[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 119 (Tuesday, June 22, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34669-34670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-14092]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7776-9]


Science Advisory Board Staff Office, Clean Air Scientific 
Advisory Committee (CASAC); Notification of Advisory Committee Meeting 
of the CASAC Ambient Air Monitoring and Methods (AAMM) Subcommittee

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board 
(SAB) Staff Office announces a public meeting of the Clean Air 
Scientific Advisory Committee's (CASAC) Ambient Air Monitoring and 
Methods (AAMM) Subcommittee to conduct a consultation on methods for 
measuring coarse-fraction particulate matter (PMc) in ambient air, 
based upon performance evaluation field studies conducted by EPA.

DATES: July 22, 2004. The meeting will be held on July 22, 2004, from 
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (eastern time).

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the EPA campus, Building C, 
in EPA's Main Auditorium (Room C111), 109 Alexander Drive, Research 
Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina. A publicly-accessible 
teleconference line will be available for the entire meeting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public who wishes to 
obtain the teleconference call-in numbers and access codes; would like 
to submit written or brief oral comments (five minutes or less); or 
wants further information concerning this meeting, must contact Mr. 
Fred Butterfield, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA Science 
Advisory Board (1400F), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; via telephone/voice 
mail: (202) 343-9994; fax: (202) 233-0643; or e-mail at: 
[email protected]. General information concerning the CASAC or 
the Science Advisory Board can be found on the EPA Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

CASAC and the AAMM Subcommittee

    The CASAC, which comprises seven members appointed by the EPA 
Administrator, was established under section 109(d)(2) of the Clean Air 
Act (42 U.S.C. 7409) as an independent scientific advisory committee, 
in part to provide advice, information and recommendations on the 
scientific and technical aspects of issues related to air quality 
criteria and national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) under 
sections 108 and 109 of the Act. The CASAC is a Federal advisory 
committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as 
amended, 5 U.S.C., App.
    The SAB Staff Office is forming the CASAC AAMM Subcommittee as a 
standing subcommittee to provide EPA, through the CASAC, with advice 
and recommendations, as necessary, on topical areas related to ambient 
air monitoring, methods and networks. A solicitation for nominees to 
form the new AAMM Subcommittee of the CASAC was published in the 
Federal Register on April 12, 2004 (69 FR 19180), and noted that 
nominees should be national and international experts in one or more of 
the following areas: (a) Atmospheric sciences and air quality 
simulation modeling; (b) human health effects and exposure assessment; 
(c) air quality measurement science; (d) ecological risk assessment; 
and (e) State, local agency or Tribal experience. The CASAC AAMM 
Subcommittee will report to the EPA Administrator through the CASAC, 
which is administratively located under the SAB Staff Office. The 
Subcommittee will comply with the provisions of FACA and all 
appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.

Background

    EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS), within 
EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, is seeking advice from the CASAC on 
methods for measuring coarse-fraction particulate matter in ambient 
air, should new PMc standards be established as a result of EPA's 
ongoing review of the NAAQS for particulate matter (PM). Measurement of 
PMc is intended to focus on those particles in the ambient air with a 
nominal diameter in the range of 2.5 to 10 micrometers (i.e., the 
coarse fraction of PM10). The CASAC has provided peer review 
on PMc measurement methods on two previous occasions. The CASAC's 
former Technical Subcommittee on Particle Monitoring (which was 
previously known as the Technical Subcommittee on Fine Particle 
Monitoring) met on April 18-

[[Page 34670]]

19, 2000, to provide advice and commentary on EPA's PM2.5 
Monitoring program. A portion of that public meeting included a 
presentation and discussion on developing a Federal Reference Method 
(FRM) sampler for PMc. The report from that meeting may be viewed at: 
http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/casca006.pdf. Subsequently, the CASAC met 
via public teleconference on October 1, 2001, to conduct a consultation 
with EPA on the Agency's proposed methodology for measuring PMc. As is 
the case with CASAC consultations, no formal report from that 
teleconference was prepared; however, a record of that teleconference 
may be viewed at: http://www.epa.gov/sab/pdf/casacn02001.pdf.
    Any questions concerning the Agency's needs for PMc measurement 
methods should be directed to Mr. Tim Hanley, OAQPS, at phone: (919) 
541-4417; or e-mail: [email protected]. Questions concerning FRM or 
federal equivalent method (FEM) development efforts and the PMc 
measurement methods evaluation study should be directed to Dr. Robert 
Vanderpool of EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory, within the 
Office of Research and Development, at phone: (919) 541-7877; or e-
mail: [email protected].

Charge to the CASAC AAMM Subcommittee

    For this consultative meeting, Subcommittee members will be charged 
with providing individual expert advice on EPA's evaluation of PMc 
sampling and monitoring methods that will help inform the Agency's 
possible selection of PMc measurement methods as part of its ongoing 
review of the PM NAAQS. This consultation will include an assessment of 
the relative strengths and weaknesses of each of the methods tested, 
with consideration of the Agency's need for methods that can meet 
multiple monitoring objectives.

Availability of Additional Meeting Materials

    At least one month prior to the meeting of this Subcommittee, OAQPS 
will post written meeting materials on the Ambient Monitoring 
Technology Information Center (AMTIC) Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/casac.html. In addition, the SAB Staff Office will post a 
copy of the agenda and the final charge to the Subcommittee for this 
consultation on the SAB Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/sab (under the 
``Agendas'' subheading) in advance of the Subcommittee meeting.

Providing Oral or Written Comments at SAB Meetings

    It is the policy of the SAB Staff Office to accept written public 
comments of any length, and to accommodate oral public comments 
whenever possible. The SAB Staff Office expects that public statements 
presented at its meetings will not be repetitive of previously-
submitted oral or written statements. Oral Comments: In general, each 
individual or group requesting an oral presentation at a face-to-face 
meeting will be limited to a total time of five minutes (unless 
otherwise indicated). Requests to provide oral comments must be in 
writing (e-mail, fax or mail) and received by Mr. Butterfield no later 
than noon eastern time five business days prior to the meeting in order 
to reserve time on the meeting agenda. Speakers should bring at least 
75 copies of their comments and presentation slides for distribution to 
the reviewers and public at the meeting. Written Comments: Although the 
SAB Staff Office accepts written comments until the date of the meeting 
(unless otherwise stated), written comments should be received in the 
SAB Staff Office no later than noon eastern time five business days 
prior to the meeting so that the comments may be made available to the 
CASAC AAMM Subcommittee for their consideration. Comments should be 
supplied to Mr. Butterfield (preferably via e-mail) at the address/
contact information noted above, as follows: one hard copy with 
original signature, and one electronic copy via e-mail (acceptable file 
format: Adobe Acrobat PDF, WordPerfect, Word, or Rich Text files (in 
IBM-PC/Windows 98/2000/XP format)). Those providing written comments 
and who attend the meeting are also asked to bring 75 copies of their 
comments for public distribution.

Meeting Access

    Individuals requiring special accommodation at this meeting, 
including wheelchair access to the conference room, should contact the 
DFO at the phone number or e-mail address noted above at least at least 
five business days prior to the meeting so that appropriate 
arrangements can be made.

    Dated: June 16, 2004.
Vanessa T. Vu,
Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 04-14092 Filed 6-21-04; 8:45 am]
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