[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75237-75240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-32057]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[TRI-2003-0001; FRL 7532-1]


Toxic Chemical Release Reporting; Notice of On-Line Dialogue; 
Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that EPA is extending the comment period 
for the stakeholder dialogue by 30 days until February 4, 2004. The 
comment period for this stakeholder dialogue was initially scheduled to 
close on January 5, 2004. Because of a request for additional time to 
gather and incorporate data into comments, the Agency is extending the 
comment period for 30 days. EPA has revised Appendix B of the 
Stakeholder Dialogue on Burden Reduction Options white paper to reflect 
the latest TRI data. Further, some of the data in those columns listed 
as percentages contained decimal values and have been corrected.

[[Page 75238]]

In addition, two new Tables have been added to Appendix B to show the 
impact on the number of forms and facilities affected by modifying the 
waste management activities included in the annual reportable amount 
threshold for Form A Certification Statement eligibility. The revised 
Appendix B has been posted as a separate document on the docket and on 
the TRI Web site. Instructions for participating in the on-line 
dialogue are posted at EPA's TRI Web site at http://www.epa.gov/tri/programs/stakeholders/outreach.htm.

DATES: Comments, identified by the docket control number TRI-2003-0001, 
must be received by EPA on or before February 4, 2004.

ADDRESSES: The Stakeholder Dialogue Paper will be accessible via the 
Internet at http://www.epa.gov/tri/programs/stakeholders/outreach.htm. 
Comments, identified by Docket ID No. TRI-2003-0001, may be submitted 
by these methods: electronically to EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket (EPA's preferred method) or the U.S. Government's online 
rulemaking Web site at http://www.regulations.gov; e-mailed to 
[email protected]; delivered to EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, 
Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20004; or mailed 
to Office of Environmental Information Docket, Mail Code: 28221T, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC, 20460-0001. Follow the detailed instructions in Unit 
III.A. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larry Reisman, Environmental 
Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information, Office of 
Information Analysis and Access, Toxics Release Inventory Program 
Division; telephone number: (202) 566-0751; fax number: (202) 566-0727; 
e-mail: [email protected]. For general information on the Toxics 
Release Inventory contact the Emergency Planning and Community Right-
to-Know Hotline at (800) 424-9346 or (703) 412-9810, TDD (800) 553-
7672, http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hotline.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. General Information

A. Does This Notice Apply to Me?

    You may be interested in this notice if you use data collected 
under EPCRA section 313, or if you manufacture, process, or otherwise 
use any of the EPCRA section 313 chemicals and you are required to 
report annually to EPA their environmental releases and other waste 
management quantities. Potentially affected categories and entities may 
include, but are not limited to:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Examples of potentially interested
             Category                             entities
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Public............................  Environmental groups, community
                                     groups, researchers.
Industry..........................  SIC major group codes 10 (except
                                     1011, 1081, and 1094), 12 (except
                                     1241), 20 through 39, 4911 (limited
                                     to facilities that combust coal and/
                                     or oil for the purpose of
                                     generating electricity for
                                     distribution in commerce), 4931
                                     (limited to facilities that combust
                                     coal and/or oil for the purpose of
                                     generating electricity for
                                     distribution in commerce), 4939
                                     (limited to facilities that combust
                                     coal and/or oil for the purpose of
                                     generating electricity for
                                     distribution in commerce), 4953
                                     (limited to facilities regulated
                                     under the Resource Conservation and
                                     Recovery Act, subtitle C, 42 U.S.C.
                                     section 6921 et seq.), 5169, 5171,
                                     or 7389 (limited to facilities
                                     primarily engaged in solvents
                                     recovery services on a contract or
                                     fee basis).
Federal Government................  Federal facilities in any SIC code.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This table is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a 
guide for readers regarding entities likely to be affected by this 
action. Other types of entities not listed in the table could also be 
affected. If you have questions regarding the applicability of this 
action to a particular entity, consult the person listed in the 
preceding FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

II. How Can I Get Additional Information or Copies of Documents 
Associated With This Stakeholder Dialogue Process?

    A. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this 
action under Docket ID No. TRI-2003-0001. The official public docket is 
the collection of materials that is available for public viewing at the 
Office of Environmental Information (OEI) 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 OEI Docket is 202-566-1752.
    B. Electronic Access. An electronic copy of the issue paper is 
available from EPA's TRI Web site at http://www.epa.gov/tri/programs/stakeholders/outreach.htm. You may access this Federal Register 
document electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal 
Register'' listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. On the Home Page 
select ``Laws and Regulations'' and then look up the entry for this 
document under the ``Federal Register--Environmental Documents.'' You 
can also go directly to the ``Federal Register'' listings at http://www.epa.gov/homepage/fedrgstr/.
    An electronic version of the public docket is available through 
EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EDOCKET. You may use 
EDOCKET 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 Docket ID No. ``TRI-2003-0001''. The stakeholder issue 
paper and the Federal Register notice announcing this stakeholder 
dialogue are also available on the EDOCKET.
    Certain types of information will not be placed in the EDOCKET. 
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 EDOCKET, 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

[[Page 75239]]

materials through the docket facility identified in Unit II.A.
    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 EDOCKET online or see 67 FR 38102, May 31, 2002.

