[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 16, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28324-28325]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7410]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-8170-8]


National Environmental Justice Advisory Council; Notification of 
Public Meeting and Public Comment

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notification of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public 
Law 92-463, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hereby 
provides notice that the National Environmental Justice Advisory 
Council (NEJAC) will meet on the dates and times described below. All 
meetings are open to the public. Members of the public are encouraged 
to provide comments relevant to the specific issues being considered by 
the NEJAC. For additional information about registering for public 
comment, please see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Due to limited space, 
seating at the NEJAC meeting will be on a first-come basis.

DATES: The NEJAC meeting will take place at the Washington Plaza Hotel, 
10 Thomas Circle, NW., Washington, DC 20005. On-site registration for 
the NEJAC meeting will begin on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 at 11 a.m. The 
NEJAC will convene Tuesday, June 20, 2006, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The 
NEJAC will reconvene on Wednesday, June 21, 2006, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 
p.m., and Thursday, June 22, 2006, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. One public 
comment session relevant to the specific issues being considered by the 
NEJAC is scheduled for Tuesday, June 20, 2006, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. 
All times noted are Eastern Time. Members of the public who wish to 
participate in the public comment period are encouraged to pre-register 
by Wednesday, June 14, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Correspondence concerning the meeting 
should be sent to Ms. Victoria Robinson, NEJAC Program Manager, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, at 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
(MC2201A), Washington, DC 20460; via e-mail at [email protected]; by telephone at (202) 564-6349; or by FAX at (202) 564-
1624. Additional information about the meeting is available at the 
Internet Web site: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/environmentaljustice/nejac/meetings.html.
    Pre-registration for all attendees is recommended. To register 
online, visit the Web site above. Requests for registration forms 
should be sent to Ms. Julianne Pardi of ICF International at: 9300 Lee 
Highway, Fairfax, Virginia 22031; Telephone: (703) 934-3873; E-mail: 
[email protected], or FAX: (703) 934-3270. Hearing-impaired individuals 
or non-English speaking attendees wishing to arrange for a sign 
language or foreign language interpreter, may make appropriate 
arrangements using these numbers also.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Charter of the NEJAC states that the 
advisory committee shall provide independent advice to the 
Administrator on areas that may include, among other things, ``advice 
on EPA's progress, quality and adequacy in planning, developing and 
implementing environmental justice strategies, projects and programs'' 
relating to environment justice. In order to provide such independent 
advice, the Agency requests that the NEJAC convene a focused, issue-
oriented public meeting in Washington, DC. To help prepare for this 
specific focused policy issue meeting the following background 
information is provided:
    The meeting shall be used to receive comments on, discuss, and 
analyze what mechanisms will most effectively:

[[Page 28325]]

(1) Ensure continuation of timely, relevant and cogent public policy 
advice on environmental justice issues/concerns; (2) enable impacted 
communities to continue to raise concerns to government agencies; (3) 
support continued partnership-building and problem-solving capacity 
among EPA's regulatory partners and other environmental justice 
stakeholders; and (4) promote opportunities for training and sharing 
lessons learned for all stakeholders involved in the environmental 
justice dialogue. The Agency, furthermore, requests that the NEJAC 
produce a comprehensive report on the differing views, interests, 
concerns, and perspectives expressed by the stakeholder participants on 
the focused policy issue, and provide advice and recommendations for 
the Agency's review and consideration.
    In order to fulfill this charge, the NEJAC is being asked to 
discuss and provide recommendations regarding the following broad 
public policy questions:
     What venues and other mechanisms would be most effective 
for EPA to continue to obtain public policy advice on specific 
environmental justice issues/concerns?
     What mechanisms would be most effective for EPA to receive 
timely advice on specific environmental justice issues/concerns that 
require action or decision on short notice?
     What are the best mechanisms to continue to build a 
collaborative problem-solving capacity to address environmental justice 
issues/concerns among EPA's regulatory partners and other environmental 
justice stakeholders?
    In addition, the NEJAC will deliberate on two draft reports: (1) 
the Gulf Coast Hurricanes Workgroup's draft advice and recommendations 
on the environmental justice issues related to natural disasters such 
as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and (2) the Waste and Facility Siting 
Subcommittee's draft report, ``Unintended Impacts of Redevelopment and 
Revitalization Efforts in Five Environmental Justice Communities.'' 
Documents that are the subject of NEJAC reviews normally are available 
from the originating EPA office and are not available from the NEJAC.
    The Gulf Coast Hurricanes Workgroup's draft advice and 
recommendations responds to the following question:

    How can EPA effectively address the vulnerabilities of all 
communities to public health and environmental risks and harms, 
including minority and low-income communities, in EPA's response and 
rebuilding, and preparedness and prevention efforts, in the 
aftermath of natural disasters similar to Hurricanes Katrina and 
Rita, pursuant to the National Response Plan and applicable 
statutory authorities and their implementing regulations, as well as 
Executive Order 12898?

    The Waste and Facility Siting Subcommittee's draft report provides 
draft advice and recommendations based upon lessons learned regarding 
unintended impacts of successful brownfields cleanup at redevelopment 
and revitalization projects in five minority, low-income, and/or tribal 
communities.
    Public Comment: Individuals or groups making oral presentations 
during the public comment period will be limited to a total time of 
five minutes. Only one representative of a community, an organization, 
or a group will be allowed to speak. Any number of written comments can 
be submitted for the record. The suggested format for individuals 
making public comment should be as follows: Name of Speaker, Name of 
Organization/Community, Address/Telephone/E-mail, Description of 
Concern and its Relationship to the policy issue(s), and 
Recommendations or desired outcome. If you wish to submit written 
comments of any length, at least 50 copies should be received by 
Friday, June 14, 2006. Written comments received after that date will 
be provided to the NEJAC as logistics allow. All information should be 
sent to the address, e-mail, or fax number listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section above.

    Dated: May 10, 2006.
Charles Lee,
Designated Federal Officer, National Environmental Justice Advisory 
Council.
 [FR Doc. E6-7410 Filed 5-15-06; 8:45 am]
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