[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 90 (Friday, May 9, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25029-25032]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-11631]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7496-7]


Office of Environmental Information Draft Data Standard for 
Exchanging Permitting Information and Draft Data Standard for Federal 
Facility Identification

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

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 for the draft data standards: Draft Data Standard for 
Permitting Information; and the Draft Federal Facility Identification 
Data Standard. These draft standards consist of a list of data 
elements, definitions for these elements, formats, notes, and 
explanatory preamble language. The draft standards were developed 
through the partnership efforts of States, tribes, and the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency participating in the Environmental Data 
Standards Council (EDSC). The EDSC convened one Action Team to develop 
a more comprehensive set of data elements to facilitate the sharing 
permit related information. The EDSC also formed an Action Team whose 
purpose was to reach consensus on standardized means of identifying 
facilities that are owned or operated, or were owned or operated, by 
the Federal government. The EPA and the EDSC invite comment on these 
standards from States, EPA, tribes, database managers in the public and 
private sectors, and the general public with interest in exchanging 
information concerning environmental permits and Federal facilities.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 23, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically, by mail, by 
facsimile, or through hand delivery/courier. Follow the detailed 
instructions as provided in Unit 1.A. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Draft Data Standard for Permitting 
Information, Tim Crawford, Office of Environmental Information, Office 
of Information Collection, MC-2822T, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington DC 20460; Telephone 
(202) 566-1652.
    Draft Federal Facility Identification Data Standard, John Harman, 
Office of Environmental Information, Office of Information Collection, 
MC-2822T, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW., Washington DC 20460; Telephone (202) 566 0748.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. How Can I Get Copies of These Draft Standards and Other Related 
Information ?

    1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this 
action under Docket ID No. OEI-2003-0028. The official public docket 
consists of the documents specifically referenced in this action, any 
public comments received, and other information related to this action. 
Although a part of the official docket, the public docket does not 
include Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. The official public docket 
is the

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collection of materials that is available for public viewing at the 
Office of Environmental Information Docket in the EPA Docket Center, 
(EPA/DC) EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, 
DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The 
telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the 
telephone number for the Office of Environmental Information Docket is 
(202) 566-1752.''
    2. Electronic Access. You may access this Federal Register document 
electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register'' 
listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. You may view and download 
the draft data standards and related explanatory material at the EDSC 
Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/edsc/ in the area of the site marked 
``Data Standards.'' 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 
Web site at: http://www.ecos.org/wiser.
    An electronic version of the public docket is available through 
EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may 
use EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to submit or view public 
comments, 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 EPA's electronic 
public docket. EPA's policy is that copyrighted material will not be 
placed in EPA's electronic public docket but will be available only in 
printed paper form in the official public docket. To the extent 
feasible, publicly available docket materials will be made available in 
EPA's electronic public docket. When a document is selected from the 
index list in EPA Dockets, the system will identify whether the 
document is available for viewing in EPA's electronic 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 Unit I.A.1. EPA intends to work 
towards providing electronic access to all of the publicly available 
docket materials through EPA's electronic public docket.
    For public commenters, it is important to note that EPA's policy is 
that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, 
will be made available for public viewing in EPA's electronic public 
docket as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment 
contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose 
disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA identifies a comment 
containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide a reference to that 
material in the version of the comment that is placed in 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 EPA's electronic public 
docket. Public comments that are mailed or delivered to the Docket will 
be scanned and placed in EPA's electronic public docket. Where 
practical, physical objects will be photographed, and the photograph 
will be placed in EPA's electronic public docket along with a brief 
description written by the docket staff.
    For additional information about 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 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. Comments 
received after the close of the comment period will be marked ``late.'' 
EPA is not required to consider these late comments, however, late 
comments may be considered if time permits.
    1. Electronically. If you submit an electronic comment as 
prescribed below, 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 EPA to contact you in case EPA 
cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties or needs further 
information on the substance of your comment. EPA's policy is that 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 EPA's electronic public docket. If EPA cannot read your 
comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for 
clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment.
    i. EPA Dockets. Your use of EPA's electronic public docket to 
submit comments to EPA electronically is 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 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. OEI-
2003-0028. The system is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means 
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. OEI-2003-0028. In contrast 
to EPA's electronic public docket, 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 EPA's electronic public docket, EPA's 
e-mail system automatically captures your e-mail address. E-mail 
addresses that are automatically captured by EPA's e-mail system are 
included as part of the comment that is placed in the official public 
docket, and made available in 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 Unit 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 three copies of your comments to: Office of 
Environmental Information Docket, Environmental Protection Agency, 
Mailcode: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC, 20460, 
Attention Docket ID No. OEI-2003-0028.

[[Page 25031]]

    3. By Hand Delivery or Courier. Deliver your comments to the 
location provided in Unit I.A.1, Attention Docket ID No. OEI-2003-0028. 
Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of 
operation as identified in Unit I.A.1.
    4. By Facsimile. Fax your comments to: (202) 566-1753, Attention 
Docket ID. No. OEI-2003-0028.

C. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide any technical information and/or data you used that 
support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at your estimate.
    5. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns.
    6. Offer alternatives.
    7. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period deadline 
identified.
    8. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, identify the appropriate docket 
identification number in the subject line on the first page of your 
response. It would also be helpful if you provided the name, date, and 
Federal Register citation related to your comments.

II. Background: Environmental Data Standards Council

    Data sharing has become an increasingly important aspect of sound 
environmental management. States, Tribes, and 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 EDSC. Data standards are documented agreements on 
formats and definitions of data elements. The EDSC agrees to develop 
data standards only when there is a strong environmental management 
business reason that would benefit from establishing a consistency in 
information exchanged.
    These draft standards were delivered to the EDSC and approved for 
publication in the Federal Register for a 45-day public comment period. 
After the comment period announced in this Notice is complete, the EDSC 
and its Action Teams will review comments received and make appropriate 
modifications. The EDSC will then consider approval 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 or programs 
to determine if, when, and how it might use a standard developed under 
the auspices of the EDSC. It is the intent of EPA to adopt and 
implement the consistent use of EDSC-approved standards in its 
information systems and programs.

III. Background of Draft Data Standards

A. Draft Data Standard Permit Related Information

    The EDSC is proposing to adopt a revision to the original 
Permitting Data Standard that was approved in April 2002. The original 
exchange standard for permit related information identified those data 
elements that are generally believed to be universally applicable to 
the identification and tracking of permits. While standard terms, 
definitions and formats for these types of data were needed, it was 
subsequently recognized that other information that is also common to 
multiple permitting programs exists and should be included in the same 
standard rather than duplicate similar information in separate data 
standards. As a result, the revised draft permitting data standard 
incorporates the original permitting data standard and extends the 
original scope to include information germane to multiple permitting 
programs.
    The draft Permitting Information Data Standard consists of data 
elements from the original Permit Data Standard organized by the 
categories or data blocks: Permit Identification, Permitted Feature, 
and Permit Administration. The revised draft standard also includes 
data elements under the data blocks: Facility/Feature Characteristic, 
Control Methodology, Permit Condition, Reporting Condition, and 
Monitoring Condition. These additional data blocks provide data 
elements that can be used to describe the functional aspects of a 
facility or feature, as well as the constraints imposed by a permit 
including any monitoring or reporting requirements. The Action Team 
determined that additional permit related information will likely 
require program-specific permit standards.

B. Draft Federal Facility Identification Data Standard

    The EDSC is proposing a Data Standard for the identification of 
facilities that are owned or operated, or were owned or operated, by 
the Federal Government. This draft Federal Facility Identification Data 
Standard builds on the Facility Identification Data Standard by 
focusing on identification issues for a specific type of facility.
    Several EPA offices have specific programs that focus on issues 
related to Federal facilities. Other EPA programs use naming 
conventions to identify Federal facilities separately from other types 
of facilities. The reporting forms for certain EPA programs include 
data elements that ask facilities to indicate whether they are owned or 
operated by the Federal government.
    Federal facilities are a diverse class, having functions that 
typically are different from other privately owned and operated 
facilities, thus potentially posing unique types of environmental 
concerns. Federal facilities conduct activities ranging from launching 
space shuttles to managing national parks. Tracking ownership or 
operation of a site over time is also important because certain former 
Federal sites can have legacy issues, such as spent munitions at former 
Department of Defense sites.
    The Draft Federal Facility Identification Data Standard includes 
the three categories of data elements, or data blocks: Federal Facility 
Identification Information; Federal Facility Ownership and/or Operation 
Information; and Federal Facility Responsible Party Information. The 
Federal Facility Ownership and/or Operation Information category 
provides a means of indicating the present ownership or operation of a 
facility that once was a Federal facility. An example is a local 
airport that formerly was an Air Force base. The Federal Facility 
Responsible Party Information category provides standardized naming 
conventions for the Federal agencies that own or operate a particular 
Federal facility and for the classification of the ownership/operation 
of a Federal facility.
    An ancillary, but supportive goal, of the Draft Federal Facility 
Identification Data Standard is to serve as a guide for identifying 
facilities owned or operated by non-Federal governments, such as 
States, tribes, counties or municipalities. States and tribes may 
choose to adopt the permissible values and follow similar naming 
conventions

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when tracking non-Federal government facilities.

IV. Future Revisions

    EDSC standards are periodically reviewed and revised as recommended 
by the EDSC or the stewards of the respective data standards. The most 
current standards will be posted at www.edsc.org and www.epa.gov/edr.

V. Review of Draft Standards to Date

    These draft standards have received significant input through the 
representatives from EPA programs, States, and tribal organizations 
serving on the Action Teams and consulted though the development of the 
draft standard. EDSC members have also reviewed and recommended these 
draft standards for this public comment process.

    Dated: April 24, 2003.
Mark Luttner,
Director, Office of Information Collection, Office of Environmental 
Information.
[FR Doc. 03-11631 Filed 5-8-03; 8:45 am]
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