[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 52 (Thursday, March 18, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 13125]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5956]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9128-2]


Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Notification of a Public 
Meeting of the Science Advisory Board; Environmental Engineering 
Committee Augmented for the Evaluation and Comment on EPA's Proposed 
Research Approach for Studying the Potential Relationships Between 
Hydraulic Fracturing and Drinking Water Resources

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) Science 
Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public face-to-face 
meeting of the SAB Environmental Engineering Committee (EEC). The SAB 
EEC, augmented with other SAB members, will evaluate and comment on 
EPA's proposed approach to study the potential public health and 
environmental protection issues that may be associated with hydraulic 
fracturing.

DATES: The meeting will be held on April 7, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 
p.m., and April 8, 2010 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon (Eastern Daylight Time).

ADDRESSES: The Committee meeting will be held at the St. Regis Hotel 
located at 923 16th Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public who wish to 
obtain additional information regarding this meeting may contact Mr. 
Edward Hanlon, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), EPA Science Advisory 
Board (1400F), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone/voice mail: (202) 343-
9946; fax (202) 233-0643; or via e-mail at [email protected]. 
General information about the EPA SAB, as well as any updates 
concerning the meeting announced in this notice, may be found on the 
SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab. Any inquiry regarding EPA's 
planned research approach to study the potential public health and 
environmental protection issues that may be associated with hydraulic 
fracturing should be directed to Teri Richardson, EPA Office of 
Research and Development (ORD), at [email protected] or (513) 
569-7949.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 
5 U.S.C., App. 2, notice is hereby given that the SAB EEC augmented 
with other SAB members will hold a public meeting to evaluate and 
comment on EPA's proposed approach to study the potential public health 
and environmental protection issues that may be associated with 
hydraulic fracturing performed for extraction of natural gas from 
geologic formations. The SAB was established pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4365 
to provide independent scientific and technical advice to the 
Administrator on the technical basis for Agency positions and 
regulations. The SAB is a Federal Advisory Committee chartered under 
FACA. The SAB will comply with the provisions of FACA and all 
appropriate SAB Staff Office procedural policies.
    In its Fiscal Year 2010 Appropriation Conference Committee 
Directive to EPA, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a 
provision that urges EPA to conduct analyses to assess the potential 
risks to drinking water posed by hydraulic fracturing of formations 
including coalbeds and shale for extraction of natural gas. Hydraulic 
fracturing (or hydrofracking) generates vertical and horizontal 
fractures in underground geologic formations to facilitate extraction 
of gas (or oil) from the subsurface. While each formation has unique 
characteristics and features, the general process involves drilling a 
vertical well, extending the well bore horizontally into the formation, 
removing water, injecting hydrofracking fluids and then extracting the 
natural gas along with separation and management of fluids. To meet the 
Congressional request, EPA's ORD has initiated a draft approach to 
gather existing data and information including a stakeholder input 
process; to catalog potential risks to drinking water supplies from 
hydraulic fracturing; to identify data gaps; and to develop research 
questions, research needs, and research products.
    ORD is seeking evaluation and comment from the SAB regarding EPA's 
proposed approach. Accordingly, the SAB EEC augmented with other SAB 
members will hold a public meeting to evaluate and comment on ORD's 
planned research approach to study the potential public health and 
environmental protection issues that may be associated with hydraulic 
fracturing.
    Availability of Meeting Materials: The agenda and EPA's ORD 
proposed research approach will be available on the SAB Web site at 
http://www.epa.gov/sab in advance of the meeting.
    Interested members of the public may submit relevant written or 
oral information on the topic of this advisory activity for the SAB to 
consider during the advisory process.
    Oral Statements: In general, individuals or groups requesting an 
oral presentation at this public meeting will be limited to five 
minutes per speaker, with no more than a total of one hour for all 
speakers. Interested parties should contact Edward Hanlon, DFO, in 
writing (preferably via e-mail), at the contact information noted 
above, by March 29, 2010 to be placed on the list of public speakers 
for the meeting. Written Statements: Written statements should be 
received in the SAB Staff Office by March 29, 2010 so that the 
information may be made available to the SAB EEC augmented with other 
SAB members for their consideration. Written statements should be 
supplied to the DFO in the following formats: one hard copy with 
original signature, and one electronic copy via e-mail (acceptable file 
format: Adobe Acrobat PDF, WordPerfect, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, or Rich 
Text files in IBM-PC/Windows 98/2000/XP format). Submitters are 
requested to provide two versions of each document submitted with and 
without signatures, because the SAB Staff Office does not publish 
documents with signatures on its Web sites.
    Accessibility: For information on access or services for 
individuals with disabilities, please contact Edward Hanlon at the 
phone number or e-mail address noted above, preferably at least ten 
days prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much time as possible to 
process your request.

    Dated: March 11, 2010.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2010-5956 Filed 3-17-10; 8:45 am]
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