[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11245-11246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-4503]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9273-3]


Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Notification of Two Public 
Teleconferences of the Science Advisory Board Ecological Processes and 
Effects Committee Augmented for Ballast Water

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 two public teleconferences 
of the SAB Ecological Processes and Effects Committee (EPEC). The SAB 
EPEC, augmented with other experts, will discuss their draft advisory 
report about the effectiveness of shipboard ballast water treatment 
processes and ways to improve future assessments of ballast water 
treatment systems to minimize the impacts of invasive species in vessel 
ballast water discharge.

DATES: The teleconference dates are Tuesday, March 15, 2011 from 12 
p.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesday, March 16, 2011 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. 
(Eastern Time).

ADDRESSES: The public teleconferences will be conducted by telephone 
only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public who wish to 
obtain further information about this meeting may contact Ms. Iris 
Goodman, Designated Federal Officer (DFO). Ms. Goodman may be contacted 
at the EPA Science Advisory Board (1400F), U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
or via telephone/voice mail; (202) 564-2164 fax, (202) 265-2098; or e-
mail at [email protected]. General information concerning the EPA 
Science Advisory Board can be found on the EPA Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SAB was established by 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 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C., App. 
2. Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, 
notice is hereby given that the SAB EPEC augmented with other experts 
will hold a public meeting to discuss their

[[Page 11246]]

draft advisory report that responds to charge questions about the 
effectiveness and reliability of ballast water treatment technologies 
and ways to improve future assessments of ballast water treatment 
systems in order to protect waters from the risk of invasive species 
and to be protective of Clean Water Act standards. The SAB will comply 
with the provisions of FACA and all appropriate SAB Staff Office 
procedural policies.
    Background: Vessel ballast water discharges are a major source of 
nonidigenous species introductions to marine, estuarine, and freshwater 
ecosystems of the United States. Ballast water discharges are regulated 
by EPA under authority of the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the U.S. Coast 
Guard under authority of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention 
and Control Act, as amended (NANPCA).
    EPA's Office of Water (OW) requested that the SAB review technical 
documents and available data on the effectiveness of ballast water 
treatment systems and provide advice on improving the performance of 
such systems. The SAB EPEC previously met on July 29-30, 2010; held 
public teleconferences on October 26, and November 4, 2010; and met on 
Jan. 25-26, 2011. Additional information about this advisory activity 
may be found on the SAB Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/sab/sabproduct.nsf/fedrgstr_activites/BW%20discharge?OpenDocument. The 
purpose of the two teleconferences on March 15, 2011 and March 16, 2011 
is for the Committee to discuss their draft advisory report.
    Availability of Teleconference Materials: The teleconference agenda 
and other materials in support of the meeting will be posted on the SAB 
Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab in advance of the meeting.
    Procedures for Providing Public Input: Public comment for 
consideration by EPA's Federal advisory committees and panels has a 
different purpose from public comment provided to EPA program offices. 
Therefore, the process for submitting comments to a Federal advisory 
committee is different from the process used to submit comments to an 
EPA Program office. Federal advisory committees and panels, including 
scientific advisory committees, provide independent advice to EPA. 
Members of the public can submit comments for a Federal advisory 
committee to consider as it develops advice for EPA. They should send 
their comments directly to the Designated Federal Officer for the 
relevant advisory committee.
    Oral Statements: In general, individuals or groups requesting an 
oral presentation at a public teleconference will be limited to five 
minutes per speaker. Interested parties should contact Ms. Goodman, 
DFO, in writing (preferably via e-mail) at the contact information 
noted above by March 7, 2011, to be placed on a list of public speakers 
for the meeting. Written Statements: Written statements should be 
received in the SAB Staff Office no later than March 7, 2011 so that 
the information may be made available to the SAB Committee 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 Ms. Goodman 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: February 16, 2011.
Anthony F. Maciorowski,
Deputy Director, EPA Science Advisory Board Staff Office.
[FR Doc. 2011-4503 Filed 2-28-11; 8:45 am]
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