[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 140 (Monday, July 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47798-47800]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-18406]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7249-2]


Announcement of Public Comment Period for Draft Contaminated 
Sediments Science Plan

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency has developed and requests 
public comment on the draft Contaminated Sediments Science Plan. The 
Contaminated Sediments Science Plan is available electronically at 
http://www.epa.gov/superfund/action/guidance/cssp.pdf and http://www.epa.gov/superfund/action/guidance/cssp-appendix.pdf. This science 
plan is a mechanism for the EPA to develop and coordinate Agency-wide 
science activities in the contaminated sediments area. Along with the 
EPA's contaminated sediments science activities database, this plan 
provides an analysis of the current Agency science activities in this 
area, identifies and evaluates the science gaps, and provides a 
strategy for filling those gaps. Implementation of the science 
recommendations will be contingent upon overall Agency priorities and 
resources available within the annual budgetary planning cycle. Four 
questions for which the EPA is particularly seeking public comment are 
provided below in the section Issues for Public Comment. The 
information submitted in response to this notice will be considered by 
the EPA in the completion of the final document.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 20, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically, by mail, or 
through hand delivery/courier. Follow the detailed instructions 
provided in section I.B. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact the RCRA/Superfund Call Center 
at (800) 424-9346; from the Washington, DC, metropolitan area call 
(703) 412-9810. The Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) number 
is (800) 553-7672; from the Washington, DC, metropolitan area the 
number is (703) 412-3323. For technical inquiries, you may contact Lee 
Hofmann, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Mail Code 5103T, 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460 at telephone

[[Page 47799]]

number 202-566-1928, or by email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. How Can I Get Copies of This Document and Other Related Information?

    1. Docket: The EPA has established an official public docket for 
this action under Docket ID No. SFUND-2002-0004. The official public 
docket is the collection of materials that is available for public 
viewing at EPA, Superfund Docket located at 1235 Jefferson Davis 
Highway, Arlington, Virginia. This Docket Facility is open from 9:00 
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. 
The Docket telephone number is (703) 603-9232.
    2. Electronic Access. You may access this Federal Register notice 
or document electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal 
Register'' listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
    An electronic version of the public docket is available through the 
EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may 
use the EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to submit or view 
public comments, to access the index listing of the contents of the 
official public docket, and to access those documents in the public 
docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select 
``search,'' then key in the appropriate docket identification number.
    Certain types of information will not be placed in the EPA Dockets. 
Information claimed as CBI and other information whose disclosure is 
restricted by statute, which is not included in the official public 
docket, will not be available for public viewing in the EPA's 
electronic public docket. The EPA's policy is that copyrighted material 
will not be placed in the EPA's electronic public docket but will be 
available only in printed, paper form in the official public docket. 
Although not all docket materials may be available electronically, you 
may still access any of the publicly available docket materials through 
the docket facility identified in section I.B.
    For public commenters, it is important to note that the EPA's 
policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in 
paper, will be made available for public viewing in the EPA's 
electronic public docket as the EPA receives them and without change, 
unless the comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. When the EPA 
identifies a comment containing copyrighted material, the EPA will 
provide a reference to that material in the version of the comment that 
is placed in the EPA's electronic public docket. The entire printed 
comment, including the copyrighted material, will be available in the 
public docket.
    Public comments submitted on computer disks that are mailed or 
delivered to the docket will be transferred to the EPA's electronic 
public docket. Public comments that are mailed or delivered to the 
Docket will be scanned and placed in the EPA's electronic public 
docket. Where practical, physical objects will be photographed, and the 
photograph will be placed in the EPA's electronic public docket along 
with a brief description written by the docket staff.
    For additional information about the EPA's electronic public docket 
visit EPA Dockets online or see 67 FR 38102, May 31, 2002.

