[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 10, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11425-11426]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-5373]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPT-2004-0078; FRL-7348-6]


Forum on State and Tribal Toxics Action; Notice of Public Meeting

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing the meeting of the Forum on State and Tribal 
Toxics Action (FOSTTA) to collaborate on environmental protection and 
toxic chemical issues. FOSTTA is comprised of the Chemical Information 
and Management Project, the Pollution Prevention Project, and the 
Tribal Affairs Project. FOSTTA will be meeting March 22-23, 2004. The 
meeting is being held to provide the participants of the three projects 
an opportunity to have in-depth discussions on issues concerning the 
environment and human health, which are affecting the States and Indian 
country. This notice announces the location and times for the meeting 
and sets forth some tentative agenda topics. EPA invites all interested 
parties to attend the public meeting.

DATES: The three projects will meet on Monday, March 22, 2004, from 10 
a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday, March 23, 2004, from 8 a.m. to noon. A 
plenary session is being planned for the participants on Monday, March 
22, 2004, from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
    Requests to participate in the meeting, identified by docket 
identification (ID) number OPPT-2004-0078, must be received on or 
before March 18, 2004.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel, 
1201 K Street, NW., Washington, DC.
    Requests to participate in the meeting may be submitted to the 
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact: 
Barbara Cunningham, Director, Environmental Assistance Division 
(7408M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number: (202) 554-1404; e-mail address: [email protected].
    For technical information contact: Darlene Harrod, Environmental 
Assistance Division (7408M), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-8814; fax 
number: (202) 564-8813; e-mail address: [email protected].
    Christine Eppstein, Environmental Council of the States, 444 North 
Capitol Street, NW., Suite 445, Washington, DC 20001; telephone number: 
(202) 624-3661; fax number: (202) 624-3666; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    You may be potentially affected by this action if you are 
interested in FOSTTA and hearing more about the perspectives of the 
States and Tribes on EPA programs and information exchange regarding 
important issues related to human health and environmental exposure to 
toxic chemicals. Potentially affected entities may include, but are not 
limited to:
     States and federally recognized Tribes.
     Federal, State, and local environmental and 
public health organizations.
    This listing 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 this unit could also be 
affected. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this 
action to a particular entity, consult the technical person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?

    1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this 
action under docket ID number OPPT-2004-0078. 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 collection of materials that is available for 
public viewing at EPA's Docket Center, Rm. B102-Reading Room, EPA West, 
1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. EPA's Docket Center is 
open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding 
holidays. EPA's Docket Center Reading Room telephone number is (202) 
566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPPT Docket, which is 
located in EPA's Docket Center, is (202) 566-0280.
    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/.
    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. 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.B.1. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the 
appropriate docket ID number.

II. Background

    The Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. 2609 section 10(g), 
authorizes EPA and other Federal agencies to

[[Page 11426]]

establish and coordinate a system for exchange among Federal, State, 
and local authorities of research and development results respecting 
toxic chemical substances and mixtures, including a system to 
facilitate and promote the development of standard data format and 
analysis and consistent testing procedures. Through FOSTTA, the 
Chemical Information and Management Project (CIMP) focuses on EPA's 
chemical program and works to develop a more coordinated effort 
involving Federal, State, and Tribal agencies. The Pollution Prevention 
Project (P2) promotes the prevention ethic across society, helping 
companies incorporate P2 approaches and techniques and integrating P2 
into mainstream environmental activities at both the Federal level and 
among the States and Tribes. The Tribal Affairs Project (TAP) 
concentrates on chemical and prevention issues that are most relevant 
to the Tribes, including lead control and abatement, Tribal 
traditional/subsistence lifeways, and hazard communications and 
outreach. FOSTTA's vision is to focus on major policy-level issues of 
importance to States and Tribes, recruit more senior State and Tribal 
leaders, increase outreach to all 50 States and some 560 federally 
recognized Tribes, and vigorously seek ways to engage the States and 
Tribes in ongoing substantive discussions on complex and oftentimes 
controversial environmental issues.
    In January 2002, the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS), in 
cooperation with the National Tribal Environmental Council (NTEC), was 
awarded the new FOSTTA cooperative agreement. ECOS, NTEC, and EPA's 
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) are co-sponsoring the 
meeting. As part of a cooperative agreement, ECOS facilitates ongoing 
efforts of the State and Tribal leaders and OPPT to increase 
understanding and improve collaboration on toxic chemicals and 
pollution prevention issues, and to continue a dialogue on how Federal 
environmental programs can best be implemented among the States, 
Tribes, and EPA.

III. How Can I Request to Participate in this Meeting?

    You may submit a request to participate in this meeting to the 
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Do not 
submit any information in your request that is considered Confidential 
Business Information. Requests to participate in the meeting, 
identified by docket ID number OPPT-2004-078, must be received on or 
before March 18, 2004.

IV. The Meeting

    In the interest of time and efficiency, the meetings are structured 
to provide maximum opportunity for State, Tribal, and EPA participants 
to discuss items on the predetermined agenda. At the discretion of the 
chair, an effort will be made to accommodate participation by observers 
attending the proceedings. The FOSTTA representatives and EPA will 
collaborate on environmental protection and pollution prevention 
issues. The tentative agenda items identified by the States and the 
Tribes follow:
    1. Federal budget process (TAP).
    2. Pollution prevention activities (TAP).
    3. Discussion on HPV challenge data base and demonstration (CIMP).
    4. Joint session with TAP/CIMP to increase State and Tribal 
involvement (CIMP).
    5. Connecting P2 with measurable results (P2).
    6. P2 in schools (P2).

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Pollution prevention, Chemical 
information and management.

    Dated: March 3, 2004.
 Barbara A. Cunningham,
Director, Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 04-5373 Filed 3-9-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S