[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 204 (Wednesday, October 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 60369]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-26752]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7577-8]


Peer-Consultation Workshop on Tropospheric Ozone Formation, 
Concentrations, Exposure Estimates and Health Effects

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of a peer-consultation workshop and public meeting.

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SUMMARY: Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces 
an October 29-30, 2003, expert peer-consultation workshop to facilitate 
preparation of preliminary draft chapters that cover tropospheric ozone 
(formation, concentrations, and exposure estimates) and the effects of 
ozone exposure in laboratory animals and on humans for an external 
review draft of a revised EPA document, Air Quality Criteria for Ozone 
and Related Photochemical Oxidants. Science Applications International 
Corporation (SAIC), an EPA contractor, will organize, convene, and 
conduct the peer-consultation workshop. Workshop draft chapters on 
these topics, prepared by the EPA's National Center for Environmental 
Assessment within the Office of Research and Development, will be 
available to registered public observers at the workshop. NCEA will 
consider the workshop, peer-consultation advice in preparing revised 
chapters for later release for public comment.

DATES: The peer-consultation workshop will begin on Wednesday, October 
29, 2003, at 8:30 a.m., and end on Thursday, October 30, 2003, at 5 
p.m. Members of the public are invited to attend the workshop as 
observers.

ADDRESSES: The peer-consultation workshop will be held in the 
Auditorium of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. 
Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709. 
Logistics and registration for the workshop are being arranged by SAIC, 
11251 Roger Bacon Drive, Reston, VA 20190. To attend the workshop, 
register by Monday, October 27, 2003, by contacting Ms. Alina Martin, 
SAIC, at (703) 318-4678, or by sending a facsimile to (703) 736-0826. 
You can also register in advance via e-mail at [email protected]. 
Space is limited, and reservations will be accepted on a first-come, 
first-serve basis. On-site registration on October 29-30, 2003, will be 
available, as space allows.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: EPA's contractor, SAIC, should be 
contacted for details pertaining to the workshop, registration, and 
logistics. For technical information contact: James Raub, U.S. EPA, 
NCEA-RTP, B243-01, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711; telephone: (919) 
541-4157; facsimile: (919) 541-1818; or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As discussed in a previous call for 
information (65 FR 57810, September 26, 2000), EPA is in the process of 
updating, and revising where appropriate, the document Air Quality 
Criteria for Ozone and Related Photochemical Oxidants (Ozone Criteria 
Document), as issued in July 1996. Sections 108 and 109 of the Clean 
Air Act require that EPA carry out a periodic review and revision, 
where appropriate, of the air quality criteria and national ambient air 
quality standards (NAAQS) for ``criteria'' air pollutants such as 
ozone.
    As part of the review of the air quality criteria for ozone, a 
series of peer-consultation workshops are being convened to discuss and 
help prepare draft sections and chapters for the revised Ozone Criteria 
Document. Preliminary outlines of the proposed chapters were presented 
in the draft Project Work Plan released for public comment and for 
review by the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee of EPA's Science 
Advisory Board (66 FR 67524, December 31, 2001; 68 FR 3527, January 24, 
2003). The first peer-consultation workshop was held on April 22 and 
23, 2003 (68 FR 17365, April 19, 2003), to help develop a draft chapter 
on the environmental effects of ozone.
    Copies of the draft materials for this next consultation workshop 
will be made available to the public at the workshop. Workshop draft 
sections and chapters will be revised for inclusion in the First 
External Review Draft of the Ozone Air Quality Criteria Document to be 
released later for public comment and for review by the Clean Air 
Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) of EPA's Science Advisory Board. 
EPA will announce the availability of this draft in a subsequent 
Federal Register notice and, at that time, will provide ample 
opportunity for public review and submission of written comments.
    Interested parties are invited to assist the EPA in further 
developing and refining the scientific information base by identifying 
and submitting new information on the potential health and 
environmental effects of ozone. To be considered for inclusion in the 
criteria document, submitted information should be published or be 
accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

    Dated: October 17, 2003.
Peter W. Preuss,
Director, National Center for Environmental Assessment.
[FR Doc. 03-26752 Filed 10-21-03; 8:45 am]
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