U.S. EPA, 401 M Street SW., 
Washington, DC, 20460 Northeast Mall, Room B607, Attention: Docket ID 
No. OEI-10014. The docket is open from 12:00PM--4:00 PM EST Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays. Send comments by fax to: 202-
566-0706, Attention: Docket ID No. OEI-10014 and Attention: Ms. 
Evangeline Tsibris Cummings.

How Do I Participate in EPA's Public Meeting on the ``Information 
Quality Guidelines''?

    EPA will convene a public meeting on May 15, 2002 in Washington, 
DC, for the purpose of receiving public comments on the draft 
Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, 
Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by the Environmental 
Protection Agency. This meeting is open to the public. Please check the 
EPA Web site to confirm the location of the public meeting. EPA 
encourages you to register for the public meeting at: www.epa.gov/oei/qualityguidelines by May 3, 2002, to ensure timely receipt of your 
registration and to ensure that adequate space is provided and adequate 
time is allotted for those who wish to present comments. You may also 
register by contacting Ms. Evangeline Tsibris Cummings, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information, 
Mail Code 2842T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. 
Telephone: 202-566-0621; e-mail: [email protected].
    EPA will not be recording or transcribing the public meeting. To 
facilitate EPA's consideration of your planned comments, EPA recommends 
that you provide EPA with a written record of those comments you want 
EPA to consider, either at the public meeting or shortly thereafter via 
the methods described in this notice.

How Will EPA Use My Comments?

    EPA will consider all comments received during the comment period 
as the Agency develops the final ``Information Quality Guidelines.'' 
Comments received after the close of the comment period may be 
considered as time permits. As appropriate, EPA intends to summarize or 
respond to significant comments when the Agency issues the final 
``Information Quality Guidelines''. However, due to the limited time 
available, EPA does not expect to be able to respond to individual 
comments.

    Dated: April 24, 2002.
Elaine Stanley,
Director, Office of Information Analysis and Access, Office of 
Environmental Information.
[FR Doc. 02-10626 Filed 4-29-02; 8:45 am]
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