B. How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?

    You may submit comments electronically, by mail, by facsimile, or 
through hand delivery/courier. To ensure proper receipt by the EPA, 
identify the appropriate docket identification number in the subject 
line on the first page of your comment. Please ensure that your 
comments are submitted within the specified comment period. You may 
submit comments until 60 days from the date of this document. Comments 
received after the close of the comment period will be marked ``late.'' 
The EPA is not required to consider these late comments.
    1. Electronically. If you submit an electronic comment as 
prescribed below, the EPA recommends that you include your name, 
mailing address, and an e-mail address or other contact information in 
the body of your comment. Also include this contact information on the 
outside of any disk or CD ROM you submit, and in any cover letter 
accompanying the disk or CD ROM. This ensures that you can be 
identified as the submitter of the comment and allows the EPA to 
contact you in case the EPA cannot read your comment due to technical 
difficulties or needs further information on the substance of your 
comment. The EPA's policy is that the EPA will not edit your comment, 
and any identifying or contact information provided in the body of a 
comment will be included as part of the comment that is placed in the 
official public docket, and made available in the EPA's electronic 
public docket. If the EPA cannot read your comment due to technical 
difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, the EPA may not 
be able to consider your comment.
    i. EPA Dockets. Your use of the EPA's electronic public docket to 
submit comments to the EPA electronically is the EPA's preferred method 
for receiving comments. Go directly to EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket, and follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments. To access the EPA's electronic public docket from the EPA 
Internet Home Page, select ``Information Sources, Dockets,'' and ``EPA 
Dockets.'' Once in the system, select ``search,'' and then key in 
Docket ID No. SFUND-2002-0004. The system is an ``anonymous access'' 
system, which means the EPA will not know your identity, e-mail 
address, or other contact information unless you provide it in the body 
of your comment.
    ii. E-mail. Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-mail) to 
[email protected], Attention Docket ID No. SFUND-2002-0004. In 
contrast to the EPA's electronic public docket, the EPA's e-mail system 
is not an ``anonymous access'' system. If you send an e-mail comment 
directly to the Docket without going through the EPA's electronic 
public docket, the EPA's e-mail system automatically captures your e-
mail address. E-mail addresses that are automatically captured by the 
EPA's e-mail system are included as part of the comment that is placed 
in the official public docket, and made available in the EPA's 
electronic public docket.
    iii. Disk or CD ROM. You may submit comments on a disk or CD ROM 
that you mail to the mailing address identified in section I.B.2. These 
electronic submissions will be accepted in WordPerfect or ASCII file 
format. Avoid the use of special characters and any form of encryption.
    2. By Mail. Send an original and three copies of your comments and 
enclosures (including references) to: EPA, Superfund Docket 
Contaminated Sediments Science Plan, Mail Code 5202G, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460, Attention Docket ID No. SFUND-2002-
0004. If you want receipt of your comments acknowledged, you must 
include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
    3. By Hand Delivery or Courier. Deliver an original and three 
copies of your comments and enclosures (including references) to: 
Superfund Docket, 1235 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia, 
Attention Docket ID No. SFUND-2002-0004. Such deliveries are only 
accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation as identified in 
Unit I.A.1.

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    4. By Facsimile. Fax your comments to: (703) 603-9240, Attention 
Docket ID. No. SFUND-2002-0004.

II. Purpose of the Science Plan

    This Contaminated Sediments Science Plan is a mechanism for the 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop and coordinate 
Agency-wide science activities in the contaminated sediments area. 
Along with the EPA's contaminated sediments science activities 
database, this plan provides an analysis of the current Agency science 
activities in this area, identifies and evaluates the science gaps, and 
provides a strategy for filling these gaps. The Contaminated Sediments 
Science Plan has three goals to promote the vision of providing a 
strong scientific basis for addressing contaminated sediments: (1) To 
develop and disseminate the tools and science necessary to address the 
management of contaminated sediments; (2) To enhance the level of 
coordination and communication of science activities dealing with 
contaminated sediments across the Agency Program and Regional Offices 
and the Office of Research and Development; and (3) To develop an 
effective, cost-efficient strategy to promote these scientific 
activities and research.

III. Description of Science Plan

    The draft document has four chapters. Chapter 1 discusses the goals 
and objectives and how the Science Plan relates to the Agency's 
mandate. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the contaminated sediments 
work across the Agency. These issue summaries provide the overall 
context for the discussion of the specific research and science needs 
given in the rest of the Science Plan. Chapter 3, along with the EPA's 
contaminated sediments science activities database (Appendix A), is the 
data collection and analysis section of the Science Plan. It documents 
the current contaminated sediment science activities ongoing within the 
Agency and places these activities within the context of Agency goals. 
These activities are sediment site characterization, exposure 
assessment, human health and ecological risk assessment, risk 
communication, sediment remediation, baseline and post-remediation 
monitoring and information management and exchange activities. 
Significant data gaps and uncertainties in methodology/assessment 
procedures are identified. Finally, it proposes research and science 
activities to fill those data gaps and resolve related issues. Chapter 
4 provides the key recommendations for future Agency science 
activities, including research, based upon the discussion in Chapter 3. 
For each recommendation, critical EPA partners, and the immediate or 
long-term nature of the science activity are proposed. An internal 
mechanism for implementing the science recommendations is proposed. 
Implementation of the science recommendations will be contingent upon 
overall Agency priorities and resources available within the annual 
budgetary planning cycle.
    Issues for Public Comment: The EPA solicits comments on all aspects 
of the draft science plan. In particular, the EPA requests comments and 
information on the following questions: (1) The Contaminated Sediments 
Science Plan (Science Plan) is the first official Agency science plan 
of its kind designed to address a significant cross-agency 
environmental issue in a systematic and integrated fashion. Does the 
Science Plan adequately convey the need for such a strategic planning 
document, i.e., are the goals and objectives of the plan understandable 
and appropriate to the subject? (2) Are the major areas of contaminated 
sediments science (sediment site characterization, exposure assessment, 
human health effects and risk assessment, ecological effects and risk 
assessment, sediment remediation, baseline and post-remediation 
monitoring, risk communication, and information management and exchange 
activities) appropriately addressed? Are any major areas missing?
    (3) Are the key recommendations clearly defined and appropriate to 
resolve the science needs discussed in Chapter 3?
    (4) Are there other issues or key recommendations which should be 
considered in this Science Plan?

    Dated: July 12, 2002.
Marianne Lamont Horinko,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.
[FR Doc. 02-18406 Filed 7-19-02; 8:45 am]
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