III. What Does This Notice Do?

    This notice announces that EPA is extending the comment period for 
the stakeholder dialogue by 30 days until February 4, 2004. The comment 
period for this stakeholder dialogue was initially scheduled to close 
on January 5, 2004. Because of a request for additional time to gather 
and incorporate data into comments, the Agency is extending the comment 
period for 30 days. EPA has revised Appendix B of the Stakeholder 
Dialogue on Burden Reduction Options white paper to reflect the latest 
TRI data. Further, some of the data in those columns listed as 
percentages contained decimal values and have been corrected. In 
addition, two new Tables have been added to Appendix B to show the 
impact on the number of forms and facilities affected by modifying the 
waste management activities included in the annual reportable amount 
threshold for Form A Certification Statement eligibility. The revised 
Appendix B has been posted as a separate document on the docket and on 
the TRI Web site.

A. How and To Whom Do I Submit Comments?

    You may access the stakeholder dialogue issue paper, instructions 
for commenting on burden reduction options, and link to the electronic 
docket to submit and retrieve comments, from the TRI Stakeholder 
Outreach Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/tri/programs/stakeholders/outreach.htm during the time period specified in this notice.
    Commenters are encouraged to use the TRI Stakeholder Outreach Web 
site to access the issue paper and the instructions for commenting on 
burden reduction options. The Outreach Web site also provides a link to 
the EDOCKET Web site for submission of comments and viewing of all 
comments submitted.
    To assist in the organization of all comments received, commenters 
are asked to state in the beginning of their comments the specific 
burden reduction option(s) being addressed. If your comment addresses 
more than one of the options in the stakeholder paper, please indicate 
in the beginning of your comment the number associated with each of the 
options addressed. The stakeholder paper has 6 options. Option 6 
requests comment on options not specifically discussed in the 
stakeholder paper. The stakeholder paper also requests comment on the 
ongoing Toxics Release Inventory--Made Easy (TRI-ME) software. If your 
comment addresses this software, please state in the beginning of your 
comment that it addresses ``TRI-ME.''
    You may submit comments electronically, by mail, or through hand 
delivery/courier. To avoid unnecessary duplication of comments, please 
submit your comments through only one method of delivery. 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.
    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.
    a. EDOCKET. 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. TRI-
2003-0001. Please state in the beginning of the comment the specific 
burden reduction option(s) being addressed by the comment. 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.
    b. E-mail. Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-mail) to 
[email protected], Attention Docket ID No. TRI-2003-0001. Please state 
in the beginning of the comment the specific burden reduction option(s) 
being addressed by the comment. 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.
    c. Disk or CD ROM. You may submit comments on a disk or CD ROM that 
you mail to the mailing address identified in Unit III.A.2. Please 
state in the beginning of the comment the specific burden reduction 
option(s) being addressed by the comment. These electronic submissions 
will be accepted in MS Word, WordPerfect, or ASCII file format. Avoid 
the use of special characters and any form of encryption.
    2. By Mail. Send your comments to: Office of Environmental 
Information Docket, Environmental Protection

[[Page 75240]]

Agency, Mail Code: 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 
20460, Attention Docket ID No. TRI-2003-0001. Please state in the 
beginning of the comment the specific burden reduction option(s) being 
addressed by the comment.
    3. By Hand Delivery or Courier. Deliver your comments to: EPA 
Docket Center, (EPA/DC) EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20004, telephone: 202-566-1744, Attention Docket ID 
No. TRI-2003-0001. Please state in the beginning of the comment the 
specific burden reduction option(s) being addressed by the comment. 
Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of 
operation as identified in Unit II.A.

B. How Should I Submit CBI to the Agency?

    Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI 
electronically through EPA's electronic public docket or by e-mail. 
Commenters wishing to submit proprietary information for consideration 
must clearly distinguish such information from other comments and 
clearly label it as CBI. Send submissions containing such proprietary 
information directly to the following address only, and not to the 
public docket, to ensure that proprietary information is not 
inadvertently placed in the docket: Attention: OEI Document Control 
Officer, Mail Code: 2822T, U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460. You may claim information that you submit to EPA 
as CBI by marking any part or all of that information as CBI (if you 
submit CBI on disk or CD ROM, mark the outside of the disk or CD ROM as 
CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD ROM the 
specific information that is CBI). The EPA will disclose information 
claimed as CBI only to the extent allowed by the procedures set forth 
in 40 CFR part 2.
    In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes 
any information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not 
contain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion 
in the public docket and EPA's electronic public docket. If you submit 
the copy that does not contain CBI on disk or CD ROM, mark the outside 
of the disk or CD ROM clearly that it does not contain CBI. Information 
not marked as CBI will be included in the public docket and EPA's 
electronic public docket without prior notice. If you have any 
questions about CBI or the procedures for claiming CBI, please consult 
the person identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

    Dated: December 22, 2003.
Elaine G. Stanley,
Director, Office of Information Analysis and Access.
[FR Doc. 03-32057 Filed 12-29-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P