[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 105 (Monday, June 2, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 32750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-13720]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7506-1]


Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Methyl Bromide Critical Use 
Exemption and Allocation Planning; Notice of Stakeholder Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of stakeholder meetings.

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SUMMARY: EPA will hold stakeholder meetings this summer on the methyl 
bromide critical use exemption (CUE) program in Washington D.C. and in 
locations around the country to be announced. The stakeholder meetings 
will assist applicants with the 2003 critical use exemption (CUE) 
application, provide guidance to 2002 critical use exemption 
applicants, and discuss options for allocation of methyl bromide under 
the CUE. For additional information on the application workshops and 
for logistical information, please contact the Office of Pesticide 
Programs. Preliminary information on additional, tentatively scheduled 
workshops is listed below. Updated information will be posted to both 
www.epa.gov/ozone/mbr and www.epa.gov/pesticides. Interested members of 
the public are encouraged to R.S.V.P. no later than June 10, 2003, by 5 
p.m. for the June 16 allocation session by contacting the Office of Air 
and Radiation as listed under ADDRESSES.

DATES: The meetings will take place:
    1. Washington, DC--Allocation options session: Monday, June 16, 
2003, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at EPA Judiciary Square, 1st Floor 
Conference Room, 501 3rd Street, NW., Washington, DC 20009. CUE 
application workshops--the week of June 16, 2003.
    2. Raleigh, North Carolina--the week of June 16, 2003.
    3. East Lansing, Michigan--the week of June 16, 2003.
    4. Orlando, Florida--the week of June 24, 2003.
    5. Parlier, California--the week of June 24, 2003.
    6. Washington, DC--Allocation options session: Friday, August 15, 
2003, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at EPA Judiciary Square, 1st Floor 
Conference Room, 501 3rd Street, NW., Washington, DC 20009.

ADDRESSES: Send R.S.V.P's for the June 16 Washington DC allocation 
sessions to Hodayah Finman at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Global Programs Division (6205J), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC, 20460; via phone at 202-564-2651 or electronic mail at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
application workshops and logistics, contact Bill Chism, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pesticide Programs (7503C), 
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone: (703) 
308-8136; e-mail: [email protected].
    For additional information and R.S.V.P.s on the allocation options 
sessions, contact Hodayah Finman, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 
Office of Atmospheric Programs (6205J), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone: (202) 564-2651; e-mail: 
[email protected].
    For further information on the Critical Use Exemption from the 
phaseout of methyl bromide, contact the U.S. EPA Stratospheric Ozone 
Information Hotline at 1-800-296-1996.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Methyl bromide is a chemical pesticide that 
has been identified as an ozone-depleting substance under the Montreal 
Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Protocol) and the 
Clean Air Act. It is scheduled for complete phaseout by January 1, 
2005. The Critical Use Exemption is designed to allow continued 
production and import of methyl bromide after the phaseout for those 
uses that demonstrate they have no technically and economically 
feasible alternatives.
    The purpose of the June 16 meeting, and other sessions on the 
allocation rule, is for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to 
describe potential options for allocating critical use exemptions 
authorized by the Parties to the Protocol and to provide a public fora 
for input on the issues raised by allocation options. At this first 
session on June 16, EPA will describe possible options to be discussed 
in the allocation notice and comment rulemaking process. The 
presentation of possible allocation options will be followed by a 
lengthy question and answer session. At the subsequent session on 
August 15, EPA will seek stakeholder comments and statements on the 
allocation options in either an oral or written format. At this time, 
EPA is announcing the time and location for sessions on allocation 
options to be held in Washington, DC and requests that all interested 
members of the public R.S.V.P. to the Office of Air and Radiation no 
later than June 10, 2003, by 5 p.m. for the June 16 session and no 
later than July 29 at 5 p.m. for the August 15 meeting. EPA will be 
having additional discussions about the notice and comment rulemaking 
process for the allocation of critical use exemptions as part of the 
meetings to be held in locations outside of Washington DC. Further 
information on the other methyl bromide sessions regarding the CUE 
application process will be posted to both www.epa.gov/ozone/mbr and 
www.epa.gov/pesticides. Additional information about the Critical Use 
Exemption of methyl bromide can be found at http://www.epa.gov/ozone/mbr.
    Individuals wishing to attend these meetings or participate via 
conference call are encouraged to R.S.V.P. For those who cannot travel 
to the Washington DC, sessions on allocation options, there will be 20 
conference call lines available on a first come, first served basis. 
When registering, please give your name, organization, postal (and 
electronic, if any) mailing address, telephone, and fax number. All 
statements, questions, and answers will become part of the public 
record and will be considered in the development of any proposed rule. 
If there is insufficient interest in a meeting, that particular meeting 
may be canceled. The Agency bears no responsibility for attendees' 
decisions to purchase nonrefundable transportation tickets or 
accommodation reservations.

    Dated: May 22, 2003.
Drusilla Hufford,
Director, Global Programs Division.
[FR Doc. 03-13720 Filed 5-30-03; 8:45 am]
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