[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 167 (Tuesday, August 30, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51353-51354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-17197]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7962-7]


Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Clean Air Scientific 
Advisory Committee (CASAC); Notification of Advisory 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 peer review on the Federal 
Reference Method (FRM) for thoracic coarse particulate matter 
(PM10-2.5) and a consultation on various PM monitoring-
related issues.

DATES: The meeting will be held Wednesday, September 21, 2005, from 9 
a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (eastern time), and Thursday, September 22, 2005, 
from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (eastern time).

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place at the Marriott Durham Civic 
Center Hotel, 210 Foster Street, Durham, NC 27701.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any member of the public who would 
like to submit written or brief oral comments (5 minutes or less), or 
wants further information concerning this meeting, should 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 EPA 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 (CAA or 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, which is administratively 
located under the SAB Staff Office, is a Federal advisory committee 
chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 
5 U.S.C., App.
    The SAB Staff Office established the CASAC AAMM Subcommittee in 
early 2004 as a standing subcommittee to provide the EPA Administrator, 
through the CASAC, with advice and recommendations, as necessary, on 
topical areas related to ambient air monitoring, methods and networks. 
The Subcommittee complies with the provisions of FACA and all 
appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.
    Background: Under section 108 of the CAA, the Agency is required to 
establish NAAQS for each pollutant for which EPA has issued criteria, 
including particulate matter (PM). Section 109(d) of the Act 
subsequently requires periodic review and, if appropriate, revision of 
existing air quality criteria to reflect advances in scientific 
knowledge on the effects of the pollutant on public health and welfare. 
The Agency is also to revise the NAAQS, if appropriate, based on the 
revised criteria.
    EPA is currently reviewing the NAAQS for PM. As part of this 
review, the Agency is considering potential NAAQS for thoracic coarse 
particulate matter (PM10-2.5). Further information on EPA's 
ongoing PM NAAQS review is available at the following URL: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pm/s_pm_index.html.
    In conjunction with the review of the PM NAAQS, EPA is evaluating 
potential monitoring methods for measurement of PM10-2.5. 
The Agency's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS), 
within EPA's Office of Air and Radiation (OAR), has requested that the 
CASAC conduct a peer review of the Federal Reference Method (FRM) for 
PM10-2.5 to provide independent scientific advice on the 
appropriateness of this method for being the basis of comparison in 
approving coarse-particle continuous monitors. The FRM for 
PM10-2.5 will establish the basis for approval of 
continuous-monitoring methods in a performance-based measurement system 
process. In addition, OAQPS has asked the CASAC to conduct a 
consultation to the Agency on: Fine particle (PM2.5) FRM 
optimization and equivalency criteria for continuous monitors; and 
PM10-2.5 methods evaluation, network data quality objectives 
(DQOs), and equivalency criteria for continuous monitors. The CASAC 
AAMM Subcommittee provided advice and recommendations for this ongoing 
work at a July 22, 2004 consultative meeting on PM10-2.5 
methods and DQOs.

[[Page 51354]]

    Any questions concerning EPA's ambient air monitoring efforts 
should be directed to Mr. Tim Hanley, OAQPS, at phone: (919) 541-4417; 
or e-mail: [email protected]. Questions concerning the Agency's FRM 
development efforts and PM10-2.5 measurement methods 
evaluation 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].
    Availability of Meeting Materials: Prior to the meeting of the 
CASAC AAMM Subcommittee, OAQPS will post written meeting materials on 
the ``CASAC File Area'' page of the Agency's Ambient Monitoring 
Technology Information Center (AMTIC) Web site at the following URL: 
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/casacinf.html. Furthermore, the SAB Staff 
Office will post a copy of the final agenda and charge to the 
Subcommittee for this advisory meeting on the SAB Web site at URL: 
http://www.epa.gov/sab (under ``Meeting Agendas''), and the CASAC AAMM 
Subcommittee page at: http://www.epa.gov/sab/panels/casac_aamm_subcom.html, respectively, in advance of the Subcommittee's meeting.
    Procedures for Providing Public Comment: The SAB Staff Office 
accepts written public comments of any length, and will accommodate 
oral public comments whenever possible. The SAB Staff Office expects 
that public will not repeat previously-submitted oral or written 
statements. Oral Comments: Requests to provide oral comments must be in 
writing (e-mail, fax or mail) and received by Mr. Butterfield no later 
than noon September 14, 2005 to reserve time on the meeting September 
21, 2005 meeting agenda. Opportunities for oral comments will be 
limited to no more than five minutes per speaker. Written Comments: 
Written comments should be received in the SAB Staff Office by 
September 16, 2005 so that the comments may be made available to the 
members of the CASAC AAMM Subcommittee for their consideration. 
Comments should be supplied to Mr. Butterfield at the contact 
information provided above, in the following formats: 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 in person are also asked to bring 
75 copies of their comments for public distribution.
    Meeting: Individuals requiring special accommodation at this 
meeting, including wheelchair access to the conference room, should 
contact Mr. Butterfield at the phone number or an e-mail address noted 
above at least at least five business days prior to the meeting so that 
appropriate arrangements can be made.

    Dated: August 22, 2005.
Anthony Maciorowski,
Acting Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 05-17197 Filed 8-29-05; 8:45 am]